Black Corsair (Melanolestes picipes)
April 2, 2007
I recently bought a mercury vapor light and ran it for the first time in my backyard tonight. It attracted quite a few insects from virtually the moment I flipped the switch. A variety of moths (mostly Noctuidae), a few leafhoppers, wasps and beetles showed up. Highlights were a Banded Hickory Borer (Coleoptera Cerambycidae Knulliana cincta) and a Black Corsair – an assassin bug.
Unfortunately, the reason the Black Corsair was a highlight was because I was careless enough to get bitten by it. I was taking photos of it and when it flew away it landed on my leg and I didn’t notice. If I had, I could have just brushed it off my leg and not been bitten. It clearly had no interest in biting me because it was on me for about 2 minutes before it bit me. After it flew away, I went inside to download my photos onto the computer. It only bit me after I sat down, trapping it between my leg and my shorts. Even then, at first it was a minor bite, I’m guessing that it had just jabbed the tip of the beak into my leg. I should have immediately stood up, but instead I grabbed the edge of my shorts to lift them and inadvertently placed my hand on top of the assassin bug. From the bug’s perspective, I imagine that it thought it was in more danger and it thrust the internal mouthparts farther into my leg. At least that’s what I’m assuming happened – all I really know is that when I touched my shorts there was a second, much more painful bite. It hurt much worse than being stung by a wasp, but after about 30 or 40 minutes, it had pretty much stopped hurting. The next day, all that was left was a spot of coagulated blood at the puncture wound and a few intermittent pains in my leg.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Tent Caterpillars (Malacosoma sp.)
March 28, 2007
I found a group of very small (1/4”) tent caterpillars on a tree that had 3 egg masses on twigs. I also found large numbers of velvet mites (Acari Trombidiidae) crawling over tree trunks. I discovered two pairs of mites that were apparently involved in some type of aggression. Two Orange Wing moths (Lepidoptera Geometridae Mellilia xanthometata) were flying through the woods near dusk.
March 28, 2007
I found a group of very small (1/4”) tent caterpillars on a tree that had 3 egg masses on twigs. I also found large numbers of velvet mites (Acari Trombidiidae) crawling over tree trunks. I discovered two pairs of mites that were apparently involved in some type of aggression. Two Orange Wing moths (Lepidoptera Geometridae Mellilia xanthometata) were flying through the woods near dusk.
Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon)
March 24, 2007
While riding bikes on the Katy Trail in Boone County, we saw quite a few Spring Azures puddling at what appeared to be fox scat.
I also took photos of a blister beetle in our yard. I’d never seen one like this before and then I saw another one the same day at the nest colony of bees in Peace Park. After a bit of research I identified it as Tricrania sp. The beetle larvae develop in nests of Colletid Bees.
March 24, 2007
While riding bikes on the Katy Trail in Boone County, we saw quite a few Spring Azures puddling at what appeared to be fox scat.
I also took photos of a blister beetle in our yard. I’d never seen one like this before and then I saw another one the same day at the nest colony of bees in Peace Park. After a bit of research I identified it as Tricrania sp. The beetle larvae develop in nests of Colletid Bees.
Colletid Bees
March 23, 2007
Walking through Peace Park, I found several hundred Colletid bees digging nest holes along the bank of the creek. Back the next day with my camera, I saw several bees entering and leaving holes. One bee was in a hole facing out of the entrance when another bee approached. They faced each other close together at the entrance for a moment, then switched locations with the bee originally in the hole leaving the area and the newcomer taking up watch at the entrance.
March 23, 2007
Walking through Peace Park, I found several hundred Colletid bees digging nest holes along the bank of the creek. Back the next day with my camera, I saw several bees entering and leaving holes. One bee was in a hole facing out of the entrance when another bee approached. They faced each other close together at the entrance for a moment, then switched locations with the bee originally in the hole leaving the area and the newcomer taking up watch at the entrance.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis)
March 12, 2007
Lots happening today! Over 70 F for the first time in 2007. This morning, I noticed a few antlion pits in the dirt by our front door. I’ve been using a paint brush to put moth bait (mashed bananas, brown sugar, honey, yeast, beer – all stirred together and fermented on the countertop for 2 days) on tree trunks in the yard for the past few days. Just after lunch, I wondered if there might be a Question Mark at the moth bait and went out back to check. Got a few nice shots, eventually seeing 2 individuals.
An assassin bug also found the bait useful, capturing a wasp at the bait station on one of the shagbark hickories.
We ate dinner on the deck and a froghopper hopped onto Jim's plate. Hazards of being married to an entomologist -- he was under strict instructions to not scare the insect off of his plate while he finished eating!
At 9 pm, I found a couple of moths, an ichneumonid wasp, and a few chironomids at the bait and deck light.
March 12, 2007
Lots happening today! Over 70 F for the first time in 2007. This morning, I noticed a few antlion pits in the dirt by our front door. I’ve been using a paint brush to put moth bait (mashed bananas, brown sugar, honey, yeast, beer – all stirred together and fermented on the countertop for 2 days) on tree trunks in the yard for the past few days. Just after lunch, I wondered if there might be a Question Mark at the moth bait and went out back to check. Got a few nice shots, eventually seeing 2 individuals.
An assassin bug also found the bait useful, capturing a wasp at the bait station on one of the shagbark hickories.
We ate dinner on the deck and a froghopper hopped onto Jim's plate. Hazards of being married to an entomologist -- he was under strict instructions to not scare the insect off of his plate while he finished eating!
At 9 pm, I found a couple of moths, an ichneumonid wasp, and a few chironomids at the bait and deck light.
Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
March 10, 2007
A mix of 2 seasons today – saw both an overwintering bird and a butterfly. I got a lifer this morning at Bradford Farm – Lapland Longspur. Then during a bike ride on the Katy Trail, a Mourning Cloak flew over our heads. First butterfly of the year. I’m starting to see enough insects that I need to start taking along my camera – here’s a photo of a Mourning Cloak from June 2005.
March 10, 2007
A mix of 2 seasons today – saw both an overwintering bird and a butterfly. I got a lifer this morning at Bradford Farm – Lapland Longspur. Then during a bike ride on the Katy Trail, a Mourning Cloak flew over our heads. First butterfly of the year. I’m starting to see enough insects that I need to start taking along my camera – here’s a photo of a Mourning Cloak from June 2005.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Water Strider (Heteroptera Gerridae)
March 7, 2007
For the past week, I’ve been checking for water striders almost every day. Today I finally found one in Flat Branch Creek. Here's a photo of a water strider seen in July 2005.
March 7, 2007
For the past week, I’ve been checking for water striders almost every day. Today I finally found one in Flat Branch Creek. Here's a photo of a water strider seen in July 2005.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Witch Hazel (Hamamelidaceae Hamamelis sp.)
February 20, 2007
While on campus at the University of Missouri, I stopped by to see if the witch hazel was blooming.There were blooms, but it looked as though they had been hit by freezing temperatures.I saw a fly leaving one of the trees, but couldn’t identify it with the brief look I had.
February 20, 2007
While on campus at the University of Missouri, I stopped by to see if the witch hazel was blooming.There were blooms, but it looked as though they had been hit by freezing temperatures.I saw a fly leaving one of the trees, but couldn’t identify it with the brief look I had.
Saturday, October 14, 2006
October 13, 2006
It got into the low 30s this morning and warmed up to around 60 F. It was sunny but windy.
I hadn’t seen a dragonfly for a while and was starting to think I had seen my last one until spring. But I saw one today in Cole County. At first, I thought it was a Ruby Meadowhawk (Sympetrum rubicundulum), but when I got a closer look realized it was a Blue-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum ambiguum). I’ve seen this species only once before, in New Jersey.
I saw 9 species of butterflies: Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme), Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), Red-Banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops) , Gray Comma (Polygonia progne), Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Monarch (Danaus plexippus), Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis), and Sachem (Atalopedes campestris).
I also had several wasps: thread-waisted wasp (Sphecidae, tentatively identified as Ammophila sp.) and paper wasps (Vespidae, tentatively identified as Vespula sp. and Polistes sp.). I tentatively identified several Syrphid flies as Toxomerus sp., Chrysotoxum sp., and Eristalis sp.
It got into the low 30s this morning and warmed up to around 60 F. It was sunny but windy.
I hadn’t seen a dragonfly for a while and was starting to think I had seen my last one until spring. But I saw one today in Cole County. At first, I thought it was a Ruby Meadowhawk (Sympetrum rubicundulum), but when I got a closer look realized it was a Blue-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum ambiguum). I’ve seen this species only once before, in New Jersey.
I saw 9 species of butterflies: Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme), Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), Red-Banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops) , Gray Comma (Polygonia progne), Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Monarch (Danaus plexippus), Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis), and Sachem (Atalopedes campestris).
I also had several wasps: thread-waisted wasp (Sphecidae, tentatively identified as Ammophila sp.) and paper wasps (Vespidae, tentatively identified as Vespula sp. and Polistes sp.). I tentatively identified several Syrphid flies as Toxomerus sp., Chrysotoxum sp., and Eristalis sp.
October 9, 2006
It was sunny and in the upper 70s. Somewhat windy.
I saw around 10 Great Spreadwings (Archilestes grandis in Boone County, today. There were about a dozen water striders (Heteroptera Gerridae) in the creek.
Something unusual happened. I was focusing on one of the damselflies when I thought I felt a bite on my leg. I reached down to brush off whatever it was and glanced down and saw a damselfly on my leg. I guessed that what I thought was a bite must have been the feet grabbing my leg and went back to taking photos. About a half hour later, I saw a damselfly land on my leg. I was watching it when I noticed that it was a female and she was bending her abdomen like she was about to jab her ovipositor into my leg. Great Spreadwings lay their eggs in tree branches overhanging the water. I brushed her off my leg and wondered if the first damselfly had jabbed me with her ovipositor.
Another spreadwing landed on my shirt and I noticed a tiny insect perched on its leg. Unfortunately the damselfly flew off before I got a closer look at what I am assuming must have been some sort of parasitic wasp or fly.
I did a rough count of antlion (Neuroptera Myrmeleontidae) pits in the dusty area by our front door – about 65! I took a few more photos of them and dug one up for better photos. I had mistakenly thought that all antlions dug pits, but read the pages on ant lions in Insects: Their Natural History and Diversity (Stephen A. Marshall 2006) and now know that some are ambush predators but don’t make pits. I’ll need to do more research to find out whether those species still have the weird hunchback shape.
It was sunny and in the upper 70s. Somewhat windy.
I saw around 10 Great Spreadwings (Archilestes grandis in Boone County, today. There were about a dozen water striders (Heteroptera Gerridae) in the creek.
Something unusual happened. I was focusing on one of the damselflies when I thought I felt a bite on my leg. I reached down to brush off whatever it was and glanced down and saw a damselfly on my leg. I guessed that what I thought was a bite must have been the feet grabbing my leg and went back to taking photos. About a half hour later, I saw a damselfly land on my leg. I was watching it when I noticed that it was a female and she was bending her abdomen like she was about to jab her ovipositor into my leg. Great Spreadwings lay their eggs in tree branches overhanging the water. I brushed her off my leg and wondered if the first damselfly had jabbed me with her ovipositor.
Another spreadwing landed on my shirt and I noticed a tiny insect perched on its leg. Unfortunately the damselfly flew off before I got a closer look at what I am assuming must have been some sort of parasitic wasp or fly.
I did a rough count of antlion (Neuroptera Myrmeleontidae) pits in the dusty area by our front door – about 65! I took a few more photos of them and dug one up for better photos. I had mistakenly thought that all antlions dug pits, but read the pages on ant lions in Insects: Their Natural History and Diversity (Stephen A. Marshall 2006) and now know that some are ambush predators but don’t make pits. I’ll need to do more research to find out whether those species still have the weird hunchback shape.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Robber Flies (Diptera Asilidae)
October 3, 2006
I was sitting on the deck and noticed a pair of Robber Flies (Diptera Asilidae) engaging in what I am assuming was courtship behavior. One was perched at the top of a twig and the other was hovering with its face close to the other fly's face. Unfortunately, my camera was in the house -- and the wrong lens was on the camera. By the time I got outside, I only had time for a couple of quick shots and wasn't entirely happy with the results. But it was so cool, I want to share it even though the photograph quality is bad enough that if it wasn't for the behavior, I'd have deleted the image.
Eventually I might learn to always take my camera outside, even if I don't expect to use it.
October 3, 2006
I was sitting on the deck and noticed a pair of Robber Flies (Diptera Asilidae) engaging in what I am assuming was courtship behavior. One was perched at the top of a twig and the other was hovering with its face close to the other fly's face. Unfortunately, my camera was in the house -- and the wrong lens was on the camera. By the time I got outside, I only had time for a couple of quick shots and wasn't entirely happy with the results. But it was so cool, I want to share it even though the photograph quality is bad enough that if it wasn't for the behavior, I'd have deleted the image.
Eventually I might learn to always take my camera outside, even if I don't expect to use it.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
October 1, 2006
On Sunday, I took photos of a Snowberry Clearwing (Lepidoptera Sphingidae Hemaris diffinis) caterpillar. This individual was the uncommon brown form.
Other insects for the day included ants guarding a herd of treehoppers (tentatively identified as Membracidae Publilia sp). A horntail (Hymenoptera Siricidae Tremex columba) zipped through the woods landing on tree trunks. This one was circling down the trunk. I wonder if they always do that. Horntail larvae feed on fungi and wood in tree trunks. The females prepare the selected oviposition site by injecting a fungus with the eggs.
On Sunday, I took photos of a Snowberry Clearwing (Lepidoptera Sphingidae Hemaris diffinis) caterpillar. This individual was the uncommon brown form.
Other insects for the day included ants guarding a herd of treehoppers (tentatively identified as Membracidae Publilia sp). A horntail (Hymenoptera Siricidae Tremex columba) zipped through the woods landing on tree trunks. This one was circling down the trunk. I wonder if they always do that. Horntail larvae feed on fungi and wood in tree trunks. The females prepare the selected oviposition site by injecting a fungus with the eggs.
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