No need for words

Paper Wasp

Pictured here are two images of the Paper Wasp---Genus Polistes. They are found throughout the South Eastern United States, up to North Carolina, over to Kansas and south to Texas. They are very common in Missouri. This form is very dark. The abdomen is black and the thorax is reddish-brown. Males have a yellow face and females have a brown face (pictured). Finding them is no problem, in fact they seem to find us. Preferring areas inhabited by humans so that they may use our structures to attach their paper nests from. While guarding the nest these wasps can be intimidating and quite aggressive and most stings will occur near the nest. While away from the nest they seem to be calmer and will generally not sting unless provoked, such as swatting at them, or if they happen to get caught in your clothing. Paper wasps feed on a variety of substances including nectar from various flowers, like the peony pictured above. They also like to feed on caterpillars, flies, and beetle larvae. Females overwinter as mated adults, usually hiding in hollow trees or other secure areas. In the spring they will emerge and begin nest building. To gather material for their unique nest they chew bits of wood and create a pulp-like substance chewing the wood mixed with saliva. This substance is used to form the cells of their unmistakable nests. These nests are found anywhere, often attached to old barns, sheds, homes, garages, even on farm machinery. The female will deposit eggs within each cell of the nest, and they will be tended by other wasps of the hives until they hatch. Once they hatch the young larvae will be taken care of by the "sisters" of the hive. They will be fed nectar, pollen and soft bodied caterpillars when they are older. These females will not breed, instead their sole job is to care for their siblings. Late in the season the queen will lay eggs that are capable of breeding, these new offspring will overwinter as bred adults and the cycle will begin again.

Sphinx Moths

Sphinx Moths or Hawk Moths as they are sometimes called are one of the most easily recognized moths in North America. They are triangular in shape while at rest. Usually very drably marked forewings, but often times brightly colored bodies are tucked away underneath. A couple of common ones found in Missouri are pictured here. The first is the Pandora Sphinx Moth (Eumorpha pandorus). The second is the Waved Sphinx Moth (Ceratomia undulosa). Both species are found throughout Eastern North America. The Pandora Sphinx can reach wingspans of 3 1/2 inches. The are multi-green in color, making them look like army camouflage. They have a distinctive pink eyespot on each wing. Males have large feathery antennae. After mating, the female will deposit eggs on the leaves of the host plant. In the case of this species it is Grapevine or Virginia Creeper. Adults will nectar at flowers usually at dusk or dawn. In Greek mythology the character of Pandora was put in charge of a box. Contained within this box was all the world's evils, including ills, wars, toil, sickness, but lastly was hope. She was told by Zeus himself to not open the box. I'm sure all of you can guess what happened next....yep, she opened it! Her actions released all the World's woes. Quickly realizing her mistake she closed the box in time to save hope. The second moth is the Waved Sphinx, they are very common, and I find lots of them at pole lights or at my mercury vapor light. Not quite as colorful as the Pandora, they are still a lovely moth. They are varying shades of gray and black with a distinct "wavy" pattern on their forewings. Each forewings contains one white eyespot outlined with black. Larger at 4 to 4 1/2 inches they make quite a showing when they flutter about lights at night. The adults of this species probably do not feed. After mating, the female lays her eggs on the leaves of Ash or Oak. The young caterpillar grow rapidly and right before pupation will take on a pinkish hue. Look for them in deciduous woodland, orchards, timber lines, forest edges and suburban areas. Many sphinx moths call Missouri home, this is but two of the more common ones.

Tortoise Beetles

These shiny bright beetles are tortoise beetles. The first is the Argus Tortoise Beetle (Chelymorpha cassidea). The second is the Mottled Tortoise Beetle (Deloyala guttata). Both are found throughout the Eastern portion of the United States. The Argus Tortoise beetle has a broader range and is found throughout most of the United States, but it is probably the only species of that genus in the Eastern part of the U.S. The name Argus comes from the mythological creature "Argus" which was a 100-eyed Greek monster.
The Argus is often mistaken for lady beetles, and it is obvious why. With that bright reddish coloring and black spots it is very similar indeed. They grow to be about 1/2 inch which is much larger than the typical ladybug. They can be variable in their coloration, ranging from yellow, orange, red to a reddish-orange. There will be six black spots on the pronotum and on each wing. The edges of the wings are transparent. The natural habitat for these beetles is open fields, gardens and meadows where they feed on morning glory and milkweed. After mating, the female will lay clusters of 15-30 eggs on the leaves of the host plant (morning glory or milkweed). After hatching, the young larvae will feed on the leaves and carry their frass (poo) around with them on their backs. (picture 3) one can assume this gives them some protection from predation, after all who wants to eat poo? Once full sized they will drop from the plant and burrow into the ground and pupate. They will overwinter in this state. The Mottled Tortoise Beetle is much smaller than the Argus at around 1/4 of an inch. These beetles look like pieces of shiny gold on the leaves of plants. The wings are mottled with black, yellow and shades of reddish brown with a metallic gold tint that shines in light. The edges of the wings are clear like the Argus. Both species have a flattened appearance. Adults of the Mottled variety overwinter in leaf litter or under bark. In the spring they emerge and mate. Females lay eggs in clusters of up to 30 eggs on the leaves of host plants, in the case of this beetle it is sweet potato and morning glory. In about three weeks they will be ready to pupate. They will drop to the ground and burrow underground to complete their lifecycle. In about one week their cycle is complete and the adult will emerge. I have wild morning glory behind my house that comes up voluntarily in my herb garden. These beetles are always on the vines. While I admit to not being too fond of morning glory vine, it has a tendency to take over and choke out other plants. I pull it and it seems to come back the next day. I leave some of it for these beetles, simply because I like them.

Red Admiral

This beautiful butterfly is the Red Admiral (Vanessa Atalanta). They are very common and found throughout North America. Average in size at around 1 3/4 to 3 inches, but their coloring is anything but average. They are very distinctively marked with black wings. The forewings have a bright red band and three bright white spots. Hindwing has a red marginal band with tiny black spots within the orange. The extreme edge of the hindwing is white. The summer form of this butterfly is larger and brighter than the winter form. Adults will nectar from various flowers , and blooming trees. They are also attracted to fermented fruit, sap flows and bird droppings. Females will lay eggs singly on the leaves of the host plant. Young caterpillars will live in shelters of rolled leaves, older caterpillars will live in nests of leaves tied together with silk. Caterpillars feed on various plants in the nettle family. They prefer areas near moist woods, or other moist habitats. Found in gardens nectaring at flowers, and during mating season can be found almost anywhere. The flight of this butterfly is very fast and erratic making them very difficult to capture and can make photographing them a challenge at times. Fortunately these individuals were so busy eating that they cooperated nicely. These butterflies will hibernate over winter, except in the extreme northern reaches of their range. Their inability to tolerate extreme cold temperatures causes these northern inhabitants to perish and they will be replaced the following spring by migrants from their southern most range.

Margined Leatherwing

This is the Margined Leatherwing (Chauliognathus marginatus) which is another type of soldier beetle. They are frequently found on flowers throughout the Central and Eastern portions of the United States. Very common to abundant in Missouri. Adults feed on pollen, and nectar as you can see by the third picture, appears he is a greedy little pig. He was absolutely covered in pollen. Sometimes they may feed on insect eggs if they come across them while foraging on flowers. After mating, the female will lay masses of eggs under leaf litter or in the soil. The larvae feed on corn earworm larva and corn borers. Making them hugely beneficial. Full grown larva overwinter and pupate under ground once spring arrives. Often times these beetles are mistaken for a similar species called the Goldenrod Beetle. The easiest way to tell the difference is by the time of year they are present. Margined Leatherwings are around in the spring and summer feeding on a host of plants. Whereas Goldenrod Beetles will be found in the late summer and fall when Goldenrod is in bloom. This beetle is approximately 1/2 inch in length with a very elongated body. They have soft wing coverings that are a golden yellow. Distinctive markings are the black oval shaped spots at the end of they elytra (wings). These wings only partially cover the abdomen and do not extend to the tip. Their pronotum is reddish in color with a black smudge mark through the center and the head is partially black. Abdomen is black and extends out from under the abdomen. Look for them throughout the spring and summer in gardens, along roadsides, in prairies or meadows, anywhere there is an abundance of flowers in bloom.

This prehistoric looking moth is the Carpenterworm Moth (Genus: Prionoxystus). They are found throughout North America. They are very common in Missouri. The one pictured here is a female. I have a mercury vapor light and a white sheet set out near our timber and it isn't uncommon to have as many as a half dozen of these large females on the sheet. I have yet to see a male. The wings are highly veined, looking almost like alligator skin or webbing. They are shades of gray, black or brownish-black. The males are different, their forewings are more deeply mottled and their underwings are bright yellow. Females lack any yellow coloration. After mating, females will lay her eggs near host trees. When the eggs hatch the young caterpillars will bore into the tree. It can take up to four years for them to complete their lifecycle. These caterpillar bore huge tunnels throughout the tree causing significant damage to the tree. If you were to uncover the young caterpillars you would discover a variety of colorations. They range from greenish to reddish with black spots and dark brown heads. Often times woodland exploration will bring a discovery of one these emerging from their timbered home as an adult. Look for them near woodland edges and within deciduous forests. The adults do not feed. The young caterpillars have a variety of hosts including Locust, Ash, Oak, Poplar, Chestnut and Willow. Because of their habit of boring into trees they are sometimes called Locust Borers. A close relative of this species (Comadia redtenbacheri) is the famous Agave Worm. This caterpillar gained fame for being the worm at the bottom of the Tequila bottle. Supposedly the worm was placed in the bottle of tequila, if the worm died before hitting the bottom then the liquor was considered unsafe to drink (go figure). Nowadays you will never find these worms in a bottle of authentic tequila.

Margined Carrion Beetle

This was somewhat of a surprise the other night. This little carrion beetle was sitting on our grapes. Still not quite sure why it was there, seemed like an odd place for a carrion beetle to be. The Margined Carrion Beetle (Oiceoptoma noveboracense) is found throughout the Eastern United States with exception to Florida and can also be found in Texas and Louisiana. Another similar species the American Carrion Beetle is bigger and the pronotum is greenish-yellow instead of pinkish-red. The margined carrion beetle grows to about 3/4 of an inch. They are commonly found near deciduous hardwood forests. This little guy was far from home, the closest timber was 8 acres away. Carrion beetles are not the most pleasant insects in the world of bugs, but they certainly perform one of most important services to mankind. They are the clean-up crew. Not only do many species of carrion beetles either in the adult or larval stage feed on decaying carcasses, they also help control insect pest populations. This is done by the habit that many species of carrion beetles have of feeding not on the carcass itself, but on the maggots of the flies that are there to feed. This species is known for such behavior. The adults will sometimes feed on maggots. The larva feed on maggots, decaying fungi and carcasses. The female will lay her eggs on the unfortunate corpse. The young larva will feed on the carcass or the maggots for as long as the food source lasts. Eventually they will fall to the ground and dig themselves an underground chamber. Within this chamber they will pupate and finish their life cycle. The female will continue to fly from carcass to carcass laying eggs and feeding. The very flattened design of their bodies is no accident. This flattened, flexible body allows them to maneuver under dead bodies. While the thought of eating dead flesh is revolting to us humans, fortunately for us carrion beetles thrive on it. Try to imagine a world overrun with rotting stinking dead flesh and no beetles to help in the disposal of the offensive mess. Plus we get the added benefit of nutrients being released back into the soil from the feeding habits of these beetles. Forensic scientists use these beetles as a means of determining the time of death of human corpses. They can often times figure out the time of death just by the beetles or other insects present on the carcass. As each individual species will show up at very specific times to feed in very specific ways. Some are attracted to the carcass itself, still others are attracted to the insects present on the body. Some prefer fresh (if there is such a thing)dead flesh, still others prefer their meat a little putrid. Timing is everything when determining how long a body has been dead. I would say look on dead or decaying animals to find these beetles, but obviously grapes will do in a pinch?

Eastern Forktail

These damselflies are the Eastern Forktail (Ischnura verticalis). They are found throughout the Eastern United States as well as parts of Southern Canada. They are very common in Missouri. They are often found basking in the sun on woodland trails. I have them in our backyard garden near our goldfish pond. These seem to be the most plentiful damselfly that I see in our yard. The males and females look entirely different. Both are approximately 1 1/4- 1 1/2 inches in length, but that is where the similarities end. Females are a light grayish-blue with black markings that are usually very faint. In some specimens the black markings may be non-existent. They have pale blue eyespots. Immature females are bright orange with black dorsal and shoulder stripes (picture # 1). The male is a beautiful creature with black thorax and green shoulder stripes and green sides. The abdomen is black with a Bright blue tip. Their eyes are dark above, greenish below and contains a small green eyespot. They feed on small insects, like the male pictured here which is feeding on a syriphid fly. I watched as he slowly flew over the top of the fly, completely unnoticed by the poor victim. In the blink of an eye the damselfly captured his dinner and landed on a nearby leaf and began feeding. The offspring of this species is aquatic like all damselflies. They feed on other aquatic insects. Eastern Forktails prefer small heavily vegetated ponds or other similar bodies of water. Which is probably why they like my yard so much. There is something to be said for overgrown gardens...the insects love them!

Dark Butterflies-creates confusion

With so many dark brown or black butterflies flitting about it can be quite confusing to tell one from another. I admit to having much difficulty in that area. Between the grass skippers and these dark beauties it is enough to make even a seasoned Lepidopterist go batty. Looking for subtle markings on the specimen is helpful, but often times that is easier said than done. The three pictured here are examples of some of the darker "spread-wing skippers" you will likely find in Missouri. By no means is this all of them.
#1 Northern Cloudywing (Thorybes pylades)
#2 Hayhurst's Scallopwing(Staphylus hayhurstii)
#3 Common Sootywing ( Pholisora catullus)
Each of these are in the family Hesperiidae, this family of butterflies includes all skippers. From the grass skippers to the spread-wing skippers pictured here. They can be found in various habitats. The Northern Cloudywing has a broad range and is found throughout most of the United States. I had trouble identifying this one and thanks to a friend of mine Betsy Betros (author of Butterflies of Kansas City) I now have an accurate ID. She said that the pattern of this species can vary by individual further complicating an already complicated set of butterflies. They grow to about 1 7/8 inches. Adults nectar at blue, pink, purple, and white flowers. This will include dogbane, selfseal, crown vetch, Thistles and common milkweed as well as a variety of others. The caterpillar host is plants in the pea family. Look for the caterpillars on beggars tick, clover, lotus, bush clovers and others.These butterflies can be found near forested areas. The Hayhurst's can be found in gardens, sunlit openings in woods, along roadsides and along walking trails. The caterpillar of this species feeds on Lambs Quarter and goosefoot. Adults will take nectar from many kinds of flowers including, marigold, knotweed, dogbane, spearmint, cucumber, sweet clover and loads of others. When disturbed they will typically head for vegetation and hide within shrubs or bushes. Distinguishing characteristics of this species are two tiny translucent spots on the forewing. The wings are scalloped, and fringe is checkered with black and tan. The next is the Common Sootywing, it is more widespread than the Hayhurst. Look for them in meadows, along crop fields, roadsides, gardens, prairies, anywhere the host plant can be found. The young caterpillars feed on Cockscomb and Lambs Quarter. Adults nectar from flowers including milkweed, oxalis, clovers and peppermint. This particular species is the darkest of all the sootywings, and grow to about 1 5/16 of inch. The distinguishes characteristics of this species are the white markings on the back of the head and the small white spots on the outer portion of the forewing. Females will have more white than the males. Black butterflies are somewhat cryptic, making it hard to see them. While they do not have the dramatic coloring of some of the more well known and beloved butterflies we are all familiar with, there is a certain beauty about them in their subtleness.