The desert milkweed is starting to bloom, which brings the queen butterflies.
Scientists have speculated that the fancy patterns on the edges of butterfly wings may look like caterpillars. What do you think? (The idea is that birds will peck at the edges of the wings, allowing the butterfly to escape.)
I thought I would do something quite different for bug of the week today. How about a fun quiz to learn more about ants? When you are done, you can find the answers at my new Wild About Ants blog. Hope you have fun!
Ant Fact or Fiction Quiz
How well do you know ants? Answer the following questions by selecting true or false. Better yet, stump your family and friends by giving them the quiz.
1. Some ants can explode when threatened by enemies, true or false?
2. Peony plants require ants for their buds to open into flowers, true or false?
3. All species of ants can sting, true or false?
4. Soldier ants are all males, true or false?
5. Ants can be used as stitches to close wounds, true or false?
6. Ants are silent, true or false?
7. Ants plow more soil than earthworms, true or false?
8. Scientists who study ants are called antomologists, true or false?
9. Certain types of caterpillars eat ants, true or false?
10. Ants plant the seeds of many wildflowers, including violets, true or false?
11. Ants pollinate many types of flowers, true or false?
12. Ant larvae can make silk, true or false?
If you wondered what the insect eggs from last week’s post hatched into, here’s a peek at the tiny caterpillar. To give you a sense of scale, I placed it on a white paper towel with a human hair.
Check out how big the head capsule is in relation to its body.
This looping behavior suggests it is a cabbage looper caterpillar.
I scooped it up with a fine paintbrush and put it back on a plant when I was done. Maybe it will grow into one of these:
For more information, see Roberta Gibson Writes.
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