Applegater Summer 2011 9 Notes from a Rogue entomologist: The Oregon state insect — A tale of pests, pollinators and politics BY RICHARD J. HILTON The official Oregon state insect life in the soil as larval grubs feeding on insect was dashed. So is the Oregon Swallowtail, Papilio roots. “Rufus the rain beetle” became the the beetle proponents oregonius, a classic yellow and black mascot for the cause, and a class of third- gamely searched for a butterfly that is native to the Pacific graders took up Rufus’s banner and went new candidate to carry Northwest, primarily found in the to the Oregon legislature to make the case. the torch. The goal Columbia River region where the However, it is reported that the appeared to be twofold: caterpillars feed on tarragon sagebrush. legislators responded in a supercilious firstly, find an insect that A brief survey of the state insect list shows manner, one observer noted that the was distinctly Oregon that 42 states have state insects and/or schoolchildren were better behaved than in nature that would state butterflies. In fact there are 11 states the representatives. I should note that most highlight our insect that have both a state butterfly and a state of the information that I have regarding this diversity; secondly, insect. Of the 56 insects recognized at the episode comes from rain beetle proponents, prevent the honeybee state level, 25 are butterflies and 17 states so I expect that their view may not be from becoming the state have the honeybee as their state insect. entirely unbiased. In any event after the insect. At this point, it But, the domesticated honeybee is not cool reception meted out for the rain beetle, seems that feelings were native to North America, and the USDA the beekeepers entered the fray, pushing running a bit high on agricultural statistics list honeybees as the hard-working honeybee for state both sides. The situation resembled the livestock. While honeybees provide vital insect. School children were enlisted on the old saying about academia, “the politics are pollination services to agriculture as well so intense because the stakes are so low.” as honey and wax, would you really want chool children were enlisted on Finally, in 1979, Oregon emerged the state mammal to be a cow instead of S the honeybee’s behalf and the with the aforementioned Oregon the beaver (and I say that as someone who battle was on. Swallowtail butterfly as our beautiful and definitely enjoys a good barbecued tri-tip)? unobjectionable insect ambassador. The My research indicates that the honeybee’s behalf and the battle was on. yellow swallowtail that we see flitting about first state insect was the California dog At this point, it came to light that here in southern Oregon is not our state face butterfly recognized informally rain beetles had, on occasion, become pests insect but a more common relative, the in 1929. The dog face butterfly is a on fruit trees. Normally the rain beetle western tiger swallowtail. This butterfly unique insect that is only found inside grubs feed on naturally occurring roots, is found throughout the western US, the California. In 1972, California made the such as Ponderosa pine, but when the caterpillars are not specific to a certain type designation official and following this native vegetation is removed and replaced of plant, but can feed on a wide variety of groundbreaking legislative action the 70s with fruit trees then the grubs will respond trees. Certainly, the rain beetle would have experienced a boom in state insects with accordingly. In a few orchards in Hood made for a unique state insect—no other over twenty states honoring an insect and River and The Dalles the damage to the state has a scarab beetle. The only other more than half the time, the domesticated fruit tree’s roots which had accumulated beetles that are state insects are either lady PICTURE TOP: Oregon Swallowtail (Papilio honeybee was the honoree. As part of over time was found to cause significant beetles or lightning bugs, not to mention oregonius). http://www.flickr.com/photos/ mister-atomic/5824470756/galleries/ this trend, a group of folks in Oregon impacts to tree growth. It is not clear that the rain beetle would have been the decided that a species of rain beetle, whether “opposition research” was the only state insect that is also a pest. In the PICTURE BOTTOM: Rain beetle (Pleocoma Pleocoma oregonensis, which has only been reason this information became known but, end, despite their unusual nature, the puncticollis). http://labs1.eol.org/ pages/17264?text_id=6365308. From found in Oregon, would make a good in any case, it was a fatal blow to the rain tourism bureau was probably quite relieved the Smithsonian Institution, Copyright © candidate for state insect. Rain beetles beetle’s chances. Despite the beetle backers that the rain beetle effort was not successful. Smithsonian Institution, National Museum are large scarabs found in the western US. attempts to downplay the pestiferous Richard J. Hilton of Natural History, Entomology. Some rights The beetle’s underside is covered with a nature of their candidate (in fact, Pleocoma 541-772-5165 ext. 227 reserved. Supplier: National Museum of dense mat of hairs that is quite striking. oregonensis had not even been listed as one Senior Research Assistant / Entomologist Natural History Image Collection. The male beetles make their mating flight of the pest species), it soon became clear Oregon State University NOTE: For a color photo of a swallowtail in the fall with the first rains, hence the that once the rain beetle had been fingered Southern Oregon Research and butterfly, check out the photo on the masthead name. The beetles spend most of their as a pest that any hope of becoming state Extension Center (page 1). Silver-spotted tiger moth BY TODD MURRAY Description and Life History: Apparently due to our long, wet spring, the Applegate Valley had an abundance Well, I was sitting here wondering which of an unidentified fuzzy crawler. I queried many as to the name of this creature, but pest to write about, and right here, in front had no success. Not one to give up, I contacted the Master Gardener, Marsha Waite, of my nose (or at least right outside my who identified it as the “silver-spotted tiger moth.” Then I did an online search and Silver-spotted tiger moth caterpillar. http:// window) is a silver-spotted tiger moth. I whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/homehort/pest/ found this excellent article by Todd Murray, who gave us his full written permission thought I was too late for this to be a timely sstigermoth.htm. to reprint it here. “pest of the month.” The silver-spotted Sioux Rogers tiger moth caterpillar is out right now, protected habitats to pupate. The adults munching mostly on Douglas fir, but it can of the silver-spotted tiger moth are rather occur on true firs and pines, too. The larvae attractive; the wings are brown with white of the silver-spotted tiger moth are rather and silver spots. Adults fly and lay eggs unusual looking. Larvae have dark-colored from July to August. The eggs are deposited bodies with intermixed tufts of rusty and on the foliage of the host trees. black hairs. Along the dorsum (the back), Monitoring: Begin looking there are a series of yellowish tufts. Not for aggregations of silver-spotted tiger many caterpillars out in the early spring moth larvae as early as January. These look like this, so you shouldn’t confuse aggregations usually create a webbed this critter with anything else. Larvae are tent to feed in and are isolated to a single present for a good chunk of the year. They branch. It may be difficult to spot that hatch out from eggs in late summer and early in the season but continue to look early fall. Larvae feed in aggregations well for populations throughout springtime as into and throughout winter depending damage becomes more apparent. on warm temperatures. When springtime Management: The best Integrated comes, larvae spread out and increase Pest Management (IPM) approach for tiger feeding activity on the tree’s needles; this moths is the “do nothing” method. I don’t is usually when you will see them and their Silver-spotted tiger moth. Order: Lepidoptera; Family: Arctiidae; Species: ophocampa argentata damage. In mid to late June, larvae seek out See MOTH, page 11.