Category Archives: Interesting insects
Carabid beetles common in some areas
The past week has brought in several calls about swarming beetles, which appear to be Carabid beetles of the genus Harpalus. Ground beetles are fast moving, predatory beetles that, as the name implies, forage on the ground. Outdoors they and their likewise predaceous larvae are found on the ground in all habitats, both grassy and forested areas. Ground beetles have little interest in coming indoors, where there is little food. However they may accidentally enter homes when they slip under doors while trying to escape from daylight. Outdoors they… Read More →
Monarch tracking by cell phone
By all accounts, this is not turning out to be a great year for monarch butterflies. The NY Times reports the smallest overwintering populations in Mexico in at least two decades, and the cold spring weather is not helping matters. An interesting animated map is available through the group Journey North showing how this year’s migration compares to the last few years’ migrations. This kind of data is made possible through ordinary people with cell phone apps that allow anyone to report a monarch butterfly sighting. GPS based… Read More →
It must bee spring
Despite a winter that just won’t seem to let go, spring is definitely here. I know this because the honey bees are swarming, and local callers are reaching out to Extension offices for help coping with the sudden bee invasion. According to Shelly Spearman of the Rockwall County Extension office, her office is getting one to two calls a day about bees. “We’re getting a lot of calls about bees hanging out in trees,” she said. So why are bee mobs suddenly invading our trees and landscapes? And… Read More →
An odd “pest”
Even when not an insect, if an object is small and mysterious, it will often be called a “bug” and end up on the desk of an entomologist. Such was the case with a specimens I received last week. They were described by a pest management professional as “tiny bugs” that appeared on the south side of a customer’s house every year. No mulch or trees or shrubs were reported nearby. I thought at first that these tiny (1.3 mm length) objects might be spores from the artillery… Read More →
Good grooming makes good pest control
Thanks to Wizzie Brown for alerting me to the recent, very cool video on cockroaches by NPR’s Science Friday. Like cats that lick their feet and fur, cockroaches continually groom their feet and antennae. I’ve watched cockroaches groom themselves, but never in magnified HD with a lucid narration by North Carolina State University entomologist Coby Schal. Dr. Schal reports on recent research by his laboratory to answer the question about why cockroaches groom, and he’s well worth listening to. One thing the video does not mention is that… Read More →
A better way to enhance natural pest control
Today I received a call from a Master Gardener who wanted to advise a local organic garden on the best beneficial insects to release to control pests. My answer surprised her a little. I generally recommend against gardeners releasing beneficial insects. It’s not that I am opposed to biological control, or don’t believe in the value of predatory and parasitic insects. I know that releasing insects to control other insects is a time-honored, and historically successful, approach to pest control. The annals are full of stories of highly successful programs… Read More →
Kids love bugs
I usually start my Master Gardener entomology training classes with the same question: “How many of you have dreaded insect training because you hate bugs?” Inevitably, a few honest people will raise their hands. It seems that there is little love to lose between many adults and insects. On the other hand, unless kids have been pre-programmed by adults, they’re just as likely to be fascinated, as they are to be repelled, by bugs. That’s what I thought about as I read the report from the Entomological Society… Read More →
June beetles harmless to trees
This past week I’ve had several inquiries about large, green beetles hanging out around trees. These have all turned out to be the green June beetle, Cotinus nitida. The green June beetle is a large beetle (3/4 inch to 1 inch-long) related to the infamous June beetle or Junebug–the larval form of which is the white grub pest of lawns. Unlike it’s cousin, the green June beetle is mostly harmless in urban landscapes, unless you happen to own a fig or peach tree. Green June beetle larvae feed… Read More →
What are blister beetles?
This summer has been blistering in more ways than one. Besides the blistering temperatures, an inconspicuous beetle, called a blister beetle, has been more common than normal this year. Several species of blister beetles are native to our area and cause concerns, especially to horse owners. Blister beetles are recognized by their medium to large size (usually 1-2 cm), rectangular head, cylindrical pronotum (the “neck” or portion of the thorax just behind the head), and often plump abdomen with leathery wings. One of the distinctive features of blister… Read More →
The Texas-sized cicada killer
One of the signs of summer in Texas, and throughout the eastern U.S., is the cicada killer. Over the past month or two you may have noticed dime-sized holes appearing in your yard or garden. While many insects (beetles and ants, for example) dig holes, few are so conspicuous as the cicada killer wasp, Sphecius speciosus. Cicada killer wasps are easy to spot due to their large size; they are typically 1-1/2 to two inches in length. The female cicada killer digs homes for her young in home… Read More →
