TYPES OF INSECT
Ladybugs (also called lady birds and lady beetles) are small, oval-shaped winged insects. These shiny insects are usually red with black spots or black with red spots on the wing covers. The number of spots identifies the type of ladybug. Most ladybugs are less than 1/4 inch (4-8 mm) long. As ladybugs age, the color of the spots fade. Birds are the major predator of the ladybug. Ladybugs will play dead when threatened.
DIET: These tiny predators are usually very welcome in gardens because ladybug larvae and adults eat aphids, mealybugs, and mites (which are garden pests). Ladybug larvae can eat about 25 aphids a day; adults can eat over 50. There are about 5,000 different species of ladybugs throughout the world. A common species is the two-spotted ladybug; it is orange red with one black spot on each wing cover.
ANATOMY Ladybugs are winged insects (a type of beetle). When they are not flying, the flight wings are covered and protected by a pair of modified wings (called elytra). When flying, the elytras open up, allowing the wings to move. The area above the elytra is called the pronotum (it is part of the thorax). The pronotum frequently has grayish spots on it. The head of the ladybug is very tiny (and frequently confused with the pronotum). Females are larger than males. Like all insects, ladybugs have: 6 jointed legs (arranged as 3 pairs) one pair of antennae, an exoskeleton made of chitin (a type of strong protein similar to the one that forms our hair and fingernails), a three-part body consisting of the: head (which has the mouthparts, compound eye, and antennae), a thorax (the middle section which is where the 3 pairs of legs and the pairs of wings attach) and an abdomen (which holds the excretory and reproductive organs and most of the digestive system).
LIFE STAGES The labybug, like all beetles, undergoes a complete metamorphosis during its life. The life stages of the ladybug are: egg --> larva --> pupa --> adult. Female ladybugs lay tiny eggs, usually laid in a small mass (fertilization is internal). The larvae that hatches from the egg is small and long and has 6 legs. As it rapidly grows, the larva molts (sheds its skin) several times. After reaching full size, the larvae attaches itself to a plant leaf or stem (by its "tail"). The larval skin then splits down the back, exposing the pupa. The pupa is about the size of the adult but is all wrapped up, protecting the ladybug while the it undergoes metamorphosis into its adult stage. This last stage in the metamorphosis takes a few days.
HABITAT: Ladybugs live in a variety of habitats, including forests, fields, grasslands, gardens, and even in people's houses.
LADYBUGS ON THE SPACE SHUTTLE Four ladybugs were sent into space in 1999 on NASA's space shuttle led by Eileen Collins. Ladybugs and their main food, aphids, were sent to a zero-gravity environment to study how to aphids could get away from the ladybugs without being able to jump using gravity. According to the STS-93 Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby, "One of the experiments that I do understand well, and is also very interesting, is an experiment that involves aphids and ladybugs. We are taking a small container with some leaves and aphids, and the ladybugs that are their prime predator. I'm told that the ladybugs on Earth will climb up a stalk to capture the aphids, and the aphids will use gravity to assist them to fall off of the leaf to escape from the ladybug. The question is, how will these defense mechanisms work in the absence of gravity, and what will happen to the relationship between predator and prey? One of the things that extra time has allowed us to do is to come up with names for the four ladybugs that we have. I think they have been very appropriately named after The Beatles: John, Paul, Ringo, and George. We're taking these ladybugs up and we're going to release them and see what they do." Results of the Experiment: Upon completion of the mission, it was determined that the ladybugs survived and did eat the aphids while in a microgravity environment. Ladybugs do very well in space!
LADYBUG CLASSIFICATION Kingdom Animalia (animals)/Phylum Arthropoda (arthropods)/Class Insecta (insects)/Superorder Uniramia/Order Coleoptera/Family Coccinellidae
DRAGONFLY
The
dragonfly is a flying insect that can hover in mid-air. It eats other insects,
catching them while it is flying. There are many different species of
dragonflies, and most of them are found near water. The earliest dragonflies
appeared over 300 million years ago. Like all insects, the dragonfly has
a three-part body: a head, a thorax, and a long, thin, segmented abdomen.
The dragonfly has 2 large compound eyes that take up most of the head. On
the short thorax there are three pairs of jointed legs and two pairs of long,
delicate, membranous wings. The dragonfly breathes through spiracles (tiny
holes in the abdomen). Life cycle: A dragonfly undergoes incomplete
metamorphosis. The larva hatches from an egg which is laid in water, in plants
near water, or even underwater. As this aquatic (living in the water) larva
(called a nymph) grows, it molts (loses its old skin) many times. When
fully-grown, it emerges from the water, using the claws on its feet to crawl
onto a plant. The dragonfly flies away over land. It only returns to the
water to reproduce and continue this cycle. The life span ranges from about
6 months to over 7 years (most of it is spent in the nymph stage - the adult
lives for only a few weeks). Classification: Kingdom Animalia; Phylum Arthropoda
(arthropods); Class Insecta (insects); Order Odonata (dragonflies and
damselflies); Suborder Anisoptera (dragonflies), many families, including
Family Libellulidae (skimmers or pond dragonflies).
FIREFLY
The Pyralis firefly (also known as the lightning bug) is a common firefly
in North America. This partly nocturnal, luminescent beetle is the most common
firefly in the USA. The Firefly's Glow: At night, the very end (the last
abdominal segment) of the firefly glows a bright yellow-green color. The
firefly can control this glowing effect. The brightness of a single firefly
is 1/40 of a candle. Fireflies use their glow to attract other fireflies.
Males flash about every five seconds; females flash about every two seconds.
This firefly is harvested by the biochemical industry for the organic compounds
luciferin (which is the chemical the firefly uses for its bioluminescence).
Anatomy: This flying insect is about 0.75 inch (2 cm) long. It is mostly
black, with two red spots on the head cover; the wing covers and head covers
are lined in yellow. Like all insects, it has a hard exoskeleton, six jointed
legs, two antennae, compound eyes, and a body divided into three parts (the
head, thorax, and abdomen). Diet: Both the adults and the larvae are carnivores
(meat-eaters). They eat other insects (including other fireflies), insect
larvae, and snails. Classification: Order Coleoptera, Family Lampyridae,
Genus Photinus, Species P. pyralis
BEETLE
Beetles are a type of insect (a type of invertebrate, animals that lack a
backbone). Beetles constitute the largest order of insects (order Coleoptera,
meaning "sheath wing"). Beetles (like all insects) have a hard exoskeleton,
a three-part body (head, thorax, and abdomen), two compound eyes, three pairs
of jointed legs, and two antennae. The legs and wings are attached to the
thorax. In beetles, the front pair of hardened wings forms the elytra, which
protect the hind wings. Beetles (like all insects) breathe through holes
called spiracles. Metamorphosis: Beetles hatch from eggs. They undergo complete
metamorphosis consisting of four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. An
egg hatches into a larva (sometimes called a grub - which sometimes looks
like a worm but can also look like a tiny lizard or insect). After molting
many times (shedding the hard exoskeleton which has been outgrown), it develops
a hard outer shell, the puparium, and the beetle undergoes tremendous
physiological changes (although it is seemingly inactive during this stage)
- this is the pupa. It emerges from the puparium as an adult beetle. Worldwide
Species: There are about 350,000 different species of beetles and many more
that have not been discovered yet. Insects evolved during the early Permian
Period, 265 million years ago (before dinosaurs evolved). Beetles live all
over the world (except on the continent of Antarctica or in the oceans);
they live in regions ranging from deserts to mountains to rainforests. Most
beetles are not aquatic, but a few species live in the water during their
adult life stage. The word beetle comes from the word "bite" in old English.
Well-known Beetles: Some well-known beetles include the ladybug (also called
the ladybird - helpful in the garden), the firefly, scarab beetles (including
the Goliath and Hercules beetles), rove beetles (that superficially look
like earwigs), jewel beetles (beautiful agricultural pests), click beetles,
weevils, leaf beetles (like the potato beetle), ground beetles (like the
bombardier beetle and tiger beetle), diving beetles, and mealworms (which
metamorphosize into darkling beetles). Classification of Beetles: Kingdom
Animalia (animals), Phylum Arthropoda (arthropods), Class Insecta (insects),
Order Coleoptera (beetles), about 150 Families.
BEES
The
honeybee, one of man's oldest insect friends, gives us honey, beeswax and
most important of all, the fertilization of many of our cropbearing plants.
The honeybee is a social insect living in large colonies of from 20,000 to
80,000 individuals. There are five species of honeybees known: Apis mellifera
(common honeybee); Apis dorsata (giant honeybee); Apis laboriosa (giant
honeybee); Apis cerana (Indian honeybee) and Apis florea (dwarf honeybee).
Like all insects, bees have six legs, a three-part body, a pair of antennae,
compound eyes, jointed legs, and a hard exoskeleton. The three body parts
are the head, thorax, and abdomen (the tail end). Bees can fly about 15 mph
(24 kph). They eat nectar (a sweet liquid made by flowers) which they turn
into honey. In the process of going from flower to flower to collect nectar,
pollen from many plants gets stuck on the bee's pollen baskets (hairs on
the hind legs). Pollen is also rubbed off of flowers. This pollinates many
flowers (fertilizing them and producing seeds). The Castes. Three types of
individuals, or castes, can at one time or another be found in a honeybee
colony, including the queen (a fertile female), workers (infertile female)
and drones (male). There is only one egg-laying queen in a hive. Most of
the colony is made up of workers who build and repair the hive, search for
nectar and pollen, produce wax and honey, feed the young and protect the
hive against enemies. Worker bees are unmated females. The males have but
one purpose in life and that is to mate with virgin queens. Once they have
done this they die. Drones buzz ferociously, but lack a sting and are entirely
harmless. The Bee Sting. Most people who fear bees, do so because of their
painful sting. When the bee stings, the stinger, poison sac and several others
parts of the bee's anatomy are torn from the bee's body. It soon dies, a
fact that offers little relief to the person who is stung. The action of
the sting takes place almost instantaneously. The sting has barbs on it,
and if it is not immediately removed, the reflex action of the muscles attached
to the sting drive it deeper and deeper into the skin. This gives more time
for the discharge of poison from the poison sac. The pain from the sting
is increased by the discharge of toxin. Different individuals are affected
in different ways by bee stings. Some of the things that cause the differences
are the part of the body that is stung, the amount of poison that has entered
into the system and the natural immunity of the individual. The actual pain
from the bee sting doesn't last long and it is the after effects - the swelling
and itching - that are the most disturbing. Some individuals are naturally
immune and do not swell, while others are so badly affected by bee sting
they may be confined to bed for a number of days. In some instances, the
sting of a bee may result in red blotches on the skin, nausea, fainting and
even death! The stinger of a bee, as was previously mentioned, has barbs
on it, and thus remains in the skin. At times, complications may result from
the sting being embedded in the skin. For this reason, an effort should be
made to remove the entire stinger. The western honeybee, or hivebee, also
builds its nest of many combs in sheltered places and is found in the United
States, Europe, and Africa. Colonies kept in hives yield an average of 23
kg (50 pounds) of honey. Unlike other bees, honeybees do not hibernate during
cold weather. They last out the rigors of northern winters by feeding on
stored supplies and sharing their body heat, clustering together in dense
packs. Socialization is most advanced in honeybees. As new, young queens
are about to emerge in an established hive, half of the colony leaves with
the old queen and clusters on a nearby bush or tree while scout bees search
for a new home. When the scouts appear to agree on a new location, the swarm
departs. At the old nest, meanwhile, the first queen to emerge disposes of
the other queens (by stinging them) before they have a chance to emerge.
Within a few days, the virgin queen will fly to where drones assemble, and
mate with 6 to 12 drones. The sperm from these drones is stored in a sac
(spermatheca) and used during her egg-laying life of from two to five years
or a maximum of nine. All the members of the hive are related to each other.
There are three types of honey bees: " the queen (who lays eggs) " workers
- females who gather food, make honey, build the six-sided honeycomb, tend
eggs, and guard the hive " drones - males who mate with the queen. Bees undergo
complete metamorphosis. The queen lays an egg in a cell in the wax comb (all
the immature bees are called the brood). The egg hatches into a worm-like
larva, which eventually pupates into an adult bee.
DRONES AND WORKERS Drones develop by parthenogenesis from unfertilized eggs that the queen produces by withholding sperm from the eggs laid in large drone cells. Drones lack stings and the structures needed for pollen collection; in the autumn they are ejected by the colony to starve, unless the colony is queenless. New drones are produced in the spring for mating. Both queens and workers are produced from fertilized eggs. Queen larvae are reared in special peanut-shaped cells and fed more of the pharyngeal gland secretions of the nurse bees (bee milk or royal jelly) than the worker larvae are. The precise mechanism for this caste differentiation is still uncertain. Although workers are similar in appearance and behavior to other female bees, they lack the structures for mating. When no queen is present to inhibit the development of their ovaries, however, workers eventually begin to lay eggs that develop into drones.
PHEROMONES The integrity of the colony is maintained by chemical secretions, or PHEROMONES. Workers secrete pheromones from the so-called Nasanov gland at the tip of the abdomen when they cluster, enter a new nesting site, or mark a source of nectar or water. The colony scent is recognizable by bees of the same colony because of its unique combination of components derived from the colony's particular collections of nectar and pollen. When queens fly to mate, a mandibular-gland pheromone attracts the drones. The same gland produces another pheromone, called queen substance, which workers lick from the queen's body and pass along as they exchange food with one another. The eaten pheromone inhibits the ovaries of workers; when the queen's secretion is inadequate, the colony produces queen cells to supersede her. The mandibular, or mouth glands of workers produce an alarm odor, which serves to alert the colony when it is disturbed. Workers also produce a sting odor, which is released at the site of the sting and serves to direct other bees to the sting area. Stingless bees bite leaves at intervals along their flight path to provide a scent trail of mandibular secretions.
DANCE LANGUAGE The ability of honeybees to communicate direction and distance from the hive to nectar sources through dance "language" has received widespread attention. In 1973, Karl von FRISCH received a Nobel Prize for deciphering the language, which consists of two basic dances: a dance in a circle, for indicating sources without reference to specific distance or direction; and a tail-wagging dance in which the exact distance is indicated by a number of straight runs with abdominal wagging--the fewer runs per minute, the farther away the source. Wing vibrations produce sounds at the same rate as the tail wagging and are detected by organs in the legs of other bees. Researchers have developed a robot "bee" that can communicate with other bees in this way. The various species of Apis, and races of honeybees, indicate a particular distance by a different dance tempo. This may lead the individuals in colonies with a mixture of races to misunderstand messages about the distance to a feeding site. Stingless bees communicate only by sounds. The direction, or azimuth, to the food source is indicated by the angle of the wagging dance to the Sun. That is, bees use the Sun as a compass, orienting the dance angle to the plane of polarization of the sunlight. Even when the Sun is obscured by clouds, bees can detect its position from the light in brighter patches of the sky. Ultraviolet designs in flowers serve as nectar guides to blooms in areas as small as 4 sq m (43 sq ft2). Honeybees also have a little-understood, built-in clock that appears to be synchronized with the store of nectar in flowers. Hence, honeybees making the rounds of flowers in search of nectar always seem to be at the right place at the right time. The common honeybee is found worldwide and consists of a number of races or subspecies. There are four subspecies of the common honeybee occurring in Europe, three oriental subspecies and 12 African subspecies. These races vary in their nature. Italian bees are generally gentle creatures, whereas German bees are agressive. However, it should be noted that even the normally gentle Italian bee, when provoked, will try to sting you. The weather often affects the temper of bees, and on windy, cloudy days, when they are unable to search for nectar, pollen, etc, they are somewhat angry or frustrated, and they may "take it out" on some innocent passerby. One honeybee with a nasty disposition is the hybrid Brazilian honeybee. This hybrid resulted when African bees brought to Brazil in 1956 escaped and bred with native bees. The African bees were imported to improve production in the bee keeping industry. African bees are very industrious, foraging, or searching for food, earlier in the day and working longer in the evening. They also can work at higher or lower temperatures and thus produce more honey per year than the European species. However, they are very aggressive, sting with little provocation and chase their victims up to 328 feet. (Italian bees will normally only chase about 33 feet). Right now the Africanized bees are widespread in South Africa. They have become established in Mexico, and should already be established in Texas. A swarm of them were transported to Southern California in 1985, but they were destroyed. The effect of this bee on the United States beekeeping industry is uncertain. Also uncertain is how far north they will be able to survive.
GRASSHOPPER
Grasshoppers
are insects that can hop, walk, and fly. Many male grasshoppers make noise
by rubbing their back legs together. There are about 10,000 different species
of grasshoppers. Metamorphosis: Grasshoppers undergo simple (or incomplete)
metamorphosis; eggs hatch into nymphs, which look like little adults without
wings and reproductive organs. Nymphs molt many times as they grow to be
adults. Anatomy: Like all insects, the grasshoppers have a three-part body
(head, thorax and abdomen), six jointed legs, two pairs of wings, and two
antennae. Their body is covered with a hard exoskeleton. Grasshoppers breathe
through a series of holes called spiracles; they are located along the sides
of the body. Most grasshoppers are green, brown, or olive-green. The biggest
ones are about 4.5 inches (11.5 cm) long. The Legs: The long hind legs are
used for hopping. The short front legs are used to hold prey and to walk.
Diet and Predators: Grasshoppers eat plants. Their predators include birds,
beetles, rodents, reptiles, and spiders. Some flies also eat grasshopper
eggs.
ANT
Ants
are normally from 2 to 7 mm long, although carpenter ants can stretch to
2 cm, or almost an inch! Ants can be brown, black or red and can have wings
or be wingless. They have narrow waists and elbowed antennae. Ant colonies
consist of males, females and workers. When a colony begins to grow too large,
winged male and female ants leave the colony, mate in flight and then search
for a new nesting site, usually in soil, under concrete, or in rotting stumps
and wood. Once they find a good site for their new home, they shed their
wings and the male soon dies. When the nest has been established, the "queen"
lays eggs that hatch into grubs, that pupate into wingless workers. ( Ants
go through complete metamorphosis - egg, larva, pupa and adult ) These workers
care for the new eggs produced by the queen. Incubation, or hatching of the
eggs, lasts from 10 days to several months depending on temperature. Larger
ants, called soldiers, are produced for defense and usually have large strong
jaws used to protect the colony. Once well established, colonies will produce
winged male and female ants that swarm out of the nest, fly away to mate,
and the process starts all over again. When food is plentiful some females
will return to the original colony thus expanding it rapidly. One of the
main jobs of ants is to look for food. They are scavengers and are one of
nature's best clean up crews. Believe it or not, ants are responsible for
"cleaning up" much of the environment all around the world. When creatures
die, ants will pick at whatever remains until all the edible parts are gone.
Once food is found, an ant lays down a scent as it returns to the nest. Other
ants will pick up this scent and follow the trail to the food. Some ants
actually care for and "farm" other insects! Aphids, scale insects and mealybugs
suck the sap of plants. These insects can't use all the sugar that they get
from the plants, so they excrete "honeydew", which the ants collect to feed
the colony. Ants will transport aphids from plant to plant and take the eggs
into their colony for the winter. Ants will also defend aphids from insect
predators, such as lady beetles and lacewings, by attacking them in large
numbers. Carpenter ants are black or reddish black with large jaws and are
among the largest ants. They prefer moist, softer wood that has begun to
decay but may also attack newly built structures. Carpenter ants do not eat
wood, they simply dig it out to create a nesting place. Piles of sawdust
that are produced often contain parts of ant bodies.
ANT FACTS: The queen ant lays all the eggs in the anthill. Wood ants squirt acid from the end of their abdomens. Wood ant workers live seven to ten years. Wood ants make anthills out of twigs, leaves and soil. The queen ant lives up to ten or twenty years. The wood ant can threaten the enemy with open jaws. There are thirty-five thousand kinds of ants in the world. The ants exoskeleton is made of chitin. The male ant has wings for a short while. There are sixty species of ants in North America. The queen ant has wings. The army ant bites and stings any bug that comes toward it. The army ant can even bite a huge snake. Ants have two stomachs one for them and one to feed others. Some ants sleep seven hours a day. The queen licks the eggs to make them hatch. The queen feeds her eggs her own saliva. Some ants can have up to three queens.
TERMITE
Subterannean termites, the most common kind, live in the soil, from just
below the surface to as much as 12 feet down. Up to two million termites
inhabit a colony. These colonies consist of a network of tunnels and chambers
built around a King and Queen whose sole job is to reproduce. In fact, in
some of the 55 termite species, queens can lay up to 86,000 eggs a day! Often
the queen's swollen body can weigh more than a pencil. The rest of the colony
is made up of termites who all play specific roles in keeping the colony
healthy. Among these termites are the workers. Worker termites keep busy
24 hours a day digesting wood fibers and other forms of cellulose which they
eat, digest and share with the other members of the colony. Workers also
clean the royal pair, the King and Queen, and carry away the eggs. Termites
that are going to become queens are fed special chemicals and food by the
workers to make sure that they grow up with wings and the ability to mate
and to lay eggs. Most of these termites, often called "reproductives", fly
off from the nests in large numbers during the wet part of the year. At this
stage they all look very similar, whether they are male (kings) or females
(queens) and none of them have swollen abdomens. They fly away from the nest
to begin a new colony in another place. If they are successful, they meet
a mate and dig into the soil. Once there, they begin to form a new colony.
It is only when the king and queen are safely together in the nest, that
the queen begins to grow and produce the eggs to start a new colony. There's
really no such thing as a standard "termite queen". It is true however, that
some termite queens are very large (up to 3-4 inches in length and about
an inch in diameter), and some lay a lot of eggs in a very short time. In
laboratory experiments some species have been shown to lay an egg a second,
and so could theoretically lay over 30 million eggs a year! This sort of
termite can lay such a large number of eggs for a number of reasons. First,
because she is able to grow massively in size so that her ovaries fill almost
her whole body. Second, because she is constantly cared for by worker termites,
and often has a special chamber (the "queen cell") in the center of the nest
where she can sit, which is kept at a constant temperature and humidity and
away from danger. Third, because the queen does nothing else except lay eggs
and, in any case, is usually too large and bloated to move. This means that
if there is any danger the workers have to move the queen themselves, and
this does happen sometimes, when ants attack the queen cell, and the workers
try to drag the queen to safety. Queens make a very nutritious meal for ants
and, in some parts of the world, humans love to eat them too! Yuck!!! Worker
termites are rarely seen because they stay deep within the colony. But in
the spring or fall, "winged reproductives" may be noticed swarming around
the outside of the colony. This form of termite can be easily confused with
a winged ant. Winged termites are usually only 1/8" or so in length and have
straight antennae and no "waistline". Their wings are longer and of equal
length. Ants are often several times larger. They have elbowed antennae and
three distinct body segments, with very slim waists. Their front wings are
much longer than the back ones. Termites break off their wings and ants do
not. Although termites are beneficial insects in nature by breaking down
dead wood and returning nutrients to the soil, they cause nearly one billion
dollars of damage to structures each year. That's more damage than all fires,
storms, and earthquakes combined! Termites don't try to destroy things, they
just naturally eat dead wood and happen to be particularly good at it. Most
of the time this is a good thing, because it helps to make sure that dead
trees don't just end up piling up on top of each other over the years.
TERMITE FACTS A queen termite can lay thirty thousand eggs a day. Termites have been called the white ant. Like ants, termites live in colonies. The most common termite is the black mound termite. Each termite has there own job. The termites build their homes in the ground. There are twenty-one hundred species of termites. Some workers have no eyes. Common termite mounds can be up to 2 feet high!
FLY
House flies are the most common flies found in homes, restaurants and other
structures where man and his domestic animals live. Adult flies lay eggs
in horse, cow, pig, dog, poultry and human manure, garbage or decaying meat.
They can readily breed in fresh and wet incinerated garbage but not in scattered,
dry garbage. They may also breed in wet flour and soybean meal around industrial
plants. As many as 868 fly pupa can develop from 1 ounce of manure. Houseflies
go through 4 stages of development: egg, larva, pupa and adult. The entire
life cycle can be completed in 7-10 days under ideal conditions. Adult females
can lay as many as 2,700 eggs in 30 days but more commonly lay 350-900 in
5 or 6 different batches. The eggs are white, elongate and about 1/20" long
and are laid singly but often appear in clusters hatch in 6 to 24 hours.
The larva is also referred to as a maggot. When it first emerges from the
egg it is transparent. As it grows it assumes a creamy white color. The maggot
remains in the breeding media for 4-10 days, feeding and growing. In wet
breeding areas, full grown larvae climb to the surface or sides of the breeding
media before pupating. There have been cases of the larva crawling a distance
of 150 ft. from the breeding source in order to pupate. Maggots have no legs
and are somewhat carrot shaped. Two small openings used for breathing are
located at the hind end. They're about 2/5" long. The pupa are reddish-brown
in color. They are barrel-shaped and about 3/8" long. Pupal cases are sometimes
mistaken for American cockroach egg capsules. The pupal stage lasts 3-6 days.
The adult female is ready to lay eggs 22 days after emergence and continues
to lay eggs for about one month. Adult flies live from 30-60 days during
warmer months. In Northern areas, some adults may survive indoors for several
months. It appears that flies continue to breed all year in low numbers in
heated buildings such as dirty restaurants or incinerator rooms. In the spring
these flies disperse to other buildings and increase in numbers rapidly.
Houseflies are a danger to the health of man and animals principally because
it carries and spreads disease organisms. Adult house flies do not bite.
They have sponging mouthparts for feeding. In order to feed on a piece of
food, the fly must first regurgitate some saliva on the food to soften it.
They move from garbage and sewage to our dinner plates and carry bacteria
on the outside of its body, regurgitating saliva and depositing wastes on
human food. The food is transformed into a liquid and sponged up. Black specks
left on walls and surfaces where the fly rests are deposits of saliva and
fecal material. By comparison the cockroach is sanitary. Houseflies usually
stay near their breeding places but records show they can travel up to 28
miles carried by wind currents. These flies can move 4-6 miles within 24
hours. Flies prefer to rest on corners and edges of thin objects such as
wire and strings. At night they usually rest near their food sources, 5-15
ft. off the ground. The adults have two wings (most adult insects have four).
There are four narrow black stripes located on the thorax or area just behind
the head. The adult is 1/4" long.
GYPSY MOTH
The gypsy moth is native to Europe and Asia and is the major introduced pest
of eastern United States hardwood forests. The gypsy moth is found mainly
in the temperate regions of the world including, central and southern Europe,
northern Africa, central and southern Asia, and Japan. The gypsy moth was
originally introduced into Medford, Massachusetts in 1869 by Leopold Trouvelot,
a French astronomer with an interest in insects. Trouvelot wanted to develop
a strain of silk moth that was resistant to disease as a part of an effort
to begin a commercial silk industry. However, several gypsy moth caterpillars
escaped from Trouvelot's home and established themselves in the surrounding
areas. Surprisingly, it wasn't until 20 years later that the first outbreak
occurred. Despite all control efforts since its introduction, the gypsy moth
has persisted and extended its range. In the United States, the gypsy moth
has rapidly moved north to Canada, west to Wisconsin, and south to North
Carolina. Gypsy moth caterpillars defoliate, or eat all the leaves from,
millions of acres of trees every year in the United States. Moths emerge
in late July and early August. It's easy to tell the difference between the
adult male and female gypsy moths. Male moths are brownish-gray and have
small bodies and well-developed wings. The females are mostly white with
black markings and larger than the males. The male gypsy moths emerge one
or two days before the females. Unlike the males, European gypsy moth females
can't fly. There is a type of Asian gypsy moth female that can fly! After
emerging from the cocoon, female moths give off a pheromone (chemical) which
attracts males for mating. Eggs are laid mostly in July and do not hatch
until the spring. The females lay oval-shaped egg masses. The fuzzy, creamy
white egg masses, covered with yellow hairs from the adult female, contain
100 to 1,500 eggs and are laid on the underside of tree limbs, bark, rocks,
and structures including buildings, campers, mobile homes, etc. These eggs
hatch the following year in late April and May. Short distance spread results
when small caterpillars are blown by the wind, a process known as "ballooning".
These tiny caterpillars are so small and light that they can float quite
a distance in a strong wind. Long distance spread of the gypsy moth occurs
when egg masses are unknowingly transported from infested areas on vehicles.
Larva: Gypsy moth caterpillars hatch from eggs during mid-spring. The
caterpillars are hairy with 2 rows of colored dots on their back (5 pairs
of blue and 6 pairs of red). When fully grown they are about 2.5 inches (6
cm) long. Although the caterpillars are capable of feeding on over 300 species
of trees and shrubs, they prefer oaks. The male and female caterpillars normally
go through five and six instars (stages) before they enter the pupal, or
cocoon stage in early to mid-summer during June or July. They spin very loose
cocoons on bark and and other objects and pupate. Gypsy moths go through
complete metamorphosis: egg ~ larva ~ pupa -~adult Generations Per Year:
1 Over-winter as: Eggs. Pupa: Reddish-brown. Lasts about 2 weeks. Plants
Attacked: Apple, Cherry, Cranberries, Birch, Oak, Pine, Poplar and most other
deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs. Damage: Chewed leaves. These insects
are capable of defoliating, or eating all the leaves of trees rapidly. Repeated
defoliation stresses trees and can kill the trees. During outbreaks in
residential areas gypsy moth caterpillars are an extreme nuisance. Trees
lose their foliage, caterpillars crawl everywhere, and their droppings rain
from the trees. When disease kills large numbers of caterpillars, which happens
often, the smell is terrible! In some cases, people develop an allergy to
the hairs of the gypsy moth
EARWIG
The name originates from the superstition that earwigs crawl into the ears
of sleeping persons and bore into the brain. Although earwigs appear somewhat
dangerous due to their forceps, they are practically harmless to man and
do NOT crawl into peoples' ears. Earwigs vary in size from 1/2-1" in length,
they are brown to black in color. Species may be winged or wingless. Only
a few species are good fliers. They have sharp pincers on the tip of the
abdomen (to defend against ant attacks from the rear). These forceps or pincers
are the earwig's most distinctive characteristic. The forceps are used in
capturing prey and mating. Antennae are segmented. Earwigs are nocturnal
and hide during the day in dark places, such as in between newspapers, in
cushions on patio furniture, under patio pots etc. Earwigs are omnivorous,
feeding on a wide variety of food. They will eat live or dead insects as
well as live or decaying vegetation but can cause damage to cultivated plants.
They can be a nuisance when they migrate indoors. Migrations of earwigs numbering
in the 100's have been reported but they seldom become established indoors.
Some species will emit a foul odor. Earwigs can be of value as predators
of certain insect pests. They are notcutral but during the day they will
be found in moist shady places, under wood piles, stones, boards, compost
piles, flower beds, and other secluded locations. When earwigs migrate indoors,
they hide in cracks and crevices around baseboards and other locations. They
may be found in potted plants and cut flowers. Earwigs have 4 front pair
which are short and leathery (no veins), which meet in a straight line in
the middle. Hind wings are membranous and hidden underneath the forewings
when folded.
METAMORPHOSIS: Gradual (egg, nymph, adult). Nymphs are cared for by female adult.
MONARCH BUTTERFLY
The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), a brightly patterned black and
orange butterfly, is one of the most fascinating insects in the world. This
familiar butterfly has a life cycle involving four distinct stages: egg,
larva, pupa and adult butterfly. This is known as complete metamorphosis.
Eggs are oval shaped and translucent green in color. Larva are horizontally
striped with black, white and yellow. Pupae are a brilliant green colour,
with a gold band near their silk point of attachment to a leaf or branch.
The adult monarch is orange with black stripes radiating from the point of
attachment of the wings to the thorax. The black edges of the wings are dotted
with white spots. Males are distinguishable from females by the presence
of black coloured scent glands on each of their hind wings. Monarchs breed
in the northern United States and southern Canada. Western populations of
adults, which emerge late in the season, migrate to California, and eastern
populations migrate to the Sierra Madre mountains in Mexico to overwinter,
or spend the winter. Monarch butterflies are totally dependent on milkweed
during their larval stage. After eating the egg from which they hatch, the
tiny caterpillar begins eating milkweed leaves. The larva are eating machines
and grow rapidly. In the two weeks following hatching, the caterpillar sheds
its skin four times as it grows too large for its skin. After only two weeks
it is about two inches, or five cm long, and 3,000 times its birth weight!
The caterpillar is ready for its change into the chrysalis, or pupal stage.
The caterpillar spins a silk button in a sheltered spot such as the underside
of a leaf. Attaching itself firmly to the silk, it hangs head down in a
characteristic J-shape, and begins transformation into the pupa. The pupa
does not eat. Inside the casing, the adult butterfly develops from the reserves
built up by the caterpillar. The monarch emerges from the pupa in approximately
five days. After pumping fluid into its wings, and waiting for them to harden,
it is ready to fly. The adult butterfly has no mandibles (grasping mouth
parts), feeding instead with its long tongue, called a proboscis. Adults
feed on nectar, sap, juices and dew, and prior to migration build up large
reserves of fat. Monarchs have evolved a special means by which to avoid
being eaten by predators. The sap of the milkweed that they eat as a caterpillar
contains a chemical which tastes terrible to most birds. Birds attempting
to eat a monarch butterfly soon spit it out. A monarch's bright colors are
a signal to predators of its bad taste. In addition, viceroy butterflies,
which are unrelated to monarchs but look almost exactly like them, are not
bad tasting to birds, but may have evolved to look like monarchs and thereby
avoid being eaten.
MONARCH MIGRATION
The mystery of monarch migration was solved by the use of lightweight wing
tags, which directed people who found tagged monarchs to send them to Dr.
Fred Urquhart at the University of Toronto. Records of tagged butterflies
were then tracked and their migratory route determined. After several years
of searching, the first winter location of monarch butterflies was discovered
in 1975 in the Sierra Madre mountains west of Mexico City. Monarchs are believed
to guide themselves during migration using the position of the sun and the
magnetic field of the earth.
LIFE CYCLE
Life Cycle During the summer, female monarchs look for milkweed plants in
meadows, along roadsides, and abandoned farmers' fields of the northern United
States and southern Canada. Females lay their eggs only on milkweed plants,
and each female lays about 400 clear green oval eggs. The monarch egg is
no bigger than the head of a pin, and is attached to the underside of a milkweed
leaf. Within a few days, the egg hatches and a yellow, black and white striped
caterpillar emerges, beginning its life cycle. Like many insects, the monarch
parents provide no care for their offspring. Monarchs which breed early in
the summer live only a few weeks. Adults die shortly after mating and laying
eggs. Several generations of short lived monarchs are produced in early to
mid summer. However, in late August, shorter days and colder temperatures
cause the emerging monarchs to postpone reproductive maturity. This last
generation of the summer will live for eight or nine months and travel over
a thousand miles to Mexico, a place they have never been before. Before
migrating, monarchs gather in huge numbers at departure points such as Presqu'ile
Provincial Park, on a peninsula sticking out into Lake Ontario. In the spring,
the eight or nine month old monarchs reach sexual maturity, and begin migrating
in a north-eastern direction to the southern U.S. They mate all along the
migratory route. Unlike their marathon journey south the previous fall, they
do not complete the trip, passing this responsibility on to their offspring.
THREATS TO MONARCHS
The largest threat to the monarch butterfly is human activities within their
wintering grounds. While widespread on their summering grounds, the butterflies
are highly concentrated and vulnerable to threats in wintering areas. Habitat
destruction and changes caused by logging are a constant threat. The Sierra
Madre wintering sites of the monarch are close to Mexico City in an area
under heavy development pressure. Since 1986, several of the sites occupied
by the overwintering monarch butterfly have been protected by the Mexican
government, but even though they are supposed to be protected, some forested
areas have been logged. Of the five protected areas, one has already been
seriously damaged by excessive logging, and the monarchs do not seem to form
their colonies there any more. In California, where many western monarchs
overwinter, the effects of tourism and poorly planned management and development
are a problem, and at least seven of the 80 known monarch sites have already
been destroyed. Milkweed is widespread and abundant in Canada and the United
States, and is often considered a weed. Some researchers have expressed concern
that the spraying of pesticides for weed control are killing milkweed plants
and may be endangering the habitat and food source of the beautiful monarch
butterfly.
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The mosquito's visual picture is an infrared view produced by its prey's body temperature.
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The average life span of the female mosquito is 3 to 100 days; the male's is 10 to 20 days.
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Mosquito adults feed on flower nectar and juices of fruits for flight energy.
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The female requires a blood meal for egg development
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Depending on species, female mosquitoes may lay 100 to 300 eggs at a time and may average 1,000 to 3,000 during their lifespan.
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The mosquito matures from egg to adult in 4 to 7 days. o Most mosquitoes remain within 1 mile of their breeding site. A few species may range up to 20 miles or more.
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Several mosquito species are known carriers of significant diseases of man and domestic animals.
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There are 140 different kinds in the world.
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Female Mosquitoes are attracted to carbon-dioxide and will pierce the skin of people and other warm-blooded animals to suck blood, causing a painful swelling.
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The larvae feed on algae and organic matter. They are full grown in 2 - 14 days.
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The pupae still swim about actively, but do not feed as pupae. Eyes, legs and wings can be seen developing.
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Adults emerge after 1 - 14 days.
LIFE CYCLE
The mosquito goes through four separate and distinct stages of its life cycle:
Egg, Larva, Pupa, and Adult. Each of these stages can be easily recognized
by their special appearance. Egg : Eggs are laid one at a time and they float
on the surface of the water. In the case of Culex and Culiseta species, the
eggs are stuck together in rafts of a hundred or more eggs. Anopheles and
Aedes species do not make egg rafts but lay their eggs separately. Culex,
Culiseta, and Anopheles lay their eggs on water while Aedes lay their eggs
on damp soil that will be flooded by water. Most eggs hatch into larvae within
48 hours. Larva : The larva (larvae - plural) live in the water and come
to the surface to breathe. They shed (molt) their skin four times, growing
larger after each molting. Most larvae have siphon tubes for breathing and
hang from the water surface. Anopheles larvae do not have a siphon and lay
parallel to the water surface to get a supply of oxygen through a breathing
opening. The larvae feed on micro-organisms and organic matter in the water.
On the fourth molt the larva changes into a pupa. Pupa: The pupal stage is
a resting, non-feeding stage. This is the time the mosquito turns into an
adult. It takes about two days before the adult is fully developed. When
development is complete, the pupal skin splits and the mosquito emerges as
an adult. Adult: The newly emerged adult rests on the surface of the water
for a short time to allow itself to dry and all its body parts to harden.
The wings have to spread out and dry properly before it can fly. The egg,
larvae and pupae stages depend on temperature and species characteristics
as to how long they take for development. For instance, Culex tarsalis ,
a common California, USA mosquito, might go through its life cycle in 14
days at 70 F and take only 10 days at 80 F. Also, some species have naturally
adapted to go through their entire life cycle in as little as four days or
as long as one month. Culex mosquitoes lay their eggs on the surface of fresh
or stagnant water. The water may be in tin cans, barrels, horse troughs,
ornamental ponds, swimming pools, puddles, creeks, ditches, or marshy areas.
Mosquitoes prefer water sheltered from the wind by grass and weeds. Culex
mosquitoes usually lay their eggs at night one at a time. A mosquito may
lay a raft of eggs every third night during its life span which looks like
a speck of soot floating on the water andis about 1/4" long and 1/8" wide.Tiny
mosquito larvae emerge from the eggs within 24 hours.
NOTE: Anopheles mosquitoes lay their eggs one at a time on the water, not
in rafts. Aedes mosquitoes lay their eggs one at a time on damp soil. Aedes
eggs hatch only when flooded with water (salt water high tides, irrigated
pastures, treeholes, flooded stream bottoms). Mosquito larvae, commonly called
"wigglers", must live in water from 7 to 14 days depending on water
temperature.Larvae must come to the surface often to get oxygen through a
breathing tube called a siphon. The larvae eat algae and small organisms
which live in the water.During growth, the larva molts (sheds its skin) four
times. The stages between molts are called instars. At the 4th instar, the
larva reaches a length of almost 1/2 inch. When the 4th instar larva molts
it becomes a pupa. Mosquito pupae, commonly called "tumblers," must live
in water from 1 to 4 days, depending upon species and temperature.Because
the pupa is lighter than water, it floats at the surface. It takes oxygen
through two breathing tubes called "trumpets." When it is disturbed it dives
in a jerking, tumbling motion and then floats back to the surface. The pupa
does not eat. The metamorphosis of the mosquito into an adult is completed
within the pupal case.The adult mosquito splits the pupal case and emerges
to the surface of the water where it rests until its body can dry and harden.
Only female mosquitoes bite animals and drink blood. Male mosquitoes do not
bite, but feed on the nectar of flowers. Aedes mosquitoes are painful and
persistent biters, attacking during daylight hours (not at night). They do
not enter dwellings, and they prefer to bite mammals like humans. Aedes
mosquitoes are strong fliers and are known to fly many miles from their breeding
sources. Culex mosquitoes are painful and persistent biters also, but prefer
to attack at dusk and after dark, and readily enter dwellings for blood meals.
Domestic and wild birds are preferred over man, cows, and horses. Culex
nigripalpus is known to transmit encephalitis (sleeping sickness) to man
and horses in Florida. Culex are generally weak fliers and do not move far
from home, although they have been known to fly up to two miles. Culex usually
live only a few weeks during the warm summer months. Those females which
emerge in late summer search for sheltered areas where they "hibernate" until
spring. Warm weather brings them out in search of water on which to lay their
eggs. Culiseta mosquitoes are moderately aggressive biters, attacking in
the evening hours or in shade during the day. Anopheles mosquitoes are the
only mosquito which transmits malaria to man.
COCKROACH
American
cockroach adults are 1 and 1/2 inches long (38mm) and are reddish brown with
with a yellowish margin on the body region behind the head. They are the
largest of the common roaches. When disturbed, the cockroach may run rapidly
and adults may fly. Immature cockroaches resemble adults except that they
are wingless. They generally live in moist areas, but can survive in dry
areas if they have access to water. They prefer warm temperatures around
84 degrees Fahrenheit and do not tolerate cold temperatures. In residential
areas, these cockroaches live in basements and sewers, and may move outdoors
into yards during warm weather. These cockroaches are common in basements,
crawl spaces, cracks and crevices of porches, foundations, and walkways adjacent
to building and feed on a wide variety of plant and animal material.
LIFE CYCLE
Females produce egg cases and carry them protruding from the tip of the abdomen
for about two days. Egg cases are then generally placed on a surface in a
hidden location. Egg cases are 3/8 inch long, brown, and purse shaped. Immature
cockroaches emerge from egg cases in 6 to 8 weeks and require 6 to 12 months
to mature. Adult cockroaches can live up to one year, during which females
produce an average of 150 young.