Luciole / Firefly (Order: Coleoptera, Family: Lampyridae)
- prepared by Hannah Avenant 2016
The Boreal firefly, or Pyractomena borealis can be found in Alberta in the right places – wooded or marshy areas where there are snails that the predaceous larvae can eat. Pyractomena borealis has flattened black elytra, or hardened forewings, that conceal a pair of membraneous hind wings. The elytra can also be used in flight for maneuverability and, in the case of P. borealis, include two yellow stripes along the lateral edges of each elytra. The last two segments of its abdomen are yellow, which means it is of the light-producing variety.
The Boreal firefly, or Pyractomena borealis can be found in Alberta in the right places – wooded or marshy areas where there are snails that the predaceous larvae can eat. Pyractomena borealis has flattened black elytra, or hardened forewings, that conceal a pair of membraneous hind wings. The elytra can also be used in flight for maneuverability and, in the case of P. borealis, include two yellow stripes along the lateral edges of each elytra. The last two segments of its abdomen are yellow, which means it is of the light-producing variety.
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| Figure 1. Pyractomena borealis. (Source: http://www.pbase.com/image/130999380) |
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| Figure 2. Pyractomena borealis larva. (Source: http://bugguide.net/node/view/15743) |
Fireflies use chemical reactions to produce light in order to communicate with one another – a phenomenon known as bioluminescence. Within the last two yellow segments of their abdomen, there are two chemicals: luciferase and luciferin. Luciferin has the ability to glow, and luciferase is triggers luciferin to glow. Fireflies use bioluminescence – chemical reactions to produce light – to send signals to each other.
Fireflies use light or bioluminescence to attract mates and each species produces a distinct light pattern. If you watch this video here, you can watch fireflies communicating with each other! Fireflies also use bioluminescence to communicate – mainly to attract a mate but also to defend their territory or even warn predators away. A female will sit and wait, and when she spots an attractive male flying by with a suitable glow, she will flash a signal of her own to attract him.
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| Figure 3. Glowing Pyractomena borealis. (Source: http://www.gardening-for-wildlife.com/fireflies.html) |
Another species that can be found in Alberta is Ellychnia corrusca. Like the Boreal firefly, E. corrusca has black elytra and yellow stripes on its head, though lacks the yellow stripes down the side of the elytra. Adults overwinter in grooves in the bark of trees, and eat fluids like sap. The larvae, however, are predaceous, and eat snails, slugs, and soft-bodied insects! E. corrusca can be seen from February to December. In Alberta, Ellychnia corrusca ranges from the U.S. border to Beaverlodge!!! A map of their range can be found here.
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| Figure 4. Ellychnia corrusca. (Source: http://bugguide.net/node/view/833192) |
-prepared by Jadin 2016
• Grasshoppers are in the Order Orthoptera and belong to the Family Acrididae.
• Female grasshoppers lay multiple eggs in the soil within a pod during late summer and the fall on the Canadian prairies.
• The eggs overwinter in soil then hatch in the spring.
• Grasshoppers are hemimetabolous and develop through 5 instar or nymphal stages by a process called molting (periodic shedding of an outer covering to promote new growth).
http://bugguide.net/node/view/944491) ]
Coccinelle / Ladybird Beetle (Order: Coleoptera, Family: Coccinellidae)
-prepared by Emily 2016
Ladybugs, lady beetles and ladybird beetles are all common names for insects in the Family Coccinellidae.
Fun facts:
• Gardeners and Farmers like to ladybird beetles as pest control because they eat other insects like aphids which destroy their crops.
• A ladybird beetle can lay up to 1000 eggs during its lifetime.
• Not all ladybird beetles have spots.
• Ladybird beetles will clean and groom themselves after a meal.
• Ladybird beetles come in many colors including pink, yellow, white, orange and black.
• Over 300 species of ladybird beetles live in North America.
• Ladybird beetles make a chemical that smells and tastes bad so predators won’t eat them.
• Ladybird beetles hibernate in large groups during cold weather.
• Many cultures consider the ladybird beetle to be a sign of good luck.
• Ladybird beetles are beetles and belong to the Order Coleoptera.
• The bright colors of ladybird beetles warn predators that they don’t taste good.
• The spots on the elytra or hardened forewings of the ladybird beetle fade as they get older.
Egg Stage: Lady beetles lay their eggs under leaves to protect from predators. They can lay up to 1000 eggs in their lifetime.
Larva Stage: Once the lady beetles hatch they start to look for food. They will look for insects like mites or aphids.
Pupa Stage: During this phase the lady beetles look like small shrimp. They will find a leaf to attach to and “sleep” for a few days.
Adult Stage: Once metamorphosis is complete the newly recognizable lady beetle will hatch out of the skin of the larvae and look like the various species below.
Libellule / Dragonfly (Order: Odonata, Family: various)• Grasshoppers are in the Order Orthoptera and belong to the Family Acrididae.
• Female grasshoppers lay multiple eggs in the soil within a pod during late summer and the fall on the Canadian prairies.
• The eggs overwinter in soil then hatch in the spring.
• Grasshoppers are hemimetabolous and develop through 5 instar or nymphal stages by a process called molting (periodic shedding of an outer covering to promote new growth).
• Grasshoppers live in dry open habitats with lots of grass – FUN FACT - A grasshopper can eat half its body weight in plants per day! This is why they can cause serious damage to farmer’s crops.
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| Figure 3. Grasshopper nymph feeding on milkweed (Melanoplus bivittatus female)[photo source: |
• The reason grasshoppers are able to jump high is because their knee on their hind jumping legs acts as a spring and can store energy and allowing it to jump with such ease!
• CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO TO SEE A GRASSHOPPER JUMPING AT 1/20th NORMAL SPEED!!
• In some African and South American countries, people eat grasshoppers as an excellent source of protein....YUM!
o Would you eat bread made from insects?!? Students from Montreal turned grasshoppers in poor countries into flour used to make bread! Read about it here!
• Example of grasshopper feeding causing “net-like” in soybean plants (source: http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/icm/node/2560 )
• When there are too many grasshoppers in one area, they transform into locusts and can swarm across entire continents (source: http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/animals/grasshopper.html)
• Grasshoppers may seem intimidating but they are actually strict herbivores - eating mostly grass but also a swarm of locusts can eat a farmer’s crop and cause millions of dollars in damage!
Click here for a fun and interactive tool to learn the parts of a grasshopper!
... And from the same order (Orthoptera) as Grasshoppers - can you guess what this is below?
It is a MORMEN CRICKET (Anabrus simplex)!
- Despite its name the Mormen Cricket is NOT a cricket, it is actually a Katydid.
- Although they are flightless, these insects can travel up to two kilometers a day!!
- They can be a serious agriculture pest because, similar to the locust grasshoppers, they can also travel in a swarm phase and seriously damage the crops!
- Notice its long ova depositor – The females thrust this into the soil to lay her eggs. (This should not be mistaken for a stinger!)
- WATCH THIS HUGE MORMEN CRICKET COVER HER EGGS!
Coccinelle / Ladybird Beetle (Order: Coleoptera, Family: Coccinellidae)
-prepared by Emily 2016
Ladybugs, lady beetles and ladybird beetles are all common names for insects in the Family Coccinellidae.
Fun facts:
• Gardeners and Farmers like to ladybird beetles as pest control because they eat other insects like aphids which destroy their crops.
• A ladybird beetle can lay up to 1000 eggs during its lifetime.
• Not all ladybird beetles have spots.
• Ladybird beetles will clean and groom themselves after a meal.
• Ladybird beetles come in many colors including pink, yellow, white, orange and black.
• Over 300 species of ladybird beetles live in North America.
• Ladybird beetles make a chemical that smells and tastes bad so predators won’t eat them.
• Ladybird beetles hibernate in large groups during cold weather.
• Many cultures consider the ladybird beetle to be a sign of good luck.
• Ladybird beetles are beetles and belong to the Order Coleoptera.
• The bright colors of ladybird beetles warn predators that they don’t taste good.
• The spots on the elytra or hardened forewings of the ladybird beetle fade as they get older.
Egg Stage: Lady beetles lay their eggs under leaves to protect from predators. They can lay up to 1000 eggs in their lifetime.
Larva Stage: Once the lady beetles hatch they start to look for food. They will look for insects like mites or aphids.
Pupa Stage: During this phase the lady beetles look like small shrimp. They will find a leaf to attach to and “sleep” for a few days.
Adult Stage: Once metamorphosis is complete the newly recognizable lady beetle will hatch out of the skin of the larvae and look like the various species below.
References
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/bugs/ladybug/-prepared by Laura 2016
Dragonflies are a common insect to see flying around in the summer. They have very large eyes which allow them to see almost all the way around and they are fast fliers with strong wings. Like hawks with strong wings and excellent eyesight, dragonflies are predators. They are master hunters that grab other insects out of the air including flies, butterflies, beetles, and other dragonflies. Dragonflies are fabulous fliers; they can go straight up, straight down, and catch their prey with their feet while flying. One species of dragonfly, called the globe skimmer, even migrates across the ocean. Dragonflies also have teeth that are serrated, like saws, which allow them to chew their food.
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| Figure 1. A cherry-faced meadowhawk (Wikimedia Commons). |
You might see damselflies in the summer as well. These insects resemble dragonflies but, instead of holding their wings straight out from their body, a damselfly holds its wings closer to their abdomen (Figure 2).
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| Figure 2. A boreal bluet, a species of damselfly that is found in Alberta. |
Now that you are familiar with a dragonfly or damselfly, did you know the winged adult stage is NOT the dominant phase of their life cycle? The dominant or longest living stage is instead the juvenile stage, referred to as nymphs (Figure 3). Dragonfly and damselfly nymphs are aquatic so they live underwater in streams and lakes and they often live as nymphs for several years! The nymphs are voracious predators that eat tadpoles, mosquito larvae, and even each other! They have mouthparts (similar to jaws) that hinge at the bottom and snap out to catch their prey. Nymphs can also jet-propel themselves towards their prey by squirting water out of their rear ends! Once they become adults, dragonflies usually live for only a few weeks.
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| Figure 3. A dragonfly larva (photo by Kathleen P Chute, http://bugguide.net/node/view/318172). |
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| Figure 4. A variable darner (Wikimedia Commons). |
-prepared by Celine 2016
Life cycle:
1. The queen bee will lay eggs at the bottom of a honeycomb cell.
2. The egg then hatches into a larva (that look like snowy white grubs), and the worker bees feed the larva royal jelly, and then later, bee bread (a mixture of honey and pollen).
3. As the larva grows, the worker bees will close or cap the honeycomb cell with beeswax.
4. The larva spins a cocoon and transforms into a pupa.
5. After 12 days, the newly transformed adult bee will chew their way out of the wax cap to join the colony.
Queen bees differ from the rest in that they are fed ONLY royal jelly (consider it a royal treatment), and no bee bread.
Parts of a Honeybee:
To the right is a diagram of a worker bee. Note the pollen baskets on both hind legs, this is how she carries pollen back to the hive. The three main segments to honeybees are
1. The head
2. The thorax (midsection)
3. The abdomen
The Waggle Dance! Once a worker bee discovers a new source of food, she will communicate this location to the other worker bees through a honey bee dance. Take a look at this video!
Papillon / Butterfly (Order: Lepidoptera, Family: various)
Life cycle:
1. The queen bee will lay eggs at the bottom of a honeycomb cell.
2. The egg then hatches into a larva (that look like snowy white grubs), and the worker bees feed the larva royal jelly, and then later, bee bread (a mixture of honey and pollen).
3. As the larva grows, the worker bees will close or cap the honeycomb cell with beeswax.
4. The larva spins a cocoon and transforms into a pupa.
5. After 12 days, the newly transformed adult bee will chew their way out of the wax cap to join the colony.
Queen bees differ from the rest in that they are fed ONLY royal jelly (consider it a royal treatment), and no bee bread.
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| Source: http://betsylough.weebly.com/life-cycle.html |
Parts of a Honeybee:
To the right is a diagram of a worker bee. Note the pollen baskets on both hind legs, this is how she carries pollen back to the hive. The three main segments to honeybees are
1. The head
2. The thorax (midsection)
3. The abdomen
The Waggle Dance! Once a worker bee discovers a new source of food, she will communicate this location to the other worker bees through a honey bee dance. Take a look at this video!
Want to know more about honeybees? Check these out!
-prepared by Kaitlin 2016
• There are over 150,000 species in this group and they are divided into Families.
• Unlike butterflies, moths have feathery antennae and are covered in hair like coat.
Differences between butterflies and moths
(retrieved from: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/butterfly/allabout/Bflyormoth.shtml)
Life Cycle:
• The butterflies and moths are holometabolous or experience a “complete” life cycle.
• Each life cycle is very different and serves a different purpose for the insect.
• There are four life stages for butterflies and moths:
1. The Egg: The egg is a tiny round object that is usually laid on the underside of leaves or stems, close to a caterpillar food source.
2. The Caterpillar or Larva: During this stage, the caterpillar looks long and worm-like. The primary purpose of this stage is for feeding and growing. They must eat as much as they can because there is a lot of growing to be done before they shed their exoskeleton. They can be striped with different colours, or be covered in spikey hair. The caterpillar will shed its hair and skin layers a few times during this stage, to prepare itself to become encapsulated.
3. The Pupa or Chrysalis: The pupa stage happens when the caterpillar is in a cocoon. The caterpillar will undergo some important changes during this stage. The caterpillar’s tissues begin to break down and the adult structures begin to form. The pupa will be brown or green, to help it camouflage into its surroundings. This can last from a couple weeks, to a few months. Many insects overwinter at this stage.
4. The Imago or Adult: After completing the pupa stage, an adult butterfly will emerge from the pupa. This is the stage of the butterfly’s life cycle where they are mobile and reproduce. Butterflies will then seek courtship, mating and egg-laying. Butterflies will migrate during this stage to help colonize new habitats.
Here is a very cool video animation of how a butterfly emerges from its pupa:
http://www.dkfindout.com/uk/video/animals-and-nature/from-chrysalis-to-butterfly-video/
What do caterpillars or larvae eat?
Caterpillars have very strong mandibles used to chew leaves, buds, stems or roots. Upon hatching, the larva usually eats the leaves of the plant their eggs was laid on. When caterpillars are thirsty, they will eat more leaves since they contain all of the moisture.
What do butterflies eat?
Butterflies and moths feed using a proboscis, mouth parts adapted to function like a long straw. They get their nourishment from plant nectar, pollen, tree sap, fruits, wet areas on plants and leaves and they can even be found sipping near mud puddles which can provide important salts and minerals. Butterflies and moths have sensors on their legs which allow them to taste things!
Mouche / Fly (Order: Diptera, Family: various)
-prepared by Amanda 2016
• There are over 150,000 species in this group and they are divided into Families.
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| Figure 1. Figure of a monarch butterfly. |
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| Figure 2. Example of a moth. |
• Unlike butterflies, moths have feathery antennae and are covered in hair like coat.
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| Figure 3. Feathery antennae of moth. |
Differences between butterflies and moths
Characteristic
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Butterfly
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Moth
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Antennae
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Club-like with a
swollen tip
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Feathery
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Color
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Usually bright
colors
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Usually less
bright than butterflies
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Resting Stance
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Wings erect and
held together while resting
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Wings open and
folded over its back while resting, looking like the train of a wedding gown
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Period of
activity
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Usually active
during the day
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Usually active at
night (and attracted to light)
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Pupa
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Pupate as an
unprotected chrysalis hanging from a branch or other support
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Protected by a
cocoon or pupate underground or on the ground
|
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| Figure 4. Structures of a butterfly and moth. |
• The butterflies and moths are holometabolous or experience a “complete” life cycle.
• Each life cycle is very different and serves a different purpose for the insect.
• There are four life stages for butterflies and moths:
1. The Egg: The egg is a tiny round object that is usually laid on the underside of leaves or stems, close to a caterpillar food source.
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| Figure 5. Each lepidopteran egg is approximately 1mm in diameter. |
2. The Caterpillar or Larva: During this stage, the caterpillar looks long and worm-like. The primary purpose of this stage is for feeding and growing. They must eat as much as they can because there is a lot of growing to be done before they shed their exoskeleton. They can be striped with different colours, or be covered in spikey hair. The caterpillar will shed its hair and skin layers a few times during this stage, to prepare itself to become encapsulated.
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| Figure 6. Butterfly larva. |
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| Figure 7. Moth larva. |
3. The Pupa or Chrysalis: The pupa stage happens when the caterpillar is in a cocoon. The caterpillar will undergo some important changes during this stage. The caterpillar’s tissues begin to break down and the adult structures begin to form. The pupa will be brown or green, to help it camouflage into its surroundings. This can last from a couple weeks, to a few months. Many insects overwinter at this stage.
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| Figure 8. Caterpillars or larvae will go through metamophosis within a cocoon or the above chrysalis. |
4. The Imago or Adult: After completing the pupa stage, an adult butterfly will emerge from the pupa. This is the stage of the butterfly’s life cycle where they are mobile and reproduce. Butterflies will then seek courtship, mating and egg-laying. Butterflies will migrate during this stage to help colonize new habitats.
Here is a very cool video animation of how a butterfly emerges from its pupa:
http://www.dkfindout.com/uk/video/animals-and-nature/from-chrysalis-to-butterfly-video/
What do caterpillars or larvae eat?
Caterpillars have very strong mandibles used to chew leaves, buds, stems or roots. Upon hatching, the larva usually eats the leaves of the plant their eggs was laid on. When caterpillars are thirsty, they will eat more leaves since they contain all of the moisture.
What do butterflies eat?
Butterflies and moths feed using a proboscis, mouth parts adapted to function like a long straw. They get their nourishment from plant nectar, pollen, tree sap, fruits, wet areas on plants and leaves and they can even be found sipping near mud puddles which can provide important salts and minerals. Butterflies and moths have sensors on their legs which allow them to taste things!
What do caterpillars eat source: http://www.whatdocaterpillarseat.info/
What do caterpillars eat source: http://www.whatdobutterflieseat.info/
Butterfly life cycle source: http://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle
What do moths eat Source: http://www.whatdomothseat.info/
Photo of butterfly larva source: http://shelledy.mesa.k12.co.us/staff/computerlab/Butterfly_Larva.html
Photo of butterfly eggs source : http://www.ottersandbutterflies.co.uk/butterflies/butterfly-eggs
Photo of butterfly pupa source: http://www.scienceprojectlab.com/monarch-butterfly.html
Photo of moth source: http://frontporchstapleton.com/article/moth-madness/
Photo of moth and butterfly source: http://ed101.bu.edu/StudentDoc/Archives/ED101sp08/aklove/butterfly%20or%20moth.html
Mouche / Fly (Order: Diptera, Family: various)
-prepared by Amanda 2016
The true flies, or Diptera, include a diverse group of insects. The key feature for all flies is that they have only one pair of wings rather than two pairs or four wings. Instead of a second pair of wings, flies have organs called halters that allow them to fly with precision.
Flies live in all sorts of habitats:
· Ponds and streams
· Manure and rotting food
· Inside and on plants
Fly larvae are often called “maggots” and don’t have legs or eyes. Maggots spend their time feeding until they pupate. Fly pupae undergo metamorphosis to their adult form in their pupa. Some flies create structures that cover their pupa which is called a puparium.
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| Figure 1. Lifecycle of Drosophila melanogaster (source: http://flymove.uni-muenster.de/Genetics/Flies/LifeCycle/LifeCyclePict/life_cycle.jpg) |
Most maggots, or fly larvae, have chewing mouthparts and can feed on a variety of foods including:
· Rotting fruit or meat
· Plant leaves or other tissues
· Manure or rotting wood or leaves
· Some are parasites on other animals
· Some are predators
Adult flies have specialized mouthparts. Some have piercing mouthparts like straws, others have mouthparts that enable them to sponge liquid food while others possess no mouthparts!
A cranefly, which belongs to the Family Tipulidae, is shown below. Many species of crane flies do not eat in the adult stage.
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| Figure 2. Crane fly adult (source: http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/Insects/Crane%20Fly/Crane_Fly3.jpg) |
A hoverfly, which belongs to the Family Syrphidae, is shown below. Hover flies mimic bees to avoid predators. Adult hoverflies eat nectar while the larvae are voracious predators and feed on smaller arthropods including aphids or even other hoverfly larvae.
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| Figure 4. Hoverfly feeding on flower (source: https://laughingcrowpermaculture.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/syrphid.jpg) |
Rhagoletis completa, a fruit fly belonging to the Family Tephritidae, that is shown below and is a pest of walnuts.
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| Figure 4. Rhagoletis completa (source: http://bugguide.net/node/view/666345) |
For more information on flies:
Moustique / Mosquito (ORDER: Diptera / FAMILY: Culicidae)
-prepared by Shelby 2016
Quick Facts
· There are 3,500 species worldwide.
· 82 species of mosquito are found in Canada.
· Only female mosquitoes actually “bite.” They use their tube-like mouthparts, called a proboscis, to pierce the skin of their host to consume blood.
· Both female and male mosquitoes feed on plant nectar.
· Mosquito is Spanish for “Little Fly”.
· The second oldest fossilized mosquito was found in Alberta preserved in 76.5-79.5 million year old amber.
Life Cycle
Mosquitos are holometabolous and undergo complete metamorphism. Their lifecycle includes four very different stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.
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| Figure 1. Lifecycle of a mosquito (source:http://www.mosquito-misting.com/graphices/mosquito%20life%20cycle.gif) |
Eggs
· Before they lay their eggs, females must feed on blood.
· Mosquitoes lay their eggs on water or in moist soil.
· Mosquito eggs laid in aquatic habitats can with withstand dry conditions for months.
Larvae
· The larval stage of mosquitoes lives in water.
· Larvae usually feed on plant debris and microorganisms.
Pupae
· Pupae swim in a backwards and downwards motion and are sometimes called “tumblers”.
· They are very active but do not feed.
Adults
· After emerging, adults mate within a few days.
· The male mosquitoes form clouds called swarms that the females fly into to mate.
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| Figure 2. Which one is Culex aegypti! (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquito#/media/File:Aedes_aegypti_E-A-Goeldi_1905.jpg) |
· Mosquitoes are usually less than a centimetre long and have slender bodies
· The easiest way to tell male and female mosquitoes is by their antennae. Male mosquitoes have bushy antennae that help them seek out the whine of female mosquitos. Can you spot the male mosquito in the picture above?
Want to see the mosquito life cycle in action? Take a look at this video:
Looking for More Information on Mosquitoes? Try some of these links:
Pest World for Kids
National Geographic Kids:
The Canadian Encyclopedia:
Science Kids
BioKids