invertebrates
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Ladybugs!
Convergent Ladybugs (Hippodamia convergens) uh, um, converging. This year’s aphid boom needs more lady beetles!Fourteen-Spotted Ladybug (Propylea quatuordecimpunctata).This looks like a variation of the Multicolored Asian Ladybug larva (Harmonia axyridis). These last two were spotted in Flatbush Gardener’s patch during the C-9 release.
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C-9s Return to Brooklyn
The New York State insect is the Nine-spotted Ladybug, also known as C-9 (Coccinella novemnotata). This was once one of the most common species of ladybug found on agricultural fields across North America. No more. I’ve still never seen an adult. In fact, nobody could find any in New York for more than two decades…
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Tiny Hopper
I think this a nymph Differential Grasshopper (Melanoplus differentials). In the high grasslands of Governor’s Island, which were also filled with Seven-spotted Lady Beetles.
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European Paper Wasp
Polistes dominula, gathering some boardwalk wood.
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Eastern Harvestman
Or Eastern Daddy Longlegs (Leiobunum vittatum). Your annual reminder: these are not spiders, don’t have fangs, don’t bite, and are not venomous. Some can spritz you with a stinking defensive spray, though.
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Eastern Amberwing
Our smallest dragonfly species, the Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera). This is a male. A female was also seen dipping her abdomen down into a lens of water atop a waterlily leaf, depositing her eggs. Blue Dashers, Green Darners, and Black Saddlebags were also about, but we certainly haven’t yet hit peak dragonfly.
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Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
The insects are definitely out and about. I had half a dozen mosquito bites Saturday night, all inside the assumed safety of my well-screened apartment. But let’s highlight some living invertebrates this week, starting with the always stunning Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus). Unmistakably big and yellow, right? This is a female, with much more…
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Hatch Out
The alates, or reproductives, of a termite colony, swarming in advance of flight. These “hatch-outs” fill the air with these four-winged, weakly fluttering critters. Keep your mouth closed… The alates are one of three castes in a termite colony, the others being workers and soldiers. But they’re not ants (Hymenoptera), they’re in the same order…
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Beach Tiger Beetle
This is a Northeastern Beach Tiger Beetle (Cicindela dorsalis dorsalis), seen last week in Virginia. The Chesapeake region is their last holdout. They used to live on Long Island beaches, but no longer. Creatures evolved to beach habitat — others include the endangered Piping Plover — never saw the four-wheel drive coming. This was at Bethel…
Backyard and Beyond 