Bug of the Week

Hickory Tussock Moth (Family Arctiidae)

Hickory Tussock Moths are active in the daytime. They are found in deciduous woods in a range that runs diagonally across the continent from northeast to south-central—from Nova Scotia and Ontario to Texas and a bit west, nicking Wisconsin. After a male and female find each other in late spring, large masses of eggs (from 50 to several hundred) are deposited on the undersides of leaves. Often, when eggs are laid en masse, the resulting caterpillars also feed en masse. HTMs are leaf skeletonizers (they eat the green stuff in-between the leaf veins).

Dot-tailed Whiteface Dragonfly (Family Libellulidae)

The Dot-tailed Whiteface Dragonfly is a member of the Skimmer family, Libellulidae. There are over a thousand species in this brightly-colored family gracing the skies worldwide. A tenth of those are native to North America, making Skimmers the largest American dragonfly family. DtWfs enjoy most kinds of quiet waters—bogs, marshes, swamps, sloughs, farm ponds, and even very slow streams—s long as there are low aquatic plants to perch on.

Long-legged Fly (Family Dolichopodidae)

There are around 7,000 species in the Long-legged Fly family worldwide (600 species in just the single genus Dolichopus), and that 1,300 species live in North America! They’re a big bunch of small (¼”), big-eyed, often metallic (and, yes—long-legged) flies. Look for long-legged flies (LLFs) on leaves in dappled shade near gardens, grasslands, woodlands, and wetlands

Bugs Without Bios II

The BugLady had a professor years (decades) ago who used to say “Don’t just tell them what it is, tell them ‘What about it?’” Here is the second installment of miscellaneous bugs with brief biographies—insects about whom the BugLady can’t find many “What about it’s.”

Spotted Cucumber Beetle (Family Chrysomelidae)

Turns out that “cucumber beetle” is kind of a generic name for beetles (of several genera) that wander around on plants in the squash/melon/cucumber group. Today’s star, the Spotted Cucumber Beetle. Simply dining on plants is enough to attract exterminators, but SCBs pack a one-two punch. They also carry and spread bacteria that cause a “wilt” disease and a virus that causes a mosaic disease, either of which is worse for the plant than simply being chewed on.

Feather-legged Fly (Family Tachinidae)

Feather-legged flies are tachinids in the genus Trichopoda (hair foot). They cruise the flowers, looking for nectar for themselves and “warm bodies” for their offspring. Females may also search while hovering. FLFs specialize in stink bugs, squash bugs and leaf-footed bugs, many of whom are crop pests. The maggot hatches, tunnels into its host, and feeds on the innards for two weeks before exiting to pupate as the host dies.

Spotted-winged Antlion (Family Myrmeleontidae)

Adult antlions resemble damselflies with long, clubbed antennae. They fold their wings over their backs at rest (when they are alive…), and they are weak, nocturnal flyers that are attracted to lights. Spotted-winged Antlions are found in the southeastern two-thirds if the U.S., as far north as Iowa and New Hampshire, west to Arizona. The pink band on its pointed antennae is diagnostic, as are the random, round splotches on its wings.

Bugs Without Bios I

The BugLady has many pictures of bugs about whom she is having trouble finding much information beyond their basic taxonomy, despite the glories of her home library and all the resources on the World-wide Web. Here is a batch of “Bugs without Bios.”

Meadow Plant Bug (Family Miridae)

The Meadow Plant Bug is an originally-Eurasian insect that now lives in a band across the central and northern U.S. and southern Canada. The MPB hangs out in meadows and other grassy places, especially grasslands not used for grazing. Remember, the grass family includes domesticated grain crops, too, and there the MPB’s diet gets it in trouble. It eats plant juices found in the grain’s seed, puncturing a seed from above with its piercing mouthparts.

Pandorus Sphinx (Family Sphingidae)

Pandorus Sphinxs occupy North America from south Texas to Wisconsin to Nova Scotia to south Florida. They are found at dawn and dusk along forest and river edges and vineyards where their caterpillars’ food plants grow. Adults nectar on and pollinate bouncing bet, white campion and petunias.