Chrysomelidae: Leaf Beetles

   Hello all! Choosing the topic for this blog post was more difficult than usual! Between this month and last, we've seen so many new things emerging including birds, plants, rodents, and so many insects! So, picking a topic out of everything was difficult. I decided to write about one of my favorite families within my favorite insect order: Chrysomelidae, leaf beetles. 

   This is going to be a little bit longer of a post because I have so many subjects in this family. Beetles are kind of my favorite thing, although I do say that about many things we see. I'm going to list the species I have and I'll disperse their photos throughout the post: Eastern spotted cucumber beetle (Diabrotica undecimpunctata), Small orange tortoise beetle (Charidotella purpurata), Golden tortoise beetle (Charidotella sexpunctata), and a few others I have identified down to just the family level.

   This family includes over 37,000 species in more than 2,500 genera, which makes it one of the largest and most commonly encountered beetles of all!

Most members are small to medium sized and range from 1 to 18mm in length. Most are dome shaped and appear metallic or have multiple colors. Most species have wings but there's a lot of variation in development and flight ability, some are even flightless. 

Note: I'm so sad I only got this photo and because of that, I could only identify this individual down to family. I do know it's likely a flea beetle. But, I think he's a good example of that metallic sheen these beetles can have.

Note: These guys are my favorite beetle although that tends to change quite frequently! They're called tortoise beetles, golden (Charidotella sexpunctata) and small orange (Charidotella purpurata) respectively. I love to see them and you can see where they get their tortoise name in their shape and head covering. Also, very metallic looking in a different way than the flea beetles.

   The diet of this family is herbivorous as adults while larvae are more varied. Some eat seeds while others eat leaves. Some eat roots while others feed on leaf litter, making them detritivores. Others feed on sap while others still feed on plant parts or bark. Seeing how robust this family is it only makes sense that their larvae would be varied depending on the species! 

   I didn't find much specifically on their habitat but I'm sure it's because there are so many species included in this family so there's a lot of variation. 

  Note: The last photo I have to share is of an Eastern spotted cucumber beetle (Diabrotica undecimpunctata). I didn't know what it was at first, maybe a lady beetle? But it felt too elongated for that despite the spots. Come to find out it was one of these guys! He lacks the sheen that we saw above but I think he's still quite pretty in his own way.

      These beetles in particular are native to North America but can be a major agricultural pest! They're also found throughout southern Canada, the continental United States, and the central highlands of Mexico. Their larvae feed on the roots while adults cause damage by eating the flowers, leaves, stems, and fruits of the plant. As if that weren't bad enough, they can also spread diseases such as bacterial wilt and mosaic virus.

   There you have it: leaf beetles! I am a sucker for beetles in general and have more beetles posts planned out including weevils and the lady beetles because my photo collection continues to grow! I struggle picking a favorite but I really do enjoy seeing tortoise beetles and the metallic sheen of this family always makes me stop and want to photograph them.

   I'm probably going to make another post this month because there's just so much to write about! Until then, I hope you learned something and enjoyed reading. Until next time!

                             Yours,

                             Jade

An Elusive Little Bird: Veery (Catharus fuscescens)

   Hi y'all! This month's post was so hard to choose! There are so many things that I've seen this month that I want to write about. Maybe I'll start posting more or maybe I'll keep some for those lull winter months when there's not much to see. I wanted to write about a little bird I'm coming to recognize that's a new ID for me: veery (Catharus fuscescens). I've identified them twice so far and they're always such a pleasure to see. Let's get into it!

   So, what is a veery? It's a small, North American thrush species. It goes by a few other names: Wilson's thrush and tawny thrush but I just enjoy the sound of veery which comes from the sound of their calls.

   They are small birds with a length of 6.3-7.7in with a weight ranging from 0.92-1.38oz, although it's possible for them to grow to 1.9oz. They have an underwing stripe which is characteristic of their genus. Adults are light brown on the top with white, spotted bellies. They have pink legs and an eye ring although it's hard to see.

Note: In the first photo you get a side profile and back. The second you get a closer look at the face. The third is a shot of the back, highlighting those tail feathers and puffy chest. The final photo shows a bit of the legs and white tummy.

   There are differences between the eastern and western veeries. The eastern variety is more cinnamon brown while the western types are more olive. Because of this coloration difference eastern veeries are more easily identified against other Catharus thrushes. 

    The veery's ideal breeding habitat is humid deciduous forests across southern Canada and the northern United States which pretty perfectly describes my area. They like dense growth and dense understory near a water source which lines up with both of my sightings. In the winter, they migrate to Eastern South America.

   They forage on the forest floor, flipping over leaves and occasionally flying up to capture insects in flight. They mainly eat insects during breeding season and fruit and berries during the late summer and Fall. 

   Their nests are either on the ground or very close to it. They've been documented to have used parts of 27 different plant species in their nests! They lay 3-5 greenish-blue eggs, sometimes with brown spots. The mother incubates the eggs for 10-14 days then both parents help out with feeding the young. Young veeries leave the nest around 10-12 days after they hatch! 

   Threats to these birds include parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds, climate change, and alteration of the Amazon forests where they go for the winter. There have been concerns that the use of invasive plants in their nests may impact their nesting success but there isn't enough information on the topic yet. Other threats include loss of woodland habitat, squirrels, chipmunks, and raptors.

   Birds are something I'm practicing and I'm feeling happy with my progress so far. They flit around a lot and it can be hard to track them down in the viewfinder even when I'm looking right at them outside of it. Practice makes perfect though and I'm going to keep trying to get shots like these! 

    I loved taking photos of this tiny bird! The first one, the darker photos, was more elusive and harder to photograph. The second one, the brighter green scenery, was almost playful. It was walking ahead of us on the path and would stop and wait. She was very polite and let me take some photos as long as I didn't get too close. Then, we let her be and completed our loop. When we came back to where she was she followed us again, flitting along the forest floor and jumping onto branches almost as if she was saying goodbye. As always I hope you enjoyed and learned something. Until next time!

Yours, 

Jade

What April Was For Me

   Hi all! I forgot to make a post last month. I was too excited about going outside again, I guess. Uploads to iNat and sorting through all the photos take a lot of time. Plus, chasing around an almost one year old crawling, and falling all over the place is a full time job in itself! Anyway, for my late April post I'm going to show you some of my favorite photos I took that month! 

Note: I always love finding tracks! Some sort of river bird, maybe ducks? Want to get better at learning tracks this year. 

Note: Canada goose (Branta canadensis) I forgot my lens at home so I couldn't get good pictures but I'm including them because they made my day. 

Note: I always find lichen so pretty!! But, it's hard to get an identification. My guess is common greenshield lichen (Flavoparmelia caperata).

Note: Dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis) These chubby little birds were in our yard one morning and they haven't left yet. They chirp a lot, a noise I find myself missing in the cold months. The top photo is of the male (back) and female (front). The bottom photo is one of a particularly round male.

Note: I'm trying to get better at bird photography and was proud of this chickadee shot. Pretty sure it's a black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus).

Note: Asian Lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis) Invasive but beautiful. 

Note: Northern Red Belt (Fomitopsis mounceae). I see these all the time but I still find beauty in each one!

Note: The beginnings of some sort of fungi. Looks like a heart though, it made me smile out on a walk with Joe and Ike. 

Note: Red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus). He was telling me to leave him alone while he tried to find a female. Message received, feathered friend. Thanks for the photo! 

Note: Hammock spider (Pityohyphantes costatus). A tiny little guy, found him under some bark on a tree. The top is a front facing photo and I took the second one to focus on the beautiful pattern on his abdomen!

   So, there you have it! That was the month of April in a nutshell for me and my family. I have many other sightings since then and I think May's post is going to be bird themed. Stay tuned for that! As always, I hope you discovered something new. Until next time! 

Yours, 

Jade

Reduviidae: Assassin Bugs

   Hello again! As spring has officially begun, I was going through my photos and thinking about what I really enjoy seeing the most and landed upon assassin bugs. I only have two kinds but I have many pictures of each. I never expect to find these guys because they're incredibly well camoflage but I always get excited when we spot one! The first picture I shared is of a time I remember with Joe when we were looking for other bugs and found this guy just hiding there!

   Members of Reduviidae are also hemipterans which means they are true bugs due to their piercing-sucking mouthparts. They are one of the largest families in Hemiptera. Almost all species in this family are terrestrial ambush predators. 

   Below is my favorite photo I've taken of the Pale green assassin bug (Zelus luridus). He really looks like an assassin lying in wait here!

   Most members of this family have a long, narrow neck, sturdy build, long legs, segmented body, and a curved proboscis. Coloration depends on species but they're usually brightly colored with hues of black, brown, red or orange. 

   Adults range from 12-36mm in size dependent on species. The legs of some members have areas covered in hairs to aid them in holding prey while others have forelegs comparable to the praying mantis which help them hold and catch prey. 

   A final fact in relation to appearance I thought was really cool is that nymphs cover and camoflage themselves with debris and remains of dead prey insects. 

   These images are of the Pale Green Assassin bug again and I think they show that long legged, narrow neck description quite well. These are all different subjects. They're pretty common where I live!

   A good example of the other type of assassin is this guy. I don't have a species but it is in the genus Phymata and is called a jagged assassin bug. I think these photos highlight those mantis-like arms.

   Their most distinctive feature doesn't have to do with their appearance as much as what they're able to do. It's called stridulation. The tip of their proboscis fits into a ridged groove in their prosternum which is the underside of their first body segment. When they rub against these grooves they can create sound which is mainly used to deter predators.

   Whether you're a human or a predator, you're going to want to handle larger specimens carefully because they defend themselves with their proboscis, which can be extremely painful and at times medically significant. Ask Joe, we're pretty sure a pale green assassin bug bit him one time! He didn't need medical attention but it did hurt.

   The effects of a bite in their prey is interesting because it either injects venom or digestive juices. They have lethal saliva that liquifies the insides of prey which are then sucked out. This is called extraoral digestion and it's very effective seeing that it's common for them to kill prey much larger than themselves.

   Earlier we mentioned that most Reduviidae are predators. What about those that aren't? They're mostly haematophagus which means they feed on blood. It's thought that this trait evolved because they lived in mammal's nests. In my opinion, the scariest ones are the kissing bugs which are in the subfamily Triatominae. They bite humans on the soft skin around their eyes and mouth while they sleep. They have the potential to transmit a fatal disease called trypanosomial Chagas disease. This results in the deaths of 12,000 people a year! 

   There are some scary bugs in this family that really live up to their assassin name! My favorites aren't harmful to humans, thankfully. I'm going to make sure to steer far away from those kissing bugs though! Anyway, thanks for reading and I'll talk to you next time! 

Yours, 

Jade

UPDATE: A New Friend

   Hello again! Our friend Least Lithobius (Lithobius microps) is doing better than I'd hoped! This time, I'm sure that's what he is because I got it confirmed on iNat shortly after uploading the last blog post about him. I wanted to give an update because it's been about two weeks since Joe brought him home and I thought I'd let you know how it's been going.

   I never thought I'd have a pet centipede, even just until Spring thaw so he can return to the outside. I've affectionately named him Cinder because of his reddish orange coloration. This is new from last post. Before, I didn't know him very well. Now, as I see glimpses into his life I find myself having a kinship with the little guy.

   I didn't know what we were going to do for a food source. He's a predator. It's cold here in the winter with no pet stores nearby. Where was I supposed to find bugs? Answer: Not bugs but worms. The store I work at sells worms for ice fishing so I grabbed a container of them. I give him a new worm or two every few days and he's still moving around so I think he's at least content with his worm buffet. 

   I put some soil from the worm container in a Tupperware container with some leaves for hiding. I wanted to give him a rock to hide under but I can't go far with the baby and all the nearby rocks are under feet of snow. His setup should do nicely until thaw.

   We have a routine. Every morning before I get ready for work I check on Cinder. I attempt to take pictures but he just moves so fast! I'll include some of the best ones though. I've gotten a few videos too which I uploaded to my TikTok. Then, I make sure his habitat is damp enough and add a little water if needed. Finally, I feed him if he needs it and close the cover loosely. This helps not scare him as much when I invade his space to feed or photograph him. 

    I'm really thinking we can make this work until Spring! Then, with a heavy heart, I'll release Cinder into the wild. I'll be sure to take a video of his departure. Until then, here are the best photos I've captured of our tiny friend. Until next time! 

Yours, 

Jade

Spotted Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)

    Hello, happy March everyone! One month closer to spring. While everyone else seems to be thawing out, it's still pretty cold here. Winter seems to hang on as long as it can up here but that's okay. It makes Spring all the more exciting! Today, I wanted to talk about one of my favorite plants: Impatiens capensis. It goes by many lay names but Spotted jewelweed is my favorite. 

Note: This is a photo of Spotted jewelweed (Impatiens capensis). It's very common where we live! 

   I was going to do a writeup on the Family but for once, there's more information on the individual than the Family itself. Impatiens capensis is in the Balsaminaceae Family. I was surprised to find out that my jewelweed friend is the only member of this family I have recorded! I think that's pretty neat. It's native to North America although it was transported in the 19th and 20th centuries to England, France, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Finland, and possibly other areas of northern and central Europe. They prefer bottomland soils, ditches, and life near creeks. I usually find them near the river and streams where I live.

   As I mentioned before this plant goes by many names: common jewelweed, spotted jewelweed, orange jewelweed, spotted touch-me-not, and orange balsam. I prefer spotted jewelweed because I love it for its orange color and spotted pattern. Fun fact about me: I hate it when they call anything "common _____". I feel like it takes away the plant/creature's individuality. But anyway, on to our description! 

   Jewelweed grows anywhere from 3-5 feet tall. The leaves are alternate on the upper stems and opposite on the lower stems, if there are any leaves at all. The leaves can be more of an oval shape or eclipse shape depending on the individual but all are simple, and have shallow rounded teeth on the end of each. 

Note: Here is a photo of the leaves! See the teeth? Also pictured is what I think is a flower bud beginning to form. I also included a photo of the stems in case anyone was interested in that too! 

    I learned a possible reason for the name jewelweed! Apparently when you hold the leaves underwater they appear silver or jeweled. Another possible reason could be the bright coloration and shape of the kernels of the projectile seeds.

    Their seeds are probably the coolest part, at least to me. The seed pods have five valves which coil back rapidly to eject the seeds! It's called explosive dehiscence. It's also why they're called touch-me-nots. I've done it more than once. Touch the flower at the right time and POP! there go the seeds! It's a little thing but something I feel happy to have experienced.

   The flowers are 2-3cm long and range in color from yellow to orange. Something I learned from my research is that they can also produce what are called cleistogamous flowers which don't need to be cross-pollinated. They are less showy than the bright flowers that the pollinators get their nectar from. Plus, the absence of needing cross-pollination means that the plant can self-pollinate if it needs to.

Note: Here's a photo of the flower itself! I adore the colors and spots and don't have to look too hard to find them each year due to their brightness.

   They have a structure inside their flowers called nectar spurs which usually have nectar. Their angle, which can range from 0-270°, is very important for their pollinators. In fact, hummingbirds are one of their biggest pollinators and it's been noted that they gather more nectar from curved spurs than perpendicular ones! Bees are also very important pollinators. I see them every year and I especially love it because you just see the flower with a little bee butt poking out! 

Note: This is an image of those spurs, I'm pretty sure. I had always wondered their purpose and today I found out! 

   Finally, there are a few different uses for this plant. The young shoots can be boiled but you have to change the water twice. They are referred to as potherbs, which is something I'd never heard of before. Leaf vegetables that can be eaten raw are often called salad greens. On the other hand, leaf vegetables that need to be cooked first are called potherbs! Don't eat too much though. They contain calcium oxalate crystals. In large doses it can produce sores and numbing on ingestion and may even be fatal. You can also eat the seeds, preferably before they explode!

   The juice of the leaves and stems is a traditional Native American remedy for skin rashes (including poison ivy). This is an extra fun fact because they usually grow near poison ivy! It's believed that it's the saponins that help with the rash. You should test it first though because some people are sensitive to jewelweed and it can actually make the rash worse. You can also use the juice as a fungicide!

    It was a lot of fun learning new things about a plant I see every single year. It's a Fall plant but I still look forward to it all year. Its vibrant coloration and spots, seed explosion feature, and common sightings make it one of my favorite plants to see! As always I hope you learned something and had a good time doing so. Until next time!

Yours,

Jade 

   

   

A New Friend

   Hi again! I wasn't planning to write again until March but something came up, or rather something was caught! 

   My partner was doing his normal duties at work, sweeping and whatnot when another coworker came upon a centipede. They were going to kill him but Joe swooped in to rescue him, knowing I would want to see it. I'm happy that he did because he didn't deserve to die. He's such a beautiful creature although I will admit the way he moves freaks me out a little bit.

Note: This is a stone centipede. I haven't gotten in confirmed yet but I'm 90 percent sure it's Least Lithobius (Lithobius microps). They're very common in my area. 

   This is going to be a shorter post as I don't usually cover individuals because there tends to be less information when you get so specific. Regardless, I couldn't help but share this find so here's what I found on our friend. 

   Our stone centipede is in the family Lithobiidae. They tend to be quite small growing to about 1-2inches. It's red or orange in color depending on the individual. They have small poison claws on either side of its head. 

Note: Here is a photo of his head and those poison claws! His poison isn't harmful to humans but I bet a bite would still hurt!

   This species is the most commonly found centipede in my region, the Northeastern part of the United States. It also lives in England and South Wales and has been introduced to Tasmania.

   Stone centipedes like to hide in wood, under stones and rocks, in soil, and under small buildings. They're most common in gardens in dead or decaying wood, beneath stones and rocks, or under sheds. They are opportunistic carnivores preying on insects, spiders, and other small arthropods. They also dig burrows to hibernate through the winter months. They're fast so they're hard to catch and handle. Regardless, I want to try to give him a chance at life. I don't see centipedes very often. I guess I haven't been looking under enough logs and rocks! That makes taking care of him all the more interesting and fun. 

   Sending him back outside right now would be a death sentence. I don't have a food source right now which worries me. I've set him up in a Tupperware container with a couple holes poked in the top. It has a damp paper towel at the bottom for moisture and some leaf litter left over from the Fall. From what I've read, this should do. Like I mentioned above, the only thing I'm missing is a food source. Bugs are hard to come by in these cold winter months.

I hope we can keep him safe and healthy until its safe and to bring him outside again. I've already enjoyed watching him run around and clean his antennae. I don't know if we'll see him much now that he has places to hide but he's still swell to have around.

Note: Here's a picture of him cleaning his antennae. It was super cute. I have a video of it too.

As always, I hope you learned something! I also hope more people choose to relocate bugs (and myriapods) instead of killing them. They're actually helpful little predators who are harmless to humans. Until next time! 

Yours, 

Jade