cross-posted from: https://mastodon.neatobuilds.com/users/mrpistachios/statuses/114388239397145973

Little buddy scooting past my work area

@macrophotography
macro #macrophotography #millipede #neatobuilds #insects

This bird poop caught my attention because it looked a bit too perfectly shaped, and when I looked at it closer its orange osmeteria came out.

Searching online, I suspect that this might be Papilio cresphontes. However, I see a lot of variation in the photos of Papilio cresphontes and so I am not sure if this the correct ID.

Found in Yucatan, Mexico.

Researchers in Mississippi have discovered a previously unknown species of parasitoid wasp that matures inside the bodies of living, adult fruit flies before bursting out of them like a xenomorph in the "Alien" movies.

The sneaky predator, which researchers have named Syntretus perlmani, is the first wasp found to infect adult fruit flies — similar wasp species are known to target flies during their younger, more vulnerable larva and pupa life stages. The wasps are parasitoids rather than parasites because they always kill their hosts, while parasites usually don't.

A team of scientists came across the wasp by chance while collecting a common fruit fly called Drosophila affinis in their backyards in Mississippi. They published their findings Wednesday (Sep. 11) in the journal Nature.

Southeast Texas, help is appreciated.

ghost archive

In North America, dragonfly migrations occur annually in late summer and early fall. Although it’s not clear what species of dragonfly caused a stir among sunbathers this weekend, Virginia “Ginger” Brown, the leading dragonfly expert in the Ocean State, told NBC 10 WJAR in 2021 that witnessing such an abundance of dragonflies along the coast is a miracle.

While about 130 species of dragonflies are known in Rhode Island, Brown told WJAR that the Common Green Darner comprise the bulk of those that migrate on a yearly basis, with others accompanying their flights.

The Common Green Darner is the “best-known migrant dragonfly,” according to the Vermont Center for Ecostudies. The large s

cross-posted from: https://beehaw.org/post/15196046

Linked article is about Pennsylvania, but note that Cornell recently announced these lanternflies have invaded the New York grape-growing region of the Finger Lakes: https://cals.cornell.edu/news/2024/07/spotted-lanternfly-found-finger-lakes-region

Also, they are up in Connecticut now: https://www.ctpublic.org/news/2024-07-25/spotted-lanternfly-connecticut-grapes-crops

Researchers from Pennsylvania State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences used an economic assessment software program to estimate potential damage and said in the worst-case scenario the damage could climb to half a billion dollars annually.

“I mean, look, it made it to Pennsylvania from China in one shot,” Walsh said. Lanternflies invaded the U.S. attached to a stone shipment sent to a local landscaping company.

“The reality is that some of those assumptions have not played out as predicted. Far and away, lanternflies are not the fire and brimstone

TL;DR: This paper describes the finding that there is a specific type of bacterium (Symbiodolus clandestinus) that lives inside of the tissues of several different insects. This bacterium appears to cause no disease, and it is hypothesized that it provides some useful metabolites that the insects are unable to produce themselves. The bacteria can be passed from the mother directly to her offspring. So, this appears to be a widespread symbiotic relation between a bacterium and insects.

The article goes into a lot more depth and describes some other examples of bacteria <-> insect interactions.

Courtesy of @otterX

Saw these while looking at apartments but have no idea what they are. they were found mostly on carpet, but some were in other parts of the unit.

edit: after looking up the suggestion of carpet beetle I am fairly convinced that it is indeed what they are. I also saw a few adult beetles that look like one of the species found in photos online. thanks everyone.

I have some little black ants in my motorhome. I’m pretty sure I picked them up at my last stop in upstate New York but I’ve since driven far away from there. Wikipedia says little black ants nest in the soil so presumably I didn’t take their queen with me.

What’s going to happen to this group that hitched a ride? Are they likely to elect a new queen and go looking for a good nesting spot, or curl up and die, or what?

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/13641832

Title photo by LS Perks

Native to Australia (where else?) it can also be found as an invasive species in New Zealand. It feeds on Eucalyptus species and can become problematic, striping the leaves and damaging the trees hence it's actual name The Gum Leaf Skeletoniser

As the caterpillar grows it sheds it's exoskeleton, during each molt the head portion of the previous exoskeleton stays attached to it's body resulting in a mini tower of empty heads

“The molted head capsules start stacking early but they are not always visible, as the smaller ones get dislodged over time,” Hochuli said. “It’s not uncommon to see caterpillars with at least five old heads stacked on top of the one they are currently using.” Source

The heads can reach up to 12mm tall, and look rather da

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/12729136

Title photo by Mike Locke

There are over 70 species of wētā in New Zealand

There are eleven species of giant wētā, most of which are larger than other wētā, despite the latter also being large by insect standards

The name wētā comes from the Maori word wētāpunga, or “God of Ugly Things” .The genus name, Deinacrida, means “Terrible Grasshopper.”

The giant wētā’s close relatives include the Carnivorous Tusked Wētā, the Tree Wētā, and the Cave Wētā

Giant wētā are endemic to New Zealand and all but one species are protected by law bec