King Middle School Insect Field Guide Seq E

Field Guide to Portland’s Insects By King Middle School
Kineo Sequence E - 2019


An Introduction to the project by Charlie, Sophie, Gervasio, Benvindo, Chrisanne, And Leah.
An Introduction to Pollination by Reyna
We’d like to thank the staff of King Middle School and the staff at the Maine Audubon Society for helping us to make this field guide.


Table of Contents
1. Eastern Black Swallowtail
2. Monarch Butterfly
3. Red Admiral Butterfly
4. Peck’s Skipper
5. Luna Moth
6. Milkweed Tussock Moth
7. Northern Bluet
8. Fork-Tailed Bush Katydid
9. Praying Mantis
10. Field Cricket
11. Carolina Grasshopper
12. Golden Northern Bumble Bee
13. Metallic Green Sweat Bee
14. Flower Fly
15. Black Fly
16. Common Green Bottle Fly
17. Great Golden Digger Wasp
18. Great Black Wasp
19. Eastern Yellow Jacket
20. Soldier Beetle


Eastern Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes )
Larva
Fun Facts
The Eastern Black Swallowtail looks like the Spicebush Swallowtail and people mix them up. The larva of these are very different. The spicebush caterpillar looks like a cartoon with spots that look like fake eyes. The Black Swallowtail Caterpillar has a black, yellow and green pattern that blends in with host plants.
1
Salma A.


Eastern Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes ) Interactions between Insects and Humans
Benefits
● Bugs are being used as medicine.
● Insects are more digestible than meat.
● Insects do not produce greenhouse gases like
livestock does.
● Insects are easier to kill humanely than
livestock.
Challenges
● Insects might taste disgusting.
● There may be pesticides on the insects.
● Bugs in our food are gross.
Key Facts about the Adult Stage Habitat: Eastern Swallowtails prefer meadows and shrublands.
Food: The adult eats the nectar of flowers like dill, Queen Anne's lace and yarrow. The larva eats leaves and buds on these plants.
How to identify the bug/physical characteristics: It has a circular black head with two yellow dots. The thorax and abdomen are black with yellowish or whitish dots. The wings are black with yellow and blue spots. The male has orange spots on the underside of the wing. The females have a metallic blue spot on the lower wings.
Interaction with plants: It helps to pollinate yarrow and lays its eggs on the underside of the leaves.
2


Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)
Fun Facts
Monarchs fly to Mexico in the wintertime because they have to be in a warmer climate. Adults live for about 5 to 6 weeks. Monarchs are easy to find if you look at their wings because they are so colorful.
Kadidja Y.
1
Larva


Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) Interactions between Insects and Humans
Benefits
● Insects are used as coating on pills/candy and provide silk and honey.
● Insects have a lot of protein, little fat and lots of vitamins and minerals.
● Insects do not cause climate change.
● Insects do not drink much water.
Challenges
● Insects in food are gross.
● Insects in food make non vegetarian.
● Insects transmit diseases (ex. flea=The Black
Death).
Key Facts about the Adult Stage Habitat: Monarch butterflies’ habitat is grasslands, meadows, and shrublands.
Food: The caterpillar eats milkweed leaves. Adult monarch butterflies eat nectar from all kinds of flowers.
How to identify the bug/physical characteristics: The monarch butterfly is so beautiful. The wings are black and orange with white dots. The size of a male monarch is 7 to 10 centimeters while a female monarch is a little longer.
Interaction with plants: Some plants that the monarch feeds from are milkweed, verbena, and goldenrod. The butterfly lays her eggs on leaves of milkweed.
Fun Fact: Monarchs fly to Mexico in the wintertime because they have to be in a warmer climate. Adults live for about 5 to 6 weeks. Monarchs are easy to find if you look at their wings because they are so colorful.
2


Red Admiral Butterfly (Vanessa atalanta)
Larva
Fun Facts
Vanessa atalanta has a wingspan of 3-4 centimeters which is quite small but still very beautiful!
Debora C.
1


Red Admiral Butterfly (Vanessa atalanta) Interactions between Insects and Humans
Benefits
● The Lac Bug provides a shiny coating for pills, and candy.
● Insects do NOT produce greenhouse gases like livestock does.
● Insects are more digestible than meat is.
● Bugs eat food waste and animal waste.
● Bugs can be used to determine a person's time
of death.
Challenges
● Bugs in food is GROSS!
● Insects might taste disgusting.
● There could be pesticides in insects.
● Bugs can carry and spread diseases.
Key Facts about the Adult Stage
Habitat: The Red Admiral Butterfly is usually found in most woods, marshes, and fields.
Food: The caterpillars eat the leaves of plants like asters. The adult stage of the Red Admiral Butterfly sips excrement, liquid from rotting fruit, and tree sap and flower nectar.
How to identify the bug/physical characteristics: The Red Admiral Butterfly has a small circular black head with a mouth used for sipping nectar from flowers. It has a black center circular body with an orange outer layer on the bottom of the body. It has black and white stripes at the top of the wing and white all around the edges of its wings. The antennae have little black and white stripes with a black top and a clear tip.
Interaction with plants: This butterfly favors stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) to lay eggs on the upper surface of the leaves. The caterpillar will eat these same leaves.
2


Peck’s Skipper (Polites peckius)
Fun Facts
When they mate, the male and female are connected at the abdomen so they sit together on a flower.
1
Eliezer M.
Polites larva


Peck’s Skipper (Polites peckius) Interactions between Insects and Humans
Benefits
● They pollinate flowers.
● We eat them because they give us energy.
● Some insects make us happy because they are
pretty.
Challenges
● They bite us!
● Mosquitos give us malaria.
● Some bugs are scary.
KEY FACTS of the ADULT STAGE
Habitat: Peck’s Skipper lives in grasslands where it can find flowers. Food: The adult eats nectar. The larvae eat insects.
How to identify the bug/physical characteristics: Head: round, brown; Eyes: round, black; Antennae: look like brown horns; Body: brown, yellow, orange, and green blended together; Wings: triangular, brown with yellow spots, has a thin black line along the edge.
Interaction with plants: Adults need flowers for food. Eggs are laid on cutgrass and bluegrass.
2


Luna Moth (Actias luna)
Larva
Fun Fact
Luna moths lay about 200 eggs in their lifetime. This is amazing because they only live for a week!
1
Samuel J.


Luna Moth (Actias luna) Interactions between Insects and Humans
Benefits
● Bugs are used in medicine.
● Eating insects give us protein, nutrients, fiber,
vitamins, and minerals.
● Insects are more digestible than meat.
● Insects are easier to kill humanely than
livestock.
Challenges
● Bugs in food are gross.
● Insects might taste disgusting.
● There may be pesticides on the insects.
● Bugs can carry and spread diseases.
Key Facts about the Adult Stage
Habitat: Luna Moths like to live in deciduous woodlands, mostly with paper birch trees, white oak trees,
black walnut trees, hickories, sweet gum, sumacs, or persimmons.
Food: The luna moth adult stage does not eat! The larva eats the leaves of trees like black walnut.
How to identify the bug/physical characteristics: It’s body is white and about 80 mm long. It’s green wings are about 90 to 114 cm wide and are rimmed with purple. They also have a white, yellow and black circle that looks like an eye in a pattern on the wings. This will fool predators into thinking its the head.
Interaction with plants: Luna moths use black walnut and paper birch trees to lay their eggs because the tree bark acts as camouflage. The tree leaves are food for the caterpillar.
2


Milkweed Tussock Moth (Euchaetes egle)
Larva
Fun Facts
A lot of people are actually a little afraid of milkweed tussock moths. Hairs on the larvae can give you a rash, but it’s not poisonous or venomous.
1
Ethan T.


Milkweed Tussock Moth (Euchaetes egle) Interactions between Insects and Humans
Benefits
● Bugs eat waste
● Bugs have protein and vitamins
● Insects are cheaper to feed than livestock
● Insects take up less space
Challenges
● Bugs in food is gross
● Insects might taste bad
● Risk of ingesting presticides
● Bugs carry and spread diseases
Key Facts about the Adult Stage
Habitat: Milkweed tussock moth habitats are in open areas such as fields, peoples gardens, and road sides.
Food: Adult moths of this subfamily, Lymantriinae, do not feed. The larvae eat the leaves and shoots of milkweed.
How to identify the bug/physical characteristics: Small with light brown wings and an orange body. The body has 8 black dots along the back and big black eyes. Wing span: 3.2- 4.3 cm Body: 22 to 43 mm.
Interaction with plants: The larvae feed on milkweed. Along with feeding their larvae it also gives them a toxicant that carries on to the adult and protects them from predators because it makes them taste awful.
2


Northern Bluet (Enallagma cyathigerum)
Fun Fact
The Northern Bluet and its relatives in the order Odonata have evolved over the years. 350 million years ago the members of this order were over 70 inches long! Can you imagine seeing an insect as big as that zipping around nowadays?
1
Charlie J.
Nymph


Northern Bluet (Enallagma cyathigerum) Interactions between Insects and Humans
Benefits
● Insects are being used for medicine
● Eating insects gives us protein, nutrients,
fiber, vitamins, and minerals
● Insects are better to farm then cattle and other
livestock
● Insects provide humans with certain materials
Challenges
● Eating insects can be gross
● Insects might taste disgusting
● There might be pesticides on insects if we
were to eat them
● Bugs can carry and spread diseases (fleas
were the cause of Black Death)
Key Facts about the Adult Stage
Habitat: Northern Bluets prefer habitats near ponds, lakes, and marshes because their nymphs live and
breathe underwater.
Food: Northern Bluet nymphs eat small tadpoles, minnows, and other smallish aquatic creatures. The adults feast on insects smaller than themselves such as mosquitos.
How to identify the bug/physical characteristics: Body: 32 to 35 mm long, it is mostly light blue with some black stripes, head: squarish shaped head with huge bright blue eyes which dominate the majority of the head, if you look close enough you may be able to see two small antennae, thorax: look for the six legs attached to the thorax, notice the hooked ends on the front legs these are used to catch prey, also attached to the thorax are four long wings, notice under the wings the thorax is blue and has black spots, abdomen: notice the series of black stripes across the abdomen, two wider stripes near the tip of the tail are the easiest way to tell it apart from other damselflies.
Interaction with plants: Eggs of the Northern Bluet are laid at the base of cattails underwater. The Northern Bluet also uses flowers like Queen Anne Lace as hunting grounds for its prey, insects that eat nectar.
2


Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (Scudderia furcata)
Fun Facts
The katydid blends with the trees and is shaped like a leaf. They get their name by the chirps they make and they also make a song to attract mates.
1
Adnaan A.
Nymph


Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (Scudderia furcata) Interactions between Insects and Humans
Benefits
● Insects are easy to kill and be in groups for farming
● Bugs eat wasted food and animal waste
● Insects are easy to feed for farming
● Insects take less space for farming
Challenges
● Bugs are gross
● There may be pesticides on the insects
● Bugs can carry and spread disease (Ex. the
flea caused the Black Death)
Key Facts about the Adult Stage Habitat: The habitat of the Katydid is the forest, on shrubs and in gardens or parks.
Food: Both adults and nymphs nibble on fruit skin, aphids, other insects, and leaves.
How to identify the bug/physical characteristics: It is lime green and really big and bright. Its’ body is about 6 to 8 cm. You can spot them on leaves and trees but not easily because they are camouflaged. If you want to spot them in their nymph stage, they have black antennas with white spots and orange lines. Lime green on their backs, They have long light brown legs with black spots.
Interaction with plants: They lay their eggs on leaves and they mostly stay on plants and trees for shelter and camouflage.
2


Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa)
Fun Facts
~They have ultrasonic hearing mostly to prevent becoming prey to bats. ~ Mantids have one ear in the middle of their chest. ~ The word “mantids” is derived from the Greek word for prophet or soothsayer.
1
Andrea L.
Nymph


Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa) Interactions between Insects and Humans
Benefits
● They can be used in medicine
● They provide nutritional benefits
● They can be used in criminal investigations
● They manifest silk, and other products
● They are used to make natural red food dye
and shellac (a hard, shiny surface)
● They don’t produce greenhouse gasses
Challenges
● They can carry and spread disease
● There could be pesticides in insects
● Having bugs in our food is gross and could
taste bad
Key Facts about the Adult Stage Habitat: Meadows, forests, and other tall vegetation
Food: Nymphs often start with eating their own siblings after they hatch, then continue on to small grasshoppers, aphids, flies, mosquitoes, worms, and grubs. Adults can eat anything from beetles and bees to spiders.
How to identify the bug/physical characteristics:
Body: they are about 6-8 cm long and green with paler undersides; Head: green and triangular, with two large, protruding compound eyes that have small black pupils; Thorax: long and green, with yellow-tipped legs, four skinnier hind legs, and two bigger front legs. Note that the front legs have small spines for grabbing and trapping prey; Abdomen: green and segmented, with the wings draping over the thorax as well as the abdomen.
Interaction with plants: Oothecae (egg sac) is often laid on goldenrod, after hatching the nymphs feast on the other insects that also are found on goldenrod.
2


Field Cricket (Gryllus pennsylvanicus)
Fun Facts
Female field crickets tend to be more attracted to an older male cricket call than to the call of a younger male.
You can tell the temperature based on how many cricket chirps you hear.
Crickets are closest cousins to Katydids.
1
Ella S.
Nymph


Field Cricket (Gryllus pennsylvanicus) Interactions between Insects and Humans
Benefits
● Insects produce very little carbon emissions, unlike livestock
● Insects require much cheaper and more easily produced food
● Insects, unlike livestock, do not suffer in small enclosures
● Insects can be, and are used, to relieve pain and are used in many medical practices
Challenges
● Eating insects can be unappealing to lots of people
● Some insects like the flea and body louse are responsible for spreading deadly diseases
● The possibility of pesticides or insecticides being in insects is high
Key Facts about the Adult Stage
Habitat: The field cricket prefers fields, lawns, forest edges, and caves. Though they can be found in damp
basements and even outhouses.
Food: Both adults and nymphs eat mostly smaller insects and plant matter.
How to identify the bug/physical characteristics: This cricket is a small, mostly black and brown insect with a head, thorax, and abdomen. Notice the weave-like pattern on its thorax and abdomen. Also, notice the two stick-like antennae protruding from its head. The field cricket has six spikey legs and a large ovipositor at the end of its abdomen. Adult field crickets grow to be about 2-3 centimeters long.
Interaction with plants: Field crickets need crabgrass, chicory, and ragweed for shelter and food.
2


Carolina Grasshopper (Dissosteira carolina)
Nymph
Fun Facts
A swarm of Carolina Grasshoppers can do up to 1.5 million dollars of damage a year to fields of tobacco, cereal, alfalfa, turf fields and ornamental grasses.
1
Leah B.


Carolina Grasshopper (Dissosteira carolina) Interactions between Insects and Humans
Benefits
● Bugs provide good protein and nutrients
● The lac bug provides coating for pills and
candy
● If we eat insects instead of livestock, it would
help global warming
Challenges
● Bugs get in our food
● If we eat bugs they might spread disease to us
● Insects might taste disgusting
2
Key Facts about the Adult Stage
Habitat: The Carolina Grasshopper likes weedy grasslands, fields, roadside strips and railway cuttings.
Food: The Carolina Grasshopper likes to eat grass, clovers, corn and forbs.
How to identify the bug/physical characteristics: Body About 2-4 centimeters, usually tan, brown or gray. Notice the spots all along the body that are usually a light brown or gray. Head Vertical and the same color as the body with pretty big black compound eyes and shorter than most locusts antennae. Thorax Look at the wings bulging out, making a triangular shape. Wingspan for males is about 6 centimeters and for females it’s 6 to 8 centimeters. Note the yellow border along the edge of the wings and the white and black stripes. Abdomen Stretches out from thorax, the same color as the rest of the body.
Interaction with plants: The Carolina grasshopper eats the leaves of many plants found in fields including the fall dandelion.


Golden Northern Bumble Bee (Bombus fervidus)
Fun Facts
The queen eats the eggs of workers and unfertilized eggs as well as eggs that emerge as males if given the chance. She does this because these eggs are useless to the colony.
1
Tammy V.
Larvae


Golden Northern Bumble Bee (Bombus fervidus) Interactions between Insects and Humans
Benefits
● Ton of protein, little fat, loads of vitamins and minerals.
● Provides a coating over pills so they are easier to swallow.
● Eating Insects is less likely to give you a disease than meat.
Challenges
● Insects in food are gross.
● Insects in food make it non vegan and non
vegetarian.
● Insects caused The Black Death.
● Mosquitoes caused Yellow Fever
Key Facts about the Adult Stage
Habitat: Bumblebees usually build their nests in grasslands close to the ground — under dead leaves, and
compost — or even below ground in abandoned rodent tunnels.
Food: The Golden Northern Bumblebee first sips nectar from goldenrod, lupine, and other flowers. The larvae eat pollen.
How to identify the bug/physical characteristics: Bombus fervidus is a bright lemon yellow and jet black bee. This species has a long face. The mesosoma is on the thorax which is yellow with a stripe of black. Notice the black and yellow hairs on its abdomen and recognize the compound eye is not very big. Six black legs hang from the prothorax, mesothorax, and the metathorax. Two pairs of translucent brown wings are located on the mesothorax and metathorax.
Interaction with plants: Goldenrod and lupine provide food and shelter all year round.
2


Metallic Green Sweat Bee (Agapostemon splendens)
Larva
Fun Facts
This bee flies faster than other bees, and even though they are called sweat bees, they don’t eat sweat.
Emmanuel A.
1


Metallic Green Sweat Bee (Agapostemon splendens) Interactions between Insects and Humans
Benefits
● Insects provide food coloring, silk and honey
● Insects do not cause climate change
● They have more nutrients than meats
Challenges
● Insects in food are gross
● Insects in food make it non vegetarian
● We are going to have to eat insects in 20 years
Key Facts about the Adult Stage
Habitat: It needs meadows and fields for a good habitat.
Food: Adult Sweat Bees eat nectar from flowers like burdock. The larva eats pollen.
How to identify the bug/physical characteristics: Body; 7 to 15 mm long and shiny green with yellow and black stripes on the abdomen, head: green with black antennae
Interaction with plants: It eats the nectar of a wide variety of flowers like thistles and burdock. It also helps pollinate plants.
2


Flower Fly (Syrphus ribesii)
Larva
Fun Facts
Predators stay away from flower flies because they can look like bees. You can tell the difference because a bee has four wings and this flower Ffy has only two wings.
1
Cindy V.


Flower Fly (Syrphus ribesii) Interactions between Insects and Humans
Benefits
● Insects are cheaper to feed than livestock.
● Insects take less space.
● Insects are less likely to transmit diseases
when eaten.
● Bugs are being used as medicine.
Challenges
● Bugs in our foods are disgusting.
● Bugs can carry and spread diseases; fleas
caused the Black Death.
● There may be pesticides on the insects we eat.
● Insects still maybe taste disgusting.
Key Facts about the Adult Stage Habitat: Flower Flies can be found mostly in meadows especially with a lot of flowers.
Food: The adults of this species feed on nectar. Larvae eat a wide range of foods including honey dew, aphids, insects, and nectar.
How to identify the bug/physical characteristics: They have yellow and black stripes on the abdomen. They have large rust colored compound eyes. Flower flies can hover in place and look like a tiny bee.
Interaction with plants: Flower Flies use the stems of goldenrod to put their pupa. They also eat the nectar of its flowers.
2


Black Fly (Simulium venustum)
Larva
Fun Facts
Even though they are called black flies they are not always black. Colors range from yellow to brown, tan, grey and more. People dislike this fly because they chew on us and we get very itchy and irritated.
Javonte H.


Black Fly (Simulium venustum) Interactions between Insects and Humans
Benefits
● Cochineal bugs provide natural, red, coloring.
● Lac bugs are used to make shellac that’s in
candy pills and furniture.
● Bugs are used in medicine.
● Insects have a lot of protein, little fat, lots of
vitamins, and minerals.
Challenges
● Fleas were the cause for the Black Death.
● Some insects transmit diseases and carry
pesticides.
● They are not vegetarian.
● Plus, they’re gross.
Key Facts about the Adult Stage
Habitat: The black fly needs clean water like a river with plants because the water is where it lays its eggs.
Its habitat is woods and fields near wetlands.
Food: The adult males drink nectar while the female drinks blood. The larvae eat tiny crustaceans and algae underwater.
How to identify the bug/physical characteristics: The Simulium venustum is defined by large eyes and a large hump on its thorax. The 1-6 mm long body is mostly dark brown to black.
Interaction with plants: The black-eyed susan is one of the nectar sources for the black fly.


Common Green Bottle Fly (Lucilia sericata)
Larva
Fun Facts
Flies are used by forensic entomologists to establish the time of death. These flies all have a special fluid in their mouth to dissolve flesh so they can drink the juices.
Gervasio N.
1


Green Bottle Fly (Lucilia sericata) Interactions between Insects and Humans
Benefits
● The lac bug provides coating for pills/candy
● Bugs are being used as medicine
● Bugs are nutritious and a delicacy in other
cultures
Challenges
● Bugs in food is gross
● Bugs can carry & spread diseases
● Insects might taste disgusting
Key Facts about the Adult Stage
Habitat:: Green Bottle Flies live in grasslands and woodlands where they can find flowers and dead
animals.
Food: Larvae eat decaying material but the adults drink nectar and juices from corpses of dead animals.
How to identify the bug/physical characteristics: The adults are usually a metallic green and can also have a copper green color. The mouthparts are usually yellow. The back is hairy and the overall body length is about 8–10 mm.
Interaction with plants: Adult bottle flies sustain themselves by eating nectar and pollen from flowers, often pollinating the flowers in the process.
2


Great Golden Digger Wasp (Sphex ichneumoneus)
Fun Facts
Wasps live everywhere but Antarctica. This wasp lays eggs in the soil inside the paralyzed body of a katydid or grasshopper!
1
Anas H.
Sphex Larva


Great Golden Digger Wasp (Sphex ichneumoneus) Interactions between Insects and Humans
Benefits
● Eating insects gives us protein, nutrients, fiber, vitamins, minerals
● Bugs can be used as medicine
● Bugs eat food waste and animal waste
Challenges
● Bugs in food is disgusting
● Bugs can carry & spread diseases (the flea
caused the Black Death)
● Insects in food make it non vegetarian
Key Facts about the Adult Stage Habitat: Fields and grasslands are a habitat for the Great Golden Digger Wasp.
Food: The adults feed on nectar from flowers. The larvae feed on other insects provided by the adult.
How to identify the bug/physical characteristics: It has 2 black antennae, 6 orange legs, 2 wings that are orange at the top and black at the end, and 2 black eyes. Its abdomen is orange at the top and black at the tip.
Interaction with plants: The adults feed on nectar from flowers like hydrangeas and sedum. This helps to pollinate the plants.
2


Great Black Wasp (Sphex pensylvanicus)
ILLUSTRATION of INSECT
Sphex Larva
Fun Facts
Its eggs are laid inside the bodies of paralyzed katydids or grasshoppers. The insect is kept alive as long as possible so that when the eggs hatch, the larvae eat their way out from the inside. They devour it all and leave the nest, like a scene from Alien.
Otis M.
1


Great Black Wasp (Sphex pensylvanicus) Interactions between Insects and Humans
Benefits
● Insects are a sustainable food source.
● Insects are used in medicine.
● Insects eat up their weight in food.
● They can eat food waste.
● They thrive in crowded conditions making farming humane.
Challenges
● Insects are gross to eat.
● Eating insects is non-Vegan.
● There is a chance of consuming pesticides
when you eat an insect.
● Some insects can transmit diseases.
Key Facts about the Adult Stage Habitat: The Great Black Wasp habitat is grasslands with soft soil.
Food: Adults eat the nectar of flowers such as hydrangea, Queen Anne’s lace, and milkweed. The larvae eat other insects.
How to identify the bug/physical characteristics: A 2-3.5 centimeter long black wasp with a noticeable purple tint on the wings. Comb like hind legs and front legs designed to catch prey. Often seen eating flower nectar and sometimes dragging prey into nests.
Interaction with plants: Eats the pollen and nectar of hydrangea, Queen Anne’s lace, and milkweed for food.
2


Eastern Yellow Jacket (Vespula maculifrons)
Larva
Fun Facts
Eastern Yellow Jackets make their nests out of plant fibers from the tree they live in. They are also more aggressive in the fall because they need to reserve food for the nest.
1
Nick J.


Eastern Yellow Jacket (Vespula maculifrons) Interactions between Insects and Humans
Benefits
● Insects can be used as medicine for cancer and many other uses
● Insects also can be the future food for the world for a sustainable society
● Insects also help by decomposing dead animals or other food
Challenges
● Insects carry many diseases
● Insects are found in almost all food
● Insects destroy crops that are for food
Key Facts about the Adult Stage Habitat: The Yellow Jacket lives mainly in woodlands, in trees or underground.
Food: Eastern Yellow Jacket adults eat juice from apples and fruit, nectar, and they also eat other bugs. The larvae eat proteins such as fish, insects, and meat that have been pre-chewed by the adults.
How to identify the bug/physical characteristics: It has yellow and black stripes on the abdomen, 6 yellow legs, 4 translucent wings with brown veins, and its body is 12mm long.
Interaction with plants: It will put a nest in the branch or in a hole in an apple tree and feast off the apples for the larvae.
2


Soldier Beetle (Cantharis rufa)
Larva
Fun Facts
Soldier Beetles are similar looking to the lightning bug, but the Soldier Beetle thorax is exposed and the Lightning Bug thorax is protected. Soldier Beetles can also be known as “Leatherwings” from their soft, leather-like wings. Larvae are dark in color, resemble a small alligator and have tiny, dense bristles.
Heloise B.
1


Soldier Beetle (Cantharis rufa) Interactions between Insects and Humans
Benefits
● Keeping insects requires less water usage
● Insects don’t suffer like livestock does in
small, enclosed spaces
● Insects are less likely to transmit diseases
when eaten
● Insect farming doesn’t use as many
greenhouse gasses
Challenges
● There is a chance of ingesting pesticides
● Bugs can carry and transmit diseases
● Fleas spread the bubonic plague, body lice
spread typhus, and mosquitoes spread yellow
fever
● Slightly disgusting
Key Facts about the Adult Stage Habitat: Soldier Beetle habitats are fields, meadows, and partially open areas.
Food: Adults eat aphids and the nectar and pollen of flowering trees and shrubs. Larvae eat eggs and the larva of beetles, moths, butterflies, and other insects and worms, slugs, and snails.
How to identify the bug/physical characteristics: Adults are roughly 13 mm long. Notice the mainly orangey-reddish color and rusty brown leathery wings. Look for the orange shiny legs with dark spots at the ends of each segment. See the large, black beady eyes.
Interaction with plants: Adults use yellow flowers for foliage. The stages before this, they shelter under plant debris.
2


Bibliography
Animal Diversity Web Animalsake
Backyard Nature
Bee Informed
Bug Guide
Inaturalist
Insect Identification
Joyful Butterfly
Liang Insects
Life Cycle of a Grasshopper
Life Of A Carpenter Ant
National Geographic
Nature Spot
Northern Woodlands
Songs of Insects
University of Florida
University of Kentucky - College of Agriculture, Food and Environment University of Maryland Extension
University Of Minnesota Extension
Urban Ecology Center
Interested in Learning more about insects? These links will take you to a few of the sites we found useful in our research.
If you would like to check out our full list of credits, use this link.