Leaf-footed Bug (Leptoglossus clypealis)

Leaf-footed Bug
Leptoglossus clypealis

Identification: The wavy white line across the back strongly suggests this species. The spine extending forwards from the tip of the nose (tylus) confirms species ID.

Range: Based on the range map on BugGuide, Leptoglossus clypealis can be found throughout most of North America. However, it often occurs in large numbers in the Southwest where is is considered a pest species in pistacio and almond orchards because it feeds on the nuts. My limited records indicate L. clypealis is usually seen in the Ozarks during late fall and early winter.

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Leaf-footed Bug (Leptoglossus clypealis)

Large Tolype Moth (Tolype velleda – 7670)

Large Tolype Moth

Tolype velleda – 7670

Range: Nova Scotia to central Florida, west to Texas, north to Ontario.

Life cycle: Only one generation per year. Usually a late summer or fall species.

Food: Larvae feed on leaves of a variety of broadleaf trees and shrubs.

Links:
BugGuide
Moth Photographers Group
BAMONA

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Large Tolype Moth (Tolype velleda – 7670)

Moth (Epipagis huronalis - 5147)

Identification: The antemedial (AM) line of the hindwing is broken and does not extend all the way across the wing.

Range: North Carolina to Florida to Texas.

5148 - Epipagis disparilis which has a heavy and continuous antemedial line on the hind wing.

Links:
BugGuide
MPG
BAMONA

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Moth (Epipagis huronalis - 5147)

Locust Borer Beetle (Megacyllene robiniae)

Identification: Adult beetles are black with yellow stripes across. The third stripe on the elytra is W-shaped.

Habitat: Anywhere Black Locust trees are present - most of the US.

Season: Adults most noticeable in September when Goldenrod comes into bloom.

Food: Larvae feed exclusively on Black Locust tree and its cultivars (Robinia pseudoacacia). Adults feed on pollen, particularly Goldenrod (Solidago).

Life Cycle: Eggs are laid in locust trees in the fall. Newly emerged larvae spend several months in tree trunks, first hibernating through the winter under the bark, then tunneling into trees in spring, eventually making tunnels about 4" long and .25" inch wide. They pupate late July/early August. Adult beetles emerge late August to September.

(From BugGuide)

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Locust Borer Beetle (Megacyllene robiniae)

Carolina Mantis (Stagmomantis carolina)

Female Carolina Mantis just hanging around in the fog and adorned with remnants of spider webbing. (Species details from BugGuide.)

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Carolina Mantis (Stagmomantis carolina)

Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)

Silver-Spotted Skipper on Purple Coneflower

Both butterfly and the coneflower are past their prime, but still worthy of a few pixels, I think.


According to BugGuide,  Silver-Spotted Skippers range throughout southern Canada and most of the continental United States except the Great Basin and west Texas; northern Mexico.


Caterpillar Hosts: Many woody legumes including black locust (Robinia pseudacacia), honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) and false indigo (Amorpha species).


More information and photos are also available from Butterflies and Moths of North America.

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Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)

Io Moth (Automeris io) - Male

A very common moth throughout eastern North America and north to southern Canada.  They range west to southern Arizona and south to Central America, at least as far as Costa Rica.  Larvae feed on a wide variety of host plants -- over 100 recorded plant genera in North America -- , including such diverse plants as azaleas, blackberry, clover, cotton, current, hackberry, hibiscus, mesquite, palms, rear, redbud, roses and willows.  (University of Florida "Featured Creature")

Prominent eye spots on hind wings are distinctive and found on both males and females.  Males are usually yellow while females are a rusty red color.

(Previous post includes photos of female, eggs and caterpillars.) 

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Io Moth (Automeris io) - Male

First Luna Moth of the Season

The first Luna Moth (Actias luna) we've seen this season was on the window screen outside our computer room/office early Friday morning. Based on its large antennae and tails, I'd say this is a male.  Here in the south, Luna moths have enough time to go through three life cycles before the weather turns cold again. Actias luna only live for about a week in this final moth stage of their life.  They do not feed.  In fact, they have incomplete mouth parts and no digestive system.  Their only purpose as adult moths is to find a mate and breed, and for females to lay eggs so their life cycle can continue.  For complete species details, please see BugGuide.

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First Luna Moth of the Season

Longhorned Beetle (Stenosphenus notatus)

Longhorned Beetle
(Stenosphenus notatus)

Identification: Combination of red pronotum with black spot and shiny black elytra with white hairs is distinctive.

Range: Eastern North America, west to Rocky Mountains.

Habitat and Food: Larvae feed in dead limbs of various hickories. Found in decidious forest with these host species.

Remarks: Most wood boring beetles overwinter as larvae. When warmer spring weather arrives, they develop into adult beetles and emerge in the late spring or early summer. S. notatus is different. Adult beetles develop in the fall, but overwinter inside the wood, finally emerging in the very early spring. (Source:  Ted MacRae @ Beetles in the Bush)  This particular beetle had actually not yet emerged. I found it inside a piece of hickory I split for firewood.

Join the Macro Monday fun at Lisa's Chaos. 

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Longhorned Beetle (Stenosphenus notatus)

Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus)

Banded Hairstreak Butterfly (Satyrium calanus)

Yes, I'm again trying to prime the pump for Spring, 2011, by posting photos from a past spring.

Range: Maine across southern Canada to North Dakota; south to central Texas and the Gulf States.

Life History: Males perch on low shrubs and tree branches during the day, watching for females. Eggs are laid on twigs of the host during the summer, and hatch the following spring. Caterpillars eat catkins and leaves.

Caterpillar Hosts: Many species of oak (Quercus), walnut (Juglans), and hickory (Carya).

Adult Food: Nectar from flowers -- in this case, an Ox-eyed Daisy.

Habitat: Forest areas and neighboring open edges and fields.

Source:  Butterflies and Moths of North America.

Macro Monday hosted by Lisa's Chaos.

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Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus)

Round-headed Apple Tree Borer (Saperda candida)

The round-headed apple tree borer (Saperda candida) takes 2-3 years to complete its life cycle. Adult beetles are 1 inch long and brown, with two white longitudinal stripes on its back. Larvae overwinter in various stages feeding on sapwood and heartwood. Pupation occurs in late spring of the second year, and emergence begins in early summer.  Females lay eggs under bark scales, in crevices, or in tree wounds. After hatching, the larvae feed beneath the bark for a while before entering the wood.  Feed on dead or dying trees and rarely on healthy trees.  Trees become weakened and heavy infestations can kill a tree in one season. Members of the rose family are favorite hosts of the round-headed apple tree borer.  Found mostly in the eastern US and Canada.  (Source:  The Morton Arboretum)

Round-headed Apple Tree Borer Larva

Photo by James Solomon, USDA Forest Service

To participate in Macro Monday and/or see other great macros on a variety of subjects, please click on the logo above.

An Inordinate Fondness is a celebration of beetles—of their indescribable beauty, amazing forms, and astonishing diversity. For a list a past, present and future An Inordinate Fondness blog carnivals, please click on the logo above.

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Round-headed Apple Tree Borer (Saperda candida)

Macro Monday: Tortoise Beetle Larva (Charidotella sp)

Camouflage is an often employed survival tactic in the insect world, but a tortoise beetle larva has one of the more unique approaches to disguise.  It hides under a shield of debris composed of previously shed skins and fecal matter.  To a would be predator, the tortoise beetle larva looks like bird droppings or some other distasteful pile of debris.

The larva has a fork-like structure at the rear end of its abdomen.  These prongs curve back over the insect's body.  When the larva molts, its head emerges from the old skin first.  When the molt is complete, its old skin is left attached to these anal forks.  The insect's excrement is added to these shed skins forming a "fecal shield".  When disturbed, the tortoise beetle larva will often wave this shield at would be predators.

This particular larva is probably a Golden Tortoise Beetle (Charidotella sexpunctata) which ranges throughout most of the United States and Canada.   Both lavae and adults feed on the leaves of various Convolvulaceae (bind weed, morning glory, sweet potato) leaving the leaves riddled with small holes.  It was found on bind weed.

Here is a photo of an adult Golden Tortoise Beetle.

Sources and additional information:
BugGuide 
Garden Friends and Foes 
Bug of the Month
Insect Information: Tortoise beetles

Please click the logo above to participate and/or find more Macro Monday photos.

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Macro Monday: Tortoise Beetle Larva (Charidotella sp)

Bagworm Moth Caterpillar (Family Psychidae)

Larvae (bagworms) construct spindle-shaped bags covered with pieces of twigs, leaves, etc., and remain in them -- enlarging the bags as they grow -- until they pupate (also in the bag). Adult females remain in the bag, emitting pheromones which attract adult males to mate with them.  Males become more typical moths.  (There are 26 species in 13 genera in North America.)

Eggs are laid inside the bag, and when they hatch the larvae crawl away to begin construction of their own individual cases.

Source:  BugGuide



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Bagworm Moth Caterpillar (Family Psychidae)

Carolina Mantis (Stagmomantis carolina - male)

Male mantis consuming a moth.

Range: New Jersey south to Florida; west to Utah, Arizona, Texas, and through Mexico to Central America.


Season: Mantids are most commonly seen in late summer and early fall. Most are killed by cold weather in the fall, but can live longer in warmer climates in the southern US.


Food: Butterflies, moths, flies, small wasps and bees, true bugs and caterpillars -- most anything they can catch and consume.


Life Cycle: Eggs overwinter and hatch in early spring. Adults are mature by late summer and usually die by winter.


Remarks: Carolina Mantids are native to North America. They are smaller than their imported Asian cousins. Males have fully developed wings and can fly. Females do not.

Source: BugGuide

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Carolina Mantis (Stagmomantis carolina - male)

Spangled Skimmer Dragonfly (Libellula cyanea)

Spangled Skimmer Dragonfly (Libellula cyanea)

A bit torn and tattered, but still able to catch insects like this Spotted Cucumber Beetle removed from our garden.


Spangled Skimmers are common in eastern North America as far west as Kansas and Texas.  Males are blue.  Females are brown with yellow stripes.  They prefer well-vegetated ponds and lakes and slow-moving sections of streams.  (BugGuide)

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Spangled Skimmer Dragonfly (Libellula cyanea)

Gemmed Satyr (Cyllopsis gemma)

Gemmed Satyr (Cyllopsis gemma)

Range:  Southeastern United States south to central peninsular Florida; west to southeast Kansas, central Oklahoma, central Texas, and northeastern Mexico. 


Habitat:  Near open, wet woodland; grassy areas near water; near streams and ponds. 


Food:  Caterpillars feed on grasses including Bermuda Grass (Cynodon dactylon). Adults do not visit flowers but are attracted to rotting or overripe fruit.

BugGuide

Butterflies and Moths of North America

eNature

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Gemmed Satyr (Cyllopsis gemma)

Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis)

Female Eastern Pondhawk

Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis)

Range:  Quebec and Maine to Florida, west to Mexico, north to Washington.
Food:  Smaller flying insects.
Habitat:  Primarily ponds. Adults often perch on the ground.

Eastern Pondhawk - Male

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Female and young male Eastern Pondhawks are green with square, black spots on their abdomens.  As they age, males turn blue.  This male Pondhawk photographed by Jo is still showing just a little bit of green on its thorax.  BugGuide has and excellent series of photos showing both male and female Pondhawks are various stages of development.

Although we live up on a rocky ridge, there are evidently enough stock ponds around to provide suitable dragonfly habitat.

BugGuide 

eNature 

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Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis)

Common Wood Nymph (Cercyonis pegala)

Common Wood Nymph (Cercyonis pegala)

Common throughout most of the United States and southern Canada.  (Range Map)  Adults feed on flower nectar and rotting fruit.  I reckon this watermelon rind in our compost qualifies as "rotting fruit".  (BugGuide Species Page)

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Common Wood Nymph (Cercyonis pegala)

Flower Fly: Toxomerus marginatus

Flower Flies: Toxomerus marginatus

(Photo: Marvin Smith on 5/14/10)

Range: Common throughout most of the United States and southern Canada.

Size: Small -- 5-6 mm (around a quarter of an inch).

Food: Adults feed on nectar and pollen and are often found visiting flowers of herbaceous plants or shrubs. Larvae are voracious predators of aphids, thrips, small caterpillars.

Key Identification Characteristics: Thin abdomen with a continuous yellow band around the outside edge. On similar species, the yellow and brown stripes across the abdomen go all the way to the abdomen's edge. Abdomen tip is pointed in females and rounded in males. Large reddish brown eyes.

(Source: BugGuide)

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Flower Fly: Toxomerus marginatus