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Crap I forgot to post this here again --- Arthropod of yesterday!!
Fen Raft Spider -
Also known as the Great Raft spider, this European species is found mostly in the United Kingdom.
According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, this species is vulnerable because there are only three populations of the Fen spider known in Suffolk, East Sussex, and near Swansea.
Great Raft spiders are among Britain’s largest, colored in brown or black with creamy or yellow bands along the abdomen. They have hairy legs to help them move along the surface of the water and can use them to catch fish and tadpoles.
- Sexy Moon repeated this.
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Athropod of today!!!!!!!
Water strider legs are covered in thousands of microscopic hairs scored with tiny groves. As reported in National Geographic, “These groves trap air, increasing water resistance of the water’s striders legs and overall buoyancy of the insect.”
The water skipper’s legs are so buoyant they can support fifteen times the insect’s weight without sinking. Even in a rainstorm, or in waves, the strider stays afloat.
If a water strider’s legs go underwater, it’s very difficult for them to push to the surface.
Their legs are more buoyant than even ducks’ feathers. The strider’s legs do more than repel water; they’re also configured to allow efficient and rapid movement across the surface.
As with all insects, the water strider has three pairs of legs. The front legs are much shorter, and allow the strider to quickly grab prey on the surface. The middle legs act as paddles. The back legs are the longest and provide additional power, and also enable the strider to steer and “brake.”
The buoyancy and paddling legs allows striders to be fast. Very, very fast. The National Geographic article reports striders are capable of “speeds of a hundred body lengths per second. To match them, a 6-foot-tall person would have to swim at over 400 miles an hour.”
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Pyrops candelaria (Laternaria candelaria and Fulgora candelaria in older literature) is a species of planthopper often placed in the tribe Laternariini. This species has been recorded from: Guangdong, Guangxi, Cambodia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Laos, Thailand and other parts of southeast Asia. It is the type of the genus Pyrops erected by Spinola in 1839.
Like all Fulgoridae, P. candelaria feeds on plant sap: including longan and lychee trees (Sapindaceae), among others. Its long, slender proboscis is used to pierce tree bark to reach the phloem.
Members of this genus are sometimes called lanternflies (although lanternflies do not emit light) because of their notable 'cephalic process'. They are often sought-out by collectors, attracted by their fore wings, yellow-orange hind wings with a black zone around the wing tips, a reddish head and cephalic process with white spots.
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Ghost shrimp are appropriately named because they are totally transparent, and they are sometimes called Glass shrimp. Despite their shrimp-like appearance, they are actually more closely related to crabs. Though they are small, reaching up to three to four inches, Ghost shrimp can dig burrows that can be four feet deep. They are an important part of intertidal ecosystems, because they drive oxygen into the sand as they burrow, which helps organic matter to decompose, enriching the sediment, and ultimately providing food for more creatures.
Their transparent nature is used as a defense mechanism in the wild. It’s very difficult for most of their natural predators to spot them as they scavenge the bottom of the riverbed.
Beady little eyes can be found poking out from either side of the rostrum base. Look a little further, and you’ll see two pairs of antennae. One pair is long while the other is short.
The antennae are usually clear like the rest of the body, though you might see some light coloration on a few ghost shrimp. They act as sensory organs that help them navigate the environment and gather some crucial information about the chemical composition of the water.
Below the shrimp’s head, you’ll find six flexible segments. They’re much softer and more flexible than the tougher carapace. Look closely, and this section may look very familiar to you.
It looks like any other shrimp that you might have eaten, albeit much smaller. The first five sections are attached to the pleopods, which are limbs used for swimming. The final sixth section holds the tail.
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🚨 ARTHROPOD OF THE DAY 🚨
The Goliath birdeater is the king of spiders. Weighing up to six ounces and with a leg span of nearly a foot, this tarantula is the largest arachnid on the planet.
Goliaths don’t usually eat birds, but they are big enough to be able to—and occasionally they do. “Birdeater” came from an 18th-century engraving that showed another kind of tarantula eating a hummingbird, which gave the entire Theraphosa genus the name birdeater.
Insects make up most of the Goliath diet, but frogs and rodents are on the menu too. Goliaths prowl the Amazon in northern South America. When a Goliath pounces on a mouse, for example, its inch-long fangs act like hypodermic needles, pumping neurotoxins into the hapless prey. The spider then drags the dying animal back to its burrow and begins the digestion process. Spiders can’t ingest solid material, so they first liquefy the prey’s insides, then suck it dry.
Unlike jumping spiders, Goliath birdeaters have bad eyesight. They rely instead on modified leg hairs, sensitive to vibration, to warn them of danger. If a predator like a coati gets too close, the Goliath has an unusual weapon: harpoon-shaped hairs (called urticating hairs) tipped with stinging barbs. The spider rubs its legs together, launching a shower of miniature missiles into the air. The hairs connect with the would-be assailant’s eyes and skin, sending it scurrying.
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Owlflies are one of the "ugly ducklings" of insects. The grotesque larvae are voracious predators in leaf litter and on trees. They sit and wait for prey to stray in between their oversize mandibles, seizing them and feeding on the body liquids within. The adults are elegant strong-flying insects which are sometimes confused with dragonflies.
Adult owlflies can be distinguished from other lacewings and similar insects by the long antennae (almost as long as the wing length) which have a large often bi-coloured club at the tip. As with most other lacewings the wing veins fork where they meet the margin of the wing.
Larvae are similar to antlion larvae, but are usually more flattened, and do not build pits to capture prey. The sides of the larval body have finger-like lateral processes on both thorax and abdomen. The mandibles have more than one large tooth on the inner margin.
Both adults and larvae are predators. Adults hawk flying insects in much the same way that dragonflies do. Larvae are sit and wait predators of many invertebrates, although they will move in response to nearby movement of potential prey to assist in prey capture.
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Yellow-bellied Bee Assassin
These bugs (Apiomerus flaviventris) are known to resemble bees. They represent a species known for its enhanced polychromatism which means it exhibits multiple colors.
The lower part of its body is yellow with black stripes while its legs are red. Its head is black.
Yellow-bellied Bee Assassin bugs are known to kill bees. They spend the day on flowers where they await for bees to approach.
The bugs are also known for laying a large number of eggs embalmed in an off-putting pheromone that keeps predators away.
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The rosy maple moth has a variable coloration. In most cases, it is white, yellow, or cream-colored, with some amount of pink at the outer and inner portions of the wings.
Adults emerge in the late afternoon and mate in the late evening. Females begin laying eggs at dusk the next day in groups of 10-30 on leaves of the host plant. Eggs hatch in about 2 weeks and feed gregariously when young. Older caterpillars feed alone. Fully-grown caterpillars pupate and overwinter in shallow underground chambers.
Larvae are greenish white with an orangish-brown head. There are two elongated black horns on the second thoracic segment (the second segment behind the head). A ring of tiny black spines encircles each abdominal segment; the ones on the top and sides are very short, but the ones lowest on the sides are longer. Spines on the hind end of the caterpillar are longer. Sometimes there is a pinkish-red patch on each side of the hind end (abdominal segments 7 and 8). In some stages, lengthwise stripes run down the body.
Range: Nova Scotia west through Quebec to Ontario and Minnesota; south to Dade County, Florida, the Gulf Coast, and east Texas.
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🚨 ARTHROPOD OF THE DAY 🚨
Phymata fasciata
This type of assassin bug is a very potent predator. It’s one of the few types of bugs of this genus that can take on prey a few times larger than its 1-inch body.
Bugs of these species are tan or brown. They have a body that appears wrinkly, often confused with leaves or tree bark.
This allows these bugs to remain undetected on flowers or trees where many types of insects approach them unknowingly.
Bugs of the species have a very potent bite.
They often eat powerful large insects such as wasps, hornets, and bees such as bumblebees.
However, these bugs cannot be seen as truly beneficial to any type of habitat as they also eat honeybees.
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The aptly named Toxic Reef Crab (also referred to as the Devil Crab), Zosimus aeneus, can be so toxic as to kill within a few hours of consumption and has been reported to be used by Pacific Islanders as a means for suicide. This crab's muscles store two of the most lethal toxins— tetrodotoxin and saxitoxin.
These gorgeous crabs are easy on the eyes but be sure to avoid them on the dinner plate. Eating a crab will kill the diner in a matter of hours.
They have evolved excellent camouflage skills, allowing them to blend seamlessly with their rocky reef environments. This adaptation helps them avoid predation by blending into their surroundings.
These crabs are primarily nocturnal, displaying heightened activity during the night. They tend to retreat to their hiding places during the day to minimize exposure to potential predators.
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This incredible arachnid most frequently goes by the appropriate and descriptive common name of the Long-Horned Orb Weaver. Macracantha is a genus of Asian orb-weaver spiders recognized as containing the species, Macracantha arcuata, although some schemes also recognise inclusion of Gasteracantha hasselti in this genus.
Macracantha is notable for the extremely long, curved spines on the abdomens of female members of the genus. The females of this genus have tough, shell-like abdomens armed with three pairs of spines. The spectacular middle (median) spines project upward and outward, curving in toward each other along their length. They are up to three times as long (20–26 mm) as the abdomen is wide (8–9 mm).
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The blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) is known for its color and delicious flavor. The crab's scientific name means "savory beautiful swimmer." While blue crabs do have sapphire blue claws, their bodies are usually duller in color.
Like other decapods, blue crabs have 10 legs. However, their hind legs are paddle-shaped, making blue crabs excellent swimmers. Blue crabs have blue legs and claws and olive to grayish blue bodies. The color comes mainly from the blue pigment alpha-crustacyanin and the red pigment astaxanthin. When blue crabs are cooked, heat deactivates the blue pigment and turns the crab red.
Mating and spawning occur separately. Mating occurs in brackish water during warm months between May and October. Mature males molt and mate with multiple females over their lifespan, while each female undergoes a single molt into her mature form and only mates once. As she nears the molt, a male defends her against threats and other males. Insemination occurs after the female molts, providing her with spermatophores for a year of spawning. The male continues to guard her until her shell hardens. While mature males remain in brackish water, females migrate to high salinity water to spawn.
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@kho They taste great.
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Not all cockroaches want to live near humans. The Brown-hooded Cockroach is a woodland cockroach that prefers the great outdoors to kitchen cupboards pantries.
This small, social insect lives in large congregations inside and around decaying tree trunks, stumps and limbs. Keeping the generations together is the only way of keeping the population alive. Nymphs of the Brown-hooded Cockroach are hatched without the ability to digest cellulose, the chief component of plant cells. Their diet is decaying wood which is made of cellulose, so nymphs need a way to break down wood. Adults rely on cellulose-destroying protozoans in their digestive organs in order to glean nutrition from the wood. In order to ingest the same necessary protozoans, the nymphs must feed on the fecal matter of adults. Without the feces, which harbors the living protozoans, the nymphs would essentially starve to death.
The Brown-hooded Cockroach does not enter buildings with the intention of living there like other nuisance cockroaches. It is not considered a pest. Nature is its preferred domain. As rotting wood comprises both habitat and food, the Brown-Hooded Cockroach is likely to be found in woodlands and forests. Check fallen trees and broken branches that are large enough to hold extended family.©InsectIdentification.org
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Black hairy scorpion: This is one of the largest species of scorpions in the U.S., with mature adults growing to about 5 inches long from tip of tail to head. The legs, claws, tail appendage, and underside are all a light yellow color while the top of the cephalothorax is a charcoal black. The tips of the claws are a reddish brown. The body is covered with a light layer of fine, short hairs used to detect movement in its environment.
An unusual feature of scorpions is that they will glow a light blue color when exposed to ultraviolet light at night, helpful when inspecting for them.
Because of its size this scorpion readily preys on other scorpions, most insects, and even small lizards and snakes. This species prefers to create deep burrows to hide in, some as deep as 8 inches, and from these it emerges at night to hunt. Females retain their eggs with the young born within them, and as the first instar nymphs emerge they are guided up onto the back of their mother, where they remain for the first 3 weeks. From 25-35 young may be normal and the adult scorpions may live up to 6 years. The venom is considered to be relatively mild and about as painful as the sting of a honeybee.
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The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail belonging to the swallowtail family, is mostly indigenous to the eastern parts of the United States. The black stripes on its yellow body have perhaps earned it the name “tiger”.
When the wings are opened they are yellow, also having four stripes black in color, mostly prominent in the males. The forewings of the males are black, further decorated with yellow spots lined in a row, while the veins are even black. In females, the body could either be yellow just as the males or it may attain a complete black form, teamed with dark stripes. Moreover, the hind wing even comprises of neatly arranged blue spots.When the wings are closed, the shades are mostly the same with a yellow base with black borders or a full black body as in females.
Eastern swallowtail caterpillars are green with large yellow and black decoy eyespots. They also have orange “horns” they can extend when they feel threatened.
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The common cockchafer is also known as a May bug as they often emerge as adults during the month of May. They are large, brown beetles who spend the first few years of their lives as larvae underground. They mostly come out after the sun has set and can be seen flying around streetlights and lighted windows. If you have a moth trap, you may also find a few of these stumble in, attracted to the bright light.
The common cockchafer is the UK's largest scarab beetle (scarabs include dung beetles and chafers). With its rusty-brown wing cases, pointed 'tail' and fan-like antennae it is unmistakeable. It is a clumsy flier and makes a buzzing sound.
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Odontomachus, otherwise known as trap-jaw ants, belong to the carnivorous variety of ants, and you find them in subtropical and tropical regions all over the world. The general name for this variety of ants is trap-jaw ants in the Odontomachus species. They have a pair of big and straight mandibles that can open as wide as 180 degrees. There is an internal mechanism that locks the jaws in position. When the sensory hairs located on the interior of the mandible are touched, they sense the prey or object and abruptly shut on them. The ant got its name from these strong and fast mandibles. The prey is either maimed or killed by the mandibles, permitting the ants to take it back to their nest. It is possible for the Odontomachus to once again snap and lock its jaw in case a single bite is insufficient, or for cutting bigger size prey into bits. Besides, they are able to perform slow and smooth movements of their mandibles for building nests and nurturing the larvae.
Trap-jaw ants are vigorous hunters and their stings are poisonous. Their jaws are strong enough to launch them in the air.
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The Giant Prickly Stick Insect, also refferred to as Macleay’s Spectre Stick Insect, is a large stick insect from Australia and New Guinea. Its scientific Latin name is Extatosoma tiaratum.
This species of stick insect looks more like a cactus than like a twig. Its body is bulky and covered in small spines. On its legs it has big lobes that are also spiked and look like leaves of a desert plant. Extatosoma tiaratum are often light to mid brown, but occasionally you can find green, beige or dark brown varieties. There is also a rare “lichen” type color that can be found in some young Giant Prickly Stick Insect females.
Like most stick insects this species is docile by nature. It is nocturnal and will generally only move during the night.
It has an amazing defense strategy: it will mimic a scorpion when threatened. If they are disturbed, they will curl up their tail to mimic a scorpion. Sometimes they will even raise their front legs to mimic the shears of a scorpion. Predators who are interested in eating a stick insect, see a scorpion and are not willing to take the risk and attack a poisonous scorpion. The stick insect is harmless but just uses its tail to bluff off predators!
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🚨 ARTHROPOD OF THE DAY 🚨
Adult wheel bugs (Arilus cristatus) are large (1 to 1-1/2 inches long) light gray to grayish-brown distinctive-looking insects. They get their name from the prominent cog-like toothed ‘wheel’ on their thorax (there can be 8-12 teeth/tubercles on this wheel). They are the only insects in Illinois (or the U.S.) to have such a structure. They also have beak-like mouthparts that arise from the front of their head, which some think resembles an elephant's trunk.
Wheel bugs are a type of assassin bug (family Reduviidae), so they are predators. They have raptorial front legs (like praying mantids) that they will use to grab prey. Once they have captured their prey, they insert their mouthparts into their prey and inject their saliva, which contains chemicals that paralyze the prey and begin digesting it. They will then suck out the ‘juices’ of the insect, like drinking a juice box.
They are generalist predators, meaning they will feed on a wide variety of different insects. They can commonly be found feeding on pests like caterpillars, beetles, sawfly larvae, aphids, and stink bugs, among others. In fact, wheel bugs are one of the few insects that will feed on the invasive brown marmorated stink bug.
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Also known as figeater beetles or green June beetles, fig beetles are large, metallic-looking green beetles that dine on corn, flower petals, nectar, and soft-skinned fruits.
Figeater beetles are generally harmless and actually quite attractive. Many people don’t mind their presence in the garden, but due to their clumsy air-raid flight habits and loud buzzing, they may wear out their welcome in a hurry. In large numbers, they can do more serious damage. Adult figeater beetles lay their eggs 6 to 8 inches (15-20 cm.) beneath the surface of the soil in late summer. The eggs hatch in about two weeks and survive by eating organic matter in the soil until winter. On warm days of late winter and spring, the thumb-sized grubs burrow to the surface where they feed on grass roots and thatch.
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@kho these are great, never stop doing them.
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Similar to the animal they’re named after, camel crickets are light to dark brown with a hump-back appearance. They have six legs including hind legs that are often as long as the rest of their body. They also have very long antennae, often longer than their bodies. It is believed this is because they are nocturnal insects and rely heavily on their sense of touch.
Adults are very small, only growing up 1.25” inches in body length. Camel crickets do not have sound-producing structures on their back legs, and adults do not have wings, unlike other cricket species. Their only form of defense is to leap when frightened.
One reason camel crickets are considered household pests is their habit of eating fabrics including curtains and clothing. Homeowners have even reported crickets munching on clothing hung outside to dry.
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The beautiful eighty eight butterfly or diaethria clymena native to South and Central America. They are named after the black and white stripes on their underwing that outline the number ‘eighty eight’. The same numbering found in 12 different species of diaethria butterfly. But the coloring and pattern slightly differs across the species. The upperside of eighty eight butterfly’s wings are black and band of blue and green also appears on their forewings. The underside of their wings have attractive black markings on white and red. The thickness and brightness of the black markings are also varies among different species of eighty eight butterfly.
The eighty eight butterflies are found in small and large group in accordance with circumstances. The active butterflies are also found in human habitations. They also like to rest on rock faces and mineral rich soil. They laid the eggs on leaves of trema plants. The larvaes also feed on the leaves of the host plant. The adult eighty eight butterfly has a wingspan of 35-40 mm. Eighty eight butterflies mainly feed on rotten fruits.
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Snow Crabs have brown or reddish shells with yellow or white undertones, as well as four pairs of legs on the underside. This color shading helps these crabs conceal themselves in the deep seas where they dwell. The four pairs of legs assist these crustaceans move about freely on Alaskan or North Atlantic ocean floors.
The commercial catches of Snow Crab in Alaska are expected to reach 36.6 million pounds in 2020, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The crab has never been short in the Pacific or Atlantic, and NOAA does not consider it overfished.
The migratory habits of these crabs are less well-known than those of other types. The Bering Sea has seen the most significant population movements, with numbers growing steadily throughout the year.
They are distributed across the world via ocean currents. These crabs may be found as deep as 265 feet below the surface in some places and 66 to 265 feet beneath the sea surface in other areas.
They can be found throughout much of Canada, Europe, Scandinavia, northern Asia, and Siberia. The habitat extends from Siberia and Alaska to Korea, with clusters having been discovered in all of these locations.
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This crab is a species of Lithodid Crab which is a type of king crab. King crabs are different from most other crabs. They are more closely related to hermit crabs and have similar characteristics. Their abdomens are twisted to one side, they have large right-handed claws, and their legs fold backwards, instead of forwards. They are able to walk forwards instead of sideways like most other crab species.
The almost circular carapace can reach a diameter of 13-14 cm. It is covered by large spikes on both the dorsal shell side and the limbs. The color is usually brown or orange. The claws are slender, relative to the body size.
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🚨 ARTHROPOD OF THE DAY 🚨
The Happy Face spider has a special design that looks like a smiley face on its belly! It lives on a few islands in Hawaii, and each spider has its own unique pattern. Sometimes, these patterns even change from one island to another. Some don’t have any marks at all! People believe the bright designs might help them stay safe from birds.
The happy-face spider is endemic to the Hawaiian archipelago but is only found on four of the islands: Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and Hawaii.
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🚨 ARTHROPOD OF THE DAY 🚨
Cecropia moths are beautiful silk moths with reddish bodies and black to brown wings surrounded by bands of white, red, and tan. With a wingspan of five to seven inches (13 to 18 centimeters), the cecropia moth is the largest moth found in North America.
In order to find a mate, male cecropia moths must have extraordinary senses. A female moth produces natural chemicals called pheromones, which the male can detect from over a mile away. Females lay over a hundred eggs, although many of the caterpillars won’t live to see adulthood. When the caterpillars hatch, they are black in color. As they go through successive molts, they increase in size and change color from black to yellow to green. At the end of the summer, the five-inch-long caterpillar seals itself into a cocoon and emerges in the spring as a moth. The sole purpose of the adult stage is to mate and lay eggs. Adult moths cannot eat, so if a predator doesn’t scoop them up, they die after two weeks.
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Darkling beetles (family Tenebrionidae) of the Namib Desert, located on the southwest coast of Africa, live in one of the driest habitats in the world. But some species of Darkling beetle can get the water they need from dew and ocean fog, using their very own body surfaces.
Micro-sized grooves or bumps on the beetle’s hardened forewings can help condense and direct water toward the beetle’s awaiting mouth, while a combination of hydrophilic (water attracting) and hydrophobic (water repelling) areas on these structures may increase fog- and dew-harvesting efficiency. For certain species of Darkling beetle, the act of facing into the foggy wind and raising its rear end up in the air (known as fog-basking behavior) is thought to be just as important as body surface structure for successfully harvesting water from the air.
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Spotted Cleaner Shrimp (Periclimenes yucatanicus)
Found living in groups, in a symbiotic relationship with various sea anemones, over coral and rocky reefs, where they are found swishing their tentacles around to attract customers for cleaning.
They feed on algae, dead tissue, parasites, and plankton.
Carid shrimps occur worldwide in almost every habitat, from sea water to fresh water and can be found all over the reef.
They are generally respected by other creatures, often sharing burrows and holes and working as housekeepers.
They will wave their antennae around to attract customers, they then proceed to clean outside and inside the creatures mouths, gills etc. Often if a divers hand is near to a cleaner shrimps, they will hop on board and perform a manicure!
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@kho cc: @animeirl
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The attention-grabbing term of Scorpion-Tailed Spider fits this amazing arthropod. Although riveting, it’s not the only name applied to it, though. That’s because it’s also known by such terms as scorpion orb weaver and simply the tailed spider. The astonishing tail, though, remains its most distinctive physical attribute. This also represents another form of gender-based physical difference. That’s because only the females develop this body part. This appendage increases in size with each molting.
The females can arch this bendable tail over their backsides, which gives them the appearance of irate scorpions and prompts would-be attackers to keep their distance. But it’s all an act: The tail cannot sting and this spider is mostly harmless to humans
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The Rosalia batesi is one of the longicorn beetles. The name Rosalia means a beautiful young woman. The Rosalia batesi's body is a beautiful blue with black spots. When they die, their body turns a rusty red, not leaving a trace of their living beauty.
The Japanese endemic longicorn beetle, R. batesi, is distributed over most of Mainland Japan and has an important function of decomposing dead hardwood in the Japanese forest ecosystem. This species is very popular in Japanese culture, owing to its spectacular appearance and color:
Rosalia batesi was featured as one of the insects in the video game Resident Evil in Insects Puzzle Room on 1st Floor of the Mansion.
Rosalia batesi was also featured as one of the collectable insects in the 2020 video game Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
It also appeared as a beetle saved by Doppio in Episode 26 the 2018 TV anime series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind.
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🚨 ARTHROPOD OF THE DAY 🚨
Idolomantis is a monotypic genus of praying mantises in the family Empusidae. It contains the single species, Idolomantis diabolica, commonly known as the devil's flower mantis or giant devil's flower mantis. It is one of the largest species of praying mantises, and is possibly the largest that mimics flowers.
It is native to Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Somalia, Tanzania, South Sudan, and Uganda. Its threat display is magnificently colored, with red, white, blue, purple, and black.
The head of I. diabolica contains three vital components: compound eyes, antennae, and mandibles. The compound eyes, composed of thousands of individual photoreceptor cells, enable good eyesight. The arrangement of photoreceptor units, for instance, allows the insect to capture a perceptual span of 180°. This allows I. diabolica to identify prey and predators without increasing its vulnerability by spoiling its camouflage. The antennae, a pair of long and thin bristles, serve as the insect's sensory perception. Projecting outwards, the antennae can detect much in the surrounding environment such as chemicals, movement, and odors.
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The Alpine Black Swallowtail, known scientifically as Papilio maackii, is a beautiful butterfly found mainly in East Asia. With a distinctive black and blue appearance, it’s unique from other swallowtails. Its life begins as an egg, then transforms through caterpillar and chrysalis stages to become an adult butterfly.
These butterflies feed on citrus plants as caterpillars and nectar as adults. They have roles in pollination and also feature in cultural stories. In gardens, they can be both a delight for their beauty and sometimes a concern for citrus growers. Their behavior varies with seasons, often hibernating in cold months and being most active in summer.
The Alpine Black Swallowtail is predominantly found in regions spanning Eastern Asia. These regions include parts of China, Korea, Japan, and even the Russian Far East.
The habitats that the butterfly prefers are typically forested areas, especially those located in mountainous terrains. These green, elevated landscapes offer the butterfly ample resources and protection, making them ideal spots for their lifecycle to unfold.
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@kho This one actually looks so cool what the hell.
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Madagascan sunset moth, a day-flying species of the Uraniidae family, is indigenous to Madagascar as its name suggests. However, initially, experts regarded Bengal or China to be its place of origin that was ruled out eventually. Described in 1773, entomologist Dru Drury considered it a butterfly and put it in the Papilio genus. Later, in 1823, Jacob Hubner identified it as a moth, placing it in the Chrysiridia genus. Bright and colorful, mostly due to its wings, the moth generates an impressive and appealing appearance.
The larva has a whitish-yellow body spotted in black and also red feet covered with black hairs. The five pairs of prolegs of the caterpillar are fixed to the third, sixth, and tenth abdominal segments. On the other hand, its six real legs remain attached to its thorax. On hatching, they mainly feed on the tissues situated in the middle of the veins of the leaves. Eventually, they start consuming many other things like fruit, tendrils, petioles, young stems, and flowers. They spin silk that is a part of their adaptation strategy, helping them cling on to their host plants’ leaves.
The animal gets its name because of the sunset-colored patches near the bottom of the hindwings. The hindwings are also banded with blue, and there are green bands, dots, and stippling on the forewings.
The iridescent areas of its wings are caused by a trick of light instead of pigment. But its colorful wings aren’t just for the pleasure of human beings. They warn would-be predators that the moth is toxic. The caterpillar exclusively eats the leaves, flowers, and fruit of Omphalea shrubs, which are full of alkaloids.
Though collectors would love to get their hands on one of these pretty moths, the Madagascan Sunset moth isn’t as rare as it might be. This is because of the Malagasy people’s belief that it represents the souls of their ancestors, and to kill it would be a desecration.
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The glasswing butterfly can travel up to 12 miles a day and at a speed of 8 miles per hour. The key reason behind its migration is the idea of changing elevations and population density.
To attract females, male glasswinged butterflies will form large gatherings where they compete for available mates. They display themselves in large groups to attract females. They also release pheromones during these gatherings or lekking to attract mates.
Before the males’ butterflies can convert alkaloid compounds to pheromones they use during mating, these compounds are also nauseating to predators. Hence, they can lek without any worries of being prey.
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Mother nature is more beautiful, stranger, and sadistic than us
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Fairyflies are very tiny insects, like most chalcidoid wasps, mostly ranging from 0.5 to 1.0 mm (0.020 to 0.039 in) long. They include the world's smallest known insect, with a body length of only 0.139 mm (0.0055 in), and the smallest known flying insect, only 0.15 mm (0.0059 in) long. They usually have nonmetallic black, brown, or yellow bodies. The antennae of the females are distinctively tipped by club-like segments, while male antennae are thread-like. Their wings are usually slender and possess long bristles, giving them a hairy or feathery appearance, although some species may have greatly reduced stubby wings or lack wings altogether. They can be distinguished from other chalcidoids by the H-shaped pattern of sutures on the front of their heads.
Fairyflies include the smallest known insect, Dicopomorpha echmepterygis from Illinois, whose males are only 0.139 mm (0.0055 in) long. They do not have wings or eyes, their mouths are mere holes, and their antennae are simply spherical blobs.
All known fairyflies are parasitoids of eggs of other insects. These eggs are commonly laid in concealed locations, such as in plant tissues or underground. They do not seem to be species-specific when it comes to choosing hosts.
Adult lifespans of fairyflies are very short. Stethynium adults (males and females) may live only one to two days. In Anagrus, depending on the species, lifespan ranges from three to 11 days. Each fertilized (or parthenogenic) female can lay a maximum of about 100 eggs. Access to food can prolong lifespans and increase fecundity. In Gonatocerus, if hosts are not found females can resorb eggs, retaining energy to live longer and increase the chance of finding a host.
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The giant leopard moth (Hypercompe scribonia) grows from a red-striped "woolly bear"-type caterpillar to a white-spotted moth large enough to fit comfortably in an adult's hand.
As an adult, the moth is noteworthy in its appearance: Its wings are bright white, with a pattern of black and shiny blue dots (some solid and some hollow) sprinkled across them. It has a wingspan of three inches, and when its wings are spread, you can see its colorful abdomen: The top side is iridescent blue with orange markings, while the underside is white with solid black dots. Its legs have black and white bands. Male moths (they have a yellow band along the side of their abdomens) are approximately two inches long, while females grow to slightly more than half that size.
As a caterpillar, the giant leopard moth grows to approximately two inches long and has shiny black bristles covering its body. Unlike some other "hairy" creatures, these caterpillars' bristles are not urticant, which means that they don't break off in predators when touched, causing irritation and discomfort.
The giant leopard moth can be found across fields, meadows, and forest edges of eastern North America and as far south as Colombia in South America. It is nocturnal, flying only at night, and adults can be seen between April and September. When handled or threatened, it may release drops of foul-tasting yellow fluid from its thorax to ward off predators.
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The American lobster (Homarus americanus) is a species of lobster found on the Atlantic coast of North America, chiefly from Labrador to New Jersey. It is also known as Atlantic lobster, Canadian lobster, true lobster, northern lobster, Canadian Reds, or Maine lobster. It can reach a body length of 64 cm (25 in), and a mass of over 20 kilograms (44 lb), making it not only the heaviest crustacean in the world, but also the heaviest of all living arthropod species. Its closest relative is the European lobster Homarus gammarus, which can be distinguished by its coloration and the lack of spines on the underside of the rostrum. American lobsters are usually bluish green to brown with red spines, but several color variations have been observed.
American lobsters (Homarus americanus) are typically murky brown, green, or light orange. European lobsters (Homarus gammarus) have dark navy blue or purpleish coloring.
Their unique shade is the consequence of a genetic abnormality that results in the overproduction of a certain protein. Because they’re extremely rare, experts put the odds of this coloring anomaly at one in two million. However, these stats are merely guesses.
The odds of finding this two-toned blue lobster are one in 50 million.
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@kho racing stripes
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The evolution of the name Colorado potato beetle is curious because the beetle is believed to have originated in central Mexico, not Colorado. It had a series of names from 1863 to 1867, including the ten-striped spearman, ten-lined potato beetle potato-bug, and new potato bug. Colorado was not associated with the insect until Walsh (1865) stated that two of his colleagues had seen large numbers of the insect in the territory of Colorado feeding on buffalo-bur.
The life cycle of the Colorado potato beetle starts with the adult as the overwintering stage and can be as short as 30 days. Adults dig into the soil to a depth of several inches and emerge in the spring. They feed on newly sprouted host plants where they mate. Larvae drop from the plants and burrow into the soil where they construct a spherical cell and transform into yellowish pupae. This lasts from five to 10 days. There are one to three generations per year, depending on latitude; however two generations can occur even as far north as Canada.
Potatoes are the preferred host for the Colorado potato beetle, but it may feed and survive on a number of other plants in the family Solanaceae, including belladonna, common nightshade, eggplant, ground cherry, henbane, horse-nettle, pepper (rarely), tobacco, thorn apple, tomato, and, its first recorded host plant, buffalo-bur.
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Yellow garden spiders are large, orb-weaving arachnids, meaning they spin a circular web. Most spiders have two claws on each foot, but orb weavers have an additional claw to help them spin their complex webs. In females, the top side of the abdomen is black with symmetrical patches of bright yellow. The legs are reddish brown at the base and black toward the tips. Males are less striking in appearance—they are smaller with brownish legs and less yellow coloration on their abdomens. Females average 0.75 to 1.1 inches (19 to 28 millimeters) in body length, which is up to three times larger than the males.
These spiders produce venom that is harmless to humans, but helps to immobilize prey like flies, bees, and other flying insects that are caught in the web. The web of the garden spider contains a highly visible zigzagging X-shaped pattern called a stabilimentum. The exact function of the stabilimentum is unknown, but its purpose may be to alert birds to the presence of the web so that they don’t fly through and destroy it by mistake. The spider may eat and respin its web each night.
Inspired by @binkle
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@kho @binkle YELLOW SPIDER, YELLOW LEAF
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The Masked Hunter is a type of Assassin Bug. This family of insects is known for its ability to inflict painful bites on people thanks to a very strong, fang-like beak. This beak is normally used to rapidly stab an insect to death, but it also a weapon of self-defense if it feels threatened. Nymphs, or juveniles, are small and are covered in sticky hairs. Dust, lint, and dirt sticks to the body and legs of the nymph making it look appear more like an alien rather than an insect. This dusty covering makes the Masked Hunter nymph a curiosity to observers who do not know its true identity.
The Masked Hunter adult has a small head, with moderate length antennae and a short, stout beak. It is dark brown to black and elongate oval in shape. They primarily eat Bed Bugs and are active at night. Sightings of Masked Hunters indoors are usually a result of a bed bug presence inside the home. To eliminate the Masked Hunter, its food source -bed bugs- must be removed.
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Stink bugs are invasive, six-legged insects. They are almost two centimeters long with a shield-like shape, and a grayish speckled coating. As the name suggests, these insects will produce a stinky odor when you crush them. Other than the unpleasant smell, stink bugs are only dangerous to certain plants.
Originally, the brown marmorated stink bugs are from East Asia. The insects have become more common in the United States. It’s assumed that these invasive insects got to the United States through shipping.
Although harmless, these bugs can be a nuisance. Stink bugs thrive in warm temperatures and will mostly invade your house during the winter.
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Dobsonflies (genus Corydalus) are large and rather fearsome-looking insects (they raise their heads and open and close their jaws to try to intimidate, often quite successfully). They are primarily nocturnal, are more common near bodies of water, are active from late spring to mid-summer, and are attracted to lights. Both males and females can reach up to five inches in length, and although the rather frightening pincer-like mandibles of the male are much larger and more intimidating in appearance than are the female’s, they are so large that they afford weak leverage and are thus incapable of breaking a person’s skin. They are mostly ‘all show,’ so to speak, for impressing females, but also they are used for grasping a female during copulation. The mandibles (pincers) of the female, however, are short and stout and thus capable of inflicting a painful–but not venomous–bite (they are strong and sharp enough to draw blood).
The wings of a dobsonfly are densely lined with intersecting veins, and when the insect is at rest, the wings are folded along the length of the body, i.e. parallel to the body. Their antennae are long and have many segments. Dobsonflies possess an irritating, foul-smelling defensive anal spray that they use as a last resort. The larvae–called hellgrammites (see photo below)–are aquatic, can reach anywhere from 2″ to 3″ in length, and are familiar to fishermen who like to use them as bait, especially for catfish.
Adult dobsonflies are some of the largest non-Lepidopteran insects of temperate zones such as the United States and Canada, with a wingspan of up to 18 cm (7.1 in).
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Dobsonflies (genus Corydalus) are large and rather fearsome-looking insects (they raise their heads and open and close their jaws to try to intimidate, often quite successfully). They are primarily nocturnal, are more common near bodies of water, are active from late spring to mid-summer, and are attracted to lights. Both males and females can reach up to five inches in length, and although the rather frightening pincer-like mandibles of the male are much larger and more intimidating in appearance than are the female’s, they are so large that they afford weak leverage and are thus incapable of breaking a person’s skin. They are mostly ‘all show,’ so to speak, for impressing females, but also they are used for grasping a female during copulation. The mandibles (pincers) of the female, however, are short and stout and thus capable of inflicting a painful–but not venomous–bite (they are strong and sharp enough to draw blood).
Adult dobsonflies are some of the largest non-Lepidopteran insects of temperate zones such as the United States and Canada, with a wingspan of up to 18 cm (7.1 in).
The wings of a dobsonfly are densely lined with intersecting veins, and when the insect is at rest, the wings are folded along the length of the body, i.e. parallel to the body. Their antennae are long and have many segments. Dobsonflies possess an irritating, foul-smelling defensive anal spray that they use as a last resort. The larvae–called hellgrammites (see photo below)–are aquatic, can reach anywhere from 2″ to 3″ in length, and are familiar to fishermen who like to use them as bait, especially for catfish.
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Cyclosa, also called trashline orbweavers, is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Anton Menge in 1866. Widely distributed worldwide, spiders of the genus Cyclosa build relatively small orb webs with a web decoration. The web decoration in Cyclosa spiders is often linear and includes prey remains and other debris, which probably serve to camouflage the spider.
These spiders are known to be both biting and venomous, but their bites are thought to be unable to seriously injure healthy humans and other large animals, such as dogs.
They create the so-called "trashline" web, which is a line of various components such as prey's carcasses, detritus, and, at times, egg cases. This trashline appears to hinder the predators from visually locating the spider within its web. The trashline" helps the spider to camouflage exceptionally well. But, even though the trashline itself attracts attacking wasps, these wasps are unable to locate the spider within the web since the debris of the web's decoration is of similar color, size, and shape as the spider itself. Because of the variability in the amount of silk reserves the spider has, webs of different diameters may be created. However, larger web diameters do not impact the insect-trapping efficiency of stabilimenta-adorned webs, and instead, the efficiency is dependent solely on the presence of stabilimenta, a type of web decoration.
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Motyxia sequoiae, which are the only known bioluminescent millipedes, are found solely in a small region of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California.
Motyxia's glow warns nocturnal predators that these 60-legged creatures are armed and dangerous; any predator that riles a Motyxia risks being squirted by toxins, including hydrogen cyanide, an extremely poisonous gas, which the millipede releases when it feels threatened.
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Spanish moon moth of the Saturniidae family was described first in 1849 by Spanish entomologist Mariano de la Paz Graells y de la Agüera. This moth is native to Peninsular Spain. They live high up in the Pyrenees and other mountain ranges where climates are cold. There is a small representation in somes places located in France and Switzerland where they are not native but instead further generations of captive moths through repopulation attributed to human action with specimens from Spain.
The larva hatch after 1 to 1+1⁄2 weeks and begin to eat the very hard pine needles. It takes about one and a half months for the caterpillars to reach the last instar. In the last instar the caterpillars go down from the tree to pupate under leaves on the ground. In this stage the pupae in the cocoon overwinter until the next spring.
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The Carolina Tiger Beetle is a ferocious predator of many pest insects, so having healthy populations is beneficial. As adults, these predatory beetles consume many insects that humans consider a nuisance: spittlebugs, flies, caterpillars, spiders and ants. This particular species may be considered a natural turf-protector. A study showed it consumes insects that are known to kill the short grass seen on pitches, football fields, and golf courses.The hunting style of this beetle accounts for its 'tiger' moniker. Larvae are worm-like creatures and they reside in vertical tunnels, latching onto the side of the burrow with a hook-like feature on their body. They wait, with their mighty jaws at the surface of the hole. When an unaware insect walks over it, the larva quickly clamps its jaws on the insect, drags it down into the hole, and eats it. To be successful at hiding and hunting, larvae need undisturbed soil or sand.
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Gonimbrasia belina is a species of emperor moth which is native to the warmer parts of southern Africa. Its large edible caterpillar, known as the mopane worm, madora, amacimbi or masontja, feeds primarily but not exclusively on mopane tree leaves. Mopane worms are an important source of protein for many in the region.
The moths are large with a wingspan of 120 mm. Wings are fawn coloured through shades of green and brown to red, with two black and white bands isolating the eyespots. An orange eyespot is present on each hindwing. Males moths have feathery antennae, which are used to find a mate.
Mopane worms are hand picked in the wild, often by women and children. In the bush, the caterpillars are not considered to belong to the landowner (if any), but around a house, permission should be sought from the resident. Chavanduka describes women in Zimbabwe tying a piece of bark to particular trees to establish ownership, or moving the young caterpillars to trees nearer home. When the caterpillar has been picked, it is pinched at the tail end to rupture the innards. The picker then squeezes it like a tube of toothpaste or lengthwise like a concertina, and whips it to expel the slimy, green contents of the gut.
Dried mopane worms can be eaten raw as a crisp snack; however, in Botswana people tend not to eat the head.
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@kho
Moff. :)
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The cat flea belongs to the insect order Siphonaptera which in its adult stage is an obligatory hematophage. Adults of both sexes range from 1–2 mm long and are usually a reddish-brown colour, although the abdomens of gravid females often swell with eggs causing them to appear banded in cream and dark brown. Like all fleas, the cat flea is compressed laterally allowing it to slip between the sometimes dense hairs of its host just above the top layer of the skin, resulting in an extremely thin insect that may be difficult to observe even if the host's coat is pure white. Cat fleas are wingless.
The cat flea affects both the cat and the dog worldwide. The cat flea can also maintain its life cycle on other carnivores and on omnivores, but these are only chosen when more acceptable hosts become unavailable.[6] Adult cat fleas do not willingly leave their hosts, and inter-animal transfer of adult fleas is rare except in animals that share sleeping quarters. A flea which becomes separated from its host will often die within hours from starvation.
Unlike other insects, fleas do not possess compound eyes but instead only have simple eyespots with a single biconvex lens; some species lack eyes altogether. Their bodies are laterally compressed, permitting easy movement through the hairs or feathers on the host's body. The flea body is covered with hard plates called sclerites. These sclerites are covered with many hairs and short spines directed backward, which also assist its movements on the host. The tough body is able to withstand great pressure, likely an adaptation to survive attempts to eliminate them by scratching.
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The 0.5-inch (13-mm) euglossini bees are characterized by a brilliant metallic coloration, mostly green, blue, and gold.
Male orchid bees have uniquely modified legs that are used to collect and store different volatile compounds throughout their lives, which are believed to be released at their display sites in the forest understory, where matings are known to take place.
This perfume-seeking behavior is also where orchid bees get their name. The males are especially easy to spot as they hover over plants searching for that perfect smell.
Orchids have some unique adaptations that exploit this behavior to ensure pollination. These orchids lure bees in with enticing scents of vanilla, cinnamon, and…rotting meat.
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The common brimstone is one of the longest-living butterflies, with a life expectancy ranging from 10 months to a year. Brimstone butterflies are a single brood species – the adult butterflies emerge in August and are on the wing, feeding and building up fat reserves, until they go into hibernation at the end of autumn. The butterflies, also called imago, re-emerge early in the spring to mate and begin their life cycle once more.
The brimstone butterflies feed on a range of nectar sources – as they are so early to emerge they rely initially upon long-flowering species such as dandelion, or early flowering species such as bluebell, cowslip and primrose. The key food plant in the autumn is thistles with a range of other species also used.
The larval food plant is surprisingly specific and not abundantly common – they require buckthorn or alder buckthorn. The species name for the butterfly eludes to this link – rhamni which refers to the latin for buckthorn – Rhamnus sp. This is a shrub which can be found in hedgerows and woodlands but is not nearly as common as other similar species such as hawthorn or blackthorn.
The cream and flavescent Brimstone Butterfly might be one of the representative species of the entire butterfly family since the very name ‘butterfly’ was probably derived from the ‘butter-colored flies’ that showed up with the advent of spring. Through their acts of mimicry and camouflage, they are known to be the ‘master of disguise’.
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The hermit crab differs from other animals in the Crustacean family because part of its body lacks a hard shell. Their abdomens are soft and unprotected, which makes them vulnerable to predators. Thankfully, these creatures can hide their soft abdomen inside of the shells of other creatures. The end of their abdomen is specially designed to wrap around and grip the coiled central columella of snail shells.
Ecuadorian hermit crab is one of the smallest hermit crab species. These little crabs grow to less than 1 inch in length.
Ecuadorian hermit crabs have four walking legs as well as a small and large pincer. They are quite active and can move more quickly than Caribbean hermit crabs. This species has oval-shaped eyes and the tips of their walking legs are darker in color than the rest of the leg. These crabs are typically tan in color but can also be found in bright colors like yellow or orange.
The Ecuadorian hermit crab is very particular when choosing its shell. They tend to prefer shells that have a wide, round aperture.
One thing to know about this and other hermit crab species is that they can be very long-lived. Ecuadorian hermit crabs have been known to live 30 years or more.
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Southeastern Lubber Grasshoppers are a destructive nuisance to gardens and farms, but they are certainly eye-catching thanks to their size and markings.
As a member of the Lubber Grasshopper family, this type of grasshopper is truly large compared to more common grasshoppers and crickets. Immature nymphs are black with pink and yellow spots and bands, but they become a brownish-tan as they mature. When threatened, Southeastern Lubbers may flap their brightly colored pink-orange hindwings in alarm. In addition to that, they can secrete a noxious odor, and may even hiss as they try to hop away. They cannot fly and feed on low-growing, or ground-level vegetation. Their larvae are found in clusters and can devastate a plant by eating through it entirely. Warmer states may have more than one generation per year.
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Southeastern Lubber Grasshoppers are a destructive nuisance to gardens and farms, but they are certainly eye-catching thanks to their size and markings.
As a member of the Lubber Grasshopper family, this type of grasshopper is truly large compared to more common grasshoppers and crickets. Immature nymphs are black with pink and yellow spots and bands, but they become a brownish-tan as they mature. When threatened, Southeastern Lubbers may flap their brightly colored pink-orange hindwings in alarm. In addition to that, they can secrete a noxious odor, and may even hiss as they try to hop away. They cannot fly and feed on low-growing, or ground-level vegetation. Their larvae are found in clusters and can devastate a plant by eating through it entirely. Warmer states may have more than one generation per year.
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The family Phylliidae (often misspelled Phyllidae) contains the extant true leaf insects or walking leaves, which include some of the most remarkably camouflaged leaf mimics (mimesis) in the entire animal kingdom. They occur from South Asia through Southeast Asia to Australia.
Leaf mimicry often is elaborate among the leaf insects, with the insects’ wings and legs closely imitating leaf colour and form. Female elytra typically resemble, in their vein pattern, the midrib and veins in a leaf. Some species are even adorned with markings that resemble spots of disease or damage, including holes. Nymphs may sway side to side, as though mimicking the movement of a leaf in the wind. Leaf mimicry is thought to play an important role in defense against predators. Some species possess rows of tubercles on their antennae that when rubbed together produce sounds that may also serve to ward off predators.
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@kho Highly important post.
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Silverfish, (Lepisma saccharina), species of quick-moving, slender, flat, wingless insect having three tail bristles and silvery scales. Silverfish normally live indoors and are found worldwide. They often are considered pests because they eat materials containing high percentages of starch, such as paste, bookbindings, and wallpaper, potentially causing damage to books and fabrics.
Superficially, the male silverfish resembles the female; in both, the antennae and the tail bristles are shorter than the body. Unlike other groups of true insects, which copulate, the silverfish performs courtship movements that end with the male depositing a sperm packet that the female places in her vagina. The oval whitish eggs are thought to be inserted into cracks and soil litter. The young, which hatch in several days, are scaleless and have short appendages. They molt every few days, gradually acquiring adult features. The silverfish continues to molt throughout the two or more years of its life, even after reaching sexual maturity.
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Pieris rapae was first described by Linnaeus in 1758 as Papilio rapae, but subsequently placed in the genus Pieris by Schrank. Pieris rapae is the preferred and most often used name.
The head and body of the first-instar larva are pale yellow with fine transparent hairs arising from small white spots. The mature larva is about 3 cm long, its head and body are velvety green with short hairs. There is a faint yellow mid-dorsal line and numerous black, and occasional white, minute raised spots from which arise short translucent hairs. Segments have one or two yellow lateral spots. The larva has five pairs of prolegs.
Pieris rapae is a white, diurnally active butterfly with a wingspan of 4-6 cm. The wings are white with a black area near the tip of each forewing and a small black spot on the front edge of the wing. The female has two black spots on each forewing, while the male has only one. In the male, the apex and costa of the forewings are grey-black with a black spot at the lower angle of the cell and sometimes another obscure blotch below it. The hindwing has a black spot on the costa near the apex. The forewing below is white with the apex yellowish, and a pair of black blotches corresponding to the blotches on the upper surface. The hindwing is dull yellow, dusted with black. The female is slightly larger than the male, usually creamy white above and always with two black spots on the forewing.
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The panda ant (Pachycondyla chinensis) is a species of ant native to China. They live in forests and feed mainly on bamboo shoots. This ant has become famous because of its ability to survive without water for long periods of time.
Pandas ants are black with white stripes along their bodies. Their heads are yellowish-white and they have large mandibles that help them break down food.
Pandas ants are social animals and they form colonies. When they’re ready to breed, they’ll send out scouts who search for potential mates. If they find one, the pair will start building a nest together. Once the nest is complete, the queen will lay eggs and the male will fertilise them.
When the larvae hatch, they’ll leave the nest and start searching for food. After a few days, they’ll return to the colony and begin eating again.
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The mole cricket is an invasive pest that attacks turfgrass and other plants. This unique insect gets its name from its huge forelegs, which it uses to tunnel through the dirt like a mole. It damages golf courses and lawns by eating plant roots and disturbing the soil’s surface.
The mole cricket’s long forelegs are its most distinctive physical trait. These enlarged limbs have blade-like projections called dactyls that allow the insect to dig through the soil. The number and appearance of dactyls differ among species.
Adult mole crickets have short antennae and long cerci, or appendages, on their abdomen. They have large hind legs and wings of varying sizes. Many mole crickets can fly awkwardly. Their bodies have thick, short hairs.
The mole cricket is an omnivore that feeds above and below the surface. These insects eat foliage, grasses, plant stem tissue, roots, and tubers. They also feed on fruit and vegetables like beets, carrots, eggplants, strawberries, sweet potatoes, and turnips. The southern mole cricket mostly eats small animals and insects that live underground.
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With widespread Southeastern US distribution, Grizzled Mantids (Gonatista grisea) have a unique appearance.
It takes on a mottled green color that resembles tree lichen. Its camouflaging colors make it look distinct from most Praying Mantids which have uniform green coloring.
Grizzled Mantises are also some of the smallest types of Praying Mantis in the United States.
Only the largest bugs of the species measure up to 1.5 inches, while others measure around 1.2 inches.
This species is commonly seen in the Southeastern US areas with scrub hickory. The green and gray molted colors of the species help it camouflage itself on the bark.
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Dwarf Mexican crawfish comes from Lake Pátzcuaro, a volcanic crater lake in Michoacán which is located in the southwest of the major city of Morelia, Mexico. Wild individuals of this crayfish are mostly tan, brown, and rust color.
However, Dwarf Mexican crawfish are also available in bright colored morphs that are dramatically different from their normal, relatively drab, wild type coloration. The orange color morph of the dwarf species originated in the Netherlands (bred by Juan Carlos Merino in the 1990s).
This color morph also called “CPO – Cambarellus patzcuarensis var orange” is a very attractive and popular strain among hobby keepers. Actually, it completely took over the pet niche for this species. Once again, this mutation comes from the crayfish being bred in captivity and not in the wild.
The lifespan of these tiny bright creatures is only about 2 years but have been known to live even a little bit longer.
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The Pale Green Weevil is also known as the Leaf Weevil, a name more descriptive of its diet than its appearance. Pale Green Weevils are a bright green color with linear ridges on the elytra (wing coverings). Their green heads are marked with large black eyes and a small black line by the base of each bent antennae. The face is slightly flattened and long. They take flight when approached.
This species is not native to North America and was transported from Europe in the early 1900's. The first documented sighting of them on this continent was in New York in 1906. The adults chew on the leaves of birch, maple, willow, and poplar trees as well as orchard trees like apple, pear, cherry, peach, and plum. Feeding only lasts a few weeks in the spring and early summer, so their impact on tree health is usually insignificant. They leave jagged edges on the leaves they have chewed, and are only a threat to the health of very young trees that do not have an abundance of branches and leaves yet. Orchards might have an annual inspection for this weevil in areas where new saplings are growing. Mature trees recover from any leaf loss by simply generating more leaves.
Pale Green Weevils are found in the soil at the base of host trees where they chew at the small roots emerging from the trunk at the soil line. Their feeding activity there is also considered insignificant unless the tree is young.
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The Pale Green Weevil is also known as the Leaf Weevil, a name more descriptive of its diet than its appearance. Pale Green Weevils are a bright green color with linear ridges on the elytra (wing coverings). Their green heads are marked with large black eyes and a small black line by the base of each bent antennae. The face is slightly flattened and long. They take flight when approached.
This species is not native to North America and was transported from Europe in the early 1900's. The first documented sighting of them on this continent was in New York in 1906. The adults chew on the leaves of birch, maple, willow, and poplar trees as well as orchard trees like apple, pear, cherry, peach, and plum. Feeding only lasts a few weeks in the spring and early summer, so their impact on tree health is usually insignificant. They leave jagged edges on the leaves they have chewed, and are only a threat to the health of very young trees that do not have an abundance of branches and leaves yet. Orchards might have an annual inspection for this weevil in areas where new saplings are growing. Mature trees recover from any leaf loss by simply generating more leaves.
Pale Green Weevils are found in the soil at the base of host trees where they chew at the small roots emerging from the trunk at the soil line. Their feeding activity there is also considered insignificant unless the tree is young.
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🚨 ARTHROPOD OF THE DAY 🚨
Sand fly adults are small flies – only about 3 mm long – and are golden, brownish or gray colored. They have long, piercing mouthparts that are well adapted for sucking blood from their selected host. Sand flies hold their hairy-looking wings in a vertical V-shape when at rest, a characteristic that distinguishes them from some other small flies. Also, the six legs on the adults are extremely long, being longer than the insect’s body.
Female sand flies are blood feeders, but the males do not feed on blood. Females must consume a blood meal before they are able to develop eggs. However, both males and females also consume sugar-related nutrients that come from plant nectar or honeydew. Sand fly hosts vary a great deal. Some species feed on both mammals and reptiles, while Lutzomyia shannani, a common sand fly species in Florida and other coastal states feed on white-tailed deer, horses, donkeys, mules, cattle, swine, raccoons, rodents, birds and humans.
In general, sand fly bites are very painful. Most flies that bite humans feed during the evening and throughout the night. In some cases, flies will attack in the daytime, if they are disturbed while resting.
In general, sand fly females must consume a blood meal to develop eggs.
Sand flies develop by complete metamorphosis, which means they go through four developmental stages: egg, larvae (grub), pupae (cocoon) and adult. Sand flies complete their life cycle within 1-3 months, depending on the sand fly species and their environmental conditions.
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Gooty sapphires are an Old World tarantula species, famous for their dramatic yellow and blue coloring. Broadly, Old World means ‘not native to North or South America’. In fact, their name holds the details of this tarantula’s origins. The first individual described was caught in the Indian town of Gooty in the early 20th century. But this is only half the story. It is now thought that one Gooty had arrived in town by train, because they have only been discovered in a small region of forest 60 miles east of there since.
Gooty tarantulas are famous for their exotic coloring. Their main body color is blue, not because of blue pigment, but due to special lamellated hairs on their exoskeleton. Lamellated means ‘scaly’. The scaliness of those hairs disrupts how light is reflected from their surface, so that blue wavelengths dominate. In fact, the hairs themselves are not blue at all! Because of this, how intensely blue a gooty sapphire looks will depend partly on how the light is hitting them. Beside their blue areas they also have a white fractal pattern running down the center of their back, and vivid yellow patches at some of the joints on their legs (which are the result of yellow pigment).
Gooty sapphires are venomous, and very much so -unlike tarantula species which rely on a venomous bite and flicking tiny irritating hairs from the sides of their abdomen to repel threats, gooties rely solely on their venomous bite as their only form of defense. To make it as effective as possible, they have adapted to produce a very powerful venom.
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The Jewel Stag Beetle, (Lamprima adolphinae) is a species of stag beetle from Indonesia. They are known for the many different metallic colours they come in, such as gold, green, blue and purple. They are a relatively small species coming in at around 50mm for major males.
Lamprima adolphinae is endemic to New Guinea. The species is said to occur as a neozoon in Japan.
Characteristics
The species is characterized by a very pronounced sexual dimorphism. The males can reach a body length of 27 millimetres, the females are considerably smaller and grow up to 22 millimetres long. The pronotum and elytra are metallic green in color, the head and abdomen are coppery reddish. The pronotum is wider than long and reaches the width of the elytra. The male's body surface is smooth and shiny, with sparse, inconspicuous spots.
Lamprima adolphinae occurs in many different color variants, especially in bred animals. For example, there are breeding forms in blue, red, black and other colors.
The animals feed on tree sap and overripe fruit. The females lay their eggs in rotten logs. To do this, they make tunnels in the dead wood. The larvae live and feed on rotten hardwood. Depending on the temperature and available food, they need 9 to 13 months to develop. The male larvae can reach a length of up to 60 millimeters, the female larvae up to 40 millimeters.
kho
Sexy Moon
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tsoifan1997
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