Title: Unit II Kansas Arthropods Information
1Unit II Kansas Arthropods Information
2Introduction to Arthropods
- Insects and spiders belong to a larger Phylum
Arthropoda, which means jointed leg. - Insects are characterized by having 6 legs with
joints, and 3 body parts head, thorax and
abdomen. Most have either one or two sets of
wings. - Most insects go through various life stages,
where they change in form and appearance. There
are many variations, but these changes are called
metamorphosis. - Very few insects are harmful to humans or crops.
- Many insects are very beneficial, especially the
ones that pollinate plants.
3Arthropods, cont.
- Spiders are characterized by having 8 legs and 8
eyes. They have two body parts cephalothorax
and abdomen. - Identification of most insects is very difficult.
Some of the more showy insects, like most of the
ones in this unit, are easy to learn the species.
Learning which Order insects belong in is the
first step to being able to find the species in
field guides.
4Monarch
5Monarch
Video of Ken Highfills class observing Monarch
bunch at Baker Wetlands, in Lawrence, KS.
6Monarch
- Order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies
- Only migratory butterfly that has a migration
similar to birds. - When they breed, they lay eggs on milkweed
plants, and the breeding adults live for about
one month. - About 4 generations are hatched in a summer, and
the ones that hatch out in August and September
are the ones that will fly to Mexico for the
winter, and there they will congregate by the
millions, and live for about 8 months. They are
not in a breeding state. - As they fly back north, they breed and die. The
next generations continues going farther north,
breeding and dying, until the end of the summer
and the migratory cycle continues. - Monarch Watch tags the monarchs with special
stickers and records the data to keep track of
migration. See www.monarchwatch.org for more
information.
7Monarch cont.
- Monarch butterflies are poisonous (not
venomousyou have to eat them to get sick). - Their black and orange colors are a warning to
would-be predators that they are poisonous. If a
bird eats one, it gets sick and throws it up, its
heart beats very fast and it remembers those
colors and does not eat it again. - Monarch caterpillars live on the milkweed plants,
which have a cardiac glycoside in the milk that
is poisonous to most animals. The caterpillars
can eat it and not get sick, and that is what
makes them poisonous to other predators.
8Viceroy
Note this black bar across the hind wing. The
Monarch does not have this straight line.
9Viceroy
- Order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies
- NOT poisonous, but it mimics the monarch
butterfly, which provides it protection from
predators. - Note the hind wing of the viceroythe black cross
vein forms a line across the hind wing. The
monarch does not have this line.
10Hackberry Butterflies
11Hackberry Butterflies
12Hackberry Butterflies
- Order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies.
- Caterpillars feed on hackberry leaves.
- Butterflies fly from July to September.
- Often found in huge clouds around puddles of
water near hackberry trees.
13Red Admiral
14Red Admiral
- Order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies.
- Not likely to be confused with any other
butterfly. - Can be found all across the U.S. in nearly any
habitat. Very common.
15Question Mark
16Question Mark
This is the question mark.
17Question Mark
- Order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies.
- Belongs to a group of butterflies called Commas
(also called anglewings), and named for the
silvery comma shape on underneath of the hind
wing. This species has a break in the shape
that makes it look more like a question mark. - Wide ranging and fairly common in woodland
openings. - Elms and hackberries are among their host plants.
18Buckeye
19Buckeye
- Order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies.
- Common in southern regions but familiar across
the U.S. - Favors open habitats.
- Named for large eyespots on the wings.
20Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
21Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
22Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
- Order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies.
- One of the most familiar eastern butterflies.
- Common in forests, along streams and gardens.
- Called a swallowtail because of the two tails
trailing off of the hindwings.
23Sulphurs
24Sulphurs
- Order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies.
- Sulphurs in are usually some shade of yellow,
orange or white. - There are several species, and they are
challenging to tell apart. - Perch with closed wings.
- Often you can see two flying together, around
each other going higher in the airthese are
often males fighting.
25Fall Webworms
26Fall Webworms
27Fall Webworms
- Order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies.
- Makes large webs across host plant branches in
the fall. - Host plants walnuts, cottonwood, hickory,
mulberry.
28Red Carpenter Ants
29Red Carpenter Ants
- Order Hymenoptera, the ants, wasps, and bees.
- Lives in hollow trees and tree limbs.
- More likely found in woodland than urban areas.
30Honey Bee
31Honey Bee
- Order Hymenoptera, the ants, wasps, and bees.
- Imported from Europe.
- Well known as a mild-tempered bee.
- This is the bee common to bee keepers.
32Grass Spider
33Grass Spider
- Order Araneae, the spiders
- Common names are grass spider, wolf spider and
funnel-web weaver. - Makes a flat, dense web with a funnel off-center.
- Webs located on ground or heavy brush.
- Typically have two dark bands on abdomen.
34Wheel Bug
35Wheel Bug
Stink Glands
36Wheel Bug
- Order Hemiptera, the true bugs
- Named for the cog-like wheel on thorax.
- Predacious and beneficial
- Not aggressive towards people, but the bite is
extremely painful.
37Snowberry Clearwing
38Snowberry Clearwing
39Snowberry Clearwing
- Order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies.
- It is a bumble bee hawk moth that visits flowers
in the daytime. - Named for clear section of wing without scales.
40Silver-bellied Cicada
41Silver-bellied Cicada
- Order Homoptera, the aphids, leafhoppers, and
cicadas - Incorrectly referred to as locusts (locusts are
grasshoppers) - Many species, and adults can be ½ inch long to 2
½ inches long. - Their sounds, especially in July and August, are
familiar to nearly everyone. - Females can cause damage to some trees, as they
lay eggs in the twigs. When the eggs hatch, the
nymphs fall to the ground and develop in the
soil. They feed on the roots of the host plant.
When the emerge, they molt into adults, and their
empty skins are common sights for most people. - Some species occur every year, while the
periodical cicada is also called the 17-year
cicada and occurs every 17 years. It last
occurred in May, 1998.
42Black Widow
43Black Widow
44Black Widow
- Order Araneae, the spiders
- A relatively shy spider that typically seeks
nesting sites under stones and embankments. - Shiny, black spider up to 3/8 inches in length
with a red spots above and a red hourglass shape
on the underside of their abdomen. - Neurotoxic venom causes severe abdominal cramps,
pain, nausea, sweating, and trembling. - Rarely causes death except in very small children
or the elderly.
45Garden Spider
46Garden Spider
47Garden Spider
- Order Araneae, the spiders
- Several species of the Argiope genus.
- Very common in Kansas, especially in late summer
and fall. They die in the fall after
reproducing. - Quite large and beautifully marked with black,
yellow and silvery-white. - Webs have a thick, zig-zag line of webbing woven
in. Possibly as a way for birds to see the web
and not fly though it. - It is fun to catch bugs and toss them into the
web and watch the spider attack and wrap them in
silk.
48Spittlebug
49Spittlebug
- Order Homoptera, the aphids, leafhoppers, and
cicadas - Also called froghoppers or spittle insects.
- The nymphal stages (pre-adult) life in masses of
white froth on the leaves or stems of plants
during May and June. - They make this froth by sucking the juices out of
the stem and churning it up into what looks like
spit.
50Praying Mantis
51Praying Mantis
- Order Mantodea, the mantises
- Medium to large, green or brownish, slender
insects with front legs adapted for catching and
holding prey. - Head moves around on a neck.
- They feed on other insects and spiders, although
once in a great while the large ones might catch
a hummingbird. - They are very beneficial insects, harmless to
humans, and should not be destroyed.
52Brown Recluse
53Brown Recluse
- Order Araneae, the spiders
- Also referred to as the fiddle-back or violin
spider. - One of two Kansas spiders (the other is the very
shy and uncommon black widow) that is dangerous
to humans. - Its venom can impose a very serious injury,
although not deadly. The bite may ulcerate and
require removal of tissue by a doctor. - Common in outbuildings, under boards and boxes,
found in little-used closets, attics and garages,
where it is dry and warm.
54Scorpion
55Scorpion
56Scorpion
- Order Scorpiones, the scorpions
- Lives under stones on sunny hillsides.
- Hunts insects at night and stings with their
tail. - Sting is similar to that of a bee.
57Dung Beetle
58Dung Beetle
59Dung Beetle
- Order Coleoptera, the beetles.
- A type of Scarab beetle.
- Helps with the decomposition of animal manure and
adds nutrients to the soil. - Consumes large amounts of dung.
60Common Skimmer
61Common Skimmer
62Common Skimmer
- Order Odonata, the dragonflies and damselflies.
- One of the most common and best known dragonflies
in Kansas. - Found over ponds and meadows.
63Green Darner
64Green Darner
- Order Odonata, the dragonflies and damselflies.
- One of the largest dragonflies in Kansas.
- Flies low at dusk to catch insects near ponds.
65Eastern Pondhawk
66Eastern Pondhawk
- Order Odonata, the dragonflies and damselflies.
- Lives over quiet waters, likes mats of duckweed
and floating plants. - One of the most ferocious dragonflies attacks
all kinds of prey including each other.
67Paper Nest Wasp
68Paper Nest Wasp
69Paper Nest Wasp
- Order Hymenoptera, the ants, bees, and wasps.
- Valuable insects that eat large number of
caterpillars.
70Obscure Bird Grasshopper
71Obscure Bird Grasshopper
- Order Orthoptera, the grasshoppers and katydids.
- Light yellow line down its back.
- Hind legs have bright yellow spikes.
72Daddylonglegs
73Daddylonglegs
- Order Opiliones, the harvestmen.
- Especially common in fall.
- Feeds on dead insects and sometimes wet dog food.
- Very easy to identify.
- Also called harvestmen.
- Harmlesshas a lot of venom, but teeth are too
small to penetrate human skin.
74Lone Star Tick
Lone-star tick, easily identified by white spot
on back.
75Ticks (various species)
- Order Acari, the mites and ticks
- Family Ixodidae
- Several species of ticks in Kansas
- Lone star tick, has white spot in center of back
- Gulf coast tick, looks similar to Dog tick, with
pale netting mark behind head. - American Dog tick, large tick with U-shape behind
head. - Black-legged tick, the one in Kansas that is
often the transmitter of Lyme Disease. Not a
deer tick, but people call it that because it is
similar.
76References
- Insects in Kansas, by Kansas Department of
Agriculture, Nov. 2000 - Kaufman Focus Guide to Butterflies of North
America, by Jim P. Brock and Kenn Kaufman - Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America,
by Eric R. Eaton. - Dragonflies through Binoculars, by Sidney W.
Dunkle, 2000