insects

span worm

If you examine the leaves of the snowbush (Breynia nivosa), you might spot a striking yellow caterpillar adorned with black stripes, feeding on its foliage. This caterpillar is the larval form of the white-topped black moth (Melanchroia chephise), a member of the Geometridae family, often referred to as “inchworms” or “spanworms” due to their characteristic looping movement.
The White-topped Black Moth (Melanchroia chephise) and Its Relationship with the Snowbush (Breynia nivosa)
Unlike most moths, which are primarily nocturnal, the white-topped black moth is an unusual daytime flyer. As adults, they have a wingspan of slightly over an inch, with velvety, dark navy-blue to black wings tipped in white on all four wings. The thorax is a vibrant orange, making them easily identifiable.
When laying eggs, this species is highly selective about its chosen host plants. The snowbush (Breynia nivosa) is the preferred plant for egg-laying, but the moth can also utilize other plants like the Otaheite gooseberry (Phyllanthus acidus), snow-on-the-mountain (Euphorbia marginata), and potentially the white sapote (Casimiroa edulis). Once the eggs hatch, the caterpillars emerge as voracious feeders, quickly consuming the leaves of the host plant.
While the caterpillars primarily feed on the leaves, if the leaf supply runs low, they may feed on the twigs and bark of the snowbush. Although this can cause significant defoliation, healthy snowbush plants are usually resilient and can recover from moderate caterpillar damage. However, in cases where the caterpillar population is high, and there are few natural predators, excessive feeding could lead to serious harm or even the death of the plant.
No intervention is necessary for those who appreciate the beauty and uniqueness of the moth and its caterpillar. However, if defoliation is a concern and the aesthetic of the snowbush is important, controlling the caterpillar population is essential. To manage infestations, regularly inspect the undersides of snowbush leaves for salmon-pink eggs, which can be manually removed and destroyed.
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White-topped Black Moth

The White-topped Black Moth (Melanchroia chephise) and Its Relationship with the Snowbush (Breynia nivosa)
If you examine the leaves of the snowbush (Breynia nivosa), you might spot a striking yellow caterpillar adorned with black stripes, feeding on its foliage. This caterpillar is the larval form of the white-topped black moth (Melanchroia chephise), a member of the Geometridae family, often referred to as “inchworms” or “spanworms” due to their characteristic looping movement.
Unlike most moths, which are primarily nocturnal, the white-topped black moth is an unusual daytime flyer. As adults, they have a wingspan of slightly over an inch, with velvety, dark navy-blue to black wings tipped in white on all four wings. The thorax is a vibrant orange, making them easily identifiable.
When laying eggs, this species is highly selective about its chosen host plants. The snowbush (Breynia nivosa) is the preferred plant for egg-laying, but the moth can also utilize other plants like the Otaheite gooseberry (Phyllanthus acidus), snow-on-the-mountain (Euphorbia marginata), and potentially the white sapote (Casimiroa edulis). Once the eggs hatch, the caterpillars emerge as voracious feeders, quickly consuming the leaves of the host plant.
While the caterpillars primarily feed on the leaves, if the leaf supply runs low, they may feed on the twigs and bark of the snowbush. Although this can cause significant defoliation, healthy snowbush plants are usually resilient and can recover from moderate caterpillar damage. However, in cases where the caterpillar population is high, and there are few natural predators, excessive feeding could lead to serious harm or even the death of the plant.
No intervention is necessary for those who appreciate the beauty and uniqueness of the moth and its caterpillar. However, if defoliation is a concern and the aesthetic of the snowbush is important, controlling the caterpillar population is essential. To manage infestations, regularly inspect the undersides of snowbush leaves for salmon-pink eggs, which can be manually removed and destroyed.
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Long-Tailed Giant Ichneumonid Wasp

Long-Tailed Giant Ichneumonid Wasp (Megarhyssa macrurus) is a large reddish brown and yellow wasp with black coloring throughout the body. It is 1.5 inches long with an ovipositor 2-3 inches long. This insect is found on declining or dead hardwood trees between May and July. Due to their body structures, they can sometimes be mistaken for mayflies or dragonflies.
Ichneumonid wasps are parasitic to other insects, such as horntails, a wood-eating sawfly. Ichneumonid wasps are usually found on dying or dead hardwoods, such as oak, maple, birch, and elm as these are the wood preferred by horntails. They can drill about an ½ inch or more into the wood using their ovipositor to deliver an egg into the horntail larvae. Once the egg hatches, the larvae will slowly feed on the horntail, eventually killing it. Once it matures, the adult will emerge out of the tree. These wasps do not harm the trees; they only feed on the horntail.
These wasps are harmless to humans. However, if threatened, they will jab their ovipositor, resulting in a minor wound. Because they are parasites on other insects, they can be considered a biological pest control agent.
Photo Credit: Dan Kon
Author: Destiny Alvarez – Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, University of Oregon
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Common Eastern Bumblebee

When people hear bumblebee, their first reaction is fear since their sting can be painful and unpleasant, and some people have an allergic reaction to their sting. Even though they can sting, they are one of the most beneficial animals in nature, improving our lives daily! Bumblebees have fur all over their bodies; these little hairs collect and trap pollen, which the bees carry from one plant to another. Little black hairs cover the head, abdomen, and legs. The thorax is yellow. Bees are pollinators, moving from plant to plant while searching for protein-rich nectar. The Common Eastern Bumblebee (Bombus impatiens) pollinates flowers and numerous fruit and vegetable crops. Bees form the foundation of the food chain for other species, including humans.
The Common Eastern Bumblebee is found throughout the east coast from Maine to Florida and west through Ohio. They fly near gardens, farms, and backyards in spring and summer. Their nests are located in woodlands and fields. Bumblebees are important food sources for other animals, such as birds, spiders, wasps, and small mammals.
Eastern Common Bumblebees are social insects living in colonies. Bumblebees have annual nests that can have about 300 to 500 individuals! Newly mated queen bees hibernate over winter, then emerge in early spring to search for a nest site. Worker bees develop first, followed by males and new queens at the end of summer. Worker bees, males, and the old queen die in the fall. Due to habitat loss, invasive species, parasites, and pesticides, pollinators worldwide are in decline.
Cool Fact! Bees with stingers are all females! They are the workers and queens. Males cannot sting and are called drones.
Another Cool Fact! Unfertilized eggs develop into males, and fertilized eggs develop into females.
Photo Credit: Dan Kon
Author: Destiny Alvarez – Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, University of Oregon
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Two Striped Walking Stick

The Two Striped Walking Stick (Anisomorpha buprestoides) (Stoll) is a common stick insect in Florida. There are a few other names that this insect is referred to, devil’s riding horse, prairie alligator, stick bug, witch’s horse, devil’s darning needle, scorpion, and musk mare. That last name was given to this species because of its capability to squirt a strong-smelling defensive spray that can painfully irritate the eyes and mucus membrane.
The Two Striped Walking Stick is large and stout (not a common physical trait of stick insects); it has three long black strips or two thick white strips, depending on how you look at them. Females are much larger measuring 67.7 mm in length while males are much smaller and slender measuring 41.7 mm.
Like any stick insects, these species are herbivores, feeding on the leaves of trees and shrubs. Not much is known about their life history, but many have observed that females will secrete her eggs on the ground, mainly during the Fall season. Stick insects will use their secretion if they perceive a threat, this occurs typically with physical contact.
These guys may be small but there have been studies that showed the effect the stick insects’ secretion can cause, it can be highly irritating to the eyes of both humans and animals and can cause excruciating pain.
Cool Fact! This species can be commonly found with the smaller male riding on top of the larger female.
Photo Credit: Dan Kon
Author: Destiny Alvarez – Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, University of Oregon
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Southern Pearly Eye

The Southern Pearly Eye (Lethe portlandia) has a wingspan of 2¼ – 2¾ inches. The antennal club (the tip and thickest part of the antenna) is orange. As caterpillars, they are green or brown with thin, light stripes, two short tails, and two reddish horns on green heads. As chrysalis (pupa) they are little green pendants that often dangle from a host plant stem. Their host plants are Canes (Arundenaria spp.). They are most active on cloudy days and at dusk.
Cool Fact: Cocoons and chrysalis are often used interchangeably when discussing moths and butterflies, but they are two completely different things! Moths form cocoons, whereas butterflies form chrysalis.
Photo Credit: Lynn Marie
Author: Destiny Alvarez – Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, University of Oregon
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Hover Fly

The hoverfly (Allograpta obliqua) can be found in most of the continental United States, parts of Canada, and Mexico. It is a colorful and common fly in Florida.
Just like its name suggests, it can hover or fly backward. Adults usually visit flowers for nectar; they have also been seen around aphid (greenfly and blackfly) colonies, laying their eggs and feeding on honeydew secreted by the aphids. Adults aid pollination as they can pollinate some plants.
The larvae stage of this species are essential predators as they feed on aphids, which are crop-damaging insects. When larval populations are high, they can reduce aphid populations by 70 to 100%!
Adults occur throughout the year in northern Florida; they are more abundant during spring and summer. In southern Florida, they are also abundant during winter. Their life cycle varies from three weeks in summer to nine weeks in winter. They lay their eggs singly on a leaf or twig, where aphids are abundant. They hatch for two to three days during the summer and around eight days in the winter. When it is time for the larvae to pupate, they will fasten themselves to a leaf or twig. The pupal stage takes up to ten days in summer and 18 to 33 days in winter.
Photo Credit: Lynn Marie
Author: Destiny Alvarez – Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, University of Oregon
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Three spotted Skipper

Three spotted Skipper (Butterfly)
The Three-spotted Skipper (Cymaenes tripunctus) has a wingspan of 1 1/8 – 1 3/8 inches. The wings are a dull dark brown, and the upperside of the forewings (front wings) has three transparent white spots on the edge near the tip and 2-3 spots at the end. The underside of the hindwing (back wing) is yellow-brown with pale spots near the center.
Females lay eggs on top of the host plant’s leaves. The host plant for this species is Guinea grass (Panicum maximum). The caterpillars will eat and live in nests of the rolled leaves. Their habitats are subtropical grassy areas.
Photo Credit: Lynn Marie
Author: Destiny Alvarez – Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, University of Oregon
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Giant Leaf-footed Bug

The giant leaf-footed bug (Acanthocephala declivis), is a strikingly large insect found throughout parts of North America. This bug gets its name from its distinctively shaped hind legs, which resemble leaves and are used to camouflage it in its environment. The body of this insect is typically brown or gray and is about an inch in length. This species has a pronotum, a place that covers the thorax that extends to the abdominal region. It also has dull tubercles and rounded nodules in the middle of the pronotum. Giant leaf-footed bugs feed on the sap of various plants, and they can sometimes be a pest to agricultural crops such as tomatoes and citrus. While they may not harm humans, these bugs can be quite a nuisance when they invade homes and gardens.
Photo Credit: Aymee Laurain
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Needham’s Skimmer

The Needham’s Skimmer (Libellula needhami) is found most often in coastal areas throughout Florida. This species of dragonflies was named after James Needham, an American entomologist.
The adult male Needham’s Skimmer’s body is orangish-red while the female’s body is yellow. Both have pale orange wings. Adults grow to 2.1 inches. Look for them in wetlands, ponds, and brackish water.
Photo Credit: David Gale
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Great Southern White

The Great Southern White, Ascia monuste, is found primarily in coastal habitats. Look for them at beaches, in salt marshes, and along roadsides.
These beautiful white butterflies have a wingspan of 1 .75 to 2 .25. Males have a black zig-zag pattern on their outer forewing.
These common butterflies produce multiple generations each year. Great Southern Whites use plants in the mustard family as larval hosts. These include pepper grass, saltwort, limber caper, and sea rocket.
Photo Credit: Andy Waldo
Washington Oaks Gardens State Park
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Southern Plains Bumblebee

Southern Plains Bumblebees, Bombus fraternus, are found from New Jersey south to Central Florida and from the eastern coast to the Rocky Mountains. Females are typically smaller than males with the exception of the queen. Males can be distinguished by the two bands across the abdomen. These bees are active from spring through fall. They feed on a variety of native flowers including goldenrod, blazing stars, milkweed, and flowers within the Asteraceae family.
Southern Plains Bumblebees are endangered. The greatest threat to this species is declining habitat. By adding native flowering plants to your landscape, you can help create a habitat for this declining species.
Photo credit: Aymee Laurain
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Great Blue Skimmer

Great Blue Skimmers, Libellula vibrans, are found in forested wetlands, swamps, and near lakes and ponds where still or slow-moving shallow water is present. These are large dragonflies that measure 2.3 inches and are often called King Skimmers.
The bodies of adult male Great Blue Skimmers are blue while the female’s body is brown. After fertilization, females pick up a drop of water to help eggs stay on the shore. Once the larvae hatch, they return to the water where they develop into adults.
Photo Credit Ted Koran
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Polyphemus Moth

The Polyphemus moth, Antheraea polyphemus, is a giant silk moth that can be found from Mexico to southern Canada and in every US state except Nevada and Arizona. The moth’s wingspan measures 4 – 6 inches. Colors vary and include gray, tan, and brown with shades of red, yellow, and pink. Polyphemus moths have large eyespots on their hind wings and were named after Polyphemus, the giant cyclops from Greek mythology with a large eye in the middle of his forehead. The male’s (pink pictured) antennae are bushier than the female’s (tan pictured) antennae.
 
Females produce 2 broods each year. In Florida, newly emerged Polyphemus moths can be found year-round. Because of their vestigial mouthparts, they cannot eat. A newly emerged female will release a pheromone to attract a male. The dating game lasts throughout the night with the most activity a few hours before sunrise. The pair will remain coupled all day before separating at sunset. For the next several nights, the female will lay single eggs in groups of two or three on a leaf of an oak tree or other desirable host tree.
 
Look for these moths near man-made light sources. Of concern is the Polyphemus moth’s attraction to mercury vapor lights that may distract them from mating, thus impacting their populations in cities and neighborhoods. (Worth and Muller 1979)
 
Photo Credit: David Gale (pink)
Photo Credit: Erin James (tan)
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Common Green Darner

Common Green Darners, (Anax junius), are found throughout Florida. These large dragonflies are easily recognizable with their bright green coloring and iridescent wings. Juveniles with purple abdomens grow into females who have green abdomens or males with blue abdomens. Males have an eyespot on their head that gives the appearance of a cyclops.
Look for Common Green Darners near water sources in the wild or in your yard. They are somewhat migratory and breed in the Southern US, including Florida, in fall and early winter. Females deposit one egg at a time into the stem of an underwater plant. Juveniles, known as Naiads, are born. They look like tiny lobsters and spend their days underwater where they dine on tadpoles and insects before moving to dry land and growing into an adult.
Common Green Darners prey on bees, wasps, butterflies, and midges. Perhaps the best reason to encourage them to visit your yard is they will help control the mosquito population.
Photo Credit: Dan Kon
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Florida Harvester Ant

Florida harvester ants, Pogonomyrmex badius, are reddish-brown and are easily spotted atop their nests in sandy soils. Their nests can be found in open woodlands, gardens, and lawns. The ants move about once a year and build a new subterranean nest that can be up to 6.5 feet deep.
Florida Harvester ants are polymorphic which means they are more than one size. The Major worker has quite a large head but is not any more aggressive than the minor workers. Each nest has one queen and an abundance of and minority workers. Harvester ants mate in May and swarm from June through Oct with the most swarms occurring in August and September.
Harvester Ants gather seeds from the ground and plants. They rely on the sun and odor trails to find their way back to the nest. After husking the seeds and discarding the waste in a midden near the entrance of the nest, the seeds are stored in grainery chambers within the nest. Favorite seeds include evening primrose, pokeweed, and red clover.
Although not aggressive, as with any animal, Florida harvester ants will defend themselves. Because they inject poison into their aggressor, their stings are more painful and last longer than the stings of most other ants.
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Photo Credit: Andy Waldo
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Ebony Jewelwing Dameselfly

Ebony Jewelwing Dameselfies, Calopteryx maculata (Beauvois) are most often seen near slow moving streams. Both males and females have iridescent green bodies. The males wings are dark and the females wings are bronze colored with at white spot on the edge of the foreweings. They are large dameselflies that grow to 2.25 – 3 inches and have wingspans of 1.5 – 2.25 inches .

Female Ebony Jewelwings lay their egss on aquatic debris that forms a raft or dam in a stream. The naiads or juvemiles hatcht and feed on small aquatic prey. The naids are preyed on by frogs, fish, and birds. Adult Ebony Jewelwings are prey for frogs, fish, spiders, birds and the larger dragonflies.

Look for this damselfly that is endemic to eastern North America in Florida as far south as Brevard County on the eastcoast and Desoto County on the west coast. Ebony Jewelwings often rest on branches or leaves where their iridescent bodies shimmer in the sunlight.

Photo Credit: Dan Kon

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Eastern Black Swallowtails

Black Swallowtail (Eastern)

Eastern Black Swallowtails, Papilio polyxenes, are also known as American swallowtails. They are commonly found throughout Florida in gardens, along the sides of roads, in pastures, and in parks. Three or more generations are produced each year.

A female black swallowtail lays a single yellow egg on a host plant in the carrot family. The caterpillar is green with black stripes and yellow spots. If parsley or dill was chosen as the host plant, the hungry parsley caterpillar will devour the plant in your garden.

Photo credit: Nancy Kon

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Seaside Dragonlet

The Seaside Dragonlet, Erythrodiplax berenice, is the only North American dragonfly that breeds in saltwater.

Native to Florida, these small dragonflies can be found in mangrove swamps, salt marshes, and coastal strands throughout Florida. Adult males are a dusty dark blue, juveniles are yellow and black, and adult females’ color varies. Seaside Dragonlets dine on other insects and can be seen year-round near Florida’s coasts.

Photo Credit: Dan Kon

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White Peacock

White Peacocks, Anartia jatrophae, are common butterflies found on roadsides, near the edges of ponds and wetlands, and in fields and parks with low growing vegetation. They can be seen year-round flying low to the ground where their favorite low-growing nectar plants thrive.

White Peacocks lay a single egg on or near a host plant such as frogfruit or water hyssop. They live for about 4 months and their wingspan reaches 2 – 2.75 inches.

Photo Credit: Andy Waldo and Aymee Laurain

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Cloudless Sulpher

Cloudless Sulpher

Cloudless sulfurs, (Phoebis sennae), live in Florida year-round. These beautiful, bright yellow butterflies are hard to miss with their wingspans of 2 – 3 inches. Look for them in sunny, open areas such as along roadsides and in pastures, fields, and meadows.

Cloudless Sulfurs can be seen in large numbers during the fall migration season. Many spend their winters in Florida south of Gainesville. Nectar plants include red morning-glories, scarlet creeper, and cypress vine, scarlet sage, and Salvia. Cloudless Sulfurs prefer various species in the pea family as host plants where females lay a single egg.

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Eastern Pondhawk Dragonfly

Common throughout the eastern United States and parts of Canada and Central America, Eastern Pondhawks, E. simplicicollis simplicicollis, are often found near still waters in wetlands and near ponds. Females are bright green with black markings on their abdomen. Males are blue with beautiful green faces.

Eastern Pondhawks will dash from their perch on plants near the ground to snatch prey which includes damselflies and other insects. They will carry their meal off to eat at a suitable place.

With only an average reproductive life of 10 days, reproduction occurs often and sometimes more than once a day. Mating occurs on vegetation and the female deposits her eggs on the water within a minute.

Fun fact: Dragonfly fossils have been dated at over 300 million years old. This means that dragonflies existed more than 100 million years before dinosaurs!

Photo Credit: Dan Kon

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Blue-ringed Dancer

Blue-ringed Dancers, Argia sedula, are damselflies. Smaller than Dragonflies, these beautiful dancers are found near freshwater streams, lakes, and rivers. When they are not dancing through the air catching tiny insects in flight, they can often be found perching on aquatic vegetation.

Male Blue-ringed Dancers are vibrant blue and black while females are a dull brown. They fly together as they mate before the female deposits her eggs in vegetation with her long ovipositor. The larvae, known as naiads, dine on insects in the freshwater they inhabit. Blue-ringed Dancers emerge from the larval stage to search for food and a mate while entertaining us with their balletic movements.

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Ladybug

Ladybugs (Coccinellidae), aka Lady Bettles, a worldwide symbol of good luck, are best known for their voracious appetite for aphids. As omnivores, they dine on whiteflies, mites, mealybugs, scale insects, and mildews and can devour up to 5,000 aphids in their lifetime.
 
Ladybugs live two to three years and grow between 1/3 and slightly over 3/8 of an inch. Female ladybugs lay golden eggs on the underside of leaves, often near an aphid colony. In a few days, the eggs hatch, and the larvae will eat between 350 and 400 aphids within two weeks before becoming adults.
 
Ladybugs’ strikingly bright colors make them easily identifiable but unappealing to predators. A fluid secreted from the joints in their legs also makes them taste bad. Ladybugs will outsmart their predators by secreting the foul smell while playing dead.
When temperatures fall, Ladybugs enter diapause and live off their stored reserves for up to nine months. When the temperature warms to 55°, they resume everyday life. As they take flight, their tiny wings beat about 85 times per second.
 
Did you know Ladybugs went to Outer Space? A space shuttle carried four ladybugs and a jar of aphids as part of a zero-gravity experiment. Ladybugs did not need gravity to dine on the aphids.
 
It is not a good idea to purchase Ladybugs. Most that are for sale have been wild-caught. No studies have been done to determine whether or not any harm is being done to the Ladybug population in the area where they are caught. This can result in more pesticide use when ladybugs are not present. Ladybugs are not tested for disease before shipment so that they could introduce disease-carrying pathogens to native Ladybugs in your area. Ladybugs introduced to your garden will fly away if there are insufficient food sources.
 
The best way to attract some of Florida’s 98 species of Ladybugs to your landscapes is to avoid chemicals. Learn to identify the larvae and leave them alone to eat the harmful pests in your garden.
 
Photo Credit: Andy Waldo

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Paper Wasp

Wasps get a bad rap. They sting, and they not as glamorous as a bee that makes honey.

Wasps matter a lot because they play an important role in a healthy environment. Paper Wasps (Polistes dominulus), also known as Umbrella Wasps, are predatory and are at the top of the invertebrate food chain. Along with other wasps, Paper Wasps protect lower invertebrate species and plants. They work as generalist pollinators, like bees, to move pollen from one plant to another.

Paper wasps are social and will create a nest each year. The queen will emerge from the ground where she spends the winter and will build a nest using chewed wood pulp. The first generation of wasps she produces consists of worker wasps who feed on nectar. She will then concentrate on laying more eggs. The worker wasps feed the larva masticated caterpillars, flies, and other residential and agricultural pests. Vegetable gardeners love these flying predator Paper Wasps since they provide free and natural pest control. Like a bee or spider, the sting can be life-threatening to those who are allergic. However, Paper Wasps usually do not attack unless they are provoked or feel threatened. Unlike the honey bee, the Paper Wasp’s stingers are smooth and can sting more than once. Running and quick movements can be mistaken as an attack on the wasp. When you encounter a Paper Wasp, raise your hands slowly to protect your face, and walk away slowly.

According to Seirian Sumner, a senior lecturer in Behavioral Biology at the University of Bristol, ‘They may be a nuisance on a sunny day – but a world without wasps would be an ecological and economic disaster.’

Photo Credit: Dan Kon

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Dark Flower Scarab Beetle

Dark Flower Scarab Beetles (Euphoria sepulcralis) have white markings on a black or dark brown body that reflects a metallic bronze or green color in the sunlight. They are daytime flyers and can often be found snacking on flowers in yards throughout Florida.

“The adults feed on tree sap, a wide variety of ripening fruits, corn, and the flowers of apple, thistle, mock orange, milkweed, dogwood, sumac, yarrow, daisies, and goldenrod.” Ratcliffe (1991). Occasionally, these common beetles are considered pests because they love to munch on the flowers of fruit trees, roses, and corn.

Dark Flower Scarab Beetles make tasty dinners for a variety of animals. Grubs, which hatch underground from eggs, are eaten by birds, moles, and skunks. Other animals such as frogs, bats, and birds eat adult beetles.

Photo Credit: Aymee Laurain

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Garden Flea Hopper

The Garden Flea Hoppers (Microtechnites bractatus) are tiny little insects that lay eggs in plants’ stems. After about 14 days, the eggs hatch, and little green nymphs emerge. As they grow, they turn black, and their wings expand. These small pests tend to damage soft stem plants such as this scarlet salvia (Salvia coccinea). Luckily, parasitoid wasps are effective at keeping these little bugs from causing too much damage. Other insects have been suspected of managing their populations, but there is not much research to determine their effectiveness. 

Photo credit: Aymee Laurain

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Ornate Bella Moth

Most moths are nocturnal, meaning they are only seen at night but, this beautiful moth, the Ornate Bella Motha (Utetheisa ornatrix), can be seen fluttering in the daytime. A very distinguishing feature of this species of moth is the bright pink color seen when flying. When at rest, this coloring is often covered by the top wings. Their coloration greatly varies, which for a long time confused taxonomists who had multiple names for the species based on their appearance. It turns out they were all a single species.

These beauties can be seen through most of the Eastern United States through the Midwest. The eggs are small yellow spheres. The larvae are an orange color with black patches and white spots with many hair-like structures called setae. The pupae are encased in a brown and black sac covered in a light coat of silk. A common native host plant for these moths is the Crotalaria avonensis, a beautiful plant with yellow flowers. These plants produce pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which are toxic to many species, but not the ornate Bella moth. These moths consume the plants and thus become toxic themselves. This toxicity protects them for the short three weeks of their life.

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Red and Black Mason Wasp

While everyone loves honeybees, wasps get a bad reputation. Although both help as pollinators, both are capable of stinging. Wasps, such as this Red and Black Mason Wasp (Pachodynerus erynnis), can usually be harmless.

Mason wasps are solitary, and unless provoked, they couldn’t care less about humans. Females will build nests made out of debris and mud. Each nest contains multiple compartments containing an egg and food source for the larvae to feed on once they hatch. Larval food consists of several garden pests such as cutworms and armyworms. Adults feed on nectar from flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Regal Jumping Spider

Regal Jumping Spiders (Phidippus regius) are cute little fuzzy spiders typically found around immature woodland habitats. They can also be found hanging out on your windshield. Black and white features identify males. Females are grey or brown in color. These spiders may be expert jumpers, but they also produce a dragline in case they miss their target.

Males perform a romantic dance to woo the females. They show off their handsome leg fringe and bright metallic green chelicerae. If the lady is impressed, they will cohabitate in dried leaves such as old palm fronds. When the mating time arrives, the male does another type of romantic dance that is different from his courtship dance. During this dance, he shows off his dance moves and then plays a game of peek-a-boo with the female through the tent-like web. Once the female allows him in, he softly pets her several times before mating occurs. Quite the charmer, isn’t he?

When it comes time to lay eggs, the female will produce several nests under pine and oak trees. Several hundred eggs can be laid during this time. Babies will consume small invertebrates. While they may strike fear into other insects, they are relatively harmless to humans. Rough handling of the spiders may prompt a bite that can sting for several minutes before subsiding.

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Saddleback Caterpillar

Saddleback Caterpillars (Acharia stimulus) have hairs that cover their bodies, which secrete venom. Contact with the hairs will cause a painful rash, burning, itching, swelling, blistering, and nausea. The cocoon and the larvae have hairs as well. The hairs are hollow quills connected to poison glands beneath its skin. The venom will spread if the hairs are not removed from the skin.

Saddleback Caterpillars are easy to distinguish by their green-colored backs with a white-ringed, brown dot in the center. They are brown at either end, have skin with a granulated appearance, and sport pairs of fleshy horns. The Caterpillar is one inch long with a slug-like body in its larvae stage.

The Saddleback Caterpillar is a general eater and can be found in oak trees, fruit trees, and many other plants. Females lay up to 50 eggs on the top leaves of a host plant. The eggs are tiny and transparent with a scaly look.

The adult Caterpillar is the Saddleback Caterpillar Moth, which is dark brown with black shading. The dense scales on its body and wings make it look furry. The back wings are a lighter brown. The wingspan is between one to two inches wide. Near the front wing is a single white dot and another 3 white dots near the front apex.

The bright colors on this Caterpillar are a warning to predators. Never touch this or other brightly colored, hairy Caterpillars with your bare hands.
You can remove the hairs from the skin by using tape.

Photo Wikimedia Commons

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Eastern Grasshopper Lubber

The Eastern Grasshopper Lubber (Romalea guttata) is very distinctive in its coloration. They are yellow with black along the antenna, body, and abdomen. Their forewings, which are rose or pink in color, extend along the abdomen. The hind wings, which are rose in color, are short. They can grow as large as 3 inches and can be seen walking very slowly and clumsily along the ground. Lubbers cannot fly or jump, but they are very good at climbing.

The Grasshopper Lubber can be found in wet, damp environments but will lay its eggs in dry soil. The eggs are laid in the fall and begin hatching in the spring. The female will dig a hole with her abdomen and deposit 30-50 yellowish-brown eggs. They are laid neatly in rows called pods. She will produce 3-5 egg clusters and closes the hole with a frothy secretion. Nymphs wiggle through the froth and begin to eat. The male will guard the female during this time.

Nymphs have a completely different appearance from adults. They are black with yellow, orange, or red strips. They will have 5-6 molts to develop their coloration, wings, and antennae. The coloration of adults will vary throughout their lives as well, and they are often mistaken for different species. There is no diapause in the egg development, and they take just 200 days to develop depending on temperature. A month after the Grasshopper becomes an adult, they begin to lay their eggs.

Both females and males make noise by rubbing their front and hind wings together. When alarmed, they will secrete and spray a foul-smelling froth. This chemical discharge repels predators and is manufactured from their diet. The Grasshopper’s diet is so varied that it is difficult for predators to adapt to the toxin produced. Their bright color pattern is also a warning to predators that they are not good to eat. Birds and lizards avoid them, but parasites will infect nymphs from the tachinid fly. Loggerhead Shrikes will capture the Grasshopper and impale it on thorns or barbed wire. After 2 days, the toxins in the lubber’s body will deteriorate enough for the prey to be consumed.

Lubbers are long-lived, and both the adults and the nymphs can be found year-round in Florida. This Grasshopper occurs in such large numbers in Florida that it can cause damage to your landscape’s plants. Lubbers will bore holes throughout a plant regardless if they are vegetables, citrus, or ornamentals. If their numbers are large enough, they can decimate a plant.

Did you know:
Lubber is an old English word. It means a big, clumsy, stupid person, also known as a lout or lummox. In modern times, it is normally used only by seafarers, “landlubbers.”

Photo credit: Dan Kon

 

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Schaus’ Swallowtail

The Schaus’ Swallowtail (Heraclides aristodemus ponceanus) is a large black and yellow butterfly endemic to Florida. This butterfly is found only in Florida and is restricted to intact tropical hardwood hammocks.

The Schaus’ swallowtail was listed as a federally threatened species on April 28, 1976. It was reclassified as a federal endangered species on August 31, 1984. Population estimates range from 800 to 1200 individuals. It remains the only federally listed butterfly in Florida.

Once ranging from the Miami area south through the Florida Keys, the Shaus’ swallowtail is currently restricted to only a few remnant tropical hardwood hammock sites on the south Florida mainland, northern Key Largo, and several small islands within Biscayne National Park. Adults fly slowly and leisurely and are very adept at flying through the dense hardwood hammock.

Adults have a wingspan range of up to 2.3 inches with females being the largest. Males have yellow-tipped antennae. Their wings’ upper surface is black with a row of yellow or white spots and a broad yellow or white band. The hindwing tails are outlined in yellow. The undersides of the wings are yellow with brown markings and a broad blue and rust-colored band.

The Schaus’ swallowtail produces one generation each year from April to July with the peak time occurring typically from mid-May to mid-June. Adult emergence and reproduction are correlated with the beginning of the Florida rainy season. However, the pupae may remain in diapause for more than one year if optimal weather conditions are not present. Females lay green eggs singly on new growth. The developing larvae then feed on the young growth.

Listed as an endangered species, threats to the remaining population include the loss of genetic diversity due to inbreeding, climate-related impacts such as drought, habitat disturbance from fire, tropical storms or hurricanes, mosquito spraying, and loss of habitat. Hurricane Andrew left behind only 73 butterflies in 1992 after sweeping through the butterflies’ home range. Because their habitat is limited, it is possible that a single hurricane can make the Schaus’ Swallowtail extinct. However, the protected status and their rebounding numbers after Hurricane Andrew bring renewed hope that this gorgeous butterfly will survive and thrive in our beautiful state.

Photo credit:entnemdept.ufl.edu

 

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Hanging Thief Robber Fly

The Hanging Thief Robber Fly (Diogmites) is an ambush predator that catches prey by either catching it from the ground or by catching it while on a plant. Once they obtain their food, they will use two legs to hang from a leaf or stem and use the rest to maneuver the food as they consume their catch.

The Hanging Thief Robber Fly is a large fly that hangs from leaves and branches waiting for its favorite food, bees, dragonflies, and biting flies like horse flies to pass by. It then takes chase and captures its prey in flight. It takes its prey to a branch or leaf where it pierces its victim with its mouthparts and drinks its fluids.

In this photo, you can see the behavior that earned this fly its common name of Hanging Thieves.

The genus Diogmites consists of 26 species in the United States, with 12 of those living east of the Mississippi River.

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Black Soldier Fly

Black Soldier Fly
 
Many confuse the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) with wasps. However, like many other flies, this species only has two wings, while wasps have four wings and do not have a stinger. The black soldier fly produces a loud buzzing sound when flying, which may concern people, but they are not dangerous. Black soldier flies usually gather around decaying organic matter such as animal waste or plant material. Eggs are laid in decay matter since it is a food source for the larvae. Black soldier fly larvae have been used to reduce animal manure in agricultural facilities. Even though they are not considered a disease vector, adult soldier flies are potential mechanical vectors of many pathogens.
 
The black soldier fly is abundant in the southeastern United States during late spring and early fall. The natural breeding sites for black soldier flies are carrion; they lay their eggs in moist organic waste. In urbanization areas, they will lay eggs in dumpsters or compost, providing similar orders and nutritional needs to naturally occurring organic matter.
 
Adults come in a variety of colors, from yellow, green, black, or blue; some can have a metallic appearance. Adults can measure from 15 to 20 mm in length. The antennae are long with three segments, and the legs have white coloration near the end of each leg. Mating starts two days after they emerge from the pupal case. Males will gather in areas where females will be abundant, known as lekking sites. The sites are defended against other males. Females lay up to 500 eggs! These eggs will be laid in cracks and crevices near or on decaying matter. Eggs will hatch in about four days.
 
The larvae are a dull, whitish color with a small, projecting head containing chewing mouthparts. There are six instars, and it takes up to 14 days for complete development. During their development, like many other larvae species, the black soldier fly larvae are insatiable feeders. When adults, they do not feed and rely on fats stored from their larval stage.
 
Before pupation, the fifth instar larvae will leave its feeding site to dryer areas, then pupation will start, the exoskeleton darkens, and a pupa develops. Pupation lasts for two weeks.
 
Cool Fact! Black soldier fly larvae generate good sources of protein and oil for animal feed; they also have the potential to improve organic waste into rich fertilizer.
 
Photo Credit: Dan Kon
Author: Destiny Alvarez – Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, University of Oregon


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Southern Carpenter Bee

What could be nicer than a native pollinator and a native flower? This Southern Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa micans) is stopping by flowering pennyroyal (Piloblephis rigida). The carpenter bee is a solitary bee that lives for one year. They nest in the wood of dead trees. Like other pollinators, carpenter bees are important to the survival of many species of plants. Pennyroyal is a member of the mint family and can be found in sunny areas of sandy soil along forest edges. It can be brewed into a tea as well.

 

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