Clearly a Moth That Hums

Maybe you’ve seen these sphinx-shaped winged moths in your flower beds. Despite mimicking a hummingbird in their actions,  they are moths and belong to the insect family of Lepidoptera, which includes both butterflies and moths. Scientifically known as Hemaris thysbe, hummingbird moths have a wingspan of 1-1/2 to 2 inches. These moths have antennae, spindle-shaped bodies, and the tip of their tail opens like a fan. They are usually a reddish brown color. Like all Lepidoptera their wings are covered by scales; some species lose many of the scales from patches on their wings. These are called clearwing hummingbird moths.

Like hummingbirds, they hover over flowers unfurling a long, butterfly-like proboscis (think drinking straw) that extends out to feed, then rolls back up and out of the way. Their wings beat quickly and they often emit an audible buzzing sound like a hummingbird.
These moths don’t act like “typical” moths; instead of flying towards a porch light at night, they fly around in mid-day in meadows, forest edges and our front flower garden. Also, like hummingbirds, they hover a very really short time over flowers and unfurl a long, butterfly-like proboscis (think drinking straw) to extract nectar. While doing this, their wings beat so quickly that they emit an audible buzzing sound like a hummingbird.
There are four species of hummingbird moths in North America. The most familiar ones are the Hummingbird Clearwing (Hemaris thysbe) and the Snowberry Clearwing (Hemaris diffinis).

Fascinating to watch, they are challenge to photograph clearly. Like hummingbirds, they are never still for long. These photos were the result of several afternoon photo sessions from the F&P front porch.

Creepy Crawlers & Early Blooms

Temperatures were above average a couple of days this week, good weather for doing some outdoor yard work and finding interesting photo subjects. These colorful crawlers were spotted while raking up wood chips in the back yard.

There was also an abundance of large black beetles.

Already blooming on the lawn are several varieties of small and very invasive wildflowers including birds eye speedwell, purple henbit, and mouse-eared chickweed.

Some daffodils are also putting in an early appearance.

What critters and blooms are showing up in your part of the world?

Killers in the Gardens

YES . . . assassins are in the Frog & PenguINN wildflower gardens, but they’re not packing weapons in the traditional way.

What are they using?  

Their weapon is a proboscis – in other words, a beak

As you may have figured out, our assassins are insects, aptly called assassin bugs. They’ve earned their name by their manner of lying in ambush for their insect prey.
Unlike other bugs of pray, for example a Praying mantis, these insects don’t devour the prey in ways you might suspect, like eating it.  Their “kill” method is to use the proboscis to inject a toxin that paralyzes the victim and then dissolves its tissue. And, here’s the gross part – the assassin bug then sucks up the other bug's tissues. The legs of some of assassin bugs are covered in tiny hairs that  make them sticky to hold onto their prey while they feed.

OK, this isn’t a pretty description of their modus operandi  (method of operation), a term usually applied to criminals, and I couldn’t resist using it here.

But  there's (a little) good news . . . Since it’s paralyzed, the victim doesn’t feel pain. The toxic saliva is commonly effective at killing much bigger prey than the itself. Assassin bugs attack many garden pests, such as flies, mosquitoes, beetles and large caterpillars. Most of these are pests to gardeners and farmers, like Grenville. But, sometimes, bees fall victim to their evil ways.

WARNING – insect death scene below

Not only do these insects attack other insects, but they can – when other food isn't available – attack each other. Females are considered better “assassins”  as they need protein to produce eggs.

And, in case you were wondering . . .  NO, this bug is definitely NOT one to be petted – unlike bumblebees.

Because . . . Assassin bugs can transmit diseases to humans and animals, like Chaga's disease, a parasitic infection commonly transmitted to humans and other mammals by infectious agents, such as blood-sucking insects. There is currently no vaccine against Chagas disease. Chagas disease is named after the Brazilian physician Carlos Chagas, who discovered the disease in 1909.

How to ID an Assassin Bug . . . Most species are dark in color with hues of brown, black, red, or orange. They most commonly have an elongated head with a distinct narrowed neck, long legs, and a prominent, segmented tube for feeding.


WAIT, there’s another killer lurking in the gardens – the Ambush bug, which kills like the assassin bug but has some differences. 

This is a stockier bug;; also their coloring lets them sit on flowers sometimes undetected while they lie in wait for victims.  The ambush bug has thick front legs used to snatch its prey. It also has a shorter, less narrow head than the assassin bug.

The mouth  is shaped like a spike that is plunged into the body of its prey;  the proboscis is used to jab the victim before the fluids are sucked out.
Ambush bugs have an odd shape, with lateral extensions and rounded projections. It can fly but not well and often falls victim to other predatory bugs like a praying mantis, spiders and (like assassin bugs) even their own kind. Sometimes, they are eaten by rodents and birds.

Assassin and ambush bugs belong to the Hemiptera order of insects. The defining feature of hemipterans is possession of mouthparts where the mandibles and maxillae have evolved into a proboscis, sheathed within a modified labium to form a “beak” or “rostrum” which is capable of piercing tissues and sucking fluids.

Yes, these killers employ unpleasant death methods, but are useful and beneficial in any garden. We let them dine on any pests they can find, cause usually those are ones we don’t want around. But, we’re sorry they include bees on their “hit” list.

Going Buggy!

Do you find yourself bugged some days?

So do we. Only it’s not human annoyances, but insects. Here’s a sample of some we’ve seen lately in the gardens.

No, this is not a Texas-sized mosquito, like mosquitoes, it’s a fly – a crane fly that can grow up to 2-1/2 inches long, with a wingspan of 3 inches. They are brown and slender with long, super-thin legs that are usually about twice as long as their bodies.

Crane fly larvae eat decaying plants, dead leaves, fungi, or roots of plants. Adult crane flies do not eat and have short lives (sometimes only days). So what do they do? Mate and lay eggs.They have many predators. Adults are eaten by birds and bats. 
They lose their legs easily, and often escape a bird by losing a leg or two.There was a gathering of honey bees (or honeybees) in the oregano, which bolted early and is now flowering. More has been written about honeybees than any other species of insect. Don’t get a female honey bee mad because she’s the one that can sting. Male honey bees (drones)  have no stinger and only live about eight weeks. 

Their sole function is to perform their bee-ly duty and mate with a new queen, if one is produced in a given year. A drone's eyes are very large which helps them to spot the queens when they are on their nuptial flight (really).  Any drones left at the end of the season have outlived their usefulness and are driven from the hive and left to die – they are used and abused.This oregano reseeds itself and is in its third or fourth year. Last week, I picked some and it’s hanging in the barn drying. More on that in another post.

Bumble bees (or bumblebee) are large, hairy social insects with a lazy buzz and clumsy, bumbling flight. Many are black and yellow, and with ladybirds and butterflies they are a popular insect. Queen and worker bumblebees can sting because they are all female.
Bumble bees usually nest in the ground in a deserted mouse nest or bird nest. Occasionally they nest in cavities within a wall or even in the clothes drier vent – good reason to check it in summer months. Certain plants are better pollinated by bumble bees because of their long tongues.
Bumble bees were in the wildflower gardens on cornflowers . . .And coneflowers . . .
And especially on coreopsis . . .
This lynx spider was also in the oregano. These hunting spiders spend their lives on plants, flowers and shrubs and are among the major predators of insects in low shrubs and grasses. Lynx spiders are nimble jumpers, relying on keen eyesight to stalk, chase or ambush prey.

Six of their eight eyes are arranged in a hexagon-like pattern, a characteristic that identifies them as members of the family Oxyopidae. Lynx Spiders have a very distinct eye arrangement: four on the "face", two looking sideways, and two on top of the head; they also have and have spiny legs.
But, their usefulness in the control of insect pests is counteracted by their habit of preying also on beneficial insects, like honey bees.

This immature grasshopper found a home on a coneflower. Grasshoppers are insects that can hop, walk, and fly. Many male grasshoppers make noise by rubbing their back legs together. There are about 10,000 different species of grasshoppers. Grasshoppers eat plants. Their predators include birds, beetles, rodents, reptiles, and spiders, so they are adept at camouflage.

This is an unknown bug also hanging in the oregano. Anyone know its name?The skipper or skipper butterfly is named because of its quick, darting flight habits. There are more than 3500 recognized species of skippers worldwide. Unlike butterflies, skippers have antennae clubs hooked backward like a crochet hook; true butterflies' antennae are clubbed together with bulbous ends. Skippers have feathered antennae similar to moths. Skippers have thicker hairy bodies and larger compound eyes unlike true butterflies.When at rest, skippers keep their wings angled upwards or spread out, and rarely fold them up completely.
The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail s a species of swallowtail butterfly native to North America. It is one of the most familiar butterflies in the eastern U.S. Adults feed on the nectar of many species of flowers. This butterfly has many bird predators.

The End

Bugged?

That’s what Grenville and I were last week at The Frog & PenguINN.
Nope, we weren’t stumped by anything. BUT, we had an invasion of Boisea trivittatus.

WHAT’S THAT?
Boxelder bugs – and these pests don’t live in boxes and are not old (as far as we know).
A boxelder bug is about 1/2 inch long as an adult, and quite colorful – black with three red lines on the thorax (the part just behind the head), a red line along each side, and a diagonal red line on each wing. Color notwithstanding, they were still unwelcome visitors at the F&P.

Boxelder bugs are nuisance pests that like to hang out in large groups while catching the sun’s rays. They do not bite humans and are basically harmless to property. But beware NOT to crush them indoors as they will stain walls, rugs, curtains and other surfaces. The GOOD NEWS is that their life span is short; they survive for a few days up to a week, do not cause significant damage to homes or plants and are not considered to be agricultural pests – good news for a mini-farm (like ours).

Last week, Grenville discovered a large group sunning outside the F&P B near the back patio, which gets LOTS of sun. If they had stayed outdoors, all would have been well, but some strayed indoors. As the weather cools, these bugs push into cracks and spaces and remain inactive inside the walls (or behind siding) while the weather is cool. 
They can also be found around windows.

So, they had to go, but Who ya gonna call? – NOT Ghostbusters, but BUG-B-GONE. 

We’ve used this local company for the past few years. It’s run by a very nice fellow who is meticulous and careful when spraying around our 1906 home

Now that  nothing is bugging us (at least for today), we were wondering . . .

Anything bugging you?

Drosophila melanogaster

In more common term – fruit fly.
The Frog & PenguINN and other places around the Eastern Shore are being invaded by these annoying pests. You can just about tell what season it is when they arrive – late  summer/fall cause they are attracted to ripened or rotting fruits and vegetables. This is largely an agricultural area with lots of tomato fields and home gardens.
While fruit flies are mainly nuisance pests, they can contaminate food with bacteria and disease-producing organisms. These tiny winged insects  are only 0.2 inches (3mm) long and move very fast – just try to kill one. They are brownish in color, with striped bodies and large red eyes. Not one would pose for a macro close-up; these photos were from an internet search.

These tiny insects are adept in smelling food from great distances. This ability and their tiny bodies, lets them enter homes through window screens, door jams, or any other small crevice. They also hitch rides in  grocery bags or hatch from eggs laid in produce brought home.  Fruit flies feed on alcohol produced when fruits and vegetables begin to ferment. Avoid serving wine and beer when they’re around – they’re like freeloaders. Vinegar favorites are  balsamic and cider.
 
So is there’s anything GOOD about these pests? Actually these tiny insects have made a huge name for themselves in the field of science – especially genetics. The short, 10-day life cycle of the fruit fly, its quick ability to reproduce, and its large chromosomes make it an ideal specimen for laboratory experiments in heredity. Plus they’re free and lay eggs that hatch into larvae in a matter of hours.
 
But the only scientific experiments, we’ve been conducting now involves their eradication. Folks living here told us about  this simple and quite effective way to trap fruit flies – and it also kills them. All you need is apple cider vinegar, sugar and dish detergent and a small bowl.
White vinegar does not work. Balsamic vinegar, malt vinegar and red wine work, but not as well as apple cider vinegar. Beer sometimes works and so does wine, but apple cider vinegar is cheaper.

Pour the apple cider vinegar into a small dish (custard dish is perfect). The vinegar evaporates quickly so the more that’s used, the less often it will need to be replaced. Sprinkle a little sugar on the vinegar, then drop some detergent on top. 
The fruit flies are attracted to the vinegar smell, and the detergent traps them.

WHY? Because the detergent reduces the surface tension of the liquid allowing the flies to more readily sink and drown. Change the solution as needed – usually when you have lots of “victims.”

When do they leave town? As soon as the weather turns cold or the first frost comes.

Fly Away Home

Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home
Your house is on fire and your children are gone
All except one, and that's Little Anne
For she has crept under the warming pan.

Farmers and gardeners love ladybugs. If you have a garden of flower bed, these colorful insects will soon become your favorite.

Why? because they eat almost non-stop, and their favorite menu items are  plant-eating insects, especially aphids. And so they help protect crops and flowerbeds. Ladybugs lay hundreds of eggs in the colonies of aphids and other plant-eating pests. When they hatch, the ladybug larvae immediately begin to feed. By the end of its three-to-six-week life, a ladybug may eat as many as 5,000 aphids.

The name “ladybird” originated in the Middle Ages when the insects were known as the “beetle of Our Lady.”  They were named after The Virgin Mary, who in early religious paintings was often shown wearing a red cloak. The spots of the seven spot ladybird were said to symbolize seven joys and seven sorrows. Common names in other European languages have the same association (the German name Marienkäfer translates to "Marybeetle" or, literally, Mary-chafer). In the US the name was Americanized to "ladybug" In the Norfolk dialect of English, in the UK, a lady bird is known as a bishy bishy barnabee

A common myth is that the number of spots on the insect's back indicates its age.

Their distinctive spots and red, yellow and black colors warn predators.  This phenomenon is called aposematism. It works because predators learn to associate certain prey with a bad taste. Ladybugs can secrete a fluid from joints in their legs which gives them a foul taste. They can also play dead and pull their legs up “turtle-style” then release a small amount of blood from their legs – called reflex bleeding. The bad smell and the apparent look of death usually deters predators from a ladybug snack. After the threat of danger has passed, the ladybug will resume normal activities.

In parts of Northern Europe, tradition holds that a person’s wish is granted if a ladybird lands on them. In North America, children capture a ladybug, make a wish, and then “blow it away” back home to make the wish come true. In central Europe, it is considered good luck. A ladybird crawling across a girl's hand is thought to mean she will get married within the year. Some cultures refer to ladybugs as fortune bugs. In Russia, a popular children's rhyme exists with a call to fly to the sky and bring back bread. In Denmark, a ladybird  or mariehøne (“Mary's hen”), is asked by children to fly to  our lord in heaven and ask for fair weather in the morning'.

While there are male and female ladybugs, it’s nearly impossible to tell them apart. Females are usually larger than males. If you catch them mating, you will see a male ladybug grab hold of the female's elytra (hard wings) and holds on tight.

 

Because of its bold colors, simple shape and non-threatening nature, the ladybug has become the logo for a  wide range of organizations and companies including:

• Symbol of the Dutch Foundation Against Senseless Violence
• Ladybird Books 
• Ladybird children's clothing sold in the UK by the defunct Woolworth's chain store
• Polish supermarket chain Biedronka
• Estonian mobile operator EMT
• Software development firm Axosoft.
• Symbol of the Finnish Swedish People's Party.

The ladybug is the state insect of Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, and Tennessee, though only New York has selected a species native to the United States (Coccinella novemnotata); the other states have all adopted an invasive European species (Coccinella septempunctata).

Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home  . . .