Adult locust borers (Megacyllene robiniae) are sometimes confused as wasps or hornets. They don’t sting, but these insects are serious pests. In the fall the females lay eggs in crevices of untreated locust trees. Once winter ends the larvae tunnel into the tree trunks, creating prime infection sites for a type of fungus that causes […]
The reddish marking on this Long-jawed Orb Weaver serves as a warning to possible predators that it’s not worth the effort. This type of Orb Weaver is of the genus Leucaugé. The second half of the word — augé — is Greek for “dawn,” so-called because these spiders build their webs before dawn. In most […]
Fireflies are best known for showy nighttime displays, but not all fireflies flash. The Xerces Society, an invertebrate conservation group, reports more than 2,200 firefly species have been found all over the world. In North America the flashy ones — also called lightning bugs — are primarily found primarily east of the Mississippi River. It’s […]
Little Maestro Broad-winged Katydids are found all over Colorado. This baby Katydid was born on a rosebush in the spring in Park Hill. By the late summer, he will be full-grown, and will join a symphony of other Katydids as they make their music — composed of loud lisps and clicks — from trees and […]
Bet you’re wondering how ants drink water. The website Ask An Entomologist has more information about that than you ever imagined. The mouth part that ants use to drink is called the labium, and it’s basically the ant equivalent of the human tongue. Ants can drink either by licking the water (like a dog) or […]
Monarchs are one of the most beloved butterflies on the planet. Yet a combination of pesticides, climate change and suburban sprawl have taken a toll. Monarchs now teeter between listed as “vulnerable” and “endangered.” Every fall, Monarchs migrate 3,000 miles to central Mexico for winter. In the spring they return to Colorado. The females lay […]
With tell-tale horns, Rhinoceros beetles can grow up to six inches long. Saying they are strong is an understatement. The National Wildlife Federation makes a pretty good analogy to give you an idea. Adult beetles can lift objects 30 times their own weight without sacrificing any speed. Shazam! That would be equivalent to a human […]
Small and elegant, Rainbow Grasshoppers, Dactylotum bicolor, are native to the United States, Canada and northern Mexico. Their vibrant colors include a mix of yellow, red, green, blue and black depending on where they live. Their colors also serve as a warning to birds and lizards and other predators that they are not worth attacking […]
Heliconian butterflies are large and slow-flying and highly conspicuous as they flit along the borders of tropical forests, pausing here and there among the flowers for a sip of nectar and even pollen. Their colorful wing patterns are attractive to potential mates, but also a warning to potential predators to stay away as protective chemicals […]
OK, it is actually the Chinese Year of the Dragon (no fly). But that got us to thinking: Dragonflies looks nothing like dragons, so why do they have that name? The answer is steeped in Romanian folklore and the story of St. George. According to legend, St. George wounded a dragon. Enraged, the Devil turned […]