MObugs

Claxton, GA Rattlesnake Round-up canceled

2012-01-21T12:03:00.001-06:00

Thank you David Steen for bringing this to my attention. This truly is great news and a step in the right direction. I know this blog is primarily dedicated to insects, but news like this begs to be shared. Many of us that love and study insects also share a passion for many other things in the natural world. Please contact the people below and offer your support for the changes taking place.

The following is written by Bill Rulon-Miller of R.A.R.R.

There is breaking news about the Claxton Rattlesnake Roundup in Georgia. This is what Jim Ries of One More Generation and Rise Against Rattlesnake Roundups had to say:

"Beth Grant, Bill Matturro from PALS, Collette L. Adkins Giese from the Center for Biological Diversity, Dr. Lock from the ATL Zoo, Dr. Michael Black from GSU and the OMG Team just got off a conference call with many other folks about the Rattlesnake Round-ups, and we learned truly amazing news!

The Claxton group has decided to convert their March event to the Claxton Rattlesnake and Wildlife Festival without a round-up!!!!!! The folks at P.A.L.S, especially Bill, Carter and Olivia from One More Generation, as well as DNR staff all deserve big kudos for bringing the issues to the Claxton group's attention and helping them come to the conclusion to change their events!

We all need to support them in this for their own sake and also to serve as an example for Whigham. More ideas on this to follow, but to begin with, we all echo the Georgia DNR Chief, Non-game Conservation Section Wildlife Resources Division Georgia DNR, who writes:

I encourage you to contact Bruce Purcell and offer support for his work to change the event to the "Claxton Rattlesnake and Wildlife Festival".

Bruce Purcell 912-282-4052 qkutdist@bellsouth.net

Evans County Wildlife Club
P.O. Box 292
Claxton, Georgia 30417"

Deciding to confirm this, I called Bruce Purcell at the number listed. After a lengthy phone conversation Bruce confirmed that all of this is true. It should be noted that the festival did not have to change but it wanted to and they are hoping for a successful reformation. The last part of this message cannot be emphasized enough: call him, write to him and tell him that you fully support his decision! He is getting some negative feedback and it is the utmost importance that we counter this.

I will also encourage people to visit this reformed festival if at all possible, this may be a victory for rattlesnakes but we cannot abandon the battlefield at such a critical hour! Roundup proponents will push back and it is our duty to stop them in their tracks.

Chilean Gold Fluff Tarantula

2012-01-15T19:06:00.000-06:00

Today was the bi-monthly reptile show in Overland Park, KS. Joey and I made a trip down there to see what they had this time. The show is always full of large snakes, turtles, alligators, caimans, lizards and various arthropods. Meet the newest addition to my growing menagerie; this lovely tarantula. She is a Chilean Gold Fluff from the mountains of Chile. They can grow to have a 5 inch legspan. This in an incredibly docile spider and they rarely if ever bite. If they would take a notion to bite, their venom is not known to have any serious affects on humans. However, if you are allergic to the venom, then you could have a serious side affect like anaphylaxis. Their diet consists of arthropods, small snakes, lizards, and small rodents.

Like all tarantulas they possess venom to subdue their prey. Limited by their narrow stomach tubes, tarantulas, like other arachnids, cannot eat solid food. Tarantulas expel digestive enzymes that help liquefy their prey for ingestion. After immobilizing its prey, a tarantula chews it with its powerful chelicerae while covering it with digestive enzymes. Contraction of the muscles surrounding the fore-stomach helps the tarantula suck up the liquefied prey through its straw-like mouth and into the mid-gut.

Tarantulas also have a unique defense mechanism, they are able to flick the hairs on their abdomen at a potential predator. They simply turn their body towards the source of the danger and use their back legs to begin flicking irritating hairs in the direction of the predator. These tiny hairs are an extreme irritant that will cause uncomfortable itching. The tarantula can beat a hasty retreat while the predator is busy dealing with a very uncomfortable case of irritation. Some tarantulas are more high strung than others and will often have bald patches on their abdomen where it is evident they have been flicking hairs. When the tarantula sheds its exoskeleton the next time the hairs will return. This is an important defense strategy for the spider so it is vital that the hairs return so it can adequately protect itself.

I currently own 4 tarantulas and I have never witnessed the hair flicking, and I must admit I am thankful. I have heard of people who have gotten these hairs in their eyes and it can be extremely painful. The hairs are so fine that they can embed themselves into your eye and cannot be retrieved. Your only hope is if the hairs finally work their way out of the eye.

I love these incredible spiders, their large size, docile nature and incredible beauty all add up to a great pet.

Sources: http://www.ehow.com/info_8580419_do-tarantulas-eat.html

For Japan Locust Eaters, A Plague of Cesium? By Yoree Koh

2012-01-13T19:45:00.003-06:00

Locusts are known for their fondness for feasting on Japan’s lush rice fields.

Less well known is the fact that the bug is also a delicacy in the country’s entomophagous culture – the practice of eating insects, not as widespread in Japan as in some parts of Asia if still popular with a minority.
But a Tokyo scientist, concerned the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident may swat the critter off the country’s bug-eating menu, is conducting research designed to save the tasty tradition as well as study the long-term effects of radiation exposure.

While buggy eats like silkworms and larva are gastronomic favorites for those who eat insects in other parts of the country, locusts are a bounty for the insect eaters of rice-producing regions like Nagano, Chiba and the towns of the northeast hit hardest by the March 11 disasters.
But Hajime Fugo, the vice president of Tokyo University of Agriculture of Technology and a physiologist specializing in insects, worried the locust-eating tradition may fall into extinction should connoisseurs shun the bug amid deepening anxiety among consumers over food produced in Fukushima, fearful of radiation hazards.

With a Geiger counter in his pocket, Mr. Fugo, along with two students, in October went to Iitate, a village located over 30 kilometers away from the nuclear plant and where hot spots of high radiation have been discovered. There they collected about 500 grasshoppers, a cousin of the locust which was in short supply in the area because local rice fields were barren. The radiation in the air varied from 2.5 microsieverts to a little over 3 microsieverts per hour at the time.
About 4,000 becquerels of radioactive cesium-134 and cesium-137 was detected in the grasshoppers, all 500 weighing a cumulative one kilogram. The levels far exceed Japan’s regulatory limit of 500 becquerels per kilogram.

Mr. Fugo said the results were astonishing. But the scientist thinks it is safe to eat the bugs because they are usually in snack-sized portions – crunchy soy-marinated locusts – enjoyed with cold mugs of beer. Additional research also showed that the amount of cesium dropped considerably after going through the routine steps taken when preparing the insects for consumption.

: Hajime Fugo; A locust.

In contrast, radiation found in about 2,000 locusts collected further away, about 60 kilometers away from the plant, measured well below the government standard. The highest measurement of the samples reached about 200 becquerels per kilogram. The insects were freeze dried to a consistency comparable to instant coffee before being checked for radiation.
But it’s not all about food safety. Mr. Fugo plans to use the initial findings as a base for what he hopes will elucidate some of the long-term effects of radiation on humans.

One aim is to continue collecting samples from the same areas to analyze how much of the radiation is passed from adult insects to offspring. Because the locust and grasshopper’s breed about three to four months into their life cycle, Mr. Fugo says, studying the bugs may point the way to how much radioactive cesium, which has a half life of about 30 years, is contracted through the insects’ successive generations — much faster than waiting to observe the same process in humans.
A second objective is to dissect the insect to identify which organs are susceptible to higher concentrations of radiation.

Some preliminary results have been interesting. The scientist left one sample of locusts alone until they defecated, a necessary step before cooking the locusts. (It’s advised not to eat locusts raw because of the risk of parasite.) Compared to a group of locusts taken from the same area that did not release droppings, he found the level of radioactive cesium fell by nearly half, from 75 becquerels to 35, among the locusts who answered nature’s call.

Source: Wall Street Journal----Japan

Here a Moth, there a Moth, everywhere a Moth.......

2012-01-11T15:09:00.000-06:00

This little gray moth is called the Moon-Lined Moth(Spiloloma lunilinea). They are found in deciduous hardwood forests and nearby areas. Commonly found in Missouri they are attracted to sap flows and sugar bait. The caterpillars use Honey Locust trees as their host plant. The distinctive lines on the edge of the forewings help identify this species. It is not unusual to see these moths at porch lights or other artificial lights at night. Moon-lined moths are located throughout the Eastern and Central portions of North America.

The American Birds-wing (Dypterygia rozmani) is found throughout Eastern North America from Nova Scotia to Florida and back west to Texas. They are a medium sized moth with a 2 inch wingspan. When the wings are in flight the fine black lines and pale coloring visible on the wings resembles a bird in flight which is where the moth gets its common name. This is the only moth in North America with this marking. They are found in woodlands and nearby areas. The adults most likely do not feed, and the caterpillars are reported to feed on Dock and Smartweed.

The interrupted Dagger Moth (Acronicta interrupta) is found from Colorado eastward, then north to Nova Scotia. This is a medium sized moth with a wingspan up to 2 1/4 inches. They are light gray with a prominent black basal dash, up and down the median lines. There is also a thin black streak through a dark patch (dagger-mark) in the anal angle. This moth is associated with dry deciduous forested areas, and tall grassy/shrubby areas. The adults most likely do not feed. The caterpillars use elm, cherry, apple, crabapple, birch, hawthorn, apricot, plum, willow as well as many others as their host.

The Lunate Zale (Zale lunata) is a common moth in Missouri and are often seen at porch lights at night. They range throughout Eastern North America. This is a small moth with a wingspan up to 1 3/4 inches. The wings are dark brown with blackish-brown markings. They are associated with deciduous hardwood forests and nearby areas. The adults will come to sap flows and sugar bait. The caterpillars feed on cherry, oak, willow, maples and many others.

Yellow-Collared Scape Moths (Cisseps virginica) are tiny moths with up to a 1 inch wingspan. What they lack in size they make up for in color. These moths are dark charcoal gray to black with a brightly colored thorax, that will either be orange, reddish-orange or yellow. They are commonly found among wildflowers in open fields, meadows and prairies. This moth is diurnal....meaning it flies during the day. This is unlike most moths that are night fliers. The adults nectar at flowers and the caterpillars feed on lichens, grasses and spike rushes.

This brightly colored moth is a Virgin Tiger Moth (Grammia virgo).
This moth has a scattered population in the Southern and Eastern portions of the United States. The one pictured here is only one of two I have ever seen. It came to a mercury vapor light I had out to attract insects. These are a medium sized moth with a wingspan up to 2 1/2 inches. The forewings are cream colored with black lines, and the hindwings are bright orange-red with black markings. This species is associated with woodlands. The adults will sip nectar, and the caterpillars use lettuce, plantain, clover and other low growing plants as their host. Like all caterpillars in the tiger moth family, they are referred to as woolly bears. This particular species has one of the fasted moving caterpillars I have ever encountered. It literally looks like it is sprinting as it move across the ground.

This lovely chocolate colored moth is the Short-Lined Chocolate Moth (Argyrostrotis anilis). They are found throughout Eastern North America from Nova Scotia southward. Not much is reported on their life cycle. The caterpillars feed on
crabapple.
(Picture by Steve Scott)
There are at least two generations in Missouri in each year.

This lovely light gray moth is the American Dagger Moth (Acronicta americana). They are medium size moth with a wingspan up to 3 inches. The wings contain wavy lines in a variable pattern. They are associated with deciduous hardwood forests and nearby areas. The adults most likely do not feed and the caterpillars use alder, hickory, ash, willow, polar, elm, birch and other as their host. This particular species is the largest of the dagger moths in North America.

Banded Tussock Moths (Halysidota tessellaris) are a beautifully marked moth with distinct aqua blue and yellow striped on their thorax. They are average in size with a wingspan up to 2 inches. Look for them in deciduous hardwood forests and nearby edges. The adults regurgitate decaying plant matter that is high in alkaloids, and then drink up the fluid, which gives them additional toxins as adults.

The caterpillars use birch, elm, willow, ash, walnut, hackberry, grape, alder, hazel, and oak for their host plant. These plants give the caterpillar a chemical protection from predation by forming distasteful toxins in its system. Most predators would avoid eating this species.

This moth will come to porch lights at night.

All of the moths shown here are found throughout Missouri and most of them will come to porch lights at night. Moths are easily seen and easily captured for study and for collections. Moths are often over looked as being drab and not worthy of our time....after all they are not near as colorful or beautiful as their distant cousins the butterflies....or are they? Many moths are quite colorful and most are beautiful in their own right. Some fly during the day just like butterflies and are often mistaken for them. Soon warm weather will return and so will the moths that have been overwintering in various stages of development. Some as cocoons, some as caterpillars and some as full grown adults.

Many cultures view moths as supernatural beings, and believe that their departed loved ones were encased in the body of the moth as it fluttered about ghost-like in the night sky. Who knows, maybe, just maybe......we ARE being visited by past loved ones when these moths show up in our yards at night. I'm just sayin..."it could happen"

Winter Bees

2012-01-07T20:41:00.002-06:00

After several days of unseasonably warm weather I decided to check on the honey bees to see if there were any bees buzzing around. I was pleasantly surprised to find them busily cleaning house and gathering pollen. I admit to being shocked about the pollen gathering though. I wasn't aware that there were plants or trees producing pollen in January in Missouri. As you can see by the back legs and the tip of the abdomen on this worker to the right she has been quite busy. The pollen they were gathering was very pale in color, almost white. If anyone has any idea what plant or tree might be producing pollen this time of year, please let me know. I am curious.

I sat and watched the bees for about 30 minutes and found it very relaxing to observe them in their daily activity. Workers would fly out of the hive, and return several minutes later, laden with pollen. Some workers were met at the entrance of the hive by additional workers that would quickly feed them a bit of pollen, before they entered the hive.
Then I noticed several dead bees on the ground below the hive entrance. I assume these are the workers who perished over the last few weeks. They had been swept out the door of the hive; one thing any self-repecting honey cannot abide by is a messy hive. Dead bees would definitely qualify as dirtying up the hive.

Upon further observation I noticed a bee come in for a landing at the entrance, it was not carrying pollen as it slipped inside. It wasn't long before this intruder was rudely escorted out of the hive, onto the ground and stung repeatedly before succumbing to death. The message was loud and clear "Don't come around here, you're not welcome!"

(The worker on the left was one of my bees, the one on the right under the blade of grass is the "robber" bee)

Honey bees will often try to invade the hives of other bees to steal their stores of honey and pollen. The intruders are often quickly detected by scent alone. The robber bees will smell different than the members of the hive and are quickly deposed of. To me it seems a folly on the part of the robber bee, why sacrifice yourself to try and steal some honey? Do the robber bees think it would be easier to risk life and limb, than to gather their own pollen or nectar? Granted this time of year their choices are limited, but still, is it worth dying over?

Occasionally I had to laugh as the bees would fly in to make a landing and seemed to judge the distance all wrong. These bees would crash into the hive, or into the grass around the hive, or sometimes into each other. One little worker crashed into her fellow hive mate, and spun herself around and quickly caught her balance by grabbing her sister bee. It was quite comical, as she held on as if her life depended on it. I am sure she experienced a moment of WTH just happened!? After several seconds she regained her composure and flew into the hive. Silly bee.

I am so excited to see that the bees are doing so well. I realize we have had a mild winter up to this point and that it will most likely change soon. My hope is that they continue to do well and survive any harsh weather that the winter is still likely to throw at us.

Fresh Water Mussels

2012-01-02T00:00:00.000-06:00

This past 4th of July we spent an evening at the farm. We enjoyed a cookout, great friends and fireworks. The kids swam in the pond and soon discovered mussels underfoot. They grabbed up hundreds of them and placed them in a 5 gallon bucket. They were having fun finding them. I decided I wanted to try and cook some. So I kept 20 or so, and threw the rest back into the pond. I brought the mussels home and soaked them in water for a few hours, and then sauteed them in butter, onion and some seasoning. They were not near as good as I had hoped for. They maintained a muddy taste from the muddy bottom of the pond. I suppose if I had soaked them for a longer period to time it could have helped. If anyone has prepared these with success, please let me in on the secret.

As you can see the kids were having fun diving for mussels in our pond. What a great way to spend a hot summer day!

There are hundreds of fresh water mussels in the World, and nearly 300 of them live in North America. In fact North America is home to the largest variety of mussels compared to anywhere else in the World. Many are in threat of becoming endangered, in fact the estimate is as high as 3/4 of the known species may be in peril. As many as 35 species have already gone extinct. The Midwestern portion of the United States contains the highest concentration of species, Missouri alone is home to some 65 species. Native Americans utilized mussels as an important part of their diet. Not only were they a valuable food source for tribes throughout the Midwest, but they also held value in other ways. The shells were used for tempering pottery and tools, they also made jewelry, and utensils. In the late 1800's "white man" recognized the potential value of the shells in the fashion industry. The button industry reached a boon during this time in history and many mussels were collected for the "mother-of-pearl" and sold to the button factories. The epicenter for the button industry was right in the good old Midwest.

As many as 200 button factories were in operation by 1912. Barge loads of mussels were harvested each season.This over harvesting of mussels drastically affected the population of mussels. It wasn't until the use of plastics came in vogue during the 1950's that the interest in mussels for buttons waned.
The livestock industry also benefited from the harvest of mussels, by manufacturing livestock feed from the soft parts of the mussels.
With the advent of plastics it seemed as if the mussels would be left to rebound depleted populations, but that was not to be the case. The Japanese discovered that mussels could be used to create cultured pearls. The mussels are boiled and cleaned. The shells are then formed into small beads and inserted into the shells of oysters as an irritant. The oyster will form a pearl around the irritant and the resulting pearl is sold as a "cultured pearl". Thousands of tons of mussels are collected, boiled, cleaned, formed into beads and shipped to Japan for this very lucrative trade. Fourteen states still allow the harvesting of fresh water mussels to be sold for this purpose. There is some indication that certain species of mussels are immune to many types of cancer. There is hope that the components that allow the mussels this immunity will be isolated and will lead to cancer curing medicines to be created.

An added problem mussels face is pollution. Many areas where fresh water mussels occur are heavily polluted. The mussels cannot survive in those conditions. Mussels are filter feeders and consume micro-organisms. In heavily polluted water they are also consuming the chemicals and debris that are present in the water. Because of this sensitivity to pollutants they are considered indicator species. This basically means that biologist can determine water quality by the presence, or lack thereof of the mussels in a given aquatic habitat. Depending upon the circumstances much can be determined about water quality based on these mussels. If a pond that traditionally held mussels, suddenly is mussel free that would "indicate" a severe problem with the water conditions. A sudden decrease of mussels can also indicate a problem in progress. Mussels that remain can be collected and their tissue can be tested for the type of pollutant, and the extent of the pollution that is causing the problem. Many times biologists are able to head off a disaster because of the data collected in the mussels. Mussels are an important part of the aquatic ecosystem, not only for their ability to indicate water quality issues, but because of their ability to filter the water. This filter feeding increases the water quality and creates an overall healthier water ecosystem.

They are also an important component in the food chain. Many animals will consume mussels including herons, and other shore birds, skunks, raccoons, foxes, minks and otters are all huge fans of mussels. Even muskrats that are traditionally plant feeders will utilize mussels as a food source when other food is not available.

The life cycle of mussels is very unique. Males release sperm directly into the water, and the females filter the water and sperm directly into their cavities. Once fertilized the female will carry the eggs and young larvae called glochidia within her gills. Some species will release their larvae the same year they are fertilized, other species carry the young overwinter and release them the following spring.
After being released the journey to adulthood gets interesting. In order for the mussels to complete their lifecycle they must attach themselves to the gills or fins of fish....yes that's right FISH! Who would have thought that mussels rely on fish to survive. The species of fish used is all dependent upon the type of mussel in question. Some mussels have very species specific requirements and will only use one type of fish. For instance Pocketbook mussels need to find small mouth bass. So how do they insure that the proper host is found?

They use a lure in the form of a soft tissue that they wiggle which resembles a small minnow, the small mouth bass is attracted to the "bait" and comes in to investigate. Instead of finding a meal, it finds itself a host to a mouthful of glochidia. Such deceit! Many mussels utilize any fish available, but have a wide variety of methods to attract them. Oyster Mussels open their shells and expose a blue mantle. The bright blue color attracts nearby fish. When the fish swims in closer to investigate the mussel will clamp its shell down onto the fishes head and holds tight. As the mussel holds on the glochidia swim into the fishes mouth. I am sure the fish is much relieved when the mussel finally releases it. The young larvae remain attached to the host fish for up to 7 months depending upon species. Once they have reached maturity they will drop off the fish and lead a sedentary life. Mussels are very limited in their ability to move which is why they rely on fish to spread their populations. Of the millions of eggs produced by females and fertilized by males, only about 1 in a million will survive to the juvenile stage. Mussels are long lived creatures and many species may live a century or more. Other species live for decades and like many long lived animals they do not reach sexual maturity until they are older. Some species may be ready to reproduce at 2 years of age, and others it may not be until a decade later.

Other factors can affect the over all survival of mussels, including habitat destruction. This can be caused from dredging, damming and forming channels. Mussels are vulnerable in other ways too, consider that they have a later maturation rate, very low juvenile survival ratio, susceptibility to pollution, inability to disperse in a sustainable fashion, and host specificity. All these things combined makes a person wonder how they survive at all. On top of all these issues, they also suffer from competition with invasive species. Zebra Mussels have wrecked havoc on many fresh water environments. Zebra mussels originated in Poland and the former Soviet Union. They made their way to North America in the ballast water of ships. They were first discovered in 1988 in Canada, and four years later were found in the United States throughout the Great Lakes. By 1991 they were discovered in the Mississippi River. Humans are responsible in most cases for the expansion of the zebra mussels range. The mussels attach themselves to boats and other water craft and then are carried to new locations. Zebra mussels unlike many mussels have a very sort reproductive cycle which allows them to colonize areas in greater numbers. The presence of zebra mussels causes many problems for native mussels, because of their habit of attaching themselves to natives species. This interferes with feeding, movement, growth and reproduction of native mussels. In Lake Erie alone it is estimated that Zebra mussels are responsible for the 90% reduction of native mussels. It is vitally important that individuals frequently utilizing the water in a recreational manner make sure that their water craft is free of any attached mussels before heading to other waterways. This can go a long way in reducing the spread of these invasive species.

Sometimes the most unassuming creatures perform some of the biggest jobs. While mussels move very little, and are rarely seen they perform a huge job in purifying water, determining water quality, providing product to the jewelry and fashion industry, and providing food for many other animals. We as humans should try to reduce invasive species, limit habitat destruction or alteration, and reduce harvesting especially in locations where native species area already struggling to maintain viable populations. We also need to continue to reduce chemical runoff which greatly impacts these fresh water mussels.

I feel very fortunate to have such a healthy and large population of these mussels present in our ponds. This indicates to me that the water quality is superior and all the right components are in place to allow them to survive and reproduce. Now if I could just figure out how to make them palatable I'd have it made.

Resources: Texas Parks and Rec; MDC; and NRCS

Eastern Blood-Sucking Conenose

2011-12-16T21:49:00.000-06:00

This time of year thoughts turn to Christmas and traditions. One tradition many of us are happy to indulge in is sneaking a kiss under the mistletoe with a special someone. No one however would be happy to be kissed by the Kissing Bug. Eastern Blood-Sucking Conenose Bugs (Triatoma sanguisuga) are often referred to as the kissing bug because of their habit of planting a big juicy, albeit painful kiss right on the lips of hapless victims. As if Blood-sucking conenose, and kissing bug weren't weird enough names, they are also called Mexican Bedbugs. None of these names are very reassuring and there is good reason, these bugs are just not something we want to share our homes with. They can and do make their way into our dwellings and once inside they may use us as a source of food. They seem to sense the carbon dioxide coming from our breathing, once they have landed on our mouth they will use their beak-like rostrum (mouth) to pierce our skin and suck our blood. They inject an enzyme along with their saliva that contains a deadening agent that numbs the area being bitten so that you will not feel the initial bite. This enzyme will cause significant problems for some people who have an allergic reaction to it. It can cause nausea, vomiting, fainting spells, red blotches as well as burning, itching and swelling at the bite sight. It can also cause anaphylactic symptoms in some individuals. There are approximately 140 species of conenose bugs in the World, with 15 species found in the United States each belonging to the family Reduviidae. They all have the capability to bite humans but in some parts of the Southwest and into Mexico and areas further south they carry this ability even further by defecating while they feed. This behavior causes the spread of a disease called Chagas disease.

The symptoms of Chagas disease vary over the course of an infection. In the early, acute stage, symptoms are mild and usually produce no more than local swelling at the site of infection. The initial acute phase is responsive to antiparasitic treatments, with 60–90% cure rates. After 4–8 weeks, individuals with active infections enter the chronic phase of Chagas disease that is asymptomatic for 60–80% of chronically infected individuals through their lifetime. The antiparasitic treatments also appear to delay or prevent the development of disease symptoms during the chronic phase of the disease, but 20–40% of chronically infected individuals will still eventually develop life-threatening heart and digestive system disorders. Chagas disease is contracted primarily in the Americas, particularly in poor, rural areas of Mexico, Central America, and South America; very rarely, the disease has originated in the Southern United States. (Taken from Wikipedia)

Females will lay clusters of eggs that hatch in a few days. After hatching, the nymphs must complete up to 8 instars (molts) before reaching adult size. These bugs need blood to survive, it is their sole source of food. Humans are not the first choice when choosing a host, they typically invade pack rat nests and feed on the blood of these mammals. They will also hang out in dog houses or other areas where dogs are bedded. They can and do bite dogs and may spread chagas disease to your pet where the disease is prevalent.

These bugs are nocturnal and are often attracted to lights at night. It is proximity to human structures that often leads them into our homes. Because of their potential to bite they should not be tolerated in our homes. If you notice a significant number of these around your home, you may want to consider extermination. Making sure homes are sealed tight leaving no cracks for them to crawl through should help keep them out of your home. Eliminating areas where rodents would be attracted to will also help as they are frequent feeders on rodents, and will definitely be attracted to areas where mice and rats are located.

There is no reason to live in fear of these bugs, especially in Missouri as they do not occur in large numbers. I've only ever seen two in 20 years. They are harmless outside in their natural habitat feeding on rodents and other mammals. Although I would not recommend sharing the mistletoe with this kissing bandit

Rarest Bumblebee in US Rediscovered

2011-12-10T14:33:00.000-06:00

A team of University of California scientists found three samples of the Cockerell's Bumblebee species, shown above, in New Mexico.
CREDIT: G. Ballmer | UC Riverside

View full size image

An elusive bumblebee, which was last seen in 1956, was recently found living in the White Mountains of south-central New Mexico, scientists announced Monday (Dec. 5).
Known as "Cockerell's bumblebee," the bee was first described in 1913 using six specimens collected along the Rio Ruidoso, a river located in the Sierra Blanca and Sacramento Mountains, N.M. Over the years, one more sample was found in Ruidoso, and 16 specimens were collected near the town of Cloudcroft, N.M.
The last Cockerell's bumblebee sample was collected in 1956. No other specimens had been recorded until Aug. 31, when a team of scientists from the University of California, Riverside, found three more samples of the bee species in weeds along a highway north of Cloudcroft.

"When an insect species is very rare, or highly localized, it can fairly easily escape detection for very long periods of time," Douglas Yanega, a senior museum scientist at the University of California, Riverside (UCR), said in a statement.

Cockerell's bumblebee has the most limited range of any bumblebee species in the world, having been spotted only in an area of less than 300 square miles (777 square kilometers), according to the researchers. By comparison, the rare "Franklin's bumblebee" species, which was last seen in 2003 and is on the verge of extinction, is known from a distribution covering about 13,000 square miles (33,670 square km).
Cockerell's bumblebee was able to fly under the radar for so long because the area where the species lives is rarely visited by entomologists, Yanega said. The bee species has also "long been ignored because it was thought that it was not actually a genuine species, but only a regional color variant of another well-known species," Yanega explained.
An assessment of the genetic makeup of the three newly discovered specimens gives fairly conclusive evidence that Cockerell's bumblebee is a genuine species, the researchers said.
It is not unusual for an insect species to be rediscovered after several decades, when people might otherwise have believed it had gone extinct, Yanega said. UCR entomologists rediscover many "lost" insect species like the Cockerell's bumblebee, as well as discover entirely new species, at the rate of several dozen species every year.
"There are many precedents – some of them very recently in the news, in fact – of insects that have been unseen for anywhere from 70 to more-than-100 years, suddenly turning up again when someone either got lucky enough, or persistent enough, to cross paths with them again," Yanega said. "It is much harder to give conclusive evidence that an insect species has gone extinct than for something like a bird or mammal or plant."
Cockerell's bumblebee does not appear to be facing extinction. The bumblebee dwells in an area that's largely composed of National Forest and Apache tribal land, it is "unlikely to be under serious threat of habitat loss at the moment," Yanega said.
However, the researcher notes that since the bee species' biology is completely unknown, it may require additional formal assessments in the future.

You can follow LiveScience writer Remy Melina on Twitter @remymelina. Follow LiveScience for the latest in science news and discoveries on Twitter @livescience and on Facebook.

A New Blog

2011-12-07T11:16:00.000-06:00

As many of you know, the only thing I love more (or as much) as insects is SNAKES! I've had a fascination with them since I was a little girl. I recall once when I was about 14 my younger brother Marty brought a garter snake into the house, unbeknown st to our mother, who is terrified of snakes. The snake lasted about one day in its enclosure before escaping. My brother came and found me to inform me that I HAD to help him find the snake BEFORE mom found out it was gone. I suppose this was especially important since she didn't know a snake was in the house to begin with. I agreed to help him. So we began our covert mission, trying to be as quiet (OK..... Sneaky) as we could be. Apparently when kids are whispering and sneaking around from room to room that is evidence that something is up. Mom yelled at both of us and wanted to know what we were up to. I looked at Marty and he looked at me......and.....well.... I caved, I told her everything. You never saw someone jump as high as she did, and she did the most graceful landing right in the middle of the kitchen table you would ever see. She DEMANDED we find that snake IMMEDIATELY! Well heck, that's what we'd been trying to do when she detained us. That snake could be anywhere. Finally it dawned on me that I had hamsters....and they look surprisingly like mice. Snakes eat mice......so the snake had to be in my room. Sure enough, that sneaky snake was laid out behind one of my hamster cages, flicking its tongue in anticipation. I am not sure who saw who first, because as soon as we walked towards the snake, it bolted off the desk, onto the floor and disappeared into my closet. I was not the neatest kid on the block....and that closet was down right scary. I think the door was the only thing holding the contents in. After dragging as much stuff out of the closet as we could, we cornered the snake.

Now....I'm not sure if you all realize this, but a cornered garter snake is not much different than any other cornered animal. That snake came out fighting, lunging.....open mouthed, and bent on scaring the hell out of us. My brother was very helpful....as he stood behind me yelling...."well go on catch it!"

It was then that I realized my brother was as scared of the snake as our mom! I accused him of being a chicken.....and all he said was "SO?" It took several minutes and numerous attempts before I finally caught the snake. Marty fetched a brown paper bag to put it in and he walked it up the road to an abandoned field. When he got back, and mom got done scolding him for bringing a nasty vile creature into the house, I had the chance to ask him how it got out in the first place. He took me into his room, with a puzzled look on his face and said "I don't know, I had it in this large jar and made sure to put a paper towel over it" I nearly died laughing.

I've had many other interesting experiences with snakes and each one as reinforced my love of them. Recently I joined a group of conservation minded individuals called the RARR (Rise against rattlesnake roundups). This group is trying to bring about necessary changes to the way rattlesnake roundups are being done. Numerous (1,000's) of rattlesnakes are removed from their natural habitat and thrown into buckets and boxes.

They are transported to the event, where they are often frozen for several hours to allow for easier handling when they sew their mouths shut. These snakes with their sewn mouths are then passed around from person to person to have their picture taken with for a fee. These snakes die from stress within hours. Many of the snakes are skinned while still clinging to life and sold by the pound. The snakes are exposed to the elements and left in the sun with no water or shelter. Many snakes die from exposure alone. The officials that run the roundups claim they hold the event to control an overpopulation of rattlers. They want to make it a safer environment for people. This all sounds upstanding and full of good intentions, until you find out that they are shipping snakes in from Texas and other areas. If they are so overrun with venomous snakes, then why bring more into the state? It is obvious the snake populations are plummeting and they can no longer find them in large concentrations. Many snake hunters will locate a den site of hibernating rattlesnakes and gas out or burn out the snakes. They are able to remove many many snakes in one fell swoop. Rattlesnakes only mate every other year and they do not have large litters when they do. It is very easy to hunt these snakes to the point of extinction. Many counties throughout these snakes range our now free of rattlesnakes.

Missouri traditionally could claim that timber rattlesnakes were found in every county in the state.....not anymore. There are more counties without timbers than with them. The few that have them remaining are showing signs of reduced numbers. We as humans have to stop our way of thinking when it comes to creatures that we do not understand, or like, or that make us fearful. We have no moral right to try and remove every animal that we deem unworthy of existence. No one will argue that snakes aren't cuddly or cute. Snakes can be creepy, simply because they are so different from 4 legged mammals. These differences should be respected and we should try to understand that snakes serve a vital role in the habitats where they are found. Killing them out only causes an unbalance in that ecosystem.

I am proud to be a part of a group that is working so hard to protect a species that many find unworthy of our consideration. As part of my involvement with this group I created a new blog entitled Rattlesnake Education and Awareness. My hope is that like me, many of you like the creepy side of nature. The side of nature that is often misunderstood. The side of nature, that makes nature and being outdoors so much more interesting. Please take time to visit the blog, become a follower and help us support the ongoing effort to educate the public. Hopefully through education we can all become better informed and make wiser decisions where wildlife is concerned.

If anyone is interested in contributing content to the new blog, just email me. We will be happy to have writers come on board and share their reptile (and amphibian) experiences with our followers.

Giant Red-Headed Centipede

2011-12-01T22:27:00.000-06:00

Photo by: John Miller with the Missouri Department of Conservation

These magnificently large centipedes are only found in a few scant counties in Southern and South Western Missouri, particularly near the Arkansas state line. Giant Red-Headed Centipedes (Scolopendra heros) belong to the family Scolopendridae in the order Scolopendromorpha.

All centipedes have odd numbered pairs of legs and only one pair of legs per body segment. They are commonly mistaken for millipedes....one way to tell the difference is to look at the legs. Millipedes always have two pairs of legs per body segment. Centipedes tend to have a flattened body whereas millipedes are more rounded. Millipedes lack venom, although some species can emit a chemical from their legs that can cause skin irritation.

S. heros range in color by location, in Missouri they are unmistakable with a black body, 21 to 23 pairs of yellow legs and reddish head. This color is referred to aposematic and offers a warning to would-be predators that they are potentially dangerous. Humans should especially heed this warning, as they can and will bite if handled. They have front legs that are modified fangs. Bites are reported to be painful and will cause swelling at the bite site. If swelling persists or other symptoms appear, medical attention should be sought. It has been reported that the legs of this species can leave tiny pin-pricks in the skin, and each leg contains venom that can be dropped into each wound. This can cause inflammation and irritation.

(Photo by: John Miller)

According to one story cited by Dr. Baerg, an officer in the Confederate Army, while sleeping in his tent, was suddenly aroused by the creepy feeling of a large centipede crawling on his chest. A number of spots of deep red, forming a broad streak, indicated the arthropod’s passage across the man’s chest and abdomen. Violent pain and convulsions soon set in, accompanied by excessive swelling in the bitten area. The victim fought with death for two days and then succumbed. The agony suffered by the bitten officer was described by an eyewitness as the most frightful he had ever observed. The famed arthtopod scientist J. L. Cloudsley-Thompson once explained that “centipedes seem to exert a weird fascination on the morbid appetites of the hysterical and insane.”

These centipedes commonly reach lengths up to 6 1/2 inches, but lengths of 8 inches have been reported. They are found on rocky hillsides, glades, under logs, stones and other protected locations. They are rarely encountered by humans because of their secretive nature, but should you come across one you won't soon forget the experience. John Miller of MDC in Southern Missouri has promised me one to add to our exhibit animals at the office where I work. He said several are brought into his offices each year to be identified and they release them. He assured me he would retain one for me. I am so excited by the prospect of having one of these amazing centipedes to use for educational purposes.

Like all centipedes they are predators and feed on a broad diet of insects, and spiders. They are fond of pinkie mice, small snakes and small amphibians too. S. heros has excellent eyesight which aids them in hunting down prey. They are also fast moving creatures and very little escapes their notice or their grasp.

Female centipedes lay eggs in rotting wood and will guard the eggs by wrapping her body around them. When the eggs hatch she will continue to stay with her offspring and look after them for a short period of time. This parental care is unusual among arthropods. The offspring will look similar to the adult, except they are lighter in color and have fewer legs. They will gain the adult coloration and proper amount of legs as they age.

Resources:

http://www.uark.edu/ua/arthmuse/sheros.html

www.bugguide.net

Giant Ichneumon

2011-11-28T15:18:00.000-06:00

Giant Ichneumon (Megarhyssa macrurus) in the order Hymenoptera are large, interesting insects found throughout North America. They are reddish-brown in color with black wings and yellow legs. The females have an extremely long ovipositor trailing out the end of their abdomen. This appendage is used to deposit eggs inside decaying wood and within the bodies of pigeon horntail larvae. Somehow the female can detect the location of the feeding larvae within the rotting wood. Perhaps they use their long antennae to feel the vibrations of the feeding larvae? To me the mystery is...how do they know that the larvae they are sensing....is the right larvae. How do they know it isn't beetle larvae?

The ichneumon larvae will feed on the pigeon horntail larvae, consuming its body from the inside out. Once they have consumed the entire contents of the larvae they will pupate inside the rotting wood the following spring and once they are mature they will emerge from the decaying wood. The adults do not feed.

Even though the long ovipositor looks dangerous, it is harmless to humans, they cannot sting with it. It is designed for egg laying only. There are three species of Megarhyssa found in North America and may reside in the same area. Each species uses the pigeon horntail as their host. It is not uncommon to find all three species inside the same piece of rotting wood feeding on the horntail larvae. As each species of Megarhyssa uses a different length ovipositor to reach the horntail at different depths within the wood.

I've seen only a few of these large wasp-like creatures in our gardens in the past 5 or more years. I actually had one land on my leg once and walk around tapping its antennae on my leg as if trying to determine if I was a rotting log. I wasn't sure if I should be insulted or not.....was the wasp trying to tell me I have stumps for legs?

False Crocus Geometer Moth

2011-11-24T16:23:00.000-06:00

This brightly colored moth is a Crocus Geometer Moth in the genus Xanthotype in the family Geometridae. They are extremely common throughout North America and frequently visit porch lights or other artificial lights at night. This moth can also be flushed from timbered areas and grasslands bordering timberland during the daytime. There are several species within this genus and each are nearly identical and generally cannot be accurately identified without genitalia magnification.

Crocus Geometer (X. sospeta)

False Crocus Geometer (X. urticaria)

Buttercup Moth (X. urticaria)

Rufous Geometer (X. rufaria)

Of these four Crocus Geometer (X. sospeta) and False Crocus Geometer (X. urticaria) are found in the Eastern portion of North America which would include Missouri.

The genus Xanthotype has its root word from the Greek Xantho which translates into Yellow.

Geometer translates into Earth-measurer and comes from the caterpillar stage of these moths. Geometer caterpillars are called inch worms, loopers or spanworms and lack the amount of prolegs that are found on most species of lepidoptera. They instead have appendages at both ends of their body which allows them to clasp with their hind legs and reach forward with their front legs. This bends their body in a loop-like fashion, and as they continue to move forward it gives the appearance that they are measuring their journey.

These moths are a beautiful shade of bright yellow with purplish colored blotches on the wings. Males have more blotches than females. Males of this species, like the males of most moths have feathered antennae to "smell" the pheromone emitted by the female. They are capable of smelling her scent from great distances. Once mated the female will lay her eggs on a wide variety of host plants including Spirea, goldenrods, catnip, ground-ivy, red osier dogwood, and rhodora azaloa. The caterpillars are twig mimics and blend in with the branches they are living among.

Garter Snakes

2011-11-21T19:32:00.002-06:00

Garter Snakes are without a doubt one of the most widely spread of all the reptiles found in North America. In fact the Common Garter Snake(Thamnophis sirtalis) is the only snake known to be hardy enough to survive in Alaska’s inhospitable climate. It is thought to be the northernmost snake in the World with exception to a snake called the Crossed Viper (Vipera berus). In Missouri where I live I find several varieties in my yard, but one of the most common by far is the Eastern Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis) which is pictured here above. They reach lengths up to 26 inches. As far as I know all garter snakes have the tell-tale stripes that run dorsally along their bodies. These stripes may be green, yellow, gray, black, red and even blue. The subspecies the red-sided garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis talis parietalis) is the most prevalent of the two species I find. Red-sided garter snakes are quite striking in their appearance with bright red color patches between the stripes.

Garter Snakes are colubrid snakes in the family Colubridae; over 2/3 of the snakes found in the world belong to this family, making it the largest family of snakes. This group of snakes is often described as a catch all for snakes that don’t quite fit into other families. Most within this family are non-venomous, but a few however have venom toxic enough to cause human fatalities such as the Boomslang, Twig Snake and snakes in the genus Rhabdophis which are found in Asia. Garter snakes do posses venom glands, but these glands are located posterior (to the rear) of the snake’s eyes whereas typical venomous snakes have venom glands located anterior or forward. The venom they posses is not lethal enough to affect humans and the garter snake lacks any real way of injecting you with it anyway. The venom is used to subdue prey rather than as a defense mechanism. Once the snake has captured its prey it will “chew” the venom into the unfortunate victim.

Garter snakes commonly prey on frogs, toads, small rodents, birds, slugs, lizards, leeches, earthworms, and fish. Since the majority of their diet consists of aquatic creatures they will most often be found in those environments. We have a large goldfish pond and that is usually where I find these snakes. They commonly feed on the toads and bullfrogs found near or in the pond. This photo was taken a few years ago near the pond. This red-sided garter snake (above and below) had captured a large toad and was doing its best to swallow it. There was quite a struggle taking place, almost like tug-o-war. The snake pulling with its mouth, and the toad pulling with its legs in the other direction. The toad was finally able to free itself from the snake and quickly hopped off to lick its wounds.

I swear the toad looks ANGRY in this photo….as if indignantly saying “How dare this snake try to eat me!!!!”

Garter snakes are one of the testiest snakes in the reptile world. For a snake that averages 2 feet in length and lacks any significant venom, it more than makes up for it in attitude. Of all the snakes I’ve handled I’ve been bitten and musked more by this species than any other. This past spring while doing an interpretive hike with a group of first grade students, one of the fathers noticed a snake along the side of the trail. He pointed it out to me in case I wanted to show the kids. With 25 kids, plus parents in the group I was afraid the snake would slither away before all the kids could see it. So I choose to catch the snake and show the kids……BIG MISTAKE! As soon as I had the snake in hand it chose that moment to musk me. I was literally covered from chest to toe with white, stinky musk!!!! Talk about smell bad! The kids all let out a loud EWWWWW! I quickly put the snake down and told the kids “This is why we should not handle wild snakes.” It was a lesson learned for all of us, albeit a stinky one!

While this snake(above) appears to be smiling, it was definitely doing its best to warn me away. He was lunging and biting at me in a very intimidating way. I managed to capture an image with its mouth open and tongue hanging out before finally leaving it in peace. This illustrates my point about the attitude these snakes possess.

All snakes use their tongue to smell the World around them. They flick it in and out of their mouth scraping it across an organ in the roof of their mouth called the Jacobson Organ. This organ picks up scent particles off the tongue as it is brought back into the mouth. The snake is able to determine if what it is smelling is food, or foe. Snakes do not possess ears for the outside world (although a snake with ears would be seriously cool). They “hear” their surroundings through vibrations felt in their jaw bones. Humans walking around in a snakes world must sound like giants to the snake. They almost always feel us coming and get out of the way long before we even know a snake was there. Snakes lack eyelids and cannot blink their eyes to protect them from injury, they instead have a thin scales over their eyes. The scales are shed each time the snake sheds it old skin. Snakes shed several times a year, but much depends on how much the snake is eating and how much it is growing. Snakes that are feeding on a regular basis will shed more often than those that find it difficult to find food. This is often why wild snakes shed fewer times annually than pet snakes. Wild snakes have to sit and wait for food to come within reach, or they will go in search of food. This is not as easy as it sounds. A snake may smell a rodent trail, and sit and wait motionless for a rodent to pass by. They are capable of remaining motionless for many hours. Snakes may go many weeks or even months without feeding. They have a slower metabolism than mammals and are able to go without food for long periods of time. A large meal may last a snake for several weeks before it feels the urge to feed again. Snakes are also cold blooded and must warm themselves in the sun. Being heterothermic means the snakes body is the same temperature as its surroundings. It must therefore find a suitable location to bask itself before it is able to move and feed properly. I describe it as “A Cold Snake, is a Slow Snake and a Slow Snake is a Dead Snake.” A warm snake can flee from predators and digest its food. A cold snake is slow and unable to move quickly out of dangers way, and will often regurgitate its meal should it try to eat.

Garter snakes mate in the spring in accordance with their emergence from brumation. Reptiles generally begin brumation in late fall (more specific times depend on the species). They will often wake up to drink water and return to “sleep”. They can go months without food. Reptiles may want to eat more than usual before the brumation time but will eat less or refuse food as the temperature drops. However, they do need to drink water. The brumation period is anywhere from one to eight months depending on the air temperature and the size, age, and health of the reptile. During the first year of life, many small reptiles do not fully brumate, but rather slow down and eat less often. Brumation should not be confused with hibernation; when mammals hibernate, they are actually asleep; when reptiles brumate, they are less active, and their metabolism slows down so they just do not need to eat as often. Reptiles can often go through the whole winter without eating. Brumation is triggered by cold weather, lack of heat, and the decrease in the amount of hours of daylight in the winter.

In the case of garter snakes the males generally leave the hibernacula first and sit in wait for the females to come out. These emergence’s may contain 100′s of individual snakes. The female emits a strong pheromone that entices the males to compete for mating privileges. It is not uncommon for dozens of males to fight and vie for the attention of one female. Once mated, the females are capable of retaining the males sperm for years and therefore can delay fertilization if they so choose. The female incubates the eggs within her body until the babies are ready to be born. She will then give birth to live young. The litter size can vary from as few as 3 young to as many as 80, depending upon the age of the snake, how healthy the snake is and the species it is. The record litter size for garter snakes is 98 offspring. Juvenile snakes are independent at birth. They require no special help or skills from their parents and are armed with all the instincts they need to survive. They are however vulnerable at this stage and often fall victim to predators such as large frogs, birds, raccoons, foxes and other snakes. Those that survive may live up to 15 years or more.

Garter snakes have often been sought after in the pet trade, mostly because they are strikingly beautiful creatures, but also because they are so easily found. Garter snakes are known to emerge in the spring in heavy numbers all at once, so anyone bent on capturing them, just locates a hibernation site and visits it in the spring. Many garter snakes have been removed from the wild in this fashion. Even though 1,000′s have been captured from the wild , their numbers are still stable to high in most all their range. There is an exception in California, the San Francisco Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia) is listed as Federally endangered. Even though the majority of garter snakes would be considered common, they are still beautiful examples of snake fauna. They are beneficial in the garden by keeping slugs, leeches, rodents and other creatures under control. They are also an important component in the food chain providing food for many other animals. All snakes should be tolerated and respected for the good that they do. Many of us may not like snakes, or perhaps we’re scared of them, but this should never be an excuse to kill one.

Camel Cricket

2011-11-14T14:59:00.000-06:00

This crazy-looking long-legged bug is a camel cricket in the family Rhaphidophoridae. This family includes cave crickets, cave wetas, camelback crickets,and spider crickets. These crickets are known to love damp areas, such as under rocks, logs, outbuildings or basements. They can also be found in caves which earned them their other common name of cave cricket.

These crickets are characterized by their super long legs and antennae as well as a somewhat hump-backed shaped body. Their hind legs are extremely long with a somewhat chicken leg appearance. They lack wings like other crickets have, and instead crawl to their destinations. They have terrible eyesight so the long legs and antennae aid them in finding their way around in the often dark environments that they favor. It is not uncommon for these crickets to make their way into our basements. They are after the moist dark habitats they favor, and our basements often fit the bill perfectly. If you have an excess of these crickets it could signify that you have a moisture problem that may need to be addressed. Away from human dwellings they are often found deep inside caves. These inhospitable environs often make it hard for these crickets to locate food and it is not uncommon for them to consume their own legs for nutrition, even though they lack the ability to regenerate a new one. When faced with the approach of possible predators they will often lunge at the threat rather than retreat. This aggressiveness is a bluff however as these crickets are harmless. I would think this behavior would be counterproductive in the extreme and would often lead to them sacrificing their own lives in exhibiting such a power play. Then again perhaps it works.

Adults and young nymphs will overwinter in dense vegetation or in human dwellings. In the spring they will become active and the adult females will begin laying eggs in the soil. In a few weeks the newly born nymphs will emerge looking almost identical to their adult counterparts. The adults and nymphs both feed on all sorts of organic matter, from animal to plants. They can become a nuisance in human structures such as basements when their food source runs low and they begin seeking other sources of food such as our stored clothing, linens and other keepsakes we do not want destroyed.

The following was taken from North Carolina's University website. I thought it was helpful info and wanted to pass it along to my readers.

Non-chemical control methods
Although pesticides can help reduce the nuisance problems with camel crickets, they are not a long-term solution. Effective control starts with eliminating harborage sites, reducing conditions that are conducive or attractive to these pests and by excluding these insects from our homes:

Caulk or seal gaps and openings around windows frames, doors, foundation and clothes dryer vents, crawlspace access doors (picture at right), soffits, as well as where heating/AC and plumbing lines pass through the foundation.
Install weather-stripping along the bottom of house and garage doors so that it fits tightly against the threshold.
Stack boxes and other items off of the ground and away from the walls in a garage or storage building. This helps improve airflow and makes it easier to check for crickets and other pests, including termites.
Reduce moisture indoors, as well as in other critical areas such as basements or crawlspaces.
Keep ground cover and mulch at least 12 inches or more away from the foundation. When possible, use an inorganic cover such as gravel up near the foundation.
Keep ground cover and shrubs away from the foundation and siding. Do not stack firewood against the house. Remove piles of lumber or other clutter under decks that might attract crickets and other pests.
Place sticky boards, such as those used for cockroaches and mice, in corners and behind appliances to catch crickets that enter your home.

Chemical control Outdoors: Any chemical control should focus first on outdoor barrier treatments. Sprays applied to foundation walls, around vents crawlspace accesses, basement doors and windows, and insecticidal baits applied along the perimeter can be quite effective unless there are heavy rains. In crawlspaces, insecticidal baits placed in corners or along the sill plate will be most effective. Spraying in a confined area, such as a crawlspace, requires caution and the proper application and safety equipment. Granular baits are a better choice for use in a crawlspace, but these products are not readily available to the general public. You can or else contact a licensed pest control company for assistance. Consult your county Cooperative Extension Service Center or the North Carolina Agricultural Chemicals Manual for a list of appropriate pesticides.

Indoors: Any of the common household (indoor) insecticides can be applied to baseboards, and areas behind appliances. However, if you follow the steps outlined earlier for excluding these pests, the need for indoor applications should be reduced.

Chinese Mantids

2011-11-13T13:48:00.001-06:00

Chinese mantids (Tenodera sinensis) are impressive praying mantids to say the least. They are large, expert predators that prey on a wide variety of insect yummy's. I've often referred to them as the T-Rex of the insect world, after all the resemblance is there with the short front legs and the almost raptor like way they capture and consume food. They aren't limited to just eating insects and spiders however, they are also capable of capturing and consuming frogs, and even hummingbirds.

Chinese mantids are native to Asia and made their way to the United States probably in a shipment of plants. They were first discovered in Philadelphia in 1896. They now have a stabilized population throughout the Eastern United States and are beginning to expand their range to include portions of the Western United States. They are aggressive hunters and compete for food with other native species of mantids. This could potentially pose a threat to another Missouri Mantid, the Carolina Mantid. This smaller cousin of the Chinese Mantid is native to Missouri and often finds itself prey to the larger more intimidating Chinese Mantid. They also compete for some of the same food resources.

These praying mantids even exhibit signs of being territorial and will not tolerate those of their own kind in their vicinity. I captured this eerie image (below) of a smaller (immature) praying mantid that was sans head. It was still very much alive and crawling around the cedar tree completely without its head. It remained alive, I assume running on nerves, for several hours before finally succumbing to death. It illustrates the often gruesome world that insects are a part of. It is truly a bug-eat-bug world out there.

Mating occurs late in the summer, the female emits a strong pheromone (Chemical perfume) that attracts males from great distances. Many of us have heard the tale of how the female will bite the males head off during mating. In some instances this is true, she is certainly capable of it, and if she feels he isn't performing up to her expectations she will chomp his head off and this triggers a response in the male which increases his performance and offers her a tasty nutritious snack that will aid her in egg production. This gruesome beheading doesn't always take place though, most of the time the male walks away with his head, I suppose it all depends on the females mood. Being a male praying mantid is truly living life on the edge. Once mated, the female will lay her eggs within a foamy egg case called an oothecae, this frothy mixture hardens to protect the eggs and once dry resembles styrofoam.

These egg cases overwinter and the following spring the young will emerge. Typically the first meal of many of these tiny praying mantids will be their siblings. Fewer than 15% of the newborn mantids survive to adulthood.

Praying mantids can be found in meadows, along roadsides, near gardens, grassy areas, wildflower prairies, most anywhere their insect prey can be found. These insects are favored by gardeners everywhere. Many gardeners order them from mail order supply houses to releases in their gardens. This is good in theory but typically they will fly away shortly after being released and will probably supply your neighbors garden.

Occasionally like any other creature they can become injured. Whether it is from tangling with something much bigger than itself, like perhaps a bird. Or from a fall, or some other unknown source they can and do sustain injuries, like one pictured above. Notice the two different colored eyes. This particular mantid was having great difficulty in keeping its balance and could barely stay in a standing position on my hand. Most likely this one will become part of the food chain as it cannot defend itself properly.

These large insects make excellent pets as well. They are easily kept in aquariums or bug keepers. They eat a variety of insects, so you can catch grasshoppers, crickets and moths in your yard to feed them. They almost seem to possess a personality, they will follow you with their eyes, and they are sure to win you over. Many people ask if they bite, and like most any insect if they are mishandled they can bite. Praying mantids cannot bite through human skin, so it would feel more like a pinch. The males have spines on their front legs and if they should happen to grasp you with them it is possible for them to draw blood, it would be like a scratch that bleeds. Males also tend to fly. Females would make a better choice. To tell the difference is relatively easy. Females have large abdomens, giving them a "fat" look. This is for egg production. Males are very slender. Happy hunting.

Green Stink Bug

2011-11-03T18:28:00.000-05:00

Green stink bugs seems to be the most prevalent insect in my backyard right now with exception possibly to the Asian Ladybug, so to have a picture with both invaders seemed only natural.

This species of green stink bug (Chinavia hilaris) is one of the most common of all stink bugs found in gardens throughout North America. They are fairly large at 3/4 of an inch in length. The color is uniformly bright green with yellowish margins near the abdominal region.

These stink bugs are readily found near woodland edges, in agricultural fields, and gardens. I have hundreds of them in my yard this fall, which could be in large part because of the unseasonably warm temperatures we've been having. It could also be because of a lack of available predators to feed on them. Perhaps it is just a good year for them. The nymphs of this particular species give no indications of the adult form it will soon be. They look entirely different......the shape is somewhat similar, but look at the color! Early instar nymphs will be beautiful combinations of black, green and orange. Later instar nymphs will begin taking on the trademark green color. After 5 instars (molts) they will reach adult size, usually by August or September.

(4th instar)

These bugs are plant feeders and use their piercing mouth parts (called a rostrum) and a special enzyme in their saliva that breaks down plant tissue to suck the juices out of a wide variety of plants. It is much like humans sucking juices through a straw. Think...."insect SLURPEE!" Often times these little bugs can become major pests, especially if they occur in large numbers and take a liking to your prized garden plants or agricultural crops. They are known to feed on tomato, bean, pea, cotton, corn, soybean, and eggplant as well as hundreds of others. It seems we can add bald cypress to the list of known plants as many of the green stink bugs found in my yard were feeding on the sap coming out of the tree. I also found them on Ninebark and Elm gleaning sap from them as well.

Their feeding habits can spread diseases to plants, it can also zap the plants of vital nutrients and ultimately stunt the plant which may result in death of the plant.

Stink bugs get their common name from the defense mechanism that these little stink bombs implement when disturbed or threatened. They possess gland located on the underside of their bodies that emit a musk-like vile smell that is sure to repel any predator bent on handling them or eating them. Young stink bugs will hide under leaf litter to wait out Missouri's cold winter months. When spring returns they will become active again and begin seeking mates. After mating, the females will lay their barrel-shaped eggs in clusters on the underside of leaves. The young hatch and feed on plant juices just like their adult counterparts. There may be several generations per year and it is common to find them in all stages of development in the same area. The life expectancy of green stink bugs is about 2 months in warmer climates, in areas where the onset of winter sends them into a dormant stage they will live many months longer.

Biological control is often attempted in areas where they are causing extreme damage; certain parasitic flies and parasitic wasps are known to use these bugs as the host for their own offspring. Many creatures are brave enough to risk the stink bomb for a quick meal....frogs, toads,spiders and birds will all make a meal out of these bugs.

Red Admiral Butterfly

2011-10-28T12:24:00.000-05:00

This beautiful black and red butterfly is a red admiral (Vanessa atalanta), and they are a common sight throughout Missouri as well as their entire range of North America, Asia and Europe. There are two generations per year in the United States, and each generation varies a little. The winter form that appears early in the spring will be smaller and duller in color, whereas the summer form will be much larger and brighter in color. Their wingspan will range in size from 1 3/4 to 3 inches.

Most of North America must be recolonized each spring by southern migrants of this species. They are known to overwinter in Southern Texas, and most likely in other southern regions where the temperatures and food sources will allow. They have a very erratic, rapid flight that can make capturing them or photographing them difficult, but they are one of the most beautiful butterflies to visit any garden.

The adults feed on sap flows, rotting fruit, and bird droppings. They nectar only when those preferred food sources are not available. When found nectaring they seem to prefer common milkweed, red clover, coneflower, aster, and alfalfa, but will also be found on other varieties as well.

Males perch on ridgetops where available to wait for passing females.....if no ridgetops are available they will choose high vantage points that allow them a good view of neary females. After mating, females will lay their eggs singly on the leaves of the host plant. In the case of these butterflies they use nettles, and possibly hops.

Their preferred habitat is moist woods, yards, parks, marshes, seeps, moist fields. During migrations, the Red Admiral is found in almost any habitat from tundra to subtropics.

I find them in my gardens in large numbers each year, both because I have nettles that I allow to grow in small populations to encourage their visit, and because our yard is near a moist woodland. Nettles are not generally the favorite plant of most people, although they are edible if fixed right. If you can manage to tolerate a few stray nettles you are amost guaranteed to attract this species to your yard.

A big Hello and Thank you

2011-10-24T15:58:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to write and Thank each one of my followers and visitors for your kind comments and enthusiastic support of MObugs. I appreciate each and every one of you. I may not always leave comments on your blogs, but trust me I am visiting, reading and enjoying your posts very much. I count my blessing each day to have such wonderful "web-friends."

Plains Dog-Day Cicada

2011-10-22T20:06:00.000-05:00

This small cicada is the Plains Dog-Day Cicada (Tibicen auriferus). They are found throughout most of the Midwestern states. This is one of eleven species of cicadas that call Missouri home. They measure approximately one inch in length with the wings extending another 1/4 to 1/2 inch past the abdomen.

They are commonly found in grasslands and meadows near forested areas. These were found on a farm my husband family owns in Andrew County. It is predominately tall grass meadows with woodlands...perfect habitat for these cicadas. What is odd though, this is the first time we've ever found them on this farm. They have a very distinct call that sounds like a chainsaw cutting wood. It is very high pitched an whiney.

This species reportedly feeds on vascular plants such as conifers, ferns and horsetails. They are found from July through September which are typically the hottest days of the year. It is the emergence of these cicadas in conjunction with the "dogdays" of summer that has earned them their common name of Dog-day cicadas.

Cicadas are an important part of the food chain and provide nutrition for many animals from mice, squirrels, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, and even large spiders.

Admirable Grasshopper

2011-10-15T19:33:00.000-05:00

(male)

Admirable Grasshoppers (Syrbula admirabilis) are sometimes referred to as handsome grasshoppers and it is easy to see why. This is one of the prettiest species of grasshoppers to call Missouri home. They occur throughout the central and eastern portions of the United States including Arizona. Males and females look different from each other so it is somewhat easy to differentiate them. Males are darker, even blackish in color and are smaller than females. The females is generally green or brown. Males are good fliers, whereas females are poor fliers and typically hop to get away. They are associated with dry grassy areas, like prairies, meadows and hay fields.

(female)

This grasshopper feeds on a wide variety of plants, but is not known to cause any significant damage to forage or agricultural crops. Their population density tends to fluctuate from year to year. I rarely see more that a few individuals at a time in any given area. This is a late emerging species and the nymphs begin appearing in July. Mating between adults takes place late in the season after an elaborate mating ritual initiated by the male. He will wave his antennae, sing loudly and tipping his femora (thick upper portion of the back legs) towards the female. The males do not force themselves on the female like in many other species. I guess you could say these are the gentlemen of the grasshopper world. Once mated the female will lay egg masses under the ground. These egg masses will overwinter and emerge the following summer.

Diamondback Water Snake

2011-10-14T11:12:00.000-05:00

On a recent trip to Squaw Creek NWR Cindy and I drove the 10 mile auto tour and discovered this beautiful snake in the road. Upon first seeing the snake her and I thought it was a northern water snake which are very common around here. I posted these pictures to facebook and soon received a correction from a friend and snake expert named Dan Krull that this snake was instead a Diamondback water snake (Nerodia rhombifer rhombifer). Even better,as I had never seen this species before.

Water snakes are notoriously cranky snakes and often strike without warning. This feisty demeanor has earned them a bad reputation. In addition they are often mistaken for the venomous Cottonmouth and needlessly killed. While it is true they very much resemble the cottonmouth and hang out in the same environments and habitats as the cottonmouth the cottonmouth does not occur this far north in Missouri. The likelihood of actually seeing a cottonmouth in NW Missouri is less than 1%. However with global warming, habitat destruction and human persecution that could change over time and their populations could extend further north. This however would be many decades in the future and certainly not a concern now.

The diamondback water snake occurs in southeastern Missouri and over much of the northern, western and eastern parts of the state. It appears to be absent from the ozarks, as their favored habitat of marshes and wetlands are severely lacking in that region. These are the largest of all the water snake species found in Missouri and are very heavy-bodied. They have numerous diamond-shaped markings along their back which earned them their common name. This species has a high variance in color and may be gray, light brown and even a dull yellow. The belly is bright yellow and there are distinctive black lines running vertically through the mouth. This species may reach lengths up to more than 5 feet, but more commonly are in the 4 foot range.

They are active from late March until October. They can be found basking on logs or over hanging branches near water. During the hottest parts of the year they become nocturnal and will be found warming on roadways at night. These snakes can be highly aggressive and if molested will not hestitate to bite. This particular specimen was extremely tolerant and only struck when I placed my foot near its face. It allowed us to take numerous photos and actually had to be coaxed off the road so it would not be hit by the next car to come along. I am always quick to try and remove a snake from the road, as many drivers are not as tolerant of snakes as I am. Many people feel it is their duty to remove all snakes from their region and go out of their way to do so. Many snakes are cruely and needlessly killed on the roads each year.

Like all water snakes this species feeds on frogs, fish and other aquatic creatures. They are considered a bit of an expert at catching catfish and seem to favor that particular variety of fish over all others. Many would argue that if they are eating fish and frogs what good are they? Well they aid in culling out diseased, weakened or even dead fish from an ecosytem. Frogs can and do become over populated and need to have their numbers regulated, and these snakes do an awesome job of that. Out west where the large bullfrog has become invasive and is waging war against native frogs, these water snakes do their part to reduce the number of bullfrogs in those areas.

Water snakes give birth to live young sometime in late August through October. They may have as many as 62 offspring that will measure a foot or more in length. After the first freeze these snakes will return to their hibernation sites. It is at this time these snakes may be found most anywhere. They travel sometimes up to a mile or more to reach those hibernaculums.

Widefooted Treehopper

2011-10-12T15:52:00.001-05:00

This odd looking thorn-like creature is a widefooted leafhopper (Campylenchia latipes). They have mastered the art of camouflage to perfection. When they sit quietly, unmoving, they are easily mistaken for the thorns they mimic. It isn't until they quickly move around the stalk of a plant that the ruse is discovered. According to bugguide.net this is the only treehopper with the forward facing "horn" on its head. They are brown in color with flanged or wide spread leaf-life front legs. They have large eyes for their overall size.

This species is often tended by ants (you can see the nearby ant in the first picture). The relationship to the ants seems necessary for their overall population growth. Individuals that are not tended by ants tend to be susceptible to parasites and fungal infections. The ants consume the "honeydew" that the treehoppers expel from their anus. This is an extremely sweet substance that ants cannot resist. Honeydew that is not eaten by ants can build up and create an environment for fungus. It is this fungus that can kill treehoppers.

Treehoppers are members of the order hemiptera, in the family Membracidae. They have sucking mouth parts and will feed on the juices of plants. This species tends to favor tickseed and asters.

Females lay their eggs at the base of plants. When the eggs hatch the nymphs feed and molt. With each molt they climb higher on the plant. The adults will be more often seen in the late summer or early fall. There will be several generations per year in NW Missouri. The last generation will most likely overwinter in the egg stage.

Fall Webworm

2011-10-11T11:33:00.000-05:00

We've all seen these messy looking tent-like webs that often engulf trees in the fall. They are the handiwork of the Fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea).
While these webs are unsightly and certainly not aesthetically pleasing they do not cause any lasting damage to trees. The female moth will lay her eggs in clusters of up to a hundred on the bottom side of leaves. They will be encased in a hair-like substance that protects them until they hatch approximately a week later. The caterpillars begin feeding on the surface of the leaves and as they eat they produce a silky substance that is used to form the webs. As the caterpillars grow so too does the tent. In large colonies the tents may encompass the entire tree. When the caterpillars are in their last stage of growth before forming their cocoon they well begin feeding on the entire leaves of the tree. The reason these caterpillars have very little affect on the overall health of the trees they are feeding on has to do with the time of the year they are found. Trees in the fall are nearing the end of their growing season and preparing to go dormant for the winter. Sap and vital nutrients that the trees depend on in the growing season are now receding back into the heart of the tree. Therefore these caterpillars can munch away and the trees can withstand the feeding frenzy and come back to their former beauty the following spring. The only exception to this may be if you have extremely young trees or ornamental trees. The moths are native to North America and can be found throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. In 1940 these moths were accidentally introduced to Yugoslavia and from there it wasn't long before they spread to other countries. They are now found nearly Worldwide. In North America they are known to feed on approximately 120 tree species. They predominately favor hardwood species like walnut, pecan, hickory, elm, maple and fruit trees. Worldwide there are over 600 species of trees they are known to feed on.

As caterpillars they are highly variable in their appearance and can range in color from pale yellow to dark gray with yellow spots. They will have a combination of long and short bristly hairs, and two pale stripes running the length of their bodies. They will remain caterpillars for 4 to 6 weeks before forming a cocoon and emerging the following spring. In the pupal stage they can be found at the base of trees tucked away under fallen bark and leaves.

As adults they are mostly white in the northern part of their range, whereas in the southern part of their range they may be marked with black or brown spots on the forewings. The front legs have bright yellow or orange patches. They have a wingspan up to 2 inches and their bodies are extremely hairy, which aids in keeping them warm as they fly around at night. These moths readily come to lights at night and will often be seen at porch lights.

This species is often mistaken for tent caterpillars, because of the similar tent-like webbing that each species creates. The tent caterpillar however commonly occurs in the spring and they build a web home in the V's of trees, whereas the fall webworm is found in the fall (like its name suggests) and build their homes at the end of limbs. The fall webworm has a much messier tent than that of the tent caterpillar as well. So while these messy, webby tents are not that attractive to look at, rest assured your tree is safe and will be back next spring. The little caterpillars will most likely find a new tree to build their home in as the cycle starts all over again.

Metallic Ground Beetle

2011-10-09T11:47:00.000-05:00

This beautiful metallic ground beetle is Dicaelus purpuratus. They are an extremely fast moving beetle, in fact they are so fast I had a hard time keeping track of this one. Finally, after numerous tries the beetle finally gave up running and settled down for a few photos, before it was off and running again. I could not find much information about them, but presumably they are like most ground beetles and lay their eggs in rotting stumps, where the resulting offspring will feed on insects and insect larvae. Their color is absolutely spectacular.... sheens of purple, blue, and black. They are approximately 20-25 mm (3/4 of an inch) in length.
They are a widespread species found throughout the Eastern United States and parts of Canada. Unlike many ground beetles that feed on insects and insect larvae as adults, this particular species, like many humans eat snails.

Parasitic Eulophid Wasps

2011-09-28T11:36:00.000-05:00

For every creature that exists there seems to be something designed to control it or destroy it. Insects in particular have it rough. If it isn't enough that they must survive against onslaughts of pesticides and smack happy humans, they must also try to avoid the unavoidable, parasitic insects.

There are thousands of species of parasitic insects out there, but some of the most common are in the order Hymenoptera and are called wasps. The term wasp often brings to mind highly defensive komikazee insects that would just as soon sting you as look at you. While some wasps are highly defensive most are not, and the parasitic variety of wasps are completely harmless to humans. The only thing that need fear them are the insect quarry they are after. One particular group of parasitic wasps fall into the family Eulophidae. Wikipedia lists 4,300 species worldwide in over 300 genera. Several are plant parasites, but most are insect parasites. Each species has a preference for a host with many choosing caterpillars to lay their eggs on.

These are extremely tiny wasps at around 2 mm in size. They would easily go unseen by the human eye, if you weren't paying attention. In fact I can't say that I have ever seen an adult. The female will land on the back of the caterpillar, and use her sharp ovipositor to inject the eggs just under the surface of the caterpillars skin. She may lay dozens of eggs at a time on a single host. The eggs hatch in a few days and the young wasp larvae begin feeding on the caterpillars innards. For awhile the caterpillar will go about its daily business of munching leaves as if nothing is awry. Eventually, however the constant feeding of the wasp larvae will take its toll on the caterpillar and it will succumb to an early death.

Once the wasp larvae have reached full size they will emerge from the skin of the caterpillar and form cocoons. These fuzzy-looking growths are the cocoons of a eulophid wasp. It has a very fungus-like appearance. In fact when I first found this unfortunate victim I thought it was some type of fungus. Charley Eiseman who is an expert in this type of identification was able to assure me that this is indeed a type of Eulophid Wasp infestation on the caterpillar.

Then I ran across this individual caterpillar with a similar infestation. This one was attached to a blade of grass, and in addition to the fungus-like cocoons of the eulophid wasp there are also visible eggs near the head of the caterpillar. Charley felt the eggs were from some type of tachinid fly and were probably laid after the eulophid wasps had already destroyed the caterpillar.

These are highly specialized wasps and provide excellent control of potentially harmful insects. Many moths in the caterpillar stage wreck havoc on crops and cause billions of dollars in damage annually. These tiny wasps certainly do their part in minimizing the damage these caterpillars inflict. They are so good at what they do that many species are being reared and released in areas where certain pests occur in large numbers. This is biocontrol at its finest. I am a firm believer in using what God gives us to control problem pests, rather than relying on manmade chemicals that have questionable outcomes on the environment.

Ground Sac Spider

2011-09-25T22:44:00.007-05:00

This multi-colored beauty has been identified as a Ground Sac Spider (Genus: Trachelas). This particular specimen is a female and she made her way into my in-laws house and managed somehow to make her way into my father-in-laws shirt unbeknownst to him. While trapped between the shirt and his back she bit him. He shook his shirt out to see what had bitten him and discovered this spider. He was concerned it could have been a brown recluse so he captured her and brought her to me to be identified. I was able reassure him that it definitely was not a recluse, but I had no idea what it was beyond that. It left a nickel sized welt on his back that itched for about 2 hours before disappearing. After posting this picture to facebook Mandy was quick to respond and provide a positive ID. When I mentioned that the spider bit my father-in-law she seemed shocked that this spider would bite anyone and considered it extremely rare that it did. The venom from this spider is harmless to humans and is designed to subdue their small insect prey. This spider commonly enters homes, but generally speaking it is the males that do so. Joe Lapp another spider expert explained that these are wandering spiders and the males are on a mission to find females. This quest to locate mates often leads them into homes by mistake. He even created a cartoon that aptly describes this misguided behavior. In the cartoon below the male ground sac spider aimlessly wanders around, in and out of this house seeking his quarry before finally finding her in a cherry tree.

Joe has a wonderful website full of cartoons that humorously describe the behavior of spiders and their relationship to humans. To read more of his cartoons please visit his website Spider Babble.

Joe pointed out to me that the common name of "Ground sac spider" is probably not the best descriptive name for this genus of spiders as some species are often found in trees. Trachelas tranquillus are commonly found in leaf litter on the ground so this is probably what earned them their common name. Also, I see that some web sites are referring to this species (or genus?) as the Broad-Faced Sac Spider, which seems like a good name to me.These spiders are also considered ant-mimics and looking at this particular specimen I can see how that would be the case. They are rather ant-like in their appearance.

Identifying spiders is often a challenge even for the experts and often requires microscopic investigation of the genitals before an accurate ID can be achieved. Having learned this bit of information from several spider experts I always try to make sure to photograph the underside of the spiders I find. This is often a tricky endeavor and requires patience as spiders apparently do not like being on their back. I flipped this little gal over several times with a dried piece of grass before she finally seemed to realize I was not going to stop flipping her until she laid still. After several seconds of motionlessness I was able to snap 4 or 5 pictures before letting her right herself and wander off.

Mandy said that in many cases a photograph is enough to identify to species, but in the case of this particular spider there are two species that are so similar that it requires microscopic inspection of the genitals. She felt pretty confident that it was T. tranquillus which occurs almost state wide. There is an additional species found in Missouri, but it traditionally has been restricted to the southern tip of Missouri. There is a slim chance it could be this southern species as population ranges do change year-to-year, but I feel pretty safe in saying that it is indeed T. tranquillus.

Prairie Cicada

2011-09-23T14:56:00.001-05:00

Prairie Cicadas (Tibicen dorsata) are a large and very common cicada in Missouri as well as throughout the Midwest. They are beautifully marked with caramel and black. The wings are deeply veined and held over the back. These insects are powerful fliers and sound like military bombers as they buzz by your head.

Males call loudly from the trees or other vantage point. They are using their best Sinatra serenade in the hopes of attracting a nearby female. Males who sing the loudest and proudest are sure to gain the privilege of mating with the most desirable of the local females. Once mated the females will lay their eggs on or near trees. When the eggs hatch the nymphs must find their way underground where they will remain for one to two years feeding on the roots of trees, shrubs and other vegetation. Damage to plants and trees is minimal and is not likely to cause any noticeable problems. The adults reportedly feed on the sap of trees and plant juices.

These insects are often called Locusts, which is truly a misleading term. Locusts are actually a type of migratory grasshopper that are famous for forming extremely large swarms that devastate crops and grasslands. In the United States the Rocky Mountain Locust was responsible for mass destruction of prairies, cropland and other vegetation during the 1800's. The last specimen found alive was in 1905 somewhere in Canada. Africa still wages war with locusts each year, and DDT is still widely used in an attempt to control their devastation.

Cicadas are not closely related to grasshoppers at all, in fact they are in the order Hemiptera and are more closely related to leaf hoppers, or even stink bugs than they are locusts.

This particular species of cicada is also known as a Dog-Day Cicada, and are so named because of their appearance during the hottest days of summer. The songs of these creatures from high in the trees is synonymous with summertime. All too soon their song will cease and the brisk fall weather will be upon us.

Crabby as a spider

2011-09-21T14:48:00.004-05:00

I apologize for being so lax in getting stuff posted here lately. My life seems to be in overdrive at the moment. My husband had a bout with Salmonella and ended up in the hospital with severe dehydration and nearly died. My son bought his first house and moved out which required our help and messed my own house up from top to bottom. My daughter got a DWI after leaving a friends wedding. Once we got all that stuff resolved, she went to a concert and got an M.I.P. So I am back to being mom-taxi and trying to get her back and forth to college, plus trying to do my own job. Then to top it all off this past Saturday Joey and I were in a bad car accident on the highway. Thankfully no body was seriously injured, but I sustained some severe bruising to my sternum which hurts every time I move. The past 6 weeks have been chaos to say the least. I am looking forward to some much needed calmness in my life. All this drama is enough to make a person crabby.
I guess the old saying holds true "When it rains....it pours!"

When trying to decide what to write about in this post I kept coming back to one of my favorite creatures in the garden and that is the crab spider. The name sure fits my mood lately! These spiders helped me overcome my arachnophobia and cured my life long fear of eight-legged creatures. These are small, unassuming, almost comical spiders that rest on flower blooms waiting to ambush unsuspecting insects. Like most spiders their life begins in the spring after emerging from the egg sac their mother so lovingly formed the previous fall. They will be impossibly tiny and often go unnoticed among the flowers for many weeks. As they eat and grow we begin to spot their curious-looking little bodies sitting motionless among the foliage and flowers as if they have all day to just hang around.

(A juvenile crab spider hidden inside a red tulip--photo taken in April)

There are many different species of crab spiders, but the majority of the ones you will find in Missouri will be flower crab spiders. They get their common name from their preference for hanging out in flower blossoms. This is a perfect adaptation...what better place to hang out when seeking your food of choice....insects? We all know insects are attracted to flowers, so these guys go where the source is and wait for a passing meal to come. They won't have to wait long, and with such a ready supply of food they grow quickly and generally reach adult size by the first of August.

They aren't picky about their diet, any six or eight legged creature will do.

As the following pictures will show.

(Crab spider eating a fly)

(This tiny crab spider caught and devoured this much larger flower fly)

(Flies must be tasty)

(Here a crab spider found a tawny-edged skipper to her liking)

(Feeding on a Silver-Spotted Skipper)

(This one is dining on a red Admiral Butterfly, talk about eyes bigger than your belly...geesh!)

Crab spiders are amazing in other ways too, many of them can change color to blend in with their surroundings, this is using camouflage to the utmost advantage. If you are white and sitting on a white flower you will most likely go unnoticed.....or lets say you're sitting on a pink and white flower....why not add a little pink to the disguise?

Yellow Flower?

These spiders even entertain themselves when they are not out searching for food or mates....How about a rousing game of piggy-back ride?....or is it leap-frog?

Many crab Spiders participate in Olympic sports...like pole vaulting...just look at this form and grace!

Crab spiders are expert hunters, and often capture and consume prey much larger than themselves. They are not known to bite and are excellent spiders to handle. They come in a wide array of colors from brown to pink and white. I am constantly on the look out for these spiders among the flowers. This time of year they are most noticeable because they have attained their full adult size and will usually be seen with some sort of prey protruding from their front fangs.

Rattlesnake #4----It's a Boy!

2011-09-13T09:05:00.002-05:00

Sunday we drove to the farm to set out some turtle traps in the hope of capturing a common snapping turtle to use for a program we are giving at work Tuesday evening. After wading into the pond and setting both traps we headed to the local diner for lunch. We had just pulled into the parking lot when my brother-in-law called and said they had a timber rattlesnake captured in the shed on another farm (where we had previously tagged several). Joey and I immediately left the restaurant and headed to the farm to see the snake.

We pulled in to see Tony holding the snake inside this fish net. It was not rattling or trying to strike. It seemed fairly calm. We released it from the net so I could take come pictures. After photographing it we placed it in a plastic barrel for safe keeping until I could contact Dr. Mills and have him meet us at the farm to document the snake.

This snake had recently shed its skin and was as bright and shiny as new coin.

Tony (my brother-in-law) and Jimmy (my father-in-law) were determined to make sure the snake wouldn't get out of the barrel. The measures they took to keep it contained made me laugh. It looks like they are trying to contain an anaconda instead of a 3 foot rattlesnake! I believe this snake will remain in the barrel until we remove it. Once in the barrel it began rattling in earnest, and the sound of it in the barrel was magnified making it sound like a box full of cicadas. The first time I heard a rattlesnake vibrate its rattle I was stunned at how much it sounded like a cicada. In an area where cicadas are plentiful and rattlesnakes occur it can be kind of freaky. Your mind will play tricks on you....is it a cicada?....or.....is it a rattlesnake? Then you begin looking around to make sure you aren't about to step on a snake hidden in the grass.
Once everyone was satisfied that the snake wasn't going to escape we left and headed back to the diner to eat lunch. After enjoying a tenderloin and fries we headed home and I still could not contain my excitement over the rattlesnake. I think I tried calling and emailing Dr. Mills at least 5 or 6 times. I simply could not wait to tell him about the snake. He returned my call and agreed to meet us bright and early the next morning.

I arrived at the farm at 7:40 AM to find Jimmy and Tony already there. Dr. Mills and Cindy arrived shortly thereafter. We peeked in the barrel and our captive was still present and accounted for, but unfortunately the stress from his capture and incarceration caused him to regurgitate two partially digested mice. I felt bad that we caused him so much stress, but I also knew the data we would obtain from this snake will be invaluable in gaining more knowledge on this misunderstood and often vilified creature.

We removed the snake from the barrel and quickly contained it inside a clear tube. It was remarkable how fast we were able to tube this snake, it normally takes numerous tries to coax them in, after just two attempts it was safely secured.

(right after getting the snake in the tube we measured it.

It measured 99cm or just over 3 feet in length)

(Here we are preparing to hand the snake over to me)

(Scanning the snake to see if it is one we had previously pit tagged. No BEEP, so it is a new snake. He probed the snake and we happily discovered it is a male. We know he has at least three females nearby, so hopefully he is breeding his little harem)

(The snake is trying really hard to back out of this tube, it is amazing how strong their muscles are. Right after this Dr. Mills inserted the pit tag.)

(Here we are bagging the snake to weigh it---it weighed 1000 grams, or just over 2 pounds)

(We carried the snake about 100 yards away from the shed and let it go on a concrete slab that has a lot of rock piles and other places to safely hide)

In four months we have found 4 rattlesnakes on this farm. Each one has been in the vicinity of the shed and corn crib which is approximately a 150 yards radius. We are curious to know where they are hibernating. We plan to radio tag one before the season ends and they all go underground for the winter. We will be able to gain much more knowledge about their habits and habitat with this additional technology. Ultimately we want to be able to protect their winter locations and perhaps locate gravid females.

The fears and stigmas associated with this species of snake ultimately leads to many unnecessary deaths. Ignorance breeds fear! Often if we can reach out to people and share our passions we can change attitudes. I am proof that it works. My in-laws used to kill every rattlesnake they saw, now they are helping preserve them for future generations!

Zombie Moths? Insect Slavery? Invertebrate Body Snatchers?

2011-09-08T20:22:00.000-05:00

Zombie Moths? Insect Slavery? Invertebrate Body Snatchers?

The stuff of nightmares? Perhaps if you are a gypsy moth.

This sounds like the newest sci-fi thriller , instead it is a reality playing out in a forest near you! Jenny M. Seifert sent me this article and I thought I would share it with you readers. This is fascinating stuff!

Thanks Jenny!

Viral enslavement

If you think slavery has been abolished, consider the case of the gypsy moth and the virus. For more than 100 years, people have noticed that some gypsy moth caterpillars climb to the top of trees before they die and decompose, or “melt.”

Image courtesy Michael Grove

Dead gypsy moth caterpillars liquefy, releasing infectious virus particles.

Melting releases more virus particles and is the normal fate of these caterpillars, but why did only some caterpillars perform this ascending death march?
Gypsy moths are voracious insects that have been spreading across the United States for a more than a century, so nobody is feeling too sorry for them, especially people who have seen them strip forests bare.
Still, it’s nice to read a good explanation for this peculiar “climb, croak, melt” behavior.

All the better to infect you with, my dear!

A study published today identifies a viral gene that blocks one stage of maturation in gypsy moth caterpillars, which normally hide during the day. But when Kelli Hoover, a professor of entomology at Penn State, and her colleagues infected bottled caterpillars with the virus of doom, the caterpillars showed the same climbing ‘n’ dying behavior that appears in the field.

Images courtesy Michael Grove

Healthy gypsy moth Lymantria dispar caterpillar on a leaf. Roll over to see a female with her egg mass. Female gypsy moths, which do not fly, can pick up the virus from tree bark and infect the egg mass under her wings.

In nature, those caterpillars would melt and then rain virus down to infect other gypsy moths.

The moth misbegotten

Gypsy moths were introduced to Massachusetts in the late 1800s by a bumbler who wanted to raise silk by crossbreeding them with silkworms — a different species, says Hoover. “It was crazy; this guy did not know anything about species, apparently.”
Still, the gypsy moths did bring fecundity and a ferocious appetite to the table — or forest. “They eat so many different kinds of trees and plants … in a bad outbreak, the insect frass dropping down sounds like rain, so you need a hat,” Hoover says.
We had to look it up to be sure, but frass is basically insect poop.
Gypsy moths are such effective defoliators that authorities try to control them with Bt, a bacterial spray that unfortunately kills beneficial insects, not just harmful ones.
Hoover’s study focused on a viral gene called egt, which inactivates a hormone that starts molting – a process that ends each stage, or “instar,” of the caterpillar’s development. “When they stop molting, they keep feeding, and that’s why we looked at egt,” Hoover says.

Photo: USDA APHIS Pest Survey Detection and Exclusion Laboratory

The battle against gypsy moths was joined before 1900, when an unknown chemical was sprayed against the invader.

The study compared the behavioral effects of:

two normal strains of virus;
two strains with a busted egt gene, and
two strains with a restored egt gene.

A dangerous meal

In every case, Hoover says, “if the gene was active, the moth died at the top of the bottle. If the gene was inactivated, it died at the bottom.”
It’s not clear, Hoover says, exactly why the gene changes behavior, but this is the first time it was traced to a single gene.

Image courtesy Michael Grove

These soda bottles contained a screen and a caterpillar; insects infected with a virus containing the egt gene climbed to the top before croaking; others croaked down low.

Because LdMNPV (the Lymantria dispar nucleopolyhedrovirus) infects only gypsy moths, and kill them at a young age, it might work as a biocontrol agent against a disastrous insect invasion. However, Hoover says, “the experiment’s goal was more basic – to understand how the virus enslaves its host.”
Certainly there is evolutionary logic behind changing your host’s behavior for your own benefit, assuming you are a pathogen or parasite, and “body-snatching” is well-known. For example, a fungus forces ants to climb, zombie-like, and die where they can easily spread fungal spores.

Photo: rjcox

Gypsy moths defoliated Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley in 1990.

And it’s not just insects. The rabies virus, Hoover adds, “causes dogs, raccoons and bats to become more aggressive, to be out during the day, where they approach people and try to bite them,” which spreads the virus even though it endangers the animal.
And toxoplasmosis, a parasite, can make mice less fearful of cats, Hoover says, “so they are more likely to get eaten and infect the cat.”
There is even speculation that toxoplasmosis may cause men to behave with greater jealousy, Hoover says, “but the only thing that’s really been looked at is that mice with toxoplasmosis have a higher level of dopamine,” a feel-good neurotransmitter.
Is slavery therefore not all drudgery?

— David J. Tenenbaum

Terry Devitt, editor; S.V. Medaris, designer/illustrator; David Tenenbaum, feature writer; Amy Toburen, content development executive; Jenny Seifert, project assistant

Pipevine Swallowtail

2011-09-07T17:31:00.001-05:00

Pipevine Swallowtails (Battus philenor) are gorgeous butterflies native to North and Central America. With a wingspan of 3 1/2 inches they are a large black swallowtail with beautiful iridescent blue hindwings. Males have more blue on their wings than females. They have seven orange spots on the underside of the hindwings. While these butterflies can occur in a wide variety of habitats they seem to favor forested areas. The one photographed here is a male that was perched high in a tree. I assume it was waiting for a passing female to mate with.

Much like monarchs that feed on milkweed which gives them protection from predation, this species also feeds on toxic plants. In the case of pipevine swallowtails they feed on plants in the Aristolochia family which are pipevines, dutchman's pipe and birthworts. As they feed on the plant in the caterpillar stage, they take in the toxins of the plant making them unpalatable to would-be predators. Like monarchs they will be toxic in all stages of life from caterpillar to adult.

The adults nectar at a wide variety of plants including thistles, bergamot, lilac, azaleas, teasel, phlox, petunias, lantana, verbena, and butterfly bush to name but a few. If you want to attract these butterflies to your yard, first make sure you are in an area where they are known to occur, then plant the host plants. Host plants provide nutrition to the caterpillars and with most butterflies being plant specific in their needs, the female will be looking for suitable host plants to lay eggs on. Most any nectar plants will suffice to attract butterflies.

Many species of butterflies have adapted coloration similar to the Pipevine which affords them a certain amount of protection from predation. The dark phase of the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, The Black Swallowtail, The Ozark Swallowtail, Spicebush Swallowtail, Red-Spotted Purple and the Diana Fritillary all take advantage of the defense implemented by the pipevine.

You know its hot when........

2011-09-02T13:39:00.000-05:00

3/4 of our summer has been extremely hot with temperatures well over 95 degrees and heat indexes over 100 degrees. This little eastern fox squirrel found relief from the heat on the concrete deck outside my office window. He stretched himself out and cooled his belly off on the shady concrete. He stayed there for nearly an hour panting. I took a picture through the screened window, since I was afraid opening the door would have spooked him. This was a true indicator of the heat we've been experiencing.

Silver-Spotted Skipper

2011-09-01T14:14:00.001-05:00

Silver-spotted skippers(Epargyreus clarus) are without a doubt the single most widely seen butterfly around the Midwest. When I photographed these butterflies there were no less than 20 or 30 of them nectaring at the zinnias.
They are quite large for skippers and have a wingspan up to 2 5/8 inches. Their color is a distinct all over chocolate brown with bright white (or silvery) spots on the underside of their hindwings. Forewings have golden spots.

The adults perch on the underside of leaves during the hottest days of summer and at night. During milder weather they will nectar at a wide variety of flowers, but seem to prefer flowers colored red, pink or purple. Rarely will they nectar at yellow flowers. They can be found in flower gardens, near woodlands, and in open fields.

Males perch on tall plants and wait for passing females, occasionally they may patrol seeking females with which to mate. Some experts claim that once mated the female will lay single eggs near, but not on the host plants. Caterpillars must find their own way to the host. Other experts argue the opposite and claim they lay their eggs on the host. So it depends on who you ask or what resource you use. Host plants for the caterpillars include Honey Locust, Black Locust, False Indigo and various other Legumes such as Glycyrrhiza and wisteria as the one pictured below was feeding on.

The caterpillars rest inside rolled up leaf shelters that they create by silking together leaves. They will regurgitate a greenish colored, bitter-tasting chemical defense when disturbed. The sphecid wasp, Stictia carolina, also sometimes provisions its nests with silver-spotted skipper larvae. Frass (insect poo) is often a sign to wasps that the caterpillars are present....therefore the caterpillars have the ability to project their frass great distances in order to not advertise their presence to would-be predators. I've heard of projectile vomit, but projectile poop? How ingenious! When the caterpillars are ready to pupate they will remain inside the leaf roll and form their chrysalis. They overwinter in this stage.

Funnel Web Spider A.K.A Grass Spider

2011-08-29T17:15:00.002-05:00

One of the most common spiders found throughout North America are the Funnel Web or Grass Spiders in the family Agelenidae. Each morning as I leave for work their webs are scattered throughout my yard like glistening crystal palaces. The sparkling of the dew covered webs is truly beautiful, and turns each web into a work of art. There are 600 known species Worldwide within this family and nearly 300 of them call North America home.

Update: A friend of mine from facebook and a spider expert sent me an email with the following correction. Thanks Mandy for pointing out my faux pas.

Hi, Shelly! Been a long time, I'm not as active on facebook and with keeping up with folks as I wish I was. i usually keep up with people behind the scenes... reading their pages and blogs, etc. I just read your cool blog post about funnel weavers. Loved it! ... but, I hope you don't hate me for it, I have a correction about the numbers presented... there's actually 1148 species in Agelenidae worldwide and only 116 of them live in North America (north of Mexico). It used to only be 90 but about 6 months ago, two genera from Amaurobiidae were transferred to Agelenidae, so that added 26 species, making the total 116 in North America now. The World Spider Catalog (http://research.amnh.org/iz/spiders/catalog/INTRO1.html) is updated every January and June and has all the up-to-date counts info on spiders and all the current taxonomy, as well. The "counts" tab will tell you how many genera and species in each family... and under the "families" tab, you can see the grand list of all species and which countries or areas they occur. It's pretty much THE source for spiders, so I would disregard any other sources that are telling you those numbers, to be honest (they're so far off that I'm curious who told you them, lol... unless it was just a really outdated book or something... but it'd have to be really, really outdated to come up with 600 & 300).

I believe the one pictured here is in the genus Agelenopsis possibly naevia spp. Without inspection of the genitalia it is next to impossible to identify them to species with any accuracy. Agelenopsis are the most frequently encountered of all the genera within North America. Their sheet-like web spreads out for nearly a foot (or more) in a circular fashion with a distinct funnel-like opening near the center. It is this opening that earned them the common name of funnel web spider. These spiders should not be confused with another spider that goes by a similar name and that is the Sydney Funnel Web Spider of Australia. The genus Agelenopsis belongs to the Araneomorph spiders which are true spiders or modern spiders, whereas the Sydney Funnel Web Spider belongs in a completely different family called Hexathelidae belonging to the Mygalomorph spiders which are the primitive spiders making them more closely related to tarantulas than to the species of funnel web spiders living in North America. The Sydney Funnel Web Spider has earned a nasty reputation as being one of the most deadly spiders in the world. You will not find these spiders in the United States! Another spider belonging within the family of Agelenidae is the Hobo Spider in the genus Tegenaria , they unfortunately have made their way into the United States via shipments of goods from Europe and now reside in portions of the Pacific Northwest. They are reported to be highly venomous and dangerous, but no real proof exists that this is so.

(Water droplet suspended from sheet web of funnel web spider)

Funnel Web Spiders are medium sized spiders with a legspan up to 1 1/2 inches. Their color varies from pale yellowish-tan with gray markings to reddish-brown with black markings. Their abdomen is gray to black along the margins with a light brown to brownish-red stripe bordered by lighter colored spots. They have very long legs that are banded at the joints.

The females rarely leave their sheet-like web except to find a new location to build a web. They hide out inside the funnel laying in wait for an unsuspecting insect to crawl across the web. They will run rapidly out of their hiding place and envenomate their quarry. The webbing of this genus is not sticky like other spider webs, they instead rely on capturing their prey by using their extremely fast acting venom. Some species within this family will prey on other funnel web spiders. The funnel web spiders of some genus's actually do have sticky webbing and it is usually these particular species that become prey to the funnel web spiders without sticky webbing. The unsuspecting spider will crawl across the web, and instead of finding a web of the consistency that it is accustomed to walking on, it finds itself entangled in the sheeting of a totally different chemical makeup allowing the owner of said web to bite and drag the spider into her lair.

(Spidey legs peeking out of her hideout)

They become sexually mature in August at which time the males will begin looking for females. Males of this family of spiders are wanderers and are constantly on the look-out for food and for mates. When a male comes upon a female of his own species he will approach cautiously, after all he does not want to become her next meal. After determining the female is receptive of his attention he quickly dominates her and mates. By no means is he out of danger, he must make a hasty retreat before she changes her mind and decides he looks scrumptious. Males die shortly after mating, leaving the females to deposit an egg sac under the loose bark of a tree that she will guard until the first frost. Once the first frost comes the female will die often still clinging to the egg sac, making the ultimate sacrifice. Her life for the life of her offspring. Some species of funnel web spiders may live up to two years, but most only live one season.

End-Band Netwing

2011-08-28T21:39:00.000-05:00

This moth-like insect that looks as if it belongs in the order Lepidoptera is actually a beetle....yes that's right a beetle and belongs in the order Coleotpera. I know the appearance goes against everything we were ever taught about beetles...no hard wing coverings here. Netwings are one of those "exception to the rule" things that we always hear about. This particular netwing is called an End-Band Netwing (Calopteron terminale). They are small to medium sized measuring up to 17mm. Their size is nothing to write home about; what is truly remarkable aside from the fact that they are a beetle that looks like a moth is the coloring. They are vibrant orange and black giving them a decidedly Halloween appearance. They will be found near deciduous woodlands throughout the eastern United States. In Missouri they are found from August to September, they may be around longer into autumn if the weather is warm enough.

After mating the females will deposit their eggs on or near dying trees. The larvae are predatory on other insects. The adults feed on the juices of decaying plants. This type of feeding habit makes them hugely beneficial.
This little creature proves that we should take nothing at face value, especially when it comes to insects. There are sure to be contradictions where ever you look.

Question Mark Butterly

2011-08-25T20:46:00.001-05:00

Question mark Butterflies are one of the most commonly seen butterflies in the Midwest. They resemble a few other butterflies also found in their range, one being the Comma and the other the Gray Comma. To distinguish them from one another look for the tell-tale marking on the underside of their hindwing. The Question mark has (?) and the Comma has a (,).

On the above picture the silvery-white question mark is visible. These butterflies often occur in large numbers and may be found nectaring at flowers as a last resort. They instead prefer to glean moisture and nutrients from piles of dung, rotting fruit, sap, and carrion as the one pictured here is doing. Cow manure seems to be a favorite of theirs.

The caterpillars are spiny colorful alien-looking little munchers that feast on elm trees. They will also feed on nettle, false nettle, Japanese hop and hackberry. Last year proved to be a good year for them as I found dozens of them eating my young elm trees. This year I've only found a handful. Like many insects they seem to cycle up and down from season to season.

Common Snapping Turtle

2011-08-21T14:59:00.003-05:00

One of the most misunderstood creatures to swim in our waters is the prehistoric-looking snapping turtle. They are vilified as fish killers and stalked by pond owners throughout North America. Never was there a creature more undeserving of it's reputation than this one. The truth of the matter is...."A pond is healthier with the presence of snapping turtles, than one without them" Snapping turtles eat the weakened, injured and sick fish. This habit of feeding on the slower fish helps to cull out the weaker genes and the sick fish, thus reducing the risk of disease or illness being spread to healthy vital fish. Your fish population will therefore be healthier. These turtles are simply not fast enough or agile enough to capture active healthy fish. These turtles are often killed by fishermen because of their opportunistic nature. If you have fish on a stringer, these turtles will feed on them. They simply see the struggling fish as a weakened or injured fish. This is an opportunity that no self-respecting snapper will turn down. Rather than killing and cussing the turtle for doing what it is programmed to do, why not just put your fish in a basket.....problem solved! Many people don't realize that a vast majority of the diet of these turtles consists of vegetation. In fact up to 40% of their diet will be aquatic plants. In many cases it is much higher than this. So the villainous reputation that the snapper has of being a greedy fish killing machine is grossly exaggerated and false.

Each spring and summer the turtles leave their watery homes seeking mates and looking for places to lay eggs. It is at this time we will see turtles on the highway or other roadways. While people will usually try to avoid hitting turtles they view as cute like painted turtles or box turtles, they take the opposite position when it comes to snapping turtles. I see many snappers hit on the road and it sickens me to know that these are avoidable and senseless deaths perpetrated by people with little to no knowledge of the creature they just destroyed.

The turtle pictured here was hit on the highway near the 102 River. When I first spotted it I thought it was alive, so I stopped to move it off the road before someone did hit it. Upon closer inspection the turtle had indeed already been hit and was bleeding profusely. I had nothing with me to kill it and put it out of its misery so I gently placed it off the side of the road in the shade. It was so sad to see this very old, once vital turtle being reduced to roadkill in the blink of an eye. I would never advocate swerving your car to avoid hitting any animal, human life is precious and it certainly isn't worth the risk of killing ones self or your passengers to avoid hitting an animal. That being said, 9 out of 10 times you can safely drive around a turtle or straddle your car over the top of it. Remember these are slow moving creatures.

On top of the many snapping turtles being sacrificed to cars each year I just learned of a practice that takes place in Indiana each year, called SNAPPERFEST. This sickening event promotes the torture of snapping turtles in the name of sport and fun. Turtles are captured and slammed on the ground repeatedly while people try to pull the neck of the turtle out of its shell until they can wrap their fist around the turtles very long neck. These turtles are often left in the heat to dehydrate and die. Turtles are thrown to the dogs to play with and to be further tortured.

Don't get me wrong here, I am all for hunting in a responsible manner. Ethical hunters do not feel the need to torture or to be cruel to the game they are after. Any animal that is killed should be done so quickly and humanely with the ideology that the meat will be consumed. Killing to be killing is not hunting that is blood sport perpetrated by individuals of questionable moral standards. Anyone who can enjoy watching an animal being tortured and left to die is without compassion for living creatures and lacks understanding and knowledge of the ways of the natural world. Each creature serves a purpose, even if we don't fully know what that purpose is.

This event is held annually in Ohio County, Indiana at a place called Campshore Campground. This is a family campground where people spend their vacations. Children are running around playing, swimming, fishing and riding their bikes and being exposed to animal cruelty. Is it no wonder we as a society question the moral integrity of our youth? How could it be beneficial to expose impressionable children to something so heinous as this? What are we teaching our youth? That we have dominion over all living creatures? That we decide who or what has the right to live or die? That being cruel in the name of fun is ok? Then we punish these same children for torturing the neighbors cat. Seriously people, wake up! If we want to raise gentler more understanding youth, they first have to see us behave in such a manner.

I normally do not like to get political and I try not to make waves, but occasionally I come across things that demand that I speak out against them. This is one of those times. I apologize if I have offended anyone with my rant, but I do not apologize for my stance against something as senseless as this event.

Common Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina serpentina) reach weights up to 35 or 40 pounds and lengths up to 14 or 15 inches. They have a big pointy head and sharp beak-like mouth that has the potential to snap off a toe or finger. They have an amazingly long neck, therefore holding them by the sides of the shell like you would other water turtles is not advised. They can with little difficulty reach their neck around to the side of their shell and bite your hand. Their carapace (shell) can be brown, tan or almost black. Because of their aquatic nature and the fact that they swim along the bottom of ponds, rivers and lakes it is not uncommon to see them covered in mud or algae. Their plastron (underside bony plate) is usually yellowish in color. It can be difficult to tell males from females, males are almost always smaller than females. Each turtle has an opening at the rear called a cloacal, this opening is used for mating, eliminating waste and for egg laying. In males the opening will be further out from the plastron than the females will be.

Snapping turtles rarely bask in the sun like other aquatic turtles do. They prefer to stay in their watery habitats, They do however leave if the water dries up or to look for places to lay eggs. On land these turtles are out of their element and will readily defend themselves by opening their mouths, and lunging at whomever is daring to pester them. Once many years ago my son and I were taking a drive in the country and found a snapper on the gravel road. I stopped and my son said he would get it off the road. He reached down to grab it by the tail and it literally jumped two feet in the air and launched itself at him. My son jumped back and screamed like a little girl. After we both had a good laugh at the audacity of this turtle, we finally managed to move it off the road to safety.

These turtles survive our cold bitter winters by burrowing into the mud at the bottom of ponds, lakes and rivers. They become active again in March and remain so until November (weather permitting). Besides feeding on aquatic vegetation and weakened fish, they will also eat frogs, crawfish, insects, worms, snakes, birds and small mammals. Another erroneously belief held by many is that these turtles kill significant amounts of waterfowl young. This is simply not true, at least not in normal conditions. In artificial ponds where waterfowl and fish production are enhanced and the population of these turtles is too high then this species can become a nuisance. Those types of situations are certainly not the norm.

Our local herpetologist has been doing an ongoing study/survey of the aquatic turtle population on MWSU campus. There are nine ponds on the campus and he and his students set turtle traps out to capture turtles and record data. They are hoping to learn more about the traveling habits of these turtles as well as the overall health of the turtles and the ponds. Last year some vandals damaged one of the nets before he was able to check it and two turtles drowned. We were all sickened by it, but the turtles were ultimately used to dissect and check for parasites and to determine the gut content. This was a rare opportunity for us to get a closer look at the diet of the campus turtles. We discovered they were parasite free (with exception to a few nematodes) and that their diet was close to 85% vegetation.

WARNING: The following pictures of the dissection may be disturbing to some viewers!

(The plastron exposed on snapping turtle)

(Plastron has been cut away to reveal inner organs)

(Removing the organs to check for parasites under the microscope)

(Internal organs exposed)

(View of the intestines, which contained mostly mosses and other aquatic vegetation. We did find a few fish scales and one fish eyeball. There were a few tiny fingernail clams that were probably consumed along with the vegetation)

I have often taken the stance....... that our most misunderstood creatures are also our most fascinating. Snapping turtles are certainly interesting, but they are also an integral part of any aquatic habitat and should be valued as such. By all means if you enjoy eating turtle meat keep eating it and following the hunting laws. However, please reconsider the next time you pick up a gun or a club to kill one of these living dinosaurs and instead take a moment to watch and admire their uniqueness.

Western Massasauga Rattlesnake

2011-08-15T18:58:00.004-05:00

Here is another snake hovering on the brink of extinction in Missouri as well as throughout most of its range. The Western Massasauga (pronounced mass-a-saw'-ga) Rattlesnake is one of the smallest rattlesnakes found in Missouri wetlands and marshes. Because these lands are greatly reduced due primarily to agriculture, it is becoming increasingly more difficult for these snakes to carve out a niche for themselves. Squaw Creek NWR has a fairly healthy population of these snakes in large part because the land is federally owned and the snakes are protected there. Ongoing studies help to determine population density and over all health of the snakes. The one pictured here is a captive snake used as an educational animal to help promote the importance of all creatures within their given habitat. Snakes are especially important in rodent control and as a vital part of the food chain and should be left alone. They are also indicators of the health of their environment.

In the Chippewa language Massasauga translates into "great river mouth" which describes the lands where they are found. Like all Missouri venomous snakes they are "pit-vipers" , meaning they have an extra sensory organ in the form of pits located between the eyes and the nostrils. These pits are heat sensing organs that help them locate prey. They also have excellent eye sight and a great sense of smell. All of these senses combined make for a formidable predator. They commonly prey on mice, frogs, insects. Juveniles are fond of other serpents with Midland Brown Snakes making up the bulk of their diet. These snakes are also an important part of the food chain and sometimes fall victim to eagles, herons, raccoons, foxes, and hawks. Not to mention the occasional motorist who would rather kill snakes as to look at them. This near-sighted viewpoint of snakes is what has led to the near extinction of many species. Humans should try to exercise tolerance for these misunderstood creatures and recognize their importance in the over all health of a given habitat.

These are a slow moving snakes that rarely strike unless being provoked or handled. Their venom is less toxic than that of most venomous snakes, but should still be considered dangerous. If bitten; immediate medical attention should be sought. During the spring they will be found in lowlands near marshes and wetlands. In the hotter summer months they are found in higher ground near grasslands, farmland and open fields. Like all snakes they are often found sunning themselves on rocks, and roadways. Massasauga rattlesnakes reach lengths up to thirty inches. Their ground color is gray or tan with numerous darker spots, there are even melanistic black varieties found occasionally.

Massasaugas are ovoviviparous (eggs develop in the body of the parent and hatch within or immediately after being expelled). The female produces large, yolk-filled eggs which are retained within her reproductive tract for a considerable period of development. The developing embryo receives no nourishment from the female, only from the yolk. Eggs of the Massasauga hatch inside the female and the young are born “alive.” A female snake that retains eggs in her body can bask in the sun, thus raising the temperature of the eggs and speeding their development, resulting in a variable gestation period of two to four months. The average litter size is 8 with anywhere from 3 to 12 being possible.

After birth, the young are on their own—no maternal care is known in snakes. As is the case for all cold-blooded vertebrates, the growth of the young is heavily dependent upon the amount of food available.

Grapevine Beetle

2011-08-13T11:11:00.000-05:00

Grapevine beetles (Pelidnota punctata) are one of many "junebugs" that are found throughout Missouri. These beetles occur throughout the eastern portion of the United States. They are sometimes called the Spotted June Beetle because of the visible black spots on their elytra. Unlike many of the June beetles that call Missouri home that are drab brown, this beetle is reddish-golden in color and actually quite beautiful. The one pictured here to the right was found on a sandy beach along the Platte River, It had somehow flipped onto its back and could not right itself. I noticed it struggling in the sand and helped it back onto its legs. The little beetle was covered in wet sand that had hardened onto its head and wings. I tried scraping it off but it was adhered like concrete. I spent a few minutes photographing it before leaving it alone.

Unlike most Junebugs that feed on the roots of grasses and turf as grubs, this species feeds on the roots of trees. As adults they feed on the foliage and fruit of grapevines. In large numbers this feeding habit could damage grapevines and the fruit. Normally though you will only see a few beetles, so feeding damage is minimal. Females will lay their eggs on rotting stumps or decaying trees. When the eggs hatch the young grubs must burrow into the soil and find the root system they will feed on. Once they reach full size they will create a pupation chamber to finish their development. The pupal stage lasts all winter with the adult beetles emerging the following June. There is only one generation per year.

Western Fox Snake

2011-08-11T17:49:00.000-05:00

Western Fox Snakes (Elaphe vulpina) were once thought to be threatened or endangered in Missouri and were listed as such until just this year. Apparently some populations were found that were previously unknown to experts. So while they are no longer listed as threatened this in no way should indicate they are without risk of becoming so. They are certainly rare and only occur in a few scant counties in Northwestern and Northeastern Missouri. Because their habitat consists of marshlands, and those lands are greatly reduced throughout their range it is easy to see that part of their population decline is due to habitat loss. They may also occur in open forested areas, farmlands and prairies. These are beautiful, large snakes closely related to the much more common Black Rat Snake. They reach lengths up to 60 inches with a record snake being reported at nearly 6 feet. The color of this snake once upon a time protected it from predation and from humans. It is a remarkable mimic of the Massasauga Rattlesnake and even occurs in the same habitat further carrying out the similarity. Some even mistake this snake for the Copperhead, which seems a stretch to me. The copperhead is all over coppery in color and has hourglass shaped markings, but I guess from a distance it could be mistaken for Missouri's most common venomous snake. The mimicry that once protected the snake now often seals its fate and result in humans killing first and realizing their mistake in identity later. In my opinion they most closely resemble bullsnakes. They are the same yellowish-tan color with black blotches. The main differences between the two are the size, bullsnakes are huge at 7 feet or larger. Bullsnakes also have a more pointed face, and the fox snake usually has a reddish colored head, but otherwise the similarity is uncanny.

Fox snakes get their common name from the musk scent they emit when disturbed that is reported to smell very much like a red fox. This snake is extremely mild mannered and is not prone to bite unless severely molested. If you are harassing a snake, you should expect to be bitten! The bite is not dangerous and the wound is always superficial. You need only clean the wound of any bacteria. Their bite is designed more for holding onto their prey than in defense. They will often rattle their tail in dried grasses or leaves which can sound very much like the rattlesnake it is a mimic of, which only goes further in sealing their fate with humans.
These snakes feed on fledgling birds, small adult birds, eggs, small rabbits, mice, rats and voles.

The adult fox snake pictured here is a program/educational snake belonging to Squaw Creek NWR. Amanda the onsight naturalist was kind enough to allow me to photograph the snake. Because "Foxy" was so well behaved and tolerant of us photographing it I gave her a treat in the form of three pinkie mice. She seemed to enjoy her treat and gobbled them down very quickly.

All gone---well almost!

Western Fox Snakes mate in the spring or early summer. The female will lay 10-20 eggs in June or July. The eggs hatch in late August or early September. The juvenile snakes will measure between 8-12 inches in length. We are very fortunate at my office in St. Joseph because we were just given a juvenile western fox snake by Amanda and Darrin of Squaw Creek. Apparently one of the on sight construction crew accidentally disturbed a nest of eggs. A few of the eggs were broken and Darrin was able to identify them as Western Fox Snakes. He told Amanda about the situation and she remembered I wanted one for our office. She asked me if I would be interested in incubating the eggs. Of course I was! I had incubated black snake eggs last year and had excellent luck with it. They felt they would stand a better chance at survival if incubated, so I set about getting my incubator when Amanda called laughing saying that two of the eggs hatched! By the next morning three more had hatched. Amanda told me I could come up and pick one out for our office. Cindy and I drove to Squaw Creek and played with the babies and picked the one we wanted as our program/educational snake. We chose snake #4 which seemed like a nice friendly snake. We looked at the cluster of eggs and of the seven eggs present, 5 had hatched, one was not viable, and one was odd. This "odd" egg felt like it had something in it, but it was concave and weirdly formed. Amanda said I could cut into it and see what was inside......

a fully formed, living and breathing was a tiny fox snake. We were so excited to have 6 out of 7 young snakes be fully formed and healthy. Amanda is going to use the juvenile snakes for a junior naturalist program tonight, then release all the new babies back to the wild where hopefully they will avoid predators. Many creatures feed on young snakes including hawks, raccoons, foxes, and other snakes.

Snake #4 is a male and will make an excellent addition to our growing population of educational animals

Meet #4

As juveniles they very much resemble their cousins the black rat snakes. If you did not have in hand one of each species to compare you would be hard pressed to tell them apart.

Juvenile black rat snake for comparison.

Occasionally we are given opportunities to educate the public about these wonder and often misunderstood creatures. This juvenile fox snake will be one of those opportunities. We will be able to showcase a snake that hovers on the line of being threatened or endangered within Missouri. This opens up an avenue to discuss habitat loss and the importance of all creatures within a given habitat. To say Cindy and I are excited to have this little snake would be an understatement! Thank you Darrin and Amanda for allowing us to have this wonderful little snake and the opportunities it represents.

Mottled Tortoise Beetle

2011-08-08T19:07:00.000-05:00

This brightly colored beetle is a Mottled Tortoise Beetle (Deloyala guttata), they occur throughout the United States and Canada. The term Tortoise comes from their ability to "hide" under their pronotum much like a turtle hides within its shell. When disturbed they will tuck themselves away or drop off the leaf they are on. When the danger passes they will once again show themselves and move around. The margins of the wings and pronotum are clear and the overall color of the beetle is various or mottled shades of brown, rust and gold. They are very shiny, almost metallic in appearance just like a gold coin. These tiny beetles are easily overlooked as they often hide on the underside of leaves, and they are less than 5mm in length which puts them on the tiny side. Generally when you find one, there will be additional beetles in the same area. They are fond of bindweed, morning glory and sweet potato. If these beetles occur in large enough numbers the damage may be severe. Both the adult and larval stages of these beetles feed extensively on the leaves of plants, and the damage may look life threatening to your plants, but is rarely bad enough to require intervention. If the plants are very young it could be damging to the point of killing the plants.
There may be two generations per year with the last adult generation overwintering under leaf litter. These are beautiful little beetles and extremely unqiue in their appearance. Well worth giving a second glance.

Dark Spotted Palthis

2011-08-01T10:23:00.001-05:00

This extremely odd looking moth is a Dark Spotted Palthis (Palthis angulalis) or as my FB friend Jenn calls them "Snouty McSnoutmoth." They certainly look like they possess a sizeable schnoz on them. In fact it is the long snout-like feathery projection that makes this moth stand out, otherwise this is a drably marked paper airplane-shaped moth with a wingspan at around 2 inches. They are common throughout the Eastern portion of North America and there may be up to three generations per year in Missouri.
The caterpillars feed on a wide variety of plants including forbs, woody shrubs and trees (alder, aster, basswood, birch, chestnut, fir, gale, goldenrod, ninebark, rhododendron, scrub oak and spruce). Look for them in tall grasses, deep vegetation or overgrown gardens. They hide during the day in the foliage and fly at night, and are often attracted to porch lights, pole lights and other light sources just like most moths.

Carolina Grasshopper

2011-07-30T10:47:00.002-05:00

This large grasshopper is a Carolina Grasshopper (Dissosteira carolina) in the family Acrididae which are the short-horned grasshoppers. Depending upon their location they may also be called Road-Dusters or Black-Winged Grasshoppers. They are found throughout most of the United States with exception to Southern Florida, Southern Louisiana, Southern Texas and parts of Arizona.

This is one of the most common grasshoppers found throughout the summer months here in Missouri. They range in color from yellowish-gray, gray to tannish-brown. Their flight wings are black, and believe me, if you haven't ran across them, they are very flighty and fast. Photographing them can be a challenge in patience as you sneak up on them quietly, only to have them fly 15 feet away the second you are ready to snap a photo.

Reaching lengths of 2 inches or a bit more qualifies them as being large as far as grasshoppers in Missouri go. The one pictured here was photographed at Haddorn Conservation Area in Savannah near the flood waters. Experts at bugguide agreed it is a female due to the visible ovipositor under her wings and at the tip of her abdomen.

They are frequently found along crop fields, along roadsides, on gravel roads, in fence rows, railway cutaways and other disturbed areas with bare ground. Unless they take flight, spotting them is difficult as they camouflage themselves so well among the gravel and dirt. Rest assured though, they WILL take flight if you get too close. They feed on a wide variety of grasses and forbs and may occasionally become a pest of agricultural crops, especially forage crops.

The Carolina grasshopper is a strong, adept flier. During warm, sunny days the adults frequently fly over bare ground interacting with one another. Males are noted for their hovering flight. They rise almost vertically from the ground to heights of 3 to 6 feet, occasionally higher, and hover for 8 to 15 seconds. At the end they flutter down to the ground close to where they started. They may repeat this maneuver as many as five times. During the hovering flight tht attracts females. The display also attracts males so that a small aggregation of several males and a female may gather on the bare ground beneath the hovering male.

Males are much more active than females and most likely this is due to them seeking mates. Once mated the female will use her ovipositor to deposit egg pods within bare spots in the ground. The eggs remain underground all winter and hatch the following spring. The tiny nymphs will emerge from underground and begin feeding. They will reach their adult size by

mid to late summer which is when breeding will once again take place.

With the super hot temperatures we've been experiencing the past three weeks these grasshoppers alter their behavior in contrast to ground temperature. When the ground temperature reaches or exceeds 110 degrees they will start climbing blades of grass or stems of plants in what is referred to as "stilting." This gets their body off the hot surface of the ground where it is blistering, and into cooler environs. They will also orient themselves so they face the sun, which reduces the amount of their body coming in contact with the direct rays of the sun, which also keeps them cooler. To say this eludes to intelligence on their part would be a stretch, but it certainly eludes to a protective instinctual behavior that protects them from injury.

These grasshoppers are an important part of the food chain and are consumed by birds, snakes, frogs, toads, spiders, praying mantids, raccoons, skinks, skunks, mice, squirrels and other predators of insects. Even humans on occasion will consume grasshoppers for protein.

References:

"Field Guide to Grasshoppers, Katydids, and Crickets of the United States" by John L. Capinera; Ralph D. Scott; and Thomas J. Walker

http://www.sidney.ars.usda.gov/grasshopper/ID_Tools/F_Sheets/carolina.htm

http://bugguide.net/node/view/14827

Giant Swallowtail

2011-07-21T18:47:00.000-05:00

A few days ago while out hiking in this oppressive heat I discovered these two caterpillars on the limb of a small tree. I knew they were giant swallowtail caterpillars, what I did not know however was WHAT they were feeding on. I've walked this particular trail dozens upon dozens of times and cannot recall ever seeing this tree before. After returning home and looking up the host plant for the Giant Swallowtail I discovered that Prickly Ash was a common host tree. Since the little tree in question could definitely be classified as prickly with a decidedly thorny bark the mystery was solved.

When the caterpillars are young they show nothing of the beauty to come once they reach their adult phase, in fact they are very drab and resemble bird poop. This is a great strategy when trying to keep yourself from being eaten by hungry birds. Not many things will knowingly eat poop, so looking like such an unsavory substance seems to work.

As the caterpillar ages it changes it strategy and becomes more snake-like in appearance. They even have fake eyespots to carry the ruse even further. Although I am not sure how effective this actually is, because I have never seen snakes less than 3 inches in length. Seems like mimicking a snake is carrying things a bit far. The caterpillar is also referred to as the "Orange-dog" or "Orange-pup" by fruit growers. The nickname hints at the damage these caterpillars can do in large numbers to citrus groves.

Giant Swallowtails (Papilio cresphontes) are the largest butterfly in Canada and the United States with a wingspan up to 6 inches. They are beautifully marked in shades of yellow and black. They generally begin flying in Missouri around May and continue through August. In our region there may be up to two broods per year. As Missouri lacks the citrus trees these butterflies favor as a host, they will instead choose prickly ash, and Hop Tree. The adults seem to favor nectar from lantana, azalea, bougainvilla, bouncing Bet, dame's rocket, goldenrod, Japanese honeysuckle, and swamp milkweed.

I've tried for several years to get a successful picture of this species and they have proven a challenge to photograph. I managed this picture a couple of years ago on thistle bloom and not a single image since.

Slug + Fungus=Feast

2011-07-19T14:04:00.000-05:00

While out hiking the trail behind the office where I work I discovered several slugs munching on the mushrooms that had popped up on the mulched trail. Recent rains had created ideal mushroom growing conditions in the timber. This large gray slug is one of the most common slugs found in Missouri and they can reach lengths up 4 inches. Slugs feed on a wide variety of items, but seem to prefer fungus.

If you would like to learn more about slugs visit a past post of mine from Tennessee

Rust-Colored Spider Wasp

2011-07-17T15:02:00.000-05:00

This brightly colored wasp is the "Rust-Colored Spider Wasp" (Tachypompilus ferrugineus). The species name ferrugineus actually translates into Rusty, and is an apt description of their overall body color which is a beautiful rusty-orange. They have distinct stripes on their abdomen and black iridescent wings. The females of this species are expert spider hunters. They seek large species of spiders such as wolf spiders to paralyze. They will sting the spider with a fast acting venom designed to subdue their prey, but not kill it. She will then drag the unfortunate victim to a safe spot and secret it away out of sight. She will then lay her eggs on the spider and leave to hunt for more victims. It takes a few days for the eggs to hatch and during that time the spider will remain very much alive, just in a constant state of paralytic motionlessness. When the eggs hatch they will feed on the spider so lovingly provided for it by its mother.

This specimen showed up on my front porch today. I noticed something rapidly crawling across the concrete. Closer inspection revealed this spider/wasp interaction. This wasp was incredibly fast and proved difficult to photograph. Even dragging prey much larger than herself did not slow her up one bit. She must have herculean strength.

Looking at this picture you can't help but feel somewhat sorry for that poor spider. To be out wandering around looking for food, minding your own business then WHACK...suddenly you are stung and overpowered by a flying creature bent on serving you up to her children.

Life in the wild is often without mercy....each creature bent on surviving anyway they can. Utmost in their biological makeup is often reproduction....to carry on the family genes and create mirror images of themselves. This wasp is merely doing exactly what Mother Nature programmed her to do....provide for her family. This spider will give adequate nutrition to her offspring.
This momma wasp worked diligently to find the proper location to stow away the spider and keep it hidden from opportunistic scavengers that might try and steal her bounty. Often she would leave the spider and fly away to investigate the real estate. She checked back frequently and never seemed to lose track of where she left her quarry. I know these wasps use landscape cues to guide them. I thought about moving the spider to see how long it would take her to find it again, then decided that would be mean. She literally crawled in and out of every available hole in the concrete steps, and foundation, before finally settling on a crack behind our front steps. She dragged the spider about six inches up the wall and into the crack. I am imagining that this would be like me trying to drag a full grown deer in my mouth, up hill!

(Here the spider is being pulled into the crack in the concrete and

disappeared never to be heard from or seen again)

Once the spider has been consumed the wasp larvae will chose a location nearby to pupate and finish out it's progression to adulthood. This will take approximately 10 days. Soon there should be newly emerging adult wasps that will carry on in the fashion dictated by their genetic makeup, and by Mother Nature.

Carry on my spider loving wasp!

Six-Spotted Flower Strangalia

2011-07-16T19:01:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Ted over at Beetles in the Bush I was able to get a fast ID on this beautiful longhorn beetle. It was dining on the blooming peppermint plant in my backyard which it seemed quite fond of. Beetles in this genus love flowers and will often be found among the blooms feasting on nectar. They occur throughout the southwestern, southeastern and south central United States. It is such a tiny beetle to carry such a large name like Six-spotted flower strangalia (Strangalia sexnotata)....seriously who comes up with these things?

Like all beetles that feed on flower nectar and pollen they are excellent pollinators. As larvae they feed and develop in decaying wood. They typically choose hardwood trees as their larval host. They do not seem to be particular which species of tree they target.

A Bee Sized Adventure

2011-07-14T22:17:00.003-05:00

My friend and fellow naturalist Shannon set out on a mission last week to rescue a wild honeybee hive that was found laying along the side of the trail at a local conservation area. Apparently recent storms had broken the hollow limb out of a tree and the hive became compromised when it hit the trail. It also put hikers and other nature enthusiasts at risk of stings as they navigated the trail. Shannon and some fellow master naturalist showed up at the conservation area with the mission in mind to remove the limb and take it to a friend of Shannon's that lives in Kansas. Working in 100 degree heat they cut the limb to a manageable size and hauled it nearly 1/2 mile back to the pickup.

Honey Bee rescuers

Shannon smoking the bees inside the limb. TJ (my supervisor) looking on, wonder what he would do if the bees suddenly flew out?

Carrying the limb out of timber and to the wagon that will transport it to the parking lot. One end of the log is covered in a black netting and the other end is sealed with duct tape.

Last night Shannon called me and asked me if I would assist him in trying to move the bees from the log to a hive box. I met him and John (fellow master naturalist) in Kansas at 8:30 this morning. After getting the smoker ready and donning our bee suits we proceeded to the log with the intention of splitting the log straight down the middle. I was to hold a piece of netting at one end, as Shannon smoked the opposite end. Theoretically the bees would move away from the smoke and into the net. Then the net could be closed up and transported the few feet to the hive where we would "dump" the bees into the hive.

Things rarely go the way you intend, and this was no exception. It soon became apparent this idea was not going to work. The bees simply refused to be coaxed out of the log. The decision was made to split the log and remove the comb. We would then place the comb in the hive box and hopefully transfer the queen in the process.

The wild hive is a thing of beauty. These bees are feral and part of a tame hive that swarmed at some point in past. They were very docile to work with. The workers were protective but not overly so, although they were seemingly crafty creatures. It was becoming increasingly difficult to determine where the queen was. Just when we thought we knew where she was based on where the bees were concentrating themselves, we would look over our shoulder to discover another large congregation of bees...was the queen there? Was she in the hive box with the first placement of the honey comb? There was an estimated 6,000-7,000 bees within this hive and divided into thirds it was difficult to figure out which group was guarding their queen mother.

The beauty and intoxicating smell of the honey comb tempted me to try and sample the honey....OH MY...it was manna from Heaven! The BEST honey I have ever eaten! No wonder honey was referred to as the nectar of the Gods. There is no better tasting or purer food out there. Then consider that not a single thing must die to create it! Not plant, nor animal!

I seriously ate a fourth of this piece of honey comb......yes I have a sweet tooth.

Once the log was completely split open the bees became very hostile at having their home destroyed. It is too bad we aren't able to communicate to them that we meant them no harm, we were merely giving them a mansion in comparison to the shanty they were living in. They swarmed around our heads and bounced off of us in warning to back off. I talked to them and assured them we were trying to make things better....they weren't listening.

Once the hive had been taken apart and the honey comb was in the hive box we took the log away so they would not be tempted to enter it again. They began swarming on the ground and on a nearby tree so we still had no idea where the queen actually was. The decision was finally made to leave them alone and let them calm down. Shannon said he would check on them later in the afternoon or evening and see what they did. Hopes were high they would finally realize that the hive box was a good alternative. As of the writing of this post I do not know if they took up residence in the hive box, but I will keep you all posted as I find out.

UPDATE: Shannon checked on the hive Friday evening and again on Saturday and everything seemed okay. Then he remembered that we found some maggot-like worms wiggling around in the honey comb when we split the log open. He called and asked me if I could remember if they were fly maggots or wax moth worms. I honestly did not know, and hoped for maggots. I know wax worms can wreck havoc on a weakened hive. After doing some research on my own I contacted him and told him he better watch them closely because I felt they may indeed be wax worms. Sadly....he returned to the hive today (Sunday) and discovered they had swarmed and left. He looked the comb over and discovered several more worms and was able to positively ID them as wax worms. He found tell-tale signs of webbing that the worms leave behind as well. After such a rude disturbance and with the added stress of wax worms the bees did what bees do and left for the betterment of the hive. He was not able to locate the swarm, but he was hopeful that they had located a hollow tree in the nearby timber. With any luck they will make it through the winter.....Shannon has maintained a positive outlook and considers this a learning experience, rather than a waste of time as many people may view it.

Margined Leatherwing

2011-07-05T22:25:00.000-05:00

Margined Leatherwings (Chauliognathus marginatus) are a type of soldier beetle in the family Cantharidae. They are frequently found nectaring at flowers and will be seen covered in pollen. They are excellent pollinators because of their habit of crawling around deep in the blooms, this causes large amounts of pollen to collect all over their body which they carry to the next plant they visit. They also feed on some insects and insect eggs. The larvae are predatory and feed on many types of insects, and are especially fond of corn earworms and corn borers. Their range includes the central and eastern United States. They very closely resemble C. pennsylvanicus. The margined leatherwing has more black on their wings and are smaller than C. pennsylvanicus and the pronotum has wide dark band, instead of an irregular dark spot. Margined Leatherwings are more commonly seen in the spring and summer, whereas C. pennsylvanicus is associated with goldenrod and will be found in the fall to coincide with the blooming fall flowers.

Soldier beetles are unusual among beetles because their elytra, while more hardened than the wings of most insects, are much softer than the elytra of most other beetles. These beetles are close cousins to lightning bugs and superficially resemble them.

Female soldier beetles place eggs in moist soil or in leaf litter in lawns, meadows, and forests. Upon hatching in the summer, larvae live and feed at the soil level. Most species pupate in the fall in small chambers in the soil and adults emerge in late spring, then mate and deposit eggs during the summer.

They hunt in leaf litter and in other locations that are damp and close to the soil. A few species hunt under loose bark. The larvae of other soldier beetles are herbivores that feed on potato, celery, and other garden plants. As adults, some soldier beetle species feed on nectar and pollen, while others are predators that hunt for aphids and other soft-bodied insects.

Soldier beetles and their larvae are a food source for other animals. Birds, bats, and spiders feed on the adults. Spiders, ground beetles, and other soil-dwelling predators feed on the larvae.

Today I found dozens of these beetles on the milkweed and many of them were frozen in animation....as if time suddenly stopped and and they departed planet earth.

A fungus is responsible for their untimely demise, and the following quote came from the book Medicine Quest by Mark J Plotkin.
"Though merely a cousin of the lowly toadstool, the Cordyceps fungus lives a life that could hardly be imagined by even the most creative science-fiction writer. Cordyceps lies quiescent on the forest floor, waiting for its unsuspecting insect prey to pass. When a bug wanders by, the fungus attaches itself to the insect exoskeleton. It then secretes a chemical that burns a hole in the insect's body armor. Next, Cordyceps inserts itself into the insect body and proceeds to devour all of the host's nonvital organs, all the while preventing the insect from dying of infection by secreting an antibiotic and a fungicide (as well as an insecticide to deter other insect predators). Once the nonvital organs are consumed, the fungus eats part of the insect brain, causing the insect to ascend to the top of a tall tree in the forest. At this point, Cordyceps devours the rest of the bug's brain, thereby killing the insect and causing the body to split open. At that point, the fungus can release its spores a hundred feet above the forest floor." !!!

You can see in this picture how the fungus has left the beetle through the abdomen and will now be spread throughout the environment to attach itself to more beetles. In soldier beetles the fungus seems to cause the beetle to attach itself by the mandibles to the leaves of plants. The pathogen responsible for the death of these beetles may be Eryniopsis lampyridarum.

Mother nature is often without mercy and will use all sorts of devises to control population numbers.

Mole Cricket

2011-07-02T18:58:00.000-05:00

This odd looking insect is a Mole Cricket in the family Gryllotalpidae, they move more like a vertebrate than an invertebrate, and are truly one of the most unique insects in the world of arthropods. They are named after the underground mammal that goes by the same name. Just like moles these insects have wide, flattened front legs that are great for digging and swimming. They are also capable of flight, and may fly up to several miles in search of females in the spring. While they can run rapidly they lack adequate jumping skills like their cousins. They are very thick-bodied and may reach lengths up to 2 inches. Mole crickets are omnivores and will feed on a wide variety of things including larvae of other insects, worms, roots and grasses. They are commonly preyed upon by birds, armadillos, rats, skunks, snakes, frogs, raccoons and foxes making them an important part of the food chain. In Asia there are species that are frequently fried as part of the human diet. These crickets occur on every continent with exception to Antarctica. Their numbers are stable and they are relatively common with the exception to one species called the Prairie Mole Cricket which is listed as threatened and is found in prairie habitats across Missouri. Because Missouri has lost most of their natural prairie habitats to agriculture, and development we are left with only about 2% of our original prairies and those are in remnants.

Mole crickets are nocturnal and spend the biggest majority of their life underground in extensive tunnels making them somewhat hard to find even though they occur in large numbers. In some parts of their range they are considered pests because of their preference for feeding on the roots of plants, grasses and other turfs. This is especially an issue in golf courses, and control measures are often needed to eliminate their populations. Mole crickets, like other orthopteras, go through simple metamorphosis, meaning they have no pupation stage. The young are born looking very similar to the adults. They lack fully developed wings and cannot fly. Adults and young nymphs overwinter and become active in the spring when males seek mates and the nymphs finish growing. They must complete up to 8 instars (molts) before reaching their adult size. Males will dig a horn-like tunnel and call near the surface of the ground, the horn-like tunnel magnifies the sound attracting nearby mates. It takes about 14 days for the eggs to hatch, some will complete their develop in the current season, others will spend the winter underground. Throughout most of their range there will only be one generation, the exception to this is mole crickets found in Texas, they will most likely have two generations per year.

The Northern Mole cricket, prairie mole cricket and pygmy mole cricket are native to the United States and are not known to cause any damage to turf or plants.
Three species were accidentally introduced into the United States by the early 1900's.

These include:

1.) The Tawny Mole Cricket (Scapteriscus vicinus) is somewhat intermediate in its spread; it occurs from North Carolina to Louisiana, and throughout Florida, but thus far remains restricted to the southern coastal plain.

2.) The Southern Mole Cricket (Scapteriscus borellii) is now found from North Carolina to eastern Texas, including the northern regions of Georgia and Alabama and the entire peninsula of Florida, and recently was detected in Yuma, Arizona.

3.) The Shortwinged Mole Cricket (Scapteriscus abbreviatus) is flightless, remains fairly confined to the southern Florida and southern Georgia-northeast Florida introduction sites, though it also occurs in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. It has been redistributed in southern Florida, but is largely found in coastal areas.

Non-native species can and do cause significant problems for native animals and plants, it is often difficult to keep them out of the country or to control them once they are here. This is no exception with these three species.....they cause large amounts of damage to a wide variety of crops which causes significant financial losses to those industries. Chemical control is often expensive and not safe. Biological control is a much safer and more cost effective way to go, and there are specific insects that prey on these crickets which help manage their numbers.

Pink-Spotted Lady Beetle

2011-07-01T10:55:00.000-05:00

This lovely lady beetle is the Pink-Spotted Lady Beetle (Coleomegilla maculata), they are native to North America and are one of the most frequently encountered ladybugs in Missouri. They will often be found in meadows, prairies, gardens and most anywhere flowering plants occur. While it is true that they eat aphids, they will also eat mites, and insects eggs. It is also reported they will consume plant nectar, in fact it may make up as much as 50% of their diet, which is not so typical of other ladybugs.

They sometimes are called the Twelve-Spotted lady beetle, and can range in color from red to pink. Their bodies are not the typical rounded or domed shape of most ladybugs, they are oblong in instead. There are two spots at the tip of the wings at the end of the abdomen that are characteristic of this species. There is only one species of this ladybug, with three sub-species occurring throughout their range.

1.) Coleomegilla maculata fuscilabris; which are more orange in color and have a small range that includes South Carolina to Florida, then west along the Gulf Coast to Louisiana.

2.) Coleomegilla maculata lengi, which are commonly used to control whitefly outbreaks in greenhouses. They are excellent biological control of the Colorado Potato Beetle as they will feed on the eggs of this potentially damaging beetle. As much as a 58% reduction in Colorado potato beetles have been shown in some fields because of this subspecies. They appear to have a wider range than fuscilabris and can be found throughout the midwest and as far north as Canada.

3.) Coleomegilla maculata strenua, which is a western species found from Texas to California.

This species of ladybug is being targeted in a biological control study in Florida, where they are cross breeding Lengi with fuscilabris. Presumably this will create a predaceous ladybug suited to Floridas extreme climate and conditions.

Mating typically takes place in the spring and summer, and the female may lay up to a 1,000 eggs in her life time. She will generally lay her eggs near a ready food source like aphids. Each larvae may consume between 3,000-5,000 aphids, mites, insect eggs and other soft bodied insects in their life time. This makes them extremely beneficial and good insects to share the garden with. Adults will overwinter in large aggregations much like the dreaded Multi-colored Asian lady beetle does, the main differences being them is the pink-spotted is native whereas the MALB is not! The pink-spotted behaves like a lady, she will not stain your fabrics or furniture, she will not bite and she does not stink. Sharing your homes, buildings or business with this species will often go unnoticed. They are not the bad guest that visits uninvited and leaves a mess in their wake.

Because this species becomes active again in early spring, and they consume large amounts of nectar it is essential to their survival to have access to reliable flower sources before the aphids are present. Dandelions often are the flower of choice as they are blooming in conjunction with the first appearance of these beetles in the spring. I know we as humans seem to have zero tolerance for dandelions and view them as arrogant weeds that dare to overtake our perfectly manicured lawns. I for one tolerate the dandelions and am blessed with the presence of many pink-spotted lady beetles because of it. Our sterile lawns offer nothing in the way of benefits to many creatures, ladybugs included. My lawn has weeds, clover, dandelions, and consequently is teeming with life. My gardens are not full of perfectly formed flowers devoid of nectar or fragrance, instead they are alive with wildflowers, a few weeds and an abundance of insects, snakes, frogs, and other life forms that make the garden interesting. We as humans somewhere along the line lost sight of the way things were; and decided the way they SHOULD be. In our desire to have the perfect yard, and garden we deny ourselves the pleasure of enjoying the life that a free living garden provides.

Flower Scarab Beetle

2011-06-29T19:38:00.002-05:00

Flower Scarab Beetles in the family Scarabaeidae are common throughout the United States and they are attracted to the fragrant blossoms of a wide variety of plants. They are also attracted to fermenting fruit so are often found on decaying fruit. They can sometimes become pests in orchards or vineyards. Because of their habitat of visiting flowers like the milkweed here, they are also pollinators. Carrying pollen from one plant to another as they bumble around looking for nectar. They are considered bumble bee mimics because of the sound of their wings and their flight pattern. They are somewhat uncoordinated in their landing however and often "crash" into the blooms.

I think the beetle pictured here is the Hairy Flower Scarab or sometimes called a Bumble Bee Mimic Beetle (Trichiotinus assimilis). There are eight species within this genus in North America. As larvae they live and grow in rotting timber.

Elm Cockscomb Aphid Gall

2011-06-27T22:24:00.001-05:00

While walking near Rochester Falls Conservation Area near the Platte River Joey found these odd looking formations on an elm tree. The tree was covered with them, almost every leaf had at least one of these projections and many leaves had several. I could tell they were galls, but I had no idea what kind, or for that matter what insect had created them. I did however know who would be able to identify them. I snapped a picture and as soon as we returned home I sent an image via facebook to Charley Eiseman. He is the author of the blog Bug Tracks and the book Tracks and Sign of Insects and Other Invertebrates: A Guide to North American Species, which I highly recommend as a field guide. Within a short time he responded and correctly identified these odd looking galls as Elm Cockscomb Aphid Galls. These galls are caused by the aphid Colopha ulmicola.

They are found on Red and American Elm trees and do not cause any significant damage to the tree, they just look a bit unsightly in large numbers. The tiny aphids form the galls and may be seen on underside of the gall. As the gall matures it will change color from a burnished red color to brown that resembles the flower this gall is named after. Each gall measures approximately 1 inch in length X 1/4 inch high. Once the aphids leave the gall, they will begin feeding on grasses. They will return to the tree and lay eggs between the bud scales that overwinter.Because they do not cause lasting damage to the tree no treatment is recommended to kill them.

Common Whitetail

2011-06-26T12:39:00.001-05:00

The common whitetail (Libellula lydia) comes by its name honestly, because it is without a doubt one of the most common of all dragonflies found throughout its range. This species if found throughout all of the United States with exception to the desert southwest where it is replaced by the Desert Whitetail. The males are unmistakable with their powdery blue abdomen and dark brown wing blotches. Females are much duller in appearance and will be all brown with two yellowish colored dotted lines running down the abdomen. The females have a different wing pattern as well. Males are highly territorial and will defend roughly 30 to 60 feet of shoreline from other dragonflies. The males use their powdery blue colored body to ward off potential rivals.

Common whitetails are perching dragonflies and will often be found on low growing vegetation near a pond or other body of water. They can sometimes be found perching on the ground as well. Like all dragonflies they consume other insects by darting out quickly and capturing the insects with their legs. They will often eat their meal while on the wing, but occasionally will land on a nearby surface to eat their prey. This gives a whole new meaning to the term "fast food."

(Female ovipositing)

After mating, the males will stand guard over the females as they deposit their eggs in the water. The female uses her ovipositor located at the very tip of her abdomen to "tap" the surface of the water which releases eggs. The eggs will drop into the water and be all but invisible on the bottom sediment. Once the eggs hatch the tiny nymphs will begin seeking prey in the form of small aquatic insects. It will take them up to a year to complete their lifecycle and become adults. The nymphs do their part to keep other aquatic insects under control, but they aren't without their own enemies. Larger aquatic arthropods, frogs, small turtles and fish will also consume these nymphs. They are therefore an important part of the food chain.

Ground Crab Spider

2011-06-25T18:35:00.000-05:00

Crab Spiders in the genus Xysticus are the Ground Crab Spiders. As their common name suggests they are found crawling around on the ground usually under leaf litter, near rocks, or possibly low on vegetation. They are generally larger than the flower crab spiders and more cryptically colored. They vary from gray to brown usually, but there are decidedly black specimens like the one pictured here. While hiking at Sunbridge Hills with my boss, he noticed this crawling on the path in front of him. I suspected it was a crab spider, but did not know for sure which one as I'd never seen one before. Like all crab spiders, this specimen also has extended front legs giving it a crab-like appearance. They are very difficult to identify to species as most look similar and without close inspection of the palps an accurate ID just cannot be obtained.

This particular spider was very fast moving and difficult to photograph, all it wanted to do was hide away from our prying eyes. I managed a few shots before letting it go about its business. The bulk of the diet of these ground spiders is moths and butterflies, and the occasional beetle or other small arthropod. They do not build webs to capture prey, instead they rely on stealth and stalking to subdue their dinner.

Life Story

2011-06-24T16:56:00.001-05:00

The St. Joseph Newspress is doing a new feature article called "Life Story" where they feature noteworthy individuals from the community and surrounding area. I received an email from Ken Newton one of their reporters, asking me if I would be willing to meet with him and be interviewed. He said he found my blog and read my profile and thought I would make an interesting human interest story. I was thrilled to have been chosen and thought of as being noteworthy. Here is the link to the article if you are interested in reading about me and what I do. Shelly Cox--Life Story Please ignore the hideous photo, that makes me look like an overtired, maniac, contemplating murder.

Osage Copperhead

2011-06-22T22:24:00.002-05:00

In northwest Missouri there are three venomous snakes. The timber rattlesnake, which I've done a few previous posts about, the Massasauga rattlesnake which occurs in wetlands and marshes like Squaw Creek NWR and then there is the Copperhead. I've spent three years trying to find one of these snakes to photograph and was beginning to give up ever finding one. Each time I mentioned to someone that I was looking for them, I was given all sorts of different places that were guaranteed to have copperheads. I would visit each location with high hopes of seeing one of these elusive snakes and always with the same result.....no snake! Then all that changed this past Friday evening. Joey and I decided to hike at a place called Sunbridge Hills Conservation Area located in the Northend of St. Joseph. I knew this place was known for having a healthy population of copperheads, so once again I was hoping my luck would change and I would see one of these snakes.... While hiking the only thing we found was a Great Plains Toad and some snails. We made our way back to the car and left the parking lot, instead of turning right to head home, I turned left down a dead end road. It turned out to be a good decision, because right in the middle of the road was my very first copperhead. I stopped the car and got out to look; worried that the snake might be dead, but thankfully it was very much alive. It never moved, and I was able to get a few pictures of it. The only problem was, I had to take the pictures by the light of the headlights on the car. So they didn't turn out as well as I would have liked. I actually considered taking it home with me, but realized that was not going to go over well with Joey who would have to ride in the same car with a caged copperhead. I can only imagine how that conversation would have went. I finally used my snake stick to coax it off the road so it would not be hit by the next driver.

Osage Copperheads (Agkistrodon contortrix phaeogaster) are a magnificently colored snake with shiny coppery colored body and darker colored hourglass shaped bands on the entire length of their body. They get their common name from the adult coloration of the head which looks very much like a shiny new penny. As juvenile snakes they are more gray in color with a yellow tip on their tail. This yellow tip is believed to be a lure designed to attract potential prey like small amphibians which are attracted by the waving of the yellow tail. When they come to investigate, instead of finding food, they find themselves served up for dinner. Adults may reach lengths up to four feet, with 3 feet being more common. They are a thick bodied snake with a triangular shaped head.

The juvenile pictured here actually bit a man in St. Joseph yesterday. The man was visiting one of MDC's shooting ranges and when he reached down to the ground to pick up an empty shell casing, the snake bit him. It blended in with the gravel and ground so well, the man did not even know the snake was there.The man managed to capture the snake and drove to the hospital. I commend the man for not killing the snake, which would have been the reaction of a lot of individuals. Bites to humans are very uncommon. Symptoms of bites include intense pain, tingling, throbbing, swelling, and severe nausea. A friend of mine describes the pain as feeling as if you're on fire and trying to put the flame out with a hammer. Bites can cause muscle damage. Seek immediate medical attention if bitten. Our office received the phone call to come to the hospital to retrieve the snake. Our wildlife biologist picked it up and placed it in two containers. My boss called me to ask me to photograph it. The picture above was taken inside the container. Then we drove to Sunbridge Hills and released it. I photographed it several times on the gravel and it is remarkable how much it blends in with the rocks. If you did not know it was there, you would have a hard time seeing it.

This snake appears to be a little over a year old, possibly born in the fall of 2009. It's tail is beginning to fade and its size is a bit bigger than a newborn. Its temperament was very docile, even while being moved around with the snake stick it never tried to strike at us. It was remarkably tolerant of our presence and all that we were doing to it in order for me to get some decent photos. The man who was bitten is doing fine, he has a swollen finger and a puncture wound to remind him of his experience. Fortunately for him it was a copperhead and not a rattlesnake that bit him. Our local herpetologist says that if you are going to be bitten by a venomous snake, then the copperhead is the right choice. No one has ever died from their bite in Missouri. It is a painful experience to be sure, but one you are likely to survive to talk about.

Copperheads are pit vipers, meaning they have pits located on either side of their head between the eyes and the nostrils. This pit is a heat seeking sense, that allows the snake to pick up the heat given off by prey species like mice, rats and other warm blooded creatures. These snakes are efficient hunters, and having this extra sense only aids them further in being the expert predators they are. Juvenile copperheads eat mainly insects, tiny frogs and other small amphibians. Adults eat mice, insects, frogs, lizards and small birds.

Mating between copperheads can take place in the fall or spring. If mated in the fall the female will delay fertilization until the following spring. Once mated, the female will deliver her young in August or September. Unlike the majority of Missouri snakes, copperheads bear live young. They may have as few as one baby, to as many as 15. These newly born snakes are not protected or cared for by the mother in any way. They are armed with all the instincts they will need to be able to survive. They aren't without enemies however, hawks, owls, and other snakes will feed on these snakes, so they are vulnerable at this age. This is where their coloring helps in allowing them to blend in with their surroundings, making it more difficult for potential predators to see them.

When hiking in Missouri, the most common venomous snake you're likely to encounter will be this species. They occur in every county in Missouri. They often go unseen because of their camouflage, they so perfectly blend in with leaf litter that they virtually disappear in their surroundings. It is always best to be aware of where you are walking and keep an eye out for these snakes especially if you know you are in an area where these snakes are reported to occur. These snakes often occur in pairs and seem to prefer to stay in close proximity to each other. They also use the same hibernation site each winter. These hibernation locations may contain numerous species of snakes, venomous and non-venomous alike. They will begin appearing with the first warm days in the spring. Often not moving very far from their winter location.

If you want to see a short video of a copperhead in the wild click this link from MDC.

I feel so incredibly lucky to have been privileged to see not one, but two copperheads in less than a week, especially after lamenting that I will NEVER see one. Goes to show that a person should NEVER say never!

Narrow Searcher

2011-06-20T15:22:00.000-05:00

This large ground beetle is called a Narrow Searcher (Calosoma externum) and they are found throughout Eastern North America in forested areas and nearby grasslands. We commonly find them under rock piles on one farm we own in the river bluffs. They also go by the common name of Caterpillar Hunter which eludes to their diet of primarily caterpillars. This preference for caterpillars makes them beneficial to agriculture because of the large amount of harmful moth caterpillars they consume. The caterpillars frequently climb trees in search of their prey. Look out tent caterpillars!

Most species within this genus are all black, with a few exceptions that are metallic in coloration. This particular species is black with metallic purplish-blue wing and pronotum margins. All species within this genus produce a foul smelling chemical from glands near the tip of their abdomen. This is a defense mechanism designed to thwart predators.

These beetles hibernate throughout the cold months and become active again in the spring. During the hottest parts of the summer months these beetles may go unseen and return again with autumns cooler temperatures.

Great Plains Toad

2011-06-18T11:02:00.001-05:00

This adorable little amphibian is a Great Plains Toad (Bufo cognatus), they are native to Missouri but only occur in portions of the Missouri River flood plain. While Joey and I were hiking at Sunbridge Hills Conservation Area in the Bluffs of the Missouri River just on the outskirts of St. Joseph last night I found this toad hopping around in some tall grasses. I could tell right away that his coloring and markings were different than the toads I see at home. I captured him and brought him home for a positive ID. Imagine my surprise to learn I'd found a toad that is only found in a scant few counties in Missouri. These are a medium sized species measuring up to 4 inches with the state record being 4 inches. This one measures just under 2 inches. Their coloring is highly variable and can be gray, brown, dark green, green or yellow. This one was a muted olive green color with some gray areas. Males are smaller than females, and I suspect this is a female. In Missouri this particular species has not been studied so little is known about its natural history. In other states of occurrence it is known to favor mixed grasslands and short grass prairies. It is reported to avoid forested areas, which might be refuted in Missouri as this one was definitely caught in a grassy knoll next to a forested area. Since the known habitat preference in Missouri is the Missouri River flood plain, and there are huge stands of forested areas all along the flood plain, perhaps in Missouri its habitat preference varies compared to other parts of its range.

The hopping pattern of this toad is completely different from the more common Eastern American Toad, it is much faster with longer leaps. It took quite an effort to capture this one. There is nothing awkward or slow about this species. They seem to be a little more nervous around people and prone to flee quickly..

They are excellent at burrowing into the ground and frequently do so during dry or cold spells, which in Missouri can be a large portion of the year. With the impending flood of the Missouri River many animals are being pushed to higher ground and that may be the case with this particular specimen as it was found in the bluffs of the Missouri River. In St. Joseph the Missouri River flood stage is 17 feet and we are currently at 23 feet and rising. Up north in Minnesota because of excessive rainfall their reservoir is full and they are being forced to release water, which is causing catastrophic flooding of farm ground, and low lying areas south of the dam. It is guesstimated to reach 33 feet in St. Joseph before it is over, which is a full foot higher than the record breaking flood of 1993 where 1,000's of people were displaced from their homes and billions of dollars in damages occurred, not to mention the injuries and loss to life.

The great plains toad breeds in late spring or early summer when the males begin calling. Their call has been described as sounding very much like an explosive jackhammer-like metallic trill that is deafening when heard up close. These toad breed right after heavy rainfall, which could explain why I found her out in the open, the night before we had a huge rainfall, and it probably put her in the mood for love. Females can lay large amounts of eggs, in fact specimens in Oklahoma were found to lay as many as 45,000 eggs. Males stay near the female to capture the eggs between his legs in a "basket" of sorts. Presumably this is to make sure his sperm is the one who fertilized the eggs. The eggs are then laid in long strands in shallow bodies of water. Many females may chose the same watering hole for egg laying. It takes a week for the eggs to hatch and up to a month for them to reach adult size.

The main enemy of this toad is the plains garter snake. Garter snakes are noted for eating toads and frogs. I even managed to capture a picture a few years ago of a garter snakes trying to eat an Eastern American Toad in my backyard(pictured below). These snakes hang around our goldfish pond waiting for an opportunity to capture and eat the frogs and toads.

Getting outside and exploring is sure to bring with it many cool discoveries. This toad was one of many great finds of our evening yesterday and I will be posting more cool creatures this week from just this one 2 hour outing. Stay tuned.

Dung Beetles to the Rescue

2011-06-15T19:06:00.002-05:00

Lately I've been having a melt down over the fact that my kids think they live in a barn! They are not toddlers anymore, quite the contrary they are officially adults.....and their rooms look like a tornado hit the house, they leave doors open while the air is running, and leave stuff laying all over the house. Now, I realize I am not the first mom to cry out at the injustice of playing maid to ungrateful teenagers and young adults, but seriously even I have my breaking point. Saturday night was just such a moment......after discovering mess after mess and no kids in sight I got on the phone tracked them down and let them have it!

I am sure you are all wondering what in the heck does this have to do with bugs! Well a lot actually...because apparently I am far too easy to figure out.

It was exactly 12:30am when my son came in the back door....woke me up and announced he had a dung beetle for me! This got me right out of bed......I threw on my robe and nearly flew into the kitchen to see what he had found. After exclaiming what a great find he had and thanking him...it suddenly dawned on me. I'd just been played! I looked at him and asked "so you think this is getting you out of trouble for your messy room?" His girlfriend was there and began laughing so hard I thought she was going to cry.....and then said to me "THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID TO ME!" "Mom won't be able to stay mad when I give her this" He even informed me that he faced humiliation at the hands of his friends when he captured it. One of his friends was even overheard exclaiming "Who's mom wants a Sh*t beetle!?" He braved the teasing and off-color remarks from his friends to get himself out of the doghouse....so how could I not forgive him?
I had to admit the entire situation and retelling of it was funny...so I had no choice but to let him off the hook. The next morning he woke up and cleaned his room and all was in harmony once again.

Am I that transparent? Am I that Ga-ga over bugs? Am I that easy? Or do my kids love me that much and feel that sorry for upsetting me? I think I prefer to believe the last one.

The beetle that saved my son from finding a new residence is a magnificently large black dung beetle that I believe is Dichotomius carolinus in the family scarabaeidae. In the not so distant past these beetles were becoming very difficult to find. I am not sure if it was loss of appropriate food sources, or the use of pesticides in the areas where they occurred. A few years ago their numbers began rebounding much to the relief of cattle farmers around the area.

This beetle is approximately 1 1/4 long with a very thick-bodied appearance. Males have a short, blunt horn on their head. The one pictured here is a male. They have deeply grooved elytra that are often filled with dirt.....or is it poo? These beetles are active from spring to fall and found where large mammals such as cattle or horses occur. They roll little balls of dung and bury them in place. They do not roll their dung balls away to other locations like some species of dung beetles do. These beetles are very beneficial to the environment. They aerate the soil, compete for underground nesting sites with several different flies, and their habits add nutrients back to the soil which helps prevent pasture fouling. After burying the dung the female will lay eggs on the ball and the resulting larvae will feed on the dung ball. Adult beetles also feed on dung. This constant moving and feeding on dung is excellent for fertilizing the soil and increasing the nutrient content of soil. Consequently pasture grasses will yield better stands and provide more fodder for cattle and horses, thus reducing the amount of hay that needs to be purchased to supplement their diet.

My son would argue that they are also excellent at saving his skin from the wrath of Mom!

Deer Fly

2011-06-14T17:04:00.000-05:00

Few insects cause as much dread as the Deer Fly (Genus--Chrysops), these biting flies can bring a grown man to his knees, or at least send him running out of the infested area. Like many biting or stinging insects, it is only the female who nibbles on us for a blood meal. She needs the blood of warm-blooded mammals in order to produce eggs. She prefers to use deer, horses, cattle and other mammals, but humans will suffice in a pinch. These flies belong to the same family of flies as the Horse Fly, Tabanidae. The bite of a deer fly is painful, at least that is what Joey says. We have one farm in Fillmore, MO that is home to a sizable population of these flies. Each time he gets out of his pickup they begin biting him, almost has if he had a big target painted on him that they home in on and collectively come after him. I on the other hand can be right there next to him and they do not bother me....curious!

They are reported to favor damp areas, which makes perfect since as the ones on our farm are located near a woodland stream and a low lying area that always hold water. The female lays her eggs on plants near the shore line of the water, when they hatch they drop into the water and remain there until they are ready to pupate. They will crawl out of the water and burrow into the mud to form a pupation chamber and emerge later as the adult.

Deer flies have scissor-like mouth parts that they use to lacerate the skin of animals and humans alike. This cut causes blood to flow and the flies will lap it up with their sponge-like mouthparts. Males on the other hand, while having similar mouthparts cannot bite humans or other animals and instead feed on pollen or nectar. Because of their feeding habits these flies have the potential to spread diseases to humans. They have been studied extensively and shown to carry several bacteria, and disease causing agents in their digestive tract and on their mouthparts. Currently, however, there is no substantiated proof that they do indeed transmit these bacteria to humans, just be aware the potential is still there. There is a western species of deer fly that has been shown to spread tuleremia to humans. Tuleremia is commonly spread to humans through horses or rabbits and that is still the most likely culprit in the transmission.
Some people are hyper-sensitive to the saliva of these flies and can develop rashes, fever and other disabilities. Reactions increase the more a person is bitten and exposed to these flies and their biting.

There are over 110 species of deer fly in the United States, but they are not known to occur in Hawaii. Florida has numerous species because of the flies favorable habitat....lots of standing water.
They are easily recognized by their black veined wings and their eyes which are brightly colored with zig-zag stripes. They are actually beautiful little flies, just too bad they have such bad attitudes!
.
Control measures for this fly are almost non-existent. Bug sprays containing DEET, may be of some help if you are going to be in an area where they occur. Using chemicals in their breeding grounds is not feasible, because of the damage that can occur to other aquatic life forms. Draining wetlands and marshes, while possible is expensive and probably not a good idea as it could displace other wildlife. Fortunately, these flies are only around for a short period of time in the summer from June through July.

Lynx Spiders

2011-06-13T17:03:00.001-05:00

Lynx Spiders (Oxyopes) are ambush hunters that are frequently found in grassy areas hidden among the foliage of plants. They are excellent runners and jumpers and will patiently wait for prey to come within reach; then they will jump, run or grab their prey. This ability to pounce onto their prey is what earned them the common name of lynx....just like the cat. Lynx spiders do not build webs, instead they rely totally on stealth and active hunting techniques to find food.

(lynx spider feeding on candy-striped leafhopper)

These excellent hunters rarely miss their prey and often occur in such large numbers that they can be considered important biological control of many injurious insects that feed on grains, fruits, and other agricultural crops. This is especially true of the striped lynx spider (pictured below).

Striped Lynx Spider----Oxyopes salticus

Lynx spiders are easy to identify as their eyes are arranged in a distinctive pattern. Six of the eight eyes are arranged in a hexagonal pattern. This pattern is a characteristic of this family of spiders. They also have spine covered legs.

Males will perform an elaborate mating dance to attract a potential female. Once mated the female will spin a silken web-like cocoon that she attaches to a leaf or plant. She will stand guard over her eggs until they hatch. Like most spiderlings they are capable of caring for themselves right after emerging from the egg sac.

These are common, beneficial spiders and should be left alone to carry out their very important service to us in the form of insect control. They are fond of flies, leafhoppers and other potentially harmful insects.

Prairie Ringneck Snake

2011-06-12T14:15:00.003-05:00

Prairie Ringneck (Disdophis punctatus arnyi) Snakes are one of the smallest (up to 14 inches) and most commonly found snakes in NW Missouri. One farm our family owns has them under almost every rock you turn over. They seem to vary in color depending upon region. They can be slate gray to brown with a ring color of yellow, orange or red. There is even a sub-species that lacks a ring around its neck entirely. These tiny, unassuming snakes are harmless, in fact their only defense is to flash the red underside of their tail. This is to distract a predator away from their head.

This snake rarely if ever tries to bite, and even if it did you wouldn't feel the bite at all......however it may startle you. Believe it or not though, this snake does have venom and could technically be classified as a venomous snake. However, the fangs they use to administer the venom are located at the back of their mouth and are not likely to ever come in contact with our skin. The venom seems to be a strategy for subduing prey, rather than a defense mechanism. They use a combination of constriction and envenomation to capture and kill prey. They typically feed on tiny salamanders, frogs, earthworms, and even small snakes. The venom poses no threat to humans.

These snakes are secretive and nocturnal. You are unlikely to see one out during the day without actually looking for them under logs, rocks, or other things they can hide under. These snakes are somewhat social and occasionally will be found in large aggregations of up to 100 snakes. I commonly see as many 4 or 5 together under one rock.

Females are generally larger than males and they reach sexual maturity at the age of 4 or 5. Mating usually takes place in the spring when the female will release a pheromone from her skin that attracts nearby males. The male will rub the female with his closed mouth, and move in such a way as to line up their bodies, he then bites the female around the neck to anchor her. After mating, the female will lay up to 10 eggs; the young hatch sometime during August or September. Although occasionally mating takes place in the fall, and the female will delay fertilization until the following spring. When the young hatch they are approximately 3 to 4 inches long and will be completely on their own to fend for themselves. These snakes live approximately 10 years in the wild, but are capable of living up to 20 years in the wild. They are becoming increasingly popular in the pet trade because of their mild nature and beautiful coloration although, in my opinion they do not do well in captivity, and may only live up to 5 years. Because of their secretive nature, they are not very exciting animals to keep anyway. They will bury themselves in the containers substrate or hide out under stones or any other hide you provide for them and only come out during feeding time.

Very little is actually known about this snake, and much research still needs to be done to fully understand their lifecyle. I smell a research project!

False Bombardier Beetle

2011-06-11T10:27:00.001-05:00

This halloween-colored insect is a False Bombardier Beetle (Galerita bicolor), there are two similar species within this genus, the other is G. janus and the only real way to tell them apart is the shape of the head and pronotum (thorax area). Based on the info provided by bugguide.net I am going with G. bicolor on this one....but it is difficult to tell with such subtle difference separating them. The name bicolor comes from the two-tone black and orange coloring. These beetles are very common throughout their range of the eastern United States. They are commonly encountered in woodlands within or under decaying or rotting timber. I find them equally as often in my basement however. In fact that is where the one pictured here came from. I found an additional one the very next day, this time in a laundry basket.

Bombardier beetles have a unique defense mechanism; they can spray acid at their potential predator. False bombardier beetles do not have the same chemical defense as real bombardier beetles, but they are not without resources....they can spray "formic acid" from their backside which is exactly what many species of ants use as their defense....and believe me it is a formidable chemical to have sprayed at you. It effectively "burns" the skin and causes irritation that can last for hours depending upon your own bodies reaction to the chemical. The best way to differentiate between "real" and "false" bombardier beetles is that real ones have a red head as well as a red thorax, whereas false ones have a black head. I cannot say that I have seen a real one, since each specimen I find has the black head.

Finding these beetles is easy, simply turning over logs in the timber will almost always yield at least one, and often times several of these beautifully marked beetles....remember though....look but don't touch!

Eight-Spotted Forester

2011-06-08T21:35:00.000-05:00

This colorful moth looks like it came straight out of the 1980's with those bright orange leg-warmers it is wearing. Very few moths can compare with the beautiful day-flying Eight Spotted Forester (Alypia octomaculata). They are relatively small with only a 1 1/2 inch wingspan, but what they lack in size they more than make up for in eye appeal. Their body and wings are black, there are two yellow spots on each forewing and two white spots on each hindwings....and of course those gorgeous orange tufts on their legs, that seriously look like stockings. The eight distinctive spots on their wings is where their species name came from....octomaculata literally translates into 8-spotted. Because of their habit of flying during the day, and they are brightly colored, they are often mistaken for butterflies. The adults of this species begin appearing in May, and are found throughout the summer. The female lays her eggs on grapes or Virgina creeper. I photographed this one near our garden where we have a lot of wild grape vines growing. I will have to keep my eye out for the caterpillars. I've only ever found the caterpillars a few times in the past several years, and each time they were on Virginia creeper.

Once the caterpillars reach full size they will pupate and spend the winter in this stage. They will emerge as adults the following May. This moth occurs throughout the Eastern United States and parts of Canada. The caterpillars can be a pest to grape growers and often have to be controlled chemically. They are very common throughout their range, although I usually only see one or two per year in spite of having adequate food sources around here for them. The adults nectar at various flowers along side the butterflies they are often mistaken for. If you want to attract these beauties to your yard, plant Virginia creeper or grapes and you are almost sure to find the eight-spotted forester.

Rose Curculio

2011-06-06T16:47:00.000-05:00

This bright red weevil is a Rose Curculio (Merhynchites bicolor) they are found throughout most of the United States as well as Southern Canada. They get their common name from the host plant they feed on. The one pictured here was found in the prairie feeding on primrose. I brought it home to add to my collection and placed it on a sunflower to photograph. They are uniformly bright red with black legs and a long black snout it is the two-tone coloration that earned them the species name of bicolor.

These beetles like rose pollen so much that they rarely wait for the bloom to open and give up its delicious treat, instead the beetle will chew a hole through the side of the rose bud to reach the pollen. The female will lay her eggs in the fruit (rose hips) of the plant and the resulting larvae will develop inside. This feeding can cause significant damage to roses, much to the irritation of rose gardeners everywhere. There are over the counter pesticides you can use to treat your roses to eliminate these garden pests. They typically prefer wild roses over cultivars and seem to like white or yellow roses best.

Periodical Cicada

2011-06-01T18:41:00.001-05:00

Periodical Cicadas are all the talk among entomologists in the Midwest this year. The 13 year brood has been emerging for several weeks now. The emergence began in Southeast Missouri and has progressed further north. The epicenter is in and around Columbia, MO. There are four species of 13 year cicadas all in the genus Magicicada.

Their coloration is distinctive: the body is black with red to orangish-red eyes, and yellow-orange wing veins. They are noted for mass-emergence of adults and the formation of choruses of singing males on a 17-year or 13-year period. Unmistakable as a genus---in order to determine species, examination of the underside of the abdomen is necessary.

Joey drove to Columbia, MO yesterday with his friend Doug to help move Doug's daughter back to KC. While he was there he said the noise these cicadas were making was deafening. He even spoke to the woman next door who told him that her dog cannot hear her call to him over the din of the cicadas. He described it as some exotic torture devised by Mother nature, an all out onslaught to the ears of high pitched screaming. He described seeing thousands of them flying between the trees, and crawling all over the ground. He scooped one up to bring back to me (photographed here).

I was so excited that he thought of me and brought me one for my insect collection. It still remains to be seen as to whether they will emerge this far north in Missouri. The closest location to me I've heard they've been found is about 35 minutes south of where I live. I may have to investigate that location and see if I can find them. According to this range map they shouldn't be anywhere near me, including the location south of me where they were reportedly found...so we shall see what happens.

Joey hopes they don't emerge here....I on the other hand am praying they do!

UPDATE: My brother-in-law brought me about a dozen of these cicadas tonight (June 3, 2011). He found them in Fillmore, which is in Andrew County Missouri, in the NW Corner (white area on map). According to this range map they are not reported from there. We can now verify they are definitely in Andrew County.

Clover Leaf Beetle

2011-05-31T16:50:00.000-05:00

Weevils are the most common of all the beetles in the World, with over 60,000 species to find and photograph there is no shortage of interesting specimens. The one pictured here is the Clover Leaf Weevil (Hypera punctata). This weevil is found throughout most of the United States, and is often mistaken for the Alfalfa Weevil, this confusion probably comes from the fact that both species look similar and feed on the same host plants. The clover leaf beetle is less than 3/8 inch in length and is brownish in color. They have brown, gray and yellowish markings on their back giving them a mottled striped appearance.

The clover leaf weevil is nocturnal and feeds only at night and will hide during the day in leaf litter at the base of the plants or on the underside of the leaves of the plants. On dark, cloudy days they may be seen feeding throughout the day. There is only one generation each year. The adult, which is present from July through October, lays its eggs in stems, on stalks, or near the crowns of plants. The small green larvae hatch in the fall and spend the winter in the soil. Most eggs will hatch in the fall, but some will overwinterand hatch in the spring. They become full grown in late May and June, when they pupate in the soil debris. Adults emerge from May to July and feed for a short period of time before becoming inactive. Beetles resume activity in the fall and lay eggs.

Damage to alfalfa is usually minimal, however in the spring damage may be apparent before alfalfa weevils make their appearance. Most feeding by larvae occurs in late March and the first 3 weeks of April. Larvae skeletonize the leaves of the plants, leaving them ragged and in some cases almost completely defoliating the whole plant. The effect is the same as though newly forming leaves were removed from the plant each day. In some cases the plants may die. Under normal growing conditions, however, the clover usually recovers from injury when weevil numbers are moderate.

During a cool spring when growing conditions are unfavorable, this defoliation may seriously stunt clover growth. Damage is usually most severe in fields with a heavy residue cover. The larvae feed throughout the day beneath residue, and the plants, shaded from the sun, do not have an opportunity to grow away from the damage.

Clover leaf weevils are generally not considered a problem, unless they are numerous enough to retard growth in the spring. They are often kept under control by a naturally occurring fungus and an ichneumon wasp.

If natural measures are working then applying insecticides is truly overkill. I never recommend chemical control of any insect except as an absolute last resort. My husband farms over 500 acres and hasn't used insecticides or fungicides in 15 years. By allowing predatory insects and bats to thrive they have done their job well enough to eliminate the use of harmful chemicals. Insecticides are not species-specific which means they will not only kill your target insects, but will also kill beneficial insects. Chemicals create an unbalance. Once you use insecticides as a preventive against potentially harmful insects in your fields on an annual basis, you will become dependent upon them every year. This causes untold amounts of damage to the environment....including contamination of our water systems.

Imagine this.......you pay to spray your fields.....95% of the damaging insects are killed...leaving approximately 5% of the insects alive. These 5% will mate, lay eggs, and the resulting larvae will contain a certain amount of resistance to the chemical that killed the previous generation. This new resistant generation will mate and lay eggs and pass on an even greater resistance to the chemicals used. So on and so on. Eventually the chemicals will not work. This means a different chemical will have to be implemented in the future. These chemical resistant insects are what chemical companies rely on. New chemicals will have to be created, which costs money. The cost is passed onto the consumer in the form of the actual cost of the chemical and the application. The only one who truly benefits is the chemical company. In the meantime, you have also wiped out 95% of the beneficial insects, and the remaining 5% will find it difficult to survive without a reliable insect food source. With the absence of beneficial or harmful insects, you will also eliminate your bat population which are also key in insect control. We are proof that allowing predatory insects and bats to control harmful insects is not only cheaper, but healthier. It works!

If you do not HAVE to use chemicals, then don't, allow mother nature to control the insects feeding on your crops. Remember if you ever get started with chemical control, it is highly likely you will always have to use it and in this day an age when we are all trying to find ways to eliminate costs, this is one way of doing so.