Tallgrass Prairie Region Insect Viewing Tips Differential Grasshopper 1. Go to where the habitat is — visit Melanoplus differentialis state parks and other public spaces. Size: L: 1.2 - 2.2 in. Description: Yellow-brown with 2. Do your homework — learn what dark V markings on outer hind species live in the area. legs. Diet: Plants 3. Think about timing — check what is Habitat: Rural to urban Viewing: Summer, statewide active in the area this time of year. 4. Consult an expert — join in on a The Nebraska tallgrass prairie region guided insect hike to learn more. comprises the eastern quarter of the state. Insects Carolina Mantis 5. Leave no trace — leave wildlife in Stagmomantis carolina The key to this landscape is the thick, rich Size: L: 1.89 - 2.24 in soil that enables deep-rooting prairie plants nature and nature the way you Description: Pale green to to survive. Grasses and forbs dominate this found it. brown-gray thick, bent front of the legs, oversized eyes atop a grassland region, with few trees, except along triangular head. water corridors. Diet: Insects Habitat: Rural to urban This area receives 25 - 36 inches of rain Basic Insect Anatomy Nebraska Viewing: Summer-fall, annually. Much of the historic grasslands have eastern half been converted, leaving only about 2 percent of unmodified tallgrass prairie habitat. This Antenna Yellow Garden Spider Tallgrass Argiope aurantia area incorporates many wetlands, including Head Size: L: 0.20 - 1.1 in. the saline wetlands, north of Lincoln. This Description: Yellow and black range has a diversity of birds, plants, mammals, orb weaver with long yellow-red Prairie and black legs. Female: larger reptiles and insects that call it home. and brighter. Male: more brown. Leg Diet: Insects Habitat: Rural to urban Viewing: Spring-fall, more common in eastern half Thorax Identification Marbled Orbweaver Araneus marmoreus Guide Size: L: 0.20 - 0.71 in. Description: Orange to brown, lighter oval abdomen with darker markings resembling Abdomen veined marble. Diet: Insects Habitat: Rural to urban Viewing: Spring-fall, more common in eastern half OutdoorNebraska.org Insects TGP lgl.indd 1 8/13/2019 11:56:22 AM Monarch Painted Lady Dogbane Leaf Beetle Halloween Pennant Danaus plexippus Vanessa cadui Chrysochus auratus Celithemis eponina Size: WS: 3.3 - 4.8 in. Size: WS: 2.0 - 2.87 in. Size: L: 0.31 - 0.43 in. Size: L: 1.4 - 1.7 in. Description: Orange butterfly with Description: Upperside orange- Description: Small, oblong beetle Description: Dragonfly with black body, veins and borders with brown, upper forewing black with metallic green to brown orange wings with brown white spots, Male: has black spot at with white, hind wing with row of coloration. bands and red spots on front center of each lower wing. black spots. Underside patterned Diet: Dogbane and milkweed plants edge of wing. Diet: Milkweed (larva), nectar (adult) brown-gray. Habitat: Dogbane and milkweed Diet: Insects Habitat: Open fields, rural to urban Diet: Nectar Viewing: Summer, statewide Habitat: Marshes, ponds, lakes Viewing: Spring-fall, statewide Habitat: Rural to urban Viewing: Summer, statewide Viewing: Summer, statewide Regal Fritillary ©Ken Childs, www.discoverlife.org Isabella Tiger Moth Spotted Lady Beetle *Brown-belted Bumblebee Speyeria idalia Pyrrharctia isabella Coleomegilla maculata Bombus griseocollis Size: WS: 2.6 - 4.0 in. Size: WS: 1.75 - 2.25 in. Size: L: 0.2 - 0.23 in. Size: L: 0.37 - 0.75 in. Description: Upper forewing red- Description: Forewings orange- Description: Oval-shaped, Description: Bumblebee with orange with black, hind wing black yellow-tan with broken black spot, red to pink beetle with irregular black head and wings and with row of white spots. Males Female: has orange-pink hind wing. black spots. brown belt band on thorax. have row of orange spots. Diet: Herbaceous plants (larva) Diet: Aphids, mites and pollen Diet: Nectar and pollen Diet: Violets (larva), nectar (adult) Habitat: Rural to urban Habitat: Crop fields and gardens Habitat: Rural to urban Habitat: Open fields with violets Viewing: Spring-fall, statewide Viewing: Summer, east Viewing: Spring-summer, Viewing: Summer, statewide, more statewide common east Common Eastern Firefly Eastern Tiger Swallowtail White-lined Sphinx Moth Photinus pyralis *Common Eastern Papilio glaucus Hyles lineta Size: L: 0.39 - 0.55 in. Bumblebee Size: WS: 2.5 - 4.5 in. Size: WS: 2.4 - 3.6 in. Description: Black-brown, Bombus impatiens Description: Yellow with black Description: Striped olive-brown segments outlined in yellow. Size: L: 0.35 - 0.82 in. tiger-stripes. Females have blue with horizontal light tan stripe on Red plate behind head with two Description: Shaggy bee with spots and a dark morph. forewing, and thicker horizontal black spots. Last segment of black head and body, light yellow Diet: Nectar pink stripe on hind wing. body lights up. on thorax. Habitat: Rural to urban Diet: Nectar Diet: Insects Diet: Nectar and pollen Viewing: Spring-summer, statewide Habitat: Rural to urban Habitat: Rural to urban Habitat: Rural to urban Viewing: Spring-summer, statewide Viewing: Summer, east Viewing: Spring-summer, east Clouded Sulphur Goldenrod Soldier Beetle Familiar Bluet Two-Striped Grasshopper Colias philodice Chauliognathus pensylvanicus Enallagma civile Melanoplus bivittatus Size: WS: 1.5 - 2.75 in. Size: L: 0.35 - 0.47 in. Size: L: 1.3 - 1.7 in. Size: L: 1.2 - 2.2 in. Description: Male: Yellow-green Description: Golden-orange with Description: Bright blue damselfly Description: Smooth yellow- with dark edging on wings, white variable black markings and black with slender abdomen. brown with two distinct eyespot on underwing, Female: head and legs. Diet: Insects pale-yellow stripes. yellow-white, less bold edging. Diet: Insects (larva), Habitat: Near still or slow moving Diet: Plants Diet: Nectar pollen and nectar (adult) water Habitat: Rural to urban Habitat: Open fields Habitat: Rural to urban Viewing: Summer-fall, statewide Viewing: Summer, statewide Viewing: Summer, statewide Viewing: Summer, statewide * = stings 11/2018-76936 Insects TGP lgl.indd 2 8/13/2019 11:56:29 AM.