Coccinellidae: Lady Beetles

   Hello again! Hopefully I'm back to posting somewhat regularly! It's still very much too cold to see much of anything outside up here right now but I just got another confirmation on iNaturalist which brings my count of lady beetles to 3!

   You've probably heard of the members of Coccinellidae referred to as lady bugs. Entomologists now use ladybird beetle/lady beetle now to avoid confusion with true bugs which lady beetles are not.

I wanted to take a minute to talk about the name because there was a surprising amount of information on it.

   Coccinellidae is derived from the Latin word coccineus meaning scarlet. The lady in both lady beetle (USA) and ladybird (Britain) refers to mother Mary. As such, in Britain they became known as "Our Lady's Birds". Mary was often depicted wearing a red cloak in early art and the seven spots of the species Coccinella septempunctata (the most common in Europe) were meant to represent her seven joys and seven sorrows. That was the most information I've read on a name since starting this blog, interesting!

As you know if you've come across one, they are oval beetles with a domed back and flat belly. Many species have coloration that warn predators that they taste bad (conspicuous aposematic) such as red with black spots or stripes. Some species have stripes or checkered patterns!

Note: Pictured above is the American Three-Banded Lady Beetle (Coccinella trifasciata perplexa). It's the only one I've seen personally that had bands instead of spots!

   Spots vary in size, shape, and number. As mentioned above coloration is usually a warning but some species use it for camouflage or even to regulate heat.             Furthermore, several species may have polymorphism and change color between seasons! I was astounded that there was so much to learn about a beetle that I see all the time in the warm months.

   Adult females tend to be a little larger than the males. All have large compound eyes and clubbed antennae with seven to eleven segments. I'm just recently learning how many types of insects can be identified by how many segments their antennae have! They also have powerful mandibles which have pairs of "teeth" that face each other.

   Another intriguing thing about them is the way they defend themselves. A 2015 study of five ladybird species found that their color honestly signalled their toxicity which means they weren't just pretending, their warning is pretty trustworthy! They also found that species that stand out from their environment more were the ones that were usually the more toxic.

   How are they toxic? Turns out their blood contain a bunch of chemicals and alkaloids that make them toxic and stinky. Coccinellids can produce at least 50 types of alkaloids! You won't have to tell me twice not to take a bite of one of these little ladies.

   They also do something I've never heard of before: reflex bleeding. Before they're even harmed they exude drops from their knee joints that give predators a sneak peek of their toxic and bitter fluids. This is really important for their pupa which cannot move but helpful for all stages.

Note: This is a pupa of the Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia axyridis).

   Did you know that Coccinellidae are found on every continent except Antarctica? There are more than 6,000 described species and are found in many different habitats. They can live both on the ground and in trees. Some specialize on certain plants depending on their diet. Some even live in extreme environments like high mountains, deserts, and cold regions.

   I never knew such small creatures migrated but they sure can! Depending on the conditions where they live, they migrate long distances to hibernation and breeding sites. They even have been thought to be drawn to recognizable landmarks! Temperate species hibernate or undergo a period of suspended development over the winter while tropical species are dormant during the dry season. If a location is too crowded some will leave but they stay as long as there are enough prey species to feed on.

Most coccinellid species are carnivorous predators. They usually eat aphids and scale insects but other species are known to eat plants and fungi!

Note: Pictured above is the Twenty-spotted Lady Beetle (Psyllobora vigintimaculata). It is not a predator. Instead, it eats powdery mildew on crops like pumpkin and zucchini.

   Aphid-eaters tend to be more generalist in nature because of their insatiable appetite. They can also multiply quickly and switch to other prey when their aphids become scarce. Predators of scale insects on the other hand tend to be less voracious and are slower breeders and take their time with development.

One thing that predators of aphids have to worry about that predators of scale insects don't are ants! Ants tend to use aphids for their honeydew, kind of like how we use cows for milk, so the ants protect them and dispose of coccinellid eggs near their nests.

   Speaking of eggs, many predatory species lay their eggs near colonies of prey so their babies have a food source when they emerge. Eggs tend to be bright yellow and close together. The number of eggs is dependent on species and ranges anywhere from tens to thousands in their lifetimes.

   After the larvae hatch they immediately start eating, that includes their siblings that haven't hatched yet! Some species combat this by laying infertile eggs with the fertile ones in hopes that those will get eaten instead.

Note: I'm unsure of the species of this one but it is definitely a lady beetle larvae. Seek seems to think it's Harmonia so I really wouldn't be surprised if it was the Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia axyridis) as there are many in my area.

   Coccinellids are promiscuous breeders which means they reproduce in the spring and summer in temperate regions and during the wet season in tropical regions. In some species females seem to choose their partners based on size and color preferences. Did you know insects can get sexually transmitted infections? I didn't! Apparently the coccinellids are so promiscuous that they are often infected, yikes!

   There are apparently many uses for coccinellids going all the way back to 1814 in England in pest control! Because of this, many species have been introduced outside their normal range and are considered beneficial insects! Scale insect-eating coccinellids have been more successful than aphid predators. Out of 155 deliberate introductions for aphid control in the year 2000, only one was deemed to be "substantially successful". This abysmal score is because they're so fast breeding, eat so much, and easily switch prey which makes them hard to control.

   Unfortunately they are also pests. Some species are known to swarm into buildings from nearby fields and forests. Once in the summer of 1976 in the UK, after an unusually long period of hot and dry weather, an increase in aphid population was followed by a "plague" of the native Coccinella septempunctata. There were many reports of people being bitten as the elusive aphids began to dwindle. A not so fun fact also tells us that as few as 1.3 to 1.5 coccinellids per 2.2lbs of grapes can affect wine quality.

   There are many threats to coccinellids today: climate change, agriculture, urbanization, and invasive species.

Note: This is the Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia axyridis) and it's invasive where I live in North America. They outcompete the native species and eat their eggs to the point that if you see a lady beetle, it's probably one of these.

   Their biodiversity will be affected by rising temperatures and heat fluctuations. Climate change might also lead to smaller larvae and require more energy, metabolic needs, and interspecies predation as prey are affected. Agriculture and urbanization threaten them because of habitat loss and pesticide use. 

   Conservationists in the IUCN SSC Ladybird Specialist Group have suggested several measures for protecting them including citizen science and education programs, habitat preservation and restoration, prevention of the spread of invasive species, and a global monitoring program.

   This has become quite the lengthy post, maybe the longest one yet! But, there was so much information and I didn't want to leave any of the interesting stuff out. I have one more section I'd like to address: their role in culture.

    They're associated with luck, love, fertility, and prophecy. They've been said to predict the future, particularly weather conditions and how crops will do in a given year. In Christianity, coccinellids have been called literal gatekeepers of Heaven. The Swedish name for them, Himmelska nycla, means Keys of Heaven. Jews have called them Cow of Moses Our Teacher. The Cherokee believe them to be the "Great Beloved Woman". This was because of their highest ranking woman in their government who would be painted in the lady beetle colors and patterns for ceremonies! Finally, ladybird is an affectionate term for a loved one!

   As always, I hope you learned a lot because I sure did! I've always loved lady beetles. I used to see them when I was little in my mom's old house. They liked to hang out on the windowsills, I have a vague memory of one biting me and me being scared of them for a time. No need to fear them though! They can be pests but I think they're mostly beneficial. I always smile when I see one. Until next time.

Yours,

Jade

Tipuloidea: Crane Flies

   Hello again, its been a while! New baby (now almost 8 months old already!!), harsh winter, and no bugs makes for a boring few months blog-wise. Today, I wanted to talk about a friend of mine that used to frequent the windows of our old place: crane flies! 

   Why now? I was going through my photos and realized I had a few different species of these guys and I wanted to share. Plus, it's freezing out and what better time to write? Let's get into it!

   Crane flies are in the superfamily Tipuloidea which also includes the families Cylindrotomidae, Limoniidae, Pediciidae and Tipulidae. Crane flies first appeared during the Middle Triassic, around 245 million years ago. They're one of the oldest known groups of flies! They're practically found everywhere too. There are more than 15,500 species and over 500 genera! 

   I was surprised to know that they go by so many names!  The list I found includes United States: mosquito hawks, skeeter-eaters, gallinipper, gollywhopper; English speaking outside U.S.: daddy longlegs; Scotland: Jenny long legs, and Ireland: Skinny Philip. What a list!

   What do they look like? They typically have a slender body and long legs. I learned that those legs are deciduous which means they come off easily, yikes! Their wings are marked with wing interference, like many insects, and they vary among species. Their rostrum is long, so long that its as long as the thorax and head together!

   Note: This is a photo I took in August of a European crane fly (Tipula paludosa) on the side of our apartment, sunning itself.

   

   Most live between 10-15 days. They prefer moist, temperate environments near lakes and streams. Their larvae live in more varied habitats including marshes, springs, decaying wood, moist soil, leaf litter, fungi, vertebrate nests, and vegetation. I found the following two species down by the river where I live!

   Note: I don't know the exact species but we've narrowed it down to Tiger Crane Fly (Genus: Nephrotoma).

   Note: All I know is that his subgenus is Tipula but I had to include him because he looks so cool!

   

   Most of these guys don't even eat, they don't have the parts! Their larvae on the other hand eat decaying plant matter, living plants, fungi, or other invertebrates depending on the species.

   It makes sense we found them by the river because females oviposit in wet soil, mats of algae, on the water's surface, or sometimes even in dry soil. Because of this, their eggs are covered in a filament to help anchor them in wet environments. The females are practically born ready, having mature eggs as she emerges as an adult. They often mate immediately! The males search for females by walking or flying to them. Copulation takes a few minutes to hours and may be accomplished in flight!

   At our old apartment, we had two crane flies come and sit on our screen door/windows every year for about a week. I like to think they were the same bloodline and felt safe enough to keep returning.

   In some places unfortunately they are pests. They eat the roots of crops as larvae and kill the plants. It doesn't help that their diets are so varied preying on anything from vegetables, fruits, cereals, pasture, lawn grasses, and ornamental plants. Even with this problematic behavior, larvae can be important in the soil ecosystem due to their ability to process organic material and increase microbial activity. Both larvae and adults are valuable prey items for many animals including other insects, spiders, fish, amphibians, birds, and mammals!

   I wanted to end on a fun note and address the myths associated with these insects! There are urban legends that say they are the most venomous insects in the world which I think is really funny because they both don't have venom and can't bite. It's thought to have come from their confusion with "daddy longlegs" which do have venom but it's not especially potent. 

Well, I hope you had fun and learned something! I always enjoy writing, especially on frigid days like today. See you next time!

Yours,

Jade 

Syrphidae: Hoverflies, Flower Flies, Syrphid Flies

   Hello all! It has been longer than I meant but things have been a little crazy lately. That's okay, let's get into today's topic: hoverflies. Below is a picture of a hoverfly I found. I don't know his species but I did get confirmation that he belongs to the family Syrphidae which is exciting!

   Hoverflies have a few different names including hoverflies, flower flies, and syrphid flies. They are called hoverflies because they like to hover around flowers. Males do this to protect their territory from other males while they wait for females to come by and females do it to scout out egg laying locations. They are also called flower flies because they frequent flowers and eat the nectar and pollen they produce. Finally, they belong to the family Syrphidae which is why they are called syrphid flies.

   The adult diet consists of nectar and pollen from various flowers. Larvae are more varied with some eating detritus while others are insectivores. The insect eating type are very helpful to humans because of ther tendency to eat aphids who damage crops. They are often used by farmers to help protect their crops from these crop killers.

   Flower flies are pretty resilient and live in most biomes excluding deserts and tundras. Some hoverfly larvae are aquatic but the insectivores prefer staying on dry land. As I stated before, there need to be flowers around for the adults so they have a food source but they don't seem to need much. I'd say they're pretty peaceful, resilient, helpful, little guys.

    Many species are bright yellow with spots or stripes. They are utilizing Batesian mimicry which is when a harmless species mimics a harmful one to persuade predators into thinking they are dangerous too. Despite their colors they are in fact harmless so don't be alarmed when you see one hovering nearby!

   Hoverflies are very helpful! Not only do they help take care of pests to crops, they are also important pollinators. They are frequently hanging around flowers and visit many different types of flowers. In fact, they are often considered the second most important group of pollinators after wild bees! Bees carry more pollen but flies are able to visit more flowers. Some species visit a specific kind of flower while others are more generalist in their approach. Their preferences vary between species but they have been shown to prefer white and yellow colors the most! They also like more open flowers due to the way their mouthparts are set up.

   I used to be very afraid of bees and wasps because of some childhood stuff and the noise that they make. The bees and I have come to an understanding while I'm still working on the whole wasp thing. So, these guys used to scare me too. Now, every time I see one I get excited and try to snap a photo. I'll leave you with my new favorite the Oblique-banded pond fly (Sericomyia chrysotoxoides). I was disappointed with the first photo because he hovered away before I could get another photo. The second photo was at a different time and I made sure to get a couple good ones! 

As always, thanks for reading. See you next time!

Yours,

Jade

Pentatomidae: Stink Bugs

   Hello all! Before I get into it, I have another personal update. All is going well with our boy and I started back at work today for the first time in two months! It was rough for me but I enjoyed getting out of the house and look forward to working again, although it'll be less than I used to. That's enough about me, let's talk about stink bugs!

   Stink bugs (or also called shield bugs) are in the family Pentatomidae. It gets just a little confusing because shield bugs can reference members of a few different families as well so I just stick to calling them stink bugs. For reference, here are the photos I have of shield bugs that are in the family Acanthosomatidae that I almost added because I thought they were in the same family. Look below at the photos of stink bugs. Do you see the resemblance?

   Back to strictly Pentatomidae! They're true bugs so they have piercing mouthparts. They, most of them at least, use those mouthparts for feeding on plants. 

   You might be wondering, why are they called stink bugs? Well, they release a strong spray when threatened, disturbed, or crushed to ward of predators and make them unappealing. Different species have different smells and those range from a more dusty, earthy scent to that of a rancid almond. Some even have cyanide compounds!

Pictured below is the green burgundy stink bug (Banasa dimidiata), featuring a friendly little ant. 

   Unfortunately, they are considered agricultural pests and have evolved to be resistant to most pesticides. It always breaks my heart a bit when I research a bug and most of the pages that come up are for extermination purposes. In this case, I understand as they can harm cotton, corn, sorghum, soybeans, native and ornamental trees, shrubs, vines, weeds, and many cultivated crops. 

   One of the species of shield bug that follow this trend is the brown marmorated stink bug. It is present in a whopping 41 out of 50 states and is invasive. I don't have photos of this particular species but when I read it can affect over 100 species of plants I had to mention it!

   Despite their flaws as crop destroyers I still enjoy spotting them when I can out in nature. I like their shape and variety of colors. I wonder what they smell like when they're crushed but don't worry, I'd never do that. As always, I hope you enjoyed my venture into another bug species. See ya next time! 

To finish off the post, one final stink bug. this is the dusky stink bug (Euschistus tristigmus). Here's to hoping we see more of them in our travels. Happy bug hunting!

Yours, 

Jade

   

Asilidae: Robber Flies

   Hello again! I've been away a while because I had a pretty big life event: we had a little boy! He's the sweetest little thing but needed lots of care. Now he's big enough to come on walks with us and he seems to be content so I've returned to writing. 

   This time, I'd like to discuss robber flies. Firstly, they are my partner's favorite insect which got me to really look into them in the first place. We've been searching for them all summer and one just happened to land on our window at home one afternoon.

   Robber flies are in the family Asilidae. They have a waspy kind of shape, a short proboscis with a sharp, sucking hypopharynx to consume its prey. They also have three ocelli on the tops of their heads between their two large compound eyes. Their legs are long and spiny. My favorite part about them is their mystax which translates to moustache! It is thought to help protect the robber fly's head and face when they're struggling with their prey. They're sometimes confused with wasps or mosquitoes because of the similar body shape but I usually tell them apart by their moustache and halteres!

   They eat other insects and are ambush predators. In fact, they're called robber flies because they usually snatch their prey right out of the air! Their diet is the most vast I've seen in a fly. They eat: flies, beetles, butterflies and moths, various bees, ants, dragonflies and damselflies, ichneumon wasps, grasshoppers, and some spiders! Some do specialize in smaller prey though and appear smaller and more graceful to compensate. They don't seem interested in humans but will deliver a painful bite if handled improperly. Below is an example of a much smaller species which I would assume captures smaller prey and is more graceful in flight.

   The way they consume their prey is quite interesting. The fly grabs their prey right out of the air and then stabs it with its proboscis. During this time, the prey is injected with neurotoxins and proteolytic enzymes which paralyze and digest them at the same time, slurping up the liquid. I like to compare the process to eating a tube of gogurt!

   How do they reproduce? Females have an ovipositor, which enables them to deposit their eggs in low lying plants and grasses, soil, bark, or dead wood. Most lay their eggs in clusters and have a sticky protective coating. The eating habits of the larvae depend on the species because some are carnivores like the adults but others are detrivores. Regardless, the larvae then overwinter and emerge as adults. The whole process ranges from 1-3 years!

   Their chosen living space depends on the species but generally prefer habitats that are open, sunny, and dry. They prefer coming out during the brightest, hottest times of the day. They also like open or scattered vegetation, and some species even seek out bare ground. 

   Unfortunately, they are not very well studied and more research is needed to learn more about them. We do know that they occur everywhere but Antartica, they are voracious predators, and they prefer warm days and open vegetation for hunting. So far, there are over 7500 described species in about 556 genera. I hope one day to identify a robber fly down to species but that is still in the works! 

   Well, thank you for reading my blog. As always I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I enjoyed searching for the robber fly and putting this together. Until next time!

Yours,

Jade

   

Tetragnatha: Stretch Spiders

   

   Hello again! I wanted to talk about a type of spider that had me beyond curious from when I first saw one. Their behavior caught me off guard! They're called stretch spiders in the genus Tetragnatha. They're named so because of their elongated bodies and legs which allow them to stretch out almost flat against whatever they may be perching on to avoid predators and such. 

   The first time I saw one I chased him around the stick he was on but came away from it with nothing because he was so well hidden! So started my mission to get spiders like him identified. Two more spiders like him later, I finally got verfication on his genus.

   Unlike where I live, most spiders in this genus find their home in the tropics and subtropics. Many live in Hawaii specifically. I also learned that many can run over water, I think due to their light size and elongated legs. 

 I think the one we saw was Tetragnatha extensa because it lives near lakes and river banks on grass and around trees and shrubs which is accurate for the environment around here. Unfortunately, I'll probably never know the exact species because they're really hard to tell apart. For most, you need to look under a microscope at their genitalia to make a confimation. I'm happy enough with a genus, I think. 

From the moment I saw the first one I was determined to figure them out. I'm happy to have gotten him down to genus and really enjoyed learning about them. I hope you did too!

Yours, 

Jade

Dimorphism: Specifically in Birds

   Hello! I wanted to talk about dimorphism today because I've seen it happening more and more as I improve my photo taking abilities when it comes to birds.   

   Sexual dimorphism is when the different sexes have different morphological characteristics which don't have a direct effect in reproduction. There are many different ways that this can happen including size, weight, color, markings, or behavioral or cognitive traits. I've observed this more times than I can photograph but my goal is to have as many photos of both males and females logged. My next goal is to get the female version of red-winged blackbirds but have thus far only been able to photograph the males.

This is the male red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) which has the brightly colored bands on his wings. I saw few females but they blended better with their surroundings and moved more quickly, making it hard to photograph them.

   I learned that the sexy son hypothesis explains that males with more elaborate coloration are chosen more often than dull males, even when accounting for differentiation in vision for different species. In birds, most of the time the males are the more brightly colored of the two. It is thought that this occurs because females have more to lose in terms of reproduction. 

The male mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) here is much more brightly colored than the female. 

This is a male common grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) which has greenish blue coloratuon and yellow on his wings. 

While this is a female common grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) which still shows some of the blue in her head but is a more dull brown and lacks the yellow coloration of the males.

   In some species, the males just leave after copulation but in others the males remain to help. Sometimes the males even become the primary caregivers to the young. The differences in their plumage have shown to follow this trend and suggest to female the fitness of the males along with other factors like body condition and survival.

   These traits aren't always wholly beneficial for the males either as their brighter colors may put them at a disadvantage with predators. But, even if the males die more often from predation as long as they keep reproducing successfully the trait will continue on because they are still successful enough to have offspring.

   Larger males are also favored for a multitude of reasons including better chances during migration and are better prepared for reproduction upon arrival. I haven't noticed this in my personal experience yet as the species I've documented are about the same size.

   Sexual dimorphism is very common and occurs in many other animal species including frogs, insects, and fish just to name a few! I chose to look at birds because I have the best photos of them as opposed to other animals so far. As always I hope you learned something because I sure did!

Yours, 

Jade