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Thistle Tortoise Beetle
Friday 07-04-2008 6:12am ET
  Insect Common Name: Thistle Tortoise Beetle or Thistle Defoliating Beetle
Scientific Name: Cassida rubiginosa
Damage: This unusual beetle was imported into the U.S. from Europe as a bio-control for non-native invasive thistles including Canada, musk, and plumeless. Beetle populations were recently found causing serious damage to thistles in southern, north central, and northwest Ohio. It is called a "tortoise beetle" because their bodies are shaped like tortoise shells. The immature beetles (larva) hold pieces of their own excrement (frass) over their bodies as a defense against predators. Both the adult beetles and the larvae feed on the leaves of thistles and are capable of causing enough damage to prevent the weed from blooming and producing seed.Giant Silkworm Moths
Friday 07-04-2008 6:10am ET
   Insect Common Name: Giant Silkworm Moths
Scientific Name: Family Saturniidae, numerous species
Damage: Giant silkworm moths are among the most beautiful moths found in North America. They are also some of our largest moths with wingspans for some species exceeding 4 inches. The moth caterpillars are equally impressive in size growing to a length of 4 to 5 inches. Although the caterpillars are huge and may be found feeding on the leaves of a wide range of trees and shrubs, they are not considered to be serious pests. This is because they tend to be solitary feeders with only a few caterpillars living on a single tree or shrub, so their overall damage is minimal.
These beautiful moths are in serious trouble, so we do not recommend killing the caterpillars. It was found in recent years that a parasitic fly that was introduced into the U.S. to control gypsy moth caterpillars will also attack many of the silkworm caterpillars. We have seen a gradual decline in the numbers of giant silkworm moths. If you encounter one of the large caterpillars, simply leave it along so the moths can be enjoyed by future generations. Yellownecked Caterpillar
Friday 07-04-2008 6:08am ET
 Insect Common Names: Yellownecked Caterpillar
Scientific Name: Datana ministra
Damage: This moth caterpillar is considered a serious pest of trees and shrubs. The caterpillars feed in colonies and can rapidly defoliate their host plant, usually one branch at a time. The caterpillars undergo changes in color as they mature. Caterpillars that are younger than those in this picture have orangish-red and yellow lines. The caterpillars can be easily controlled by knocking the colonies off the branch into a bucket of soapy water.Milkweed Bug and Red Milkweed Beetle
Friday 06-27-2008 4:53am ET
  Insect Common Names: Milkweed Bug and Red Milkweed Beetle
Scientific Names:
Milkweed Bug: Oncopeltus fasciatus
Red Milkweed Beetle: Tetraopes tetrophthalmus
Damage: In recent years, a number of plants in the milkweed family (Asclepiadaceae) have transcended "weed status" to join the ranks of plant respectability. They are now planted in butterfly gardens, landscapes, and naturalized areas. Most gardeners know that plants in the milkweed family protect themselves from plant eaters by infusing their milky sap with serious alkaloid toxins called cardiac glycosides (cardenolides).
Most gardeners also know that monarch butterfly caterpillars eat milkweed and they commandeer these toxins making both the caterpillars and adults unpalatable to predators. However, there are also 50 other insect species that eat plants in the milkweed family and they also accumulate cardiac glycosides in their flesh. All advertise to predators their toxic nature through splashy coloration. Eriophyid Mites
Friday 06-27-2008 4:51am ET
     Insect Common Name: Eriophyid Mites
Scientific Name: Family Eriophyidae, Over 1200 species in North America
Damage: Eriophyid mites are unique among other mites. They are very small and require at least a 40x magnification to be clearly seen. They are shaped like tiny cigars, and they only have two pairs of legs. No other mite has only two pairs of legs at any stage in their development. Eriophyid mites produce a range of symptoms on plants; however, each mite is specific to its own host plant. For example, the mite that produces spindle galls on black cherry does not produce the petiole galls on walnut.
Eriophyid mites generally do not damage the overall health of their host plant. Their handiwork is most often simply looked upon as plant oddities. For example, the wart like galls on the upper leaf surface of poison ivy look much like the effects of poison ivy on the upper skin surface of gardeners! The one exception in these images is the rosette mite on coneflower. This mite can seriously reduce the self-seeding of coneflowers. It is recommended that infested flowers be clipped and destroyed.Brood XIV 17-Year Periodical Cicada
Friday 06-27-2008 4:48am ET
Assassin Bug
Friday 06-20-2008 5:12am ET
 Insect Common Name: Assassin Bug
Insect Scientific Name: Family Reduviidae (160 Species in North America)
Damage: This peculiar spider-like predatory insect is the immature stage (nymphs) of a much larger predatory insect. Both the adults and nymphs of these descriptively named bugs wield long, piercing mouthparts which are used like soda straws to extract the essence of insects. They should be left alone for two reasons. First, they can use their mouthparts to deliver a painful bite! Second, they are very important beneficial insects that kill insect pests.Fiery Searcher Caterpillar Hunter
Friday 06-20-2008 5:12am ET
 Insect Common Name: Fiery Searcher Caterpillar Hunter
Insect Scientific Name: Calosoma scrutator
Damage: This large beetle (1 1/4" long) is a beneficial insect since it hunts, kills, and eats caterpillars. It hunts at night and is attracted to lights which occasionally causes it to come into homes. Since it's a "good bug," wayward beetles should be gently coaxed outdoors, but be careful: this beetle is a meat-eater so it can bite!Wheel Bug
Friday 06-20-2008 5:10am ET
 Insect Common Name: Wheel Bug
Insect Scientific Name: Arilus cristatus
Damage: These predatory bugs also belong to the "Assassin Bug" family, Reduviidae. Like other assassin bugs, wheel bugs use their piercing mouthparts to stab and extract juices from their insect prey. Wheel bugs get their very descriptive common name from a peculiar morphological feature that rises from the top of the bug's thorax. The structure looks like half of a cog-wheel, with the gear teeth clearly visible. Wheel bugs are big, measuring over 1 1/4" long, and their color varies from light gray to bluish-gray to grayish-brown. They are often found lurking among the leaves of trees and shrubs in search of their favored prey, caterpillars and sawfly larvae.
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