Grab a hold of nature

While I have a love of all things natural, be it mammals, reptiles, fungus, trees, flowers or just appreciating the beauty of a sunset, I will be found outside exploring it or photographing it. Somehow though, insects have won out above all else as the object of my love.

When I tell people that I love insects, I get many strange looks and always the question follows "why?" How do I answer that? For me it is many things all combined into something that makes perfect sense to me. I love being outside, the warmth of the sun on my face, the breeze blowing across my skin, and then I catch sight of one of God's perfect creations hidden among the foliage of a favorite bush or flower. As I creep closer, careful to not scare away my quarry, I am rewarded with a glimpse into the life of a caterpillar munching away on a leaf, or perhaps a beautiful butterfly drinking her fill from one of the pretty flowers put in the garden just for her, or maybe it is a pair of stink bugs engaged in a love embrace as they shyly retreat under a  leaf. Whatever it is, it is sure to fascinate me and cause me to smile. Nature does that, it makes us smile. Can you walk into your garden and catch sight of a spring batch of baby bunnies and not smile? Can you look at a large swallowtail butterfly nectaring at the flowers in your flower bed and not smile? Can you watch momma robin feed her hungry babies, mouths all agape, a fat juicy worm and marvel at the fact that they eat those things, and not smile? Nature restores us, it rejuvenates us, it brings us back to the center of ourselves.

 

  

 

In this day of the electronic age, so many of the youth in this country do not know what it is like to experience the outdoors beyond the virtual world presented to them on the television or computer screen. They will never know what it is like to eat snow, or chew on timothy grass stems, or eat wild berries. To capture caterpillars and watch them mature, or to walk in the woods among the sights and smells that only timberland can bring.  Do they miss those things? Not on a conscious level, after all how can you miss what you've never had?  On a subconscious level it is a different story, their body cries out for it. It is why they are restless, bored and never satisfied. They are seeking something that can't be bought. It won't come in a can, or on a video game. The only way to find it, is to leave your home and walk outside.

I recall as a child spending hours outside. We went out shortly after the sun came up and wouldn't return to house until the sun went down. Being called into supper was a serious irritation to us. It often interrupted whatever fun we were engaged in at the time. Many times we would stay out way after dark to play a particularly challenging game of hide-and- go- seek.  My bothers and I found all sorts of things to do. We were never bored. We made our own entertainment. We built snow forts, snowmen and had snowball fights. We explored creeks, got stuck in the mud and had to figure out how to get out (we learned problem solving skills). We drank water from the garden hose, just so we wouldn't have to go inside and none of us were hurt because of it! We played "real" baseball, and football, we got dirty, we skinned knees and we wouldn't have had it any other way.

All this time spent outdoors brought me into constant contact with insects. Some welcome, some not so much. One neighborhood we lived in was across from a neighborhood swimming pool and large open fields with tall grasses. I can still smell those tall weeds and grasses when I think back. I found so many caterpillars feeding on those grasses that I was in sheer heaven. I captured many of them and took them home and placed them in an aquarium, only to learn a valuable lesson. Each species of caterpillar requires certain plants to feed on to be able to survive. Simply placing them in a container with grass was not suitable at all, unless you were doing a study in caterpillar cannibalism. Many more experiences with insects presented itself, including a neighbor girl who happened to possess a delicacy in the form of chocolate covered ants and grasshoppers. I was the brave one (ok... the dared one) who tried them. I found it not as repulsive as I first thought it was sure to be. At least I didn't puke, lets put it that way. Now I find myself partaking of such edibles merely for shock factor. Who doesn't love to see the look of revulsion on the faces of your closest friends as you slurp down a nacho flavored mealworm? "You eat shrimp, right"? I always reply when they make their varied comments about me being gross or insane. For some reason, they just don't get the connection between shrimp and mealworms. I've even been told I am a shoe-in for Fear Factor...I see it as simply a survival skill, if I am ever left stranded in the wild with no food, viola, instant protein!

Life in the outdoors has filled my life with adventure, laughter, sadness, happiness, and an overwhelming sense of peace.

We as parents, need to make the commitment to graduate our children from the couch to the yard. Let's give them the same chances we had as children, to explore, to taste, to smell, to grab a hold of their part of nature, and make memories to last them a lifetime. Who needs Ritalin when you can run off all that energy in a healthy way?

Mayfly

Mayflies are not actually flies at all. They are insects in the order Neuroptera and the family Ephemieridae. How do we know if something is a fly or merely called a fly? Here is an easy way to tell the difference, if the name is all one word like Mayfly, Dobsonfly, Caddisfly, Dragonfly, Damselfly, etc.. then it is definitely NOT a fly, but rather belongs to some other order of insect. If the insect has a first and last name like House Fly, Bot Fly, Flesh Fly, Flower Fly, Robber Fly, Bee Fly....etc. Then it definitely IS a fly.

Mayflies are interesting insects in that they have one of the shortest lifespans (as adults) than most any other insect. They typically emerge from slow moving streams in huge aggregations much to the delight of trout and birds. The males are usually the first on the scene, they will patrol the area seeking females as they emerge. The poor females barely have time to leave their watery home before being pounced on by enthusiastic males. Once they are bred the females will lay their eggs in the water. These tiny eggs drop to the bottom among the sediment and hatch soon after. They will live up to a year in this watery environment before emerging the following spring or summer. Within a couple days, three or four at the most, nearly all the adults will have perished. In areas where their numbers are in large concentrations it is not uncommon to see thousands of "bodies" along the shoreline piled up in a mass above ground burial fashion.

Mayflies come in many colors, and sizes. They range from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches. The Burrowing Mayfly (pictures 1 & 2) is the largest in the Eastern United States.  They are a beautiful golden color which also earns them the name of Golden Mayfly. This species as well as other species of mayflies are commonly used as models for the flies that fishermen create to fish for trout.

As aquatic nymphs they will feed on other tiny aquatic insects. When they emerge as adults they do not feed, their energy is used to find mates, breed and lay eggs. No time for feeding when your lifespan is only mere few days. These insects for some reason are attracted to lights, and are often found at porch lights at night.

The one in the third picture was photographed during the day near Happy Holler Lake in Savannah, MO. It was ghostly white and very tiny. If it hadn't of flown up in front of me when I walked too close to it, I would not have seen it. Sometimes these insects fall victim to other insects or spiders as a choice food source, such as this jumping spider (picture 4). As small as these mayflies were, and considering they are mostly wings, I can't imagine there was much nutrition in that meal. I guess if you consume several of them you would gain some beneficial nutrients.

Begin looking for these insects in June or July. Their numbers will increase significantly at this time and they are quite easy to find. Their wings are almost gossamer in appearance and they hold their legs in such an interesting fashion they make for great photography subjects.

Cartoon Me

I had to share this photo with all of you. A fellow co-worker and good friend Tim McPhillips drew it for me for a Christmas gift. I think he captured me perfectly...LOL. Although I worry a bit about how everyone must see me, and here I thought I was "normal". This is without a doubt one of the best gifts I've ever been given, and I will certainly treasure it always. Hope it provides you all with a smile, and perhaps some insight into the Quirky side of MObugs....

Squash Lady Beetle

Almost all ladybugs are beneficial to humans. This comes from their preferred food source of aphids and other harmful soft bodied insects that feed on our vegetables, fruits and flowers. Ladybugs are known to consume large amounts of these pests, making them a gardeners best friend. Now I want to introduce you to one of the exceptions to the rule when it comes to lady beetles. This gorgeous spotted ladybug is the Squash Lady Beetle (Epilachna borealis). Instead of feeding on insects, they feed on cucurbit crops, like squash, melons, and cucumbers. As you can see pictured here, they will use their mouths to cut into the stems of the plants and releasing the tasty juices within. In large enough numbers these beetles could cause significant damage to your garden crops. These beetles will show up on your plants in mid-summer. They mate and lay eggs. It isn't long before the eggs hatch and the young are unleashed on your prized cantaloupe. A curious habitat that the adults possess is to circle a potential feeding site, much like a dog goes in circles before lying down for a nap. It is not fully understood what purpose this serves, but it is cute to watch. In the second picture you can see the damage being done to the leaves by their feeding habits.

The young larvae look like spiny little aliens. They are bright yellow and covered with a spattering of black spiny hairs. They will grow quickly and pupate, then the bright orange and black spotted adults will appear. They are one of the largest lady beetles in Eastern North America where they range. Very little is known about their life cycle, or at least very little is reported on it. My mother had a volunteer pumpkin vine show up in her back yard. She left it to grow because she found the leaves to be interesting and beautiful. It produced one pumpkin and dozens of these beetles, in all stages of development.

How ironic is the 2nd & 3rd pictures, notice the aphids that are present?

Merry Christmas

In these days of being politically correct, I want to stand out and say loud and proud.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I hope each of you are blessed with Family, Friends, Good Food, Safe Travel, and the "true' meaning of Christmas within your hearts.

Spotted Cucumber Beetle

Spotted Cucumber Beetles (Diabrotica undecimpuntata) are very common leaf beetles in the family Chrysomelidae. They can be found throughout all of North America and are abundant in Missouri. Of all the leaf beetles this is probably the one I see most frequently. These are somewhat small beetles and if it weren't for their bright lime-yellow coloring they would most likely go unnoticed. They are quick to move behind leaves or other hiding spots when approached, which can make them difficult to photograph, but patience usually pays off. Each of the bright yellow-green wings has 5 black spots, with another prominent spot that overlaps both wings near the pronotum. This gives them a total of 11 spots.

These beetles will overwinter in leaf litter near fence rows, wood lots and areas near protected buidlings. In the spring with the return of warm weather they will become active again. They will seek mates in early spring and the female will lay her eggs in the soil near the base of host plants. When the eggs hatch the young larvae will burrow into the soil to feed on the roots of various plants. After a few weeks they will emerge as adults and it is these grown up beetles you will find in your gardens feeding on the leaves of cucumbers, as well as squash, melons, beans, beets, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, cabbage and a host of other garden favorites. The larvae tend to feed only on the roots of melons and cucumbers.

 In large numbers these beetles can be significant pests to garden crops. There feeding habits can reduce yields, and they are also know vectors of bacterial wilt and cucumber mosaic. Some Sevin-Dust goes a long way to controlling them and keeping them from munching away on your plants. Or if you have the patience, you may pick them off one beetle at a time. Fortunately we've not encountered them in significantly large enough numbers to warrant any control being necessary. I find them to be beautiful beetles and can't resist photographing them whenever I spot one.

Metallic Crab Spider

This beautiful orange and purple spider is the Metallic Crab Spider (Philodromus marxi). They can be found from Eastern Texas eastward to the Atlantic Coast. I believe this one is a male. Many reports state that there are no photos of the female. Seems I have a mission next summer to try and find the female. I found several of the males in my yard, some were much more metallic than others. The one photographed here was a little drabber in color than previous ones I had seen.

 

 

Crab spiders come in so many different colors, sizes and shapes that it is amazing. This species was a new one for me this past summer. I had no idea what it was until I sent a photo into Bugguide.net. The people there are so helpful in identifying insects and spiders. I will say this spider is one of the most unique and probably one of the prettiest spiders I've seen in my yard.

Great Golden Digger Wasp

This beautiful wasp is the Great Golden Digger Wasp (Sphex ichneumoneus). They can be found throughout most of the United States and into parts of Canada. The adults will be seen nectaring at flowers. This species seems to be very curious about people, they will fly away from the flower they are feeding at to check you out. It can be quite intimidating as they do their little fly-by, but try not to panic. This species is not known to be overly aggressive, so if you can stand still and patiently wait they will go back their business in short order. If you were to swat at it or otherwise antagonize it, you may get stung for your efforts.

This is one of the prettiest species of wasps I find in my yard. They are quite large at 1 1/4 inches and their thorax is covered in dense velvety golden hairs, from whence they get their common name. Their overall body color is a pretty shade of pumpkin orange and black. Quite the Halloween outfit I might say.

Their preferred habitats seems to be open fields and meadows as well as sandy areas nearby (sandy soil is easier to dig). After mating, the female will dig a vertical tunnel in the ground with chambers coming off of it. This habit of digging her brood chambers is also where their common name is derived from. In each chamber they will provision it with a some species of insect in the order Orthoptera (katydid's, crickets, etc.), and lay one egg on the provided paralyzed insect. When the egg hatches the larvae will feed on the provided food source. There will be one generation per year.

Painted Lady

This beautiful butterfly is the Painted Lady, I came across this photograph while organizing pictures and just thought I would share it with you all. It reminds me of summer, and oh how I wish it was...summer that is! It is 16 degrees right now and we still have the remnants of our recent 10 inch snow fall. If you would like to read more about these beautiful butterflies click this link to read a previous post on the Painted Lady

Polyphemus Moth

This large gorgeous moth is the Polyphemus (Antheraea polyphemus). They have a wingspan of almost 6 inches. Their coloring is spectacular, with various shades of tan, brown, gray and beautiful pink. Those large eyespots on their hindwings are used for protection from predation. Many birds and other creatures might think twice before trying to dine on this insect if they assume it is something other than what it is, which is where those "eyes" come in. The one pictured here is a female. Three simple ways to tell male from female are

1.) The males have large feathery antennae, these are used to detect the pheromone the female emits. He can

      smell her from great distances.

2.) The females are typically much larger than the males.

3.) The females also have very large abdomens, this is for egg production.

The Eastern portion of the United States is home to many large moths in the family Saturniidae, which are the silk moths. These include the Polyphemus, Luna, Promethea, Rosy Maple, Io, Cecropia, and the Imperial to name but a few. Each of these reside in Missouri. The Polyphemus is one of my favorites, second only to the Luna.

 The overly large caterpillars of these moths are nearly as beautiful as the adults. These caterpillars are eating machines, they eat huge amounts of leaves gaining so much weight that by comparison if a human baby ate as much as a caterpillar, in a single weekend your baby would weigh as much as a hippo. They need to pack on this excessive weight to keep them alive as adults long enough to mate and lay eggs. Once they reach adult size they do not eat, their only goal is to find a mate, breed and lay eggs. The extra weight that they put on as caterpillars is what keeps them alive for the 5 to 7 days of their adult life.

They can be found in or near hardwood forests, as well as urban, suburban areas and orchards and wetlands. The caterpillars feed on maple, elm, oak, willow, and birch as their host plants. The caterpillars rarely become a serious agricultural pest as the female's egg laying habits are very random. If they were to use a very young tree as a host there is the potential the tree could damaged. Occasionally these moths are attracted to lights at night. I've found several of them at a mercury vapor light and a white sheet that I put up.