Not flashy but fascinating just the same, diurnal fireflies fly during the daytime and inhabit moist fields and woodlands throughout our area.
Diurnal Fireflies
Fireflies
At night male fireflies take to the air while females watch from prominent posts, but during the daytime both sexes rest amid foliage.
Bobbi the Bee
‘Bobbi,’ an Andrena, or mining, bee took the long way home (another great road trip song!) the other day while out foraging for pollen and…
Two-eyed Click Beetle
Measuring up to 1 3/4 in. and marked with prominent ‘eyes,’ the eyed click beetle can be found in mature oak woodlands throughout our area.…
Horned Spanworm
Looking very much like a creature from a Dr. Seuss story, the horned spanworm features odd structures known in entomological terms as ‘eversible tentacles.’
Peaceable Pollinators
People can observe a wide variety of native bees without fear of being stung. Good Natured: Peaceable Pollinators April 21, 2023 Last week when we explored the life of Colletes, or cellophane bees, we saw how they are some of our area’s most beneficial insects. But there are many, many more. Somewhere between 400 and
Cellophane Bees
Cellophane bee tunnels resemble ant hills, but the hole is larger, about the diameter of a pencil. Here a bee is seen exiting her excavation; a 2 5/8th-in. lip balm tube was used for scale. Good Natured: Cellophane Bees April 14, 2023 The other day I was at Delnor Woods Park in St. Charles, setting
Snow Flies & Winter Crane Flies
Besides sharing the trait of being active in winter, these insects also share a common ancestor and are members of the insect infraorder Tipulomorpha. The…
‘Tis the Season for Little Green Men
Hello World! After spending somewhere between two and five years underground, this cicada sheds its hard outer covering one more time in preparation for its…
Losing My Religiosa
European praying mantises can vary widely in color, from light tan to green, but the ‘bullseye’ on the inner surface of the front leg is…