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Category: Uncategorized (Page 4 of 25)

Bug of the Week: Dung Beetles

November 18, 2015 / / 0 Comments

Dung beetles have a rather odd lifestyle, but nonetheless they are fascinating for a number of reasons.

dungbeetle-X2(Public domain photograph by Alex Wild)

  1. Dung beetles help recycle dung by feeding on it.
  2. Dung beetles either roll the dung or bury it to prevent it from drying out.
  3. Dung beetles navigate to and from their burrows by the position of the sun and some can even navigate by recognizing the Milky Way at night.
  4. Female dung beetles, or sometimes both parents, may stay with their offspring after the eggs hatch and take care of them, something that is unusual with insects.
  5. Although most often seen on the ground, the adult beetles are actually strong fliers.

We’ll learn more about one of the first people to dung beetles for STEM Friday this week.

Bug of the Week: A Different Lady Beetle Larva

July 1, 2015 / / 0 Comments

This week let’s take another look at the diverse community of insects found on the rush or desert milkweed.

Dusky Lady Beetle Larva with Aphids(Photograph by Lynne S., used with permission)

What do you see here? Probably the first things you notice are the bright orange-yellow aphids. Those are oleander aphids.

Dusky Lady Beetle Larva with Aphids on Milkweed(Photograph by Lynne S., used with permission)

But, what is the insect with the bright white fluffy look?

The insect that looks like a tiny white carpet is actually a lady beetle larva. Instead of the bright red-and-black lady beetles we usually think of, this larva will turn into a small dark brown or black beetle.

These nondescript beetles belong to a group called dusky lady beetles (Tribe Scymnini). The adults are round in shape, like other lady beetles, and feed on aphids, scales and mealybugs, too. The main difference is that the larvae produce a white waxy coating, which is thought to help protect them from predators.

Have you ever spot an adult dusky lady beetle or a larva? Where did you find it?

Seed of the Week: Bachelor’s Buttons

June 30, 2015 / / 0 Comments

Welcome back to Seed of the Week!

Our mystery seeds from two weeks ago were indeed from the common garden flower bachelor’s buttons, Centaurea cyanus.

bachelors buttons flowersThey may also be called cornflowers, although other kinds of plants may share that name.

Bachelor’s buttons were originally from Europe. They have been grown as an annual garden flower throughout the world and have naturalized in parts of North America and Australia. Ironically, the plant is declining in the wild in Europe.

bachelor-button-flower012

The flowers are commonly a lovely blue, although other shades are possible.

Nordens_flora_007_BlaÌŠklint(Botanical illustration by C.A.M. Lindman at Wikimedia)

 Have you ever grown bachelor’s buttons in your garden?

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