All About Moths
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Insects by Cindy Grigg
Insects By Cindy Grigg 1 Like you, insects are alive. Both people and insects are animals. Insects are different from most other animals. Let's read to find out how they are different. 2 Insects are invertebrate animals. That means they have no backbone. Insects are the largest group of animals on Earth. In fact, about half of all animals that scientists know are insects! 3 Insects have three main body parts. They are the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. They have six legs. Many adult insects also have wings. The wings and legs are attached to the thorax. 4 Some invertebrate animals look like insects, but they are not. Spiders and scorpions, for example, are commonly confused with insects. Spiders and scorpions are not insects because they have eight legs, not six. They also have only two body segments instead of three. 5 Most insects lay eggs. Some young insects look like their parents. Other young insects, such as caterpillars, look very different from their parents. 6 All the stages in the life of an animal make up the animal's life cycle. Butterflies have a four-stage life cycle. Butterflies often lay eggs on leaves the insects can eat after they hatch. The egg is the first stage of the butterfly's life cycle. 7 When the egg hatches, a larva comes out of the egg. We often call the larva a caterpillar. This is the second stage. The caterpillar looks very different from the adult butterfly. The larva eats the leaves and grows very quickly. 8 After the larva grows big enough, it makes a hard covering for itself. -
Washington Butterfly Association Common Butterflies of the Puget Sound Region and Their Food Plants
Washington Butterfly Association [email protected] Pine White ( Neophasia menapia ) w ww.naba.org/chapters/nabaws / Identification : White with black forewing patch, black veins below. Flight Period : late June – early October, peak in August. Common Butterflies of the Puget Sound Region Favorite Nectar Plants : Goldenrod, and Their Food Plants - By David Droppers Pearly Everlasting, Asters, Thistles. Larval Host Plants : Ponderosa Pine, Western Tiger Swallowtail ( Papilio Lodgepole Pine, Douglas-Fir, among other conifers. rutulus ). Identification : Large. Yellow with black tiger stripes. Cabbage White ( Pieris rapae) Underside with some blue. Flight Identification : White, black wing tips and Period : mid April – late September, spots. Males have one spot, females two peak in June. Favorite Nectar Plants : spots. Flight Period : early March – early Mock Orange, Milkweeds, Thistles, November, peaks in May, July and large showy flowers. Larval Host September. Favorite Nectar Plants: Plants : Native Willows, Quaking Many, especially garden flowers, such as Oregano and Lavender. Aspen and other poplars, Red Alder Larval Host Plants : Garden Brassicae, especially broccoli and cabbage. Anise Swallowtail ( Papilio zelicaon) Identification : Large. Mostly black, Cedar Hairstreak ( Mitoura grynea ) centrally yellow, with row of blue dots Identification : Small. Varying brown above, below buff brown on hindwing. Flight Period : late with violet tint, variable white postmedian line, small tails on March – late September, peaks in May, hindwings. Flight Period : late March – early August, peaks in July-August. Favorite Nectar Plants : May-June. Favorite Nectar Plants : Goldenrods, Yarrow, Many flowers, mostly large and showy. Dandelion, Clovers, Red Flowering Currant. Larval Host Plants : Garden Parsley Larval Host Plants : Western Red Cedar, Incense Cedar and Dill, Angelica, Cow Parsnip, many others. -
Thrips Page 1
Insect Order Identification Home Thysanoptera–Thrips Page 1 Life Cycle--Intermediate metamorphosis (between complete and simple). Winged adults mate and lay eggs. Larvae (nymphs) look similar to adults in form and shape but lack both wings and wingbuds. Larvae eat, molt, and grow larger until entering a non-feeding larval stage (pupa) in which wings form and a color change may occur but the form remains essentially the same. Some species have one or more non-feeding pre-pupal stages. The emerging winged adult looks similar to the larva. Adults--Minuscule insects (usually 1/16 inch or less). Magnification may be needed to see them. Adults are usually dark-colored, yellow to black. Shape elongated and slender. Two pairs of wings are long and narrow and held over the body. Edges of both forewings and hindwings are fringed or feathery. (Click images to enlarge.) Black dots are Feathery-edged wings Wings tube-tailed thrips long & narrow Brown dots are mixture of adults, larvae & damage One of the black dots above Feathery-edged One of the wings brown dots above Insect Order Identification Home Thysanoptera–Thrips Page 2 Eggs--Some female thrips lay their eggs in tiny slits cut into the surface of leaves, fruits, flowers, and stems. Indoors, the eggs can be laid any time of year and hatch within a few days in warm, indoor conditions. In some species the fertilized eggs are all parthenogenic females (able to reproduce without sex) and the unfertilized are males. (Click images to enlarge.) Thrips eggs Close-up of eggs Larvae (Nymphs)--Look similar to adults but entirely wingless and usually pale-colored, white to cream or pale green. -
Pest Alert: Box Tree Moth (Cydalima Perspectalis)
Pest Alert Box Tree Moth (Cydalima perspectalis) The box tree moth is an invasive pest that primarily feeds on boxwood species (Buxus spp). In its native range, it also feeds on burning bush (Euonymus alatus), Japanese spindletree (E. japonicus), purple holly (Ilex chinensis), and orange jessamine (Murraya paniculate) once boxwood in the vicinity are completely defoliated. Distribution and Spread The box tree moth is native to temperate and subtropical regions in Asia. It was first reported in Europe in 2007, after which it spread rapidly across European countries and into Western Asia and Northern Africa. In 2018, it was documented in Canada. The rate of spread for the box tree moth has varied since its introduction in Europe, with some cases peaking at 96 miles per year. Long distance movement of the box tree moth across Europe occurred primarily through the movement of infested Adult moths (top and bottom left), damage (bottom) boxwood plantings. Box tree moths are highly mobile and used for edging, as hedges, thick brown border spanning 1.6 and are good fliers. Natural spread and/or clipped into different shapes to 1.8 inches. Some adults have of this moth in Europe is about 3 to make topiaries. The box tree completely brown wings with a small to 6 miles per year. One analysis moth can cause heavy defoliation of white streak on each forewing. Males from Europe concluded that natural boxwood plants if populations are left and females show both colorations. dispersal from continental Europe unchecked. Defoliation of existing to the United Kingdom was possible, and new growth can kill the plant. -
Colorado Potato Beetle.Pub
CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION OF ONEIDA COUNTY 121 Second Street Oriskany, NY 13424-9799 (315) 736-3394 or (315) 337-2531 FAX: (315) 736-2580 Colorado Potato Beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata Description: The Colorado potato beetle was first described in 1824 from the upper Missouri River Valley where it fed on a weed called buffalo bur or sand bur, but when early settlers first began to plant potatoes, the beetles discovered the new food plant and liked it. Adult Colorado Potato Beetle Colorado Potato Beetle larva Injury: Larvae and adults feed on the foliage of potato, eggplant, tomatoes and peppers. They may reach large numbers and eat all the foliage from the plant as well as spoil the fruit by eating into it. They are especially de- structive to small plantings. Life History: Adult beetles come out of winter hibernation in mid-May on Long Island and a week or ten days later in central New York just before the early-planted potatoes are up. Clusters of 20 or more eggs are laid on the underside of the leaves soon after the beetles emerge. The eggs hatch in seven to ten days. The larvae feed on the foliage, grow rapidly and complete their development in 18 to 21 days. The full-grown larva burrows into the ground and changes to the pupa or resting stage. After seven to ten days, the adult beetle emerges from the pupa, crawls up out of the ground, and after a short period of waiting, lays eggs for the second generation. Management: In the past several years, the Colorado potato beetle has become increasingly difficult to control because it has developed resistance to many commonly used chemical insecticides. -
Yponomeuta Malinellus
Yponomeuta malinellus Scientific Name Yponomeuta malinellus (Zeller) Synonyms: Hyponomeuta malinella Zeller Hyponomeuta malinellus Zeller Yponomeuta malinella Yponomeuta padella (L.) Yponomeuta padellus malinellus Common Names Apple ermine moth, small ermine moth Figure 1. Y. malinellus adult (Image courtesy of Eric LaGasa, Washington State Department of Agriculture, Bugwood.org). Type of Pest Caterpillar Taxonomic Position Class: Insecta, Order: Lepidoptera, Family: Yponomeutidae Reason for Inclusion 2012 CAPS Additional Pests of Concern Pest Description Eggs: “The individual egg has the appearance of a flattened, yellow, soft disc with the centre area slightly raised, and marked with longitudinal ribbings. Ten to eighty eggs are deposited in overlapping rows to form a flattened, slightly convex, oval egg mass. At the time of deposition, the egg mass is covered with a glutinous substance, which on exposure to air forms a resistant, protective coating. This coating not only acts as an egg-shield but provides an ideal overwintering site for the diapausing first-instar larvae. The egg mass is yellow at first but then darkens until eventually it is grey-brown and resembles the bark of apple twigs. Egg masses average 3-10 mm [0.12-0.39 in] in length and 4 mm [0.16 in] in width but vary considerably in size and shape” (CFIA, 2006). Larvae: “Grey, yellowish-grey, greenish-brown, and greyish-green larvae have been reported. The mature larva is approximately 15-20 mm [0.59-0.79 in] in length; the anterior and posterior extremities are much narrower than the remainder of the body. There are 2 conspicuous laterodorsal black dots on each segment from the mesothorax to the 8th abdominal segment. -
Energetics of Metamorphosis in Drosophila Melanogaster ⇑ Allison B
Journal of Insect Physiology 57 (2011) 1437–1445 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of Insect Physiology journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jinsphys Energetics of metamorphosis in Drosophila melanogaster ⇑ Allison B. Merkey, Carrie K. Wong 1, Deborah K. Hoshizaki 2, Allen G. Gibbs School of Life Sciences, 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy., University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154, USA article info abstract Article history: We measured the energetic cost of metamorphosis in the fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster. Metabolic Received 26 May 2011 rates decreased rapidly in the first 24 h and remained low until shortly before eclosion, when the rates Received in revised form 18 July 2011 increased rapidly, thus creating a U-shaped metabolic curve. The primary fuel used during metamorpho- Accepted 19 July 2011 sis was lipid, which accounted for >80% of total metabolism. The total energy consumed during metamor- Available online 24 July 2011 phosis was lowest at 25 °C, compared to 18 and 29 °C, due to differences in metabolic rates and the length of pupal development. Temperature differentially affected metabolic rates during different stages of Keywords: metamorphosis. Prepupal and late pupal stages exhibited typical increases in metabolic rate at high tem- Drosophila peratures, whereas metabolic rates were independent of temperature during the first 2/3 of pupal devel- Energetics Lipid opment. Metabolic rate We tested two hypotheses for the underlying cause of the U-shaped metabolic curve. The first hypoth- Metamorphosis esis was that pupae become oxygen restricted as a result of remodeling of the larval tracheal system. We tested this hypothesis by exposing pupae to hypoxic and hyperoxic atmospheres, and by measuring lactic acid production during normoxic development. -
Butterfly Tip Sheet
BUTTERFLY TIP SHEET STARTING THE PROGRAM •It will take approximately 4 weeks to transform from larvae to butterfly. •Each larva is housed in its own little container. •Keep the lids on at all times (until chrysalis is formed). •Make sure that the containers are standing upright at all times. (DO NOT TURN UPSIDE DOWN) •Keep the containers out of the sunlight, and also out of the path of air vents. •The suggested room temperature is 68⁰ to 75⁰. •Each container has enough food and air for the larvae, until it forms its chrysalis. FORMING CHRYSALIDES •The larvae will grow to be about 1 inch long and look like a fuzzy black caterpillar. •In 7-10 days depending on the temperature, the larvae should form a chrysalis. (Faster in warm weather, slower in cool) •The larvae will attach itself to the lid of the container by its tail and hang upside down for about 24 hours. During this time the larvae will start to spin its chrysalis. AFTER CHRYSALIS FORMATION •Once the chrysalis has formed, it should take another 7-10 days for the Painted Lady Butterfly to emerge. (Again this depends on the weather) •After the chrysalides have been hanging in the container for 2-3 days, the teacher will GENTLY remove the lid with the chrysalis attached, and then tape it on one of the lower branches, or to the base of the branch. You can also attach the lid to the cage by using a binder clip or Velcro, attaching it on the outside of the cage. •Please do not cut the screen of the cage. -
Colourful Butterfly Wings: Scale Stacks, Iridescence and Sexual Dichromatism of Pieridae Doekele G
158 entomologische berichten 67(5) 2007 Colourful butterfly wings: scale stacks, iridescence and sexual dichromatism of Pieridae Doekele G. Stavenga Hein L. Leertouwer KEY WORDS Coliadinae, Pierinae, scattering, pterins Entomologische Berichten 67 (5): 158-164 The colour of butterflies is determined by the optical properties of their wing scales. The main scale structures, ridges and crossribs, scatter incident light. The scales of pierid butterflies have usually numerous pigmented beads, which absorb light at short wavelengths and enhance light scattering at long wavelengths. Males of many species of the pierid subfamily Coliadinae have ultraviolet-iridescent wings, because the scale ridges are structured into a multilayer reflector. The iridescence is combined with a yellow or orange-brown colouration, causing the common name of the subfamily, the yellows or sulfurs. In the subfamily Pierinae, iridescent wing tips are encountered in the males of most species of the Colotis-group and some species of the tribe Anthocharidini. The wing tips contain pigments absorbing short-wavelength light, resulting in yellow, orange or red colours. Iridescent wings are not found among the Pierini. The different wing colours can be understood from combinations of wavelength-dependent scattering, absorption and iridescence, which are characteristic for the species and sex. Introduction often complex and as yet poorly understood optical phenomena The colour of a butterfly wing depends on the interaction of encountered in lycaenids and papilionids. The Pieridae have light with the material of the wing and its spatial structure. But- two main subfamilies: Coliadinae and Pierinae. Within Pierinae, terfly wings consist of a wing substrate, upon which stacks of the tribes Pierini and Anthocharidini are distinguished, together light-scattering scales are arranged. -
Flexural Stiffness Patterns of Butterfly Wings (Papilionoidea)
35:61–77,Journal of Research1996 (2000) on the Lepidoptera 35:61–77, 1996 (2000) 61 Flexural stiffness patterns of butterfly wings (Papilionoidea) Scott J. Steppan Committee on Evolutionary Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA., E-mail: [email protected] Abstract. A flying insect generates aerodynamic forces through the ac- tive manipulation of the wing and the “passive” properties of deformability and wing shape. To investigate these “passive” properties, the flexural stiffness of dried forewings belonging to 10 butterfly species was compared to the butterflies’ gross morphological parameters to determine allom- etric relationships. The results show that flexural stiffness scales with wing 3.9 loading to nearly the fourth power (pw ) and is highly correlated with wing area cubed (S3.1). The generalized map of flexural stiffness along the wing span for Vanessa cardui has a reduction in stiffness near the distal tip and a large reduction near the base. The distal regions of the wings are stiffer against forces applied to the ventral side, while the basal region is much stiffer against forces applied dorsally. The null hypothesis of structural isom- etry as the explanation for flexural stiffness scaling is rejected. Instead, selection for a consistent dynamic wing geometry (angular deflection) in flight may be a major factor controlling general wing stiffness and deformability. Possible relationships to aerodynamic and flight habit fac- tors are discussed. This study proposes a new approach to addressing the mechanics of insect flight and these preliminary results need to be tested using fresh wings and more thorough sampling. KEY WORDS: biomechanics, butterfly wings, flight, allometry, flexural stiff- ness, aerodynamics INTRODUCTION A flying insect generates aerodynamic forces primarily through the ac- tive manipulation of wing movements and the “passive” morphological prop- erties of deformability and wing shape. -
Moths of Ohio Guide
MOTHS OF OHIO field guide DIVISION OF WILDLIFE This booklet is produced by the ODNR Division of Wildlife as a free publication. This booklet is not for resale. Any unauthorized INTRODUCTION reproduction is prohibited. All images within this booklet are copyrighted by the Division of Wildlife and it’s contributing artists and photographers. For additional information, please call 1-800-WILDLIFE. Text by: David J. Horn Ph.D Moths are one of the most diverse and plentiful HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE groups of insects in Ohio, and the world. An es- Scientific Name timated 160,000 species have thus far been cata- Common Name Group and Family Description: Featured Species logued worldwide, and about 13,000 species have Secondary images 1 Primary Image been found in North America north of Mexico. Secondary images 2 Occurrence We do not yet have a clear picture of the total Size: when at rest number of moth species in Ohio, as new species Visual Index Ohio Distribution are still added annually, but the number of species Current Page Description: Habitat & Host Plant is certainly over 3,000. Although not as popular Credit & Copyright as butterflies, moths are far more numerous than their better known kin. There is at least twenty Compared to many groups of animals, our knowledge of moth distribution is very times the number of species of moths in Ohio as incomplete. Many areas of the state have not been thoroughly surveyed and in some there are butterflies. counties hardly any species have been documented. Accordingly, the distribution maps in this booklet have three levels of shading: 1. -
Small Ermine Moths Role of Pheromones in Reproductive Isolation and Speciation
CHAPTER THIRTEEN Small Ermine Moths Role of Pheromones in Reproductive Isolation and Speciation MARJORIE A. LIÉNARD and CHRISTER LÖFSTEDT INTRODUCTION Role of antagonists as enhancers of reproductive isolation and interspecific interactions THE EVOLUTION TOWARDS SPECIALIZED HOST-PLANT ASSOCIATIONS SUMMARY: AN EMERGING MODEL SYSTEM IN RESEARCH ON THE ROLE OF SEX PHEROMONES IN SPECIATION—TOWARD A NEW SEX PHEROMONES AND OTHER ECOLOGICAL FACTORS “SMALL ERMINE MOTH PROJECT”? INVOLVED IN REPRODUCTIVE ISOLATION Overcoming the system limitations Overview of sex-pheromone composition Possible areas of future study Temporal and behavioral niches contributing to species separation ACKNOWLEDGMENTS PHEROMONE BIOSYNTHESIS AND MODULATION REFERENCES CITED OF BLEND RATIOS MALE PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL RESPONSE Detection of pheromone and plant compounds Introduction onomic investigations were based on examination of adult morphological characters (e.g., wing-spot size and color, geni- Small ermine moths belong to the genus Yponomeuta (Ypo- talia) (Martouret 1966), which did not allow conclusive dis- nomeutidae) that comprises about 75 species distributed glob- crimination of all species, leading to recognition of the so- ally but mainly in the Palearctic region (Gershenson and called padellus-species complex (Friese 1960) which later Ulenberg 1998). These moths are a useful model to decipher proved to include five species (Wiegand 1962; Herrebout et al. the process of speciation, in particular the importance of eco- 1975; Povel 1984). logical adaptation driven by host-plant shifts and the utiliza- In the 1970s, “the small ermine moth project” was initiated tion of species-specific pheromone mating-signals as prezy- to include research on many aspects of the small ermine gotic reproductive isolating mechanisms.