National Park Service White Sands Department of the Interior White Sands National Monument Common Insects of White Sands Dr. Lightfoot Image Lightfoot Dr. he desert is a harsh place to live, but that doesn’t stop the insects at White TSands National Monument from making homes in the dunefield. Some of the most common insects can easily be spotted at the right time of year. At White Sands, you are a guest in their home, respect all-big and small-wildlife. The yucca moth is solely responsible larvae feed on the seeds as they make for the pollination of yucca plants. The their way out. Not all of the seeds moth pollinates the flowers by scooping are consumed as some must be left up a sticky ball of pollen with specialized behind for the next generation of mouthparts from the stamens of one yucca. After emerging from the fruit, plant and inserting the pollen into the the larvae drop to the ground and pistol of a yucca flower of another plant; burrow down a few inches where no other creature performs this task. they go into a cocoon stage and wait Yucca moth After pollination, the moth will lay eggs in until Spring to emerge as adult moths. Tegeticula elatella the bottom of the flower. The pollinated There are several species of yucca flower then turns to fruit, encasing the moths in the Southwest that specialize moth’s eggs. When the eggs hatch, the on different yucca species. Sphinx moths are often mistaken for will feed on the host plant, growing hummingbirds as they hover around to about the size of an index finger. flowers feeding on nectar with their long They have a sharp horn at the top tongues. They feed on and pollinate rear-end of their bodies and are called a number of plants including evening hornworms. The color of sphinx primrose, four o’clocks, and desert larva can range from pale yellow to willow. From April through October, dark green with varying highlights of the best time to see these moths feeding red and black. After getting their fill, is around dusk or dawn, though they the larva will drop off the plant and White-lined sphinx moth have also been observed flying in the burrow into the ground and pupate, Hyles lineata middle of the day. Some of the plants in emerging as a moth 2 to 3 weeks later. the monument they lay their eggs on are Several other species of sphinx moths the desert four o’clock and the evening live at White Sands. primrose. When the eggs hatch, the larva Bleached skimmer dragonflies make their waiting on a perch,darting out and homes in saline and alkaline waters of the grasping insects with their spiny legs, Southwest desert. While in their larval and returning to their perch to feed. stage of development they look more like Skimmers mate mid-flight during their toads, and they live at the bottom of saline flying season which can last from May ponds where they wait to ambush other to September. Dragonflies are among aquatic insects, larvae, and even tadpoles! the most accomplished flying animals Dr. Lightfoot Image Lightfoot Dr. Mature dragonflies feed on soft-bodied on earth. Bleached skimmer dragonfly insects they can catch, such as mosquitoes Libellula composita and other small flies. They hunt by The tarantula hawk is one of the largest and the larva burrows into the spider wasps in the world. The taratntula hawk after hatching. The larva will then has a painful sting, but they are not feed on the tarantula’s internal organs aggressive or likely to sting humans. The saving the vital organs for last. Adult female wasps hunt for tarantula burrows tarantula hawks feed on nectar, and like during the daytime, and use their stinger other wasp species, the male tarantula to paralyze the tarantula in order to drag hawk does not have a stinger. Pepsis Dr. Lightfoot Image Lightfoot Dr. it back to her burrow. A single egg is laid grossa is also the official state insect of Tarantula hawk wasp onto the top of the spider’s abdomen, New Mexico. Pepsis grossa Two species of sand treader camel surface of the sand to forage on dead crickets live only at White Sands, where plant material. During this time, they they are adapted to live in the gypsum are also hunted by scorpions and sand. These crickets are called “sand- other nocturnal insectivores. In the treaders” because they have specialized daytime, they burrow into the sand spines on their hind and fore-legs for where it can be many degrees cooler digging in the sand. Like dogs they dig than the outside air temperature and Dr. Lightfoot Image Lightfoot Dr. in the sand with their front legs and then much moister. These crickets are White Sands Interdune use their hind legs to kick the sand several fairly small, less than two inches on sand-treader camel cricket inches behind them.They are only active average. Daihiniodes larvale at night, which is when they come to the Darkling beetles are scavengers of dead posterior tip of their abdomen that plant material on the ground. They tend repels predators. When this chemical to wander around mostly at night. There gets on your skin, it can stain it purple are many different species of darkling or brown but is not harmful. The beetles at White Sands, each specialized adult beetle lays eggs in loose plant to particular habitats and time periods, material on the ground so that when and each species leaves a distinctive track the larvae hatch they can feed on that in the sand. Darkling beetles will raise material. Being jet black, the darkling Darkling beetle their abdomen in the air when they feel beetle will be one of the easier Eleodes obscurus sulcipennis threatened, which serves as a warning creatures to spot on the dunes. to any would-be predators. They can then exude a foul-smelling fluid from the Many species of short-horned (short it. Unlike crickets and katydids, antennae) grasshoppers inhabit White grasshoppers are active during the Sands. They are herbivores, feeding daytime. After the eggs are fertilized, on a variety of different plants. Most the female will find a spot in the soil grasshoppers will produce sound for or sand, where she will lay about 100 attracting mates. Some rub their hind legs eggs covered in a sticky substance against their forewings, and others snap for protection. The nymphs that Dr. Lightfoot Image Lightfoot Dr. their wings in flight making crackling hatch the next year look like smaller Toothpick grasshopper sounds. Only two species live in gypsum versions of adults without wings. Paropomala pallida and feed off of plants that survive in Ground mantises are small active will use their forearms as a defense ground hunters that are camouflaged mechanism and make themselves on soil surfaces. Unlike the larger green look bigger by standing to intimidate mantises, they do not hunt on plants. predators. Females are larger than They can be seen running down prey on males and cannot fly. Some males with the ground during the day, grabbing them larger wings can fly, whereas those with their specialized raptorial forearms. with smaller wings cannot. At certain As soon as they hatch, they will begin times of the year the ground mantis Minor ground mantis hunting and are sometimes cannibalistic. will molt and shed its exoskeleton. Litaneutria minor Their prey consists of any insect they Egg cases, known as ootheca, will be can catch. When threatened, they laid on twigs and branches. Stick insects are mostly nocturnal hear them at night. When threatened, creatures and spend most of their day they will feign death in an attempt to hiding under plants, which can also deter any attacker. Sometimes they provide food. Females are generally will sacrifice a limb if playing dead larger than their male counterparts. In doesn’t work. Being very nutritious, the photo to the left, the female is on top they are highly predated. Their and the male is on the bottom. They do flexible legs help them move and hang their best to mimic their surroundings in bushes, which makes them even Walking stick in order to blend in. Unfortunately, this more difficult to spot! Diapheromera velii defense does not help them when bats Harvester ants specialize in collecting change, the seeds are moved to a seeds for their young to feed on. There different chamber. Like other ants, are several species in New Mexico. The colonies consist mostly of sterile Maricopa harvester prefers sand and female workers, one fertile female sandy soils, while other species prefer queen that lays eggs, and larvae in loamy or gravelly soils. These ants are special brood chambers. Winged active during the daytime, running fertile females and winged males around on the ground in search of emerge from the nests following Dr. Lightfoot Image Lightfoot Dr. seeds, which they pick up and carry summer rains. The winged females Harvester ants back to their underground nest. The and males mate, the mated females Pogonomyrmex maricopa nest contains a series of chambers at become queens, dig burrows and different depths from the surface. These start new nests. Maricopa harvester chambers are used to keep the seeds ants do have stingers and can render stored at optimal conditions so they do a painful sting, so it is best to observe not germinate or decompose. As soil from afar and not handle them. moisture and temperature conditions To learn more about White Sands, visit http://www.nps.gov/whsa Updated 1/11/16.