Longhorned Beetle Wasp Mimic: Locust Borers (Megacyllene robiniae)

    There is no more fitting way to mark the end of the goldenrod flowering season than to focus on locust borers (Megacyllene robiniae), probably the most common longhorned beetle in east central Illinois. Locust borers get their name from their association with black locust trees. Adults feed on goldenrod pollen throughout late summer [...]

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Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) Larva: More Mimicry!

    This caterpillar is regarded as both a bird dropping and snake mimic. When viewed head-on (right side of the picture) it looks like a snake, particularly with its antennae (which look like a snake tongue) extended. When viewed from the side, the reflective areas look particularly like a freshly deposited bird dropping.

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Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) Larvae: More Eyespots!

The larvae pictured above are the fourth instar of the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. The first three instars are bird-dropping mimics. This caterpillar acquires its green color during the fourth instar. The artificial eyespots are on the top of the rearmost thoracic segment.

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Of Eyespots and Alcohol

Wing eyespots are common on butterflies. Their role is controversial, though many experiments indicate eyespots are used defensively in many species that feed on fermenting fruit. The idea is that insects flash the eyespot pattern at potential predators, who are startled by the sudden appearance of what appears to be the face of a potential [...]

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Jumping Spider Silk

While jumping spiders do not build webs to catch prey, silk is essential in their efficient maneuvering and survival.  When it jumps, each jumping spider attaches a silk line to the point of jump origin.  If they miss their target they can climb back up and try the jump again.

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Aposematic Coloration: Wasp Fly (Physoconops sp.)

This conopid fly fly is often found in combination with pollinating wasps. These flies specialize in pollination of plants in the mint family. Little is known about most of the species in this family, though the larvae of this species are internal parasites of solitary bees. The females attack hosts during flight, often knocking them [...]

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Sonoran Assassins

Assassin bugs (Family Reduviidae) are medium to large insects that are active predators. Most are elongate, possessing an obvious “snout” with well developed tubular (piercing-sucking) mouthparts that point backward, originating at the front of the “snout.” As usual click or double-click for varying degrees of magnification.

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Sumichrast’s Toothpick Grasshopper (Achurum sumichrasti)

Even though this looks like a studio shot it was taken in the field. I find these toothpick grasshoppers to be stunning!

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Cryptic Caterpillar

Appearing similar to your surroundings does have its advantages. This noctuid moth caterpillar was feeding along one of the paths to some of the many ruins areas of Provence, France. This cryptically colored larva will eventually become an equally cryptically colored adult moth. Source: Insectes de France. Michael Chinery http://www.amazon.fr/Insectes-dEurope-occidentale-Michael-Chinery/dp/2082013758/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1276609225&sr=8-1

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More Deception: Ambush Bugs

One of the first species collected by my field biology students each fall is the ambush bug (Phymata americana). These small hemipterans are sit and wait predators who grasp their prey with raptorial forelegs and then feed upon their prey’s body fluids using piercing-sucking mouthparts. We find large numbers of Phymata on goldenrod during the [...]

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