For the Little Creatures

The blog where I see just what kind of insects can be found in my backyard, in suburban Illinois.

[backyardentomologist]

North American wheel bug (Arilus Cristatus)

The largest assassin bug in North America!

Assassin bugs are predatory insects that are a welcome sight to any garden, killing pests like caterpillars and Japanese beetles. They do this by biting their prey and injecting digestive and paralytic through their specialized mouthparts, before slurping up the now-liquified contents.

They’re also notable for their very painful bite; luckily, assassin bugs are skittish by nature, and prefer to avoid conflict rather than get into fights. As long as you don’t actively harass them, they’re perfectly safe to view up close!

Apparently, assassin bugs are big fans of goldenrod and fruit-bearing trees, which might explain why I found this guy just a few minutes away from a huge field of the former. Goldenrod is, to my surprise, a very popular plant among species active in late summer/early fall; perhaps because it is one of the most common flowers to bloom during this time.

Sorry for the incredibly long delay in posts! I got an instagram at a family member’s suggestion (all my relatives are on there) so I’ve mostly been posting there and feeling guilty about it. I’ll try to upload more in the future.

[great-and-small]

Saddest thing ever is reading an academic paper about a threatened or declining species where you can tell the author is really trying to come up with ways the animal could hypothetically be useful to humans in a desperate attempt to get someone to care. Nobody gives a shit about the animals that “don’t affect” us and it seriously breaks my heart

[great-and-small]

“No I can’t come out tonight I’m sobbing about this entomologist’s heartfelt plea for someone to care about an endangered moth”

[bogleech]

This is how I learn there's a moth whose tiny caterpillars live exclusively off the old shells of dead tortoises.

[thepastisaroadmap]

[Image description: text from a section titled On Being Endangered: An Afterthought that says:

Realizing that a species is imperiled has broad connotations, given that it tells us something about the plight of nature itself. It reminds us of the need to implement conservation measures and to protect the region of which the species is a part. But aside form the broader picture, species have intrinsic worth and are deserving of preservation. Surely an oddity such as C. vicinella cannot simply be allowed to vanish.

We should speak up on behalf of this little moth, not only because by so doing we would bolster conservation efforts now underway in Florida, [highlighting begins] but because we would be calling attention to the existence of a species that is so infinitely worth knowing. [end highlighting]

But is quaintness all that can be said on behalf of this moth? Does this insect not have hidden value beyond its overt appeal? Does not its silk and glue add, potentially, to its worth? Could these products not be unique in ways that could ultimately prove applicable?

End image description]

[headspace-hotel]

because we would be calling attention to the existence of a species that is so infinitely worth knowing

[rackiera]

I was so inspired by this I made it into a piece of art for a final in one of my courses for storytelling in conservation

[a-book-of-creatures]

[mossworm]

I used to work for two of the authors, Mark and Nancy Deyrup. They are true naturalists, interested in everything that lives, and wonderful human beings. They still live in central Florida where the tortoise shell moth lives, and have dedicated their whole lives to documenting the Florida scrub ecosystem and educating the public. I don't know if their names reach outside of entomology, but they are beloved figures here.

[dogfennel]

wake again after rest

[backyardentomologist]

“So, how bout that election?” I say, to an audience of enormous coniferous trees buried seven feet deep in snow. Further up the mountain, the ski resort personnel initiate a controlled avalanche.

[backyardentomologist]

Is that a crab? Wow.

I have awoken from my months-long fugue state to bring you this critical information.

Crabs are not insects-in fact they're more closely related to spiders-but I still feel obligated to post about them.

Making their earliest appearance some 200 million years ago, crabs are some of the most populous crustaceans on Earth, with over 7,000 recorded species. That's far more than the number of shrimp species, at 2,000, and far, FAR more than the mere 800 known species of lobster. Isopods, however, manage to outpace all of them, with a record-shattering 10,000 species.

Crabs can be found basically anywhere-they live in every ocean on earth, as well as many bodies of freshwater, and even on land (though they do tend to spend most of their lives near water, as they breathe through gills, and these gills must be at least moist to work).

Crabs can vary incredibly wildly both in size and appearance, but most species can be

characterized by their five pairs of legs and large pincers on their front most pair of claws.

I wasn't kidding when I said they vary greatly in size, by the way. The smallest known species of crab, the pea crab, is a mere 4 millimeters wide, while the largest known species, the Japanese spider crab, has a leg span of several meters.

Crabs are famous for the process known as

'carcinisation, where a species of animal evolves into a form closely resembling a crab. Examples of this include the king crab and the porcelain crab, neither of which are true crabs but get to keep the name anyway so as to not feel left out.

I don't know what the species of this guy is. I'm not a crabologist.

Anyway, that's all for now. See you all in March!

Maybe.

[backyardentomologist]

(Ignore my extremely disgusting cuticle)

An incredibly small weevil I discovered while collecting acorns for replanting. I am unsure of the exact species; given that I found it among hundreds of discarded acorns, I want to say it is an acorn weevil, but this is highly unlikely as acorn weevils are slightly larger and are, of course, brown. On the other hand, its snout and antennae are remarkably similar to that of the acorn weevil’s. So, what do I know?

You may have noticed its incredibly long and thin nose! Indeed, this feature is what weevils are known for. However, that is not its nose at all—it’s actually the weevil’s mouth! Such a long protrusion is actually useful for a variety of purposes, such as drilling holes in wood and grain (for eating and egg laying, most of the time). When you don’t have thumbs, or hands, or fingers, you make do with what you have.

And weevils ‘make do’ incredibly well! There are over 97,000 described species of Weevil, many of which are considered pests as they devour crops and ornamental plants. Weevils are simply one of the many different types of beetle, the largest and most diverse order of insects in the known universe.

…hm. Something’s off. I can’t tell what. It’s almost as if IT’S NOVEMBER ALREADY?????? WHOOPS!

[razehider]

members of Apioninae are apparently called pear-shaped weevils by people who have never seen pears before. this one is on my pinky, a good metric for how small they are, and it's got its wings halfway out, a good metric for how much they despise being near people

case in point (July 15th, 2024)

[backyardentomologist]

Two very large and very furry caterpillars I found clinging to a large plant near a small river.

I am unsure of their exact species, but am reasonably certain that they are tiger moths. In fact, given #2’s slightly lighter colors and yellow stripes, it is entirely possible that they are two separate species entirely.

I’ve posted about such caterpillars in the past, so to keep it brief: furry caterpillars are exclusively found in the moth section of Lepidoptera. The ‘fur’ is actually very small, flexible protrusions from the exoskeleton; in many cases, these protrusions can deliver a stinging payload as a form of protection against predators. They are also a form of camouflage, as they can easily hide in the hair and eyebrows of unshaven foresters.

[mad-phlegmatic]

Is this a lanternfly?

[backyardentomologist]

Yeah

[l0stvegas]

Hey y’all, I keep finding myself having my work reposted by larger gimmick accounts without attribution and wanted to put a reminder out there that all of these pieces are my original work. It’s mostly just a minor nuisance rather than serious infringement but it is getting a little tiresome

If you see them reposted don’t harass the original posters but do politely let me know so I can send a takedown notice or something (mainly big meme accounts, I don’t care much if it’s someone with like ten followers)

Art is my only source of income as I am disabled and currently do not have access to accessible and sustainable employment+not eligible for SSI, so having my work attributed correctly to me is a huge help to building an art career thats more livable for me

I plan to offer prints and maybe start a Patreon on the future so people have more tangible means of supporting me, but until then getting the word out there that this is my work would be really cool since these images have gone so viral. (I have a kofi tip jar as well, but don’t feel obligated!)

Support Lost on Ko-fi! ❤️. ko-fi.com/lostvegas

Support Lost On Ko-fi. Ko-fi lets you support the people and causes you love with small donations

[backyardentomologist]

Sorry for not posting in a while. My firstborn child was abducted by the fae and I had to go on this whole quest to get them back. Ended up winning a brand-new pair of shoes after I beat their king in a battle of wits, though, so it all worked out.

This one guy tried to steal my name. Luckily, he fell for the old “decoy name” trick. Have fun being named Burford D. Moron, loser.

[backyardentomologist]

Found this dude cruising across the sidewalk a few days ago. It’s always weird seeing a caterpillar in a place where you don’t expect to be—it’s like running into your math teacher while shopping for groceries.

While I am unsure of his exact species (please leave a note if you have an idea!) there are a couple clues that can help me narrow it down:

Butterfly caterpillars are not ‘fuzzy.’ Some species possess spines (sometimes quite a few) but never the hairlike appendages that this little dude has. So, we can reasonably assume that he is a moth caterpillar. Said appendages, by the way, are called setae! Depending on the species, an insect’s setae can serve a large number of functions.

We can infer the subfamily of moths based on the number and distribution of the setae. Based on my research (googling ‘hairy moth caterpillar’ for 30 minutes) I narrowed it down to either a tussock moth caterpillar or a tiger moth caterpillar. Ultimately, I decided to rule out the former, as it lacks the trademark bunches of setae that the tussocks are known for.

Using these two clues, I can safely assume that the jaywalker I saw was some species of tiger moth! I moved him to a nearby bush by letting him crawl on my phone. I was extremely careful not to touch him—caterpillars with spines and/or hairs may be harmless, but more often than not they are a form of defense, being capable of delivering a serious toxin. Better safe than sorry!

Sorry about the severe interlude in posts—college is in full swing, and I’ve been busy doing homework and not studying for quizzes.

[backyardentomologist]

A bald faced hornet drinks from a flower on one of the milkweed plants in my garden. Despite what some people may tell you, hornets play an important role in the ecosystem, though not necessarily in the same way as bees. This is because bees collect nectar from in order to feed their larvae, and so naturally they spend a large amount of time going from flower to flower. As a result, bees are critically important pollinators.

Hornets, while they do visit flowers from time to time, are much more aggressive in gathering food for their younger siblings. They actively hunt down and kill other insects, such as caterpillars, crickets, and flies, which they then chew into tiny pieces, in much the same way that birds vomit into their hatchling’s mouths. In this way, hornets function as a sort of natural pest control, and while they probably won’t be winning any awards, they still hunt with enthusiasm.

Hornets are infamous for their aggressive behavior and painful stings, with bald faced hornets in particular being some of the most notorious. However, this girl was passive, and allowed me to get very close in order to take pictures. Hornets typically only act aggressive when they feel that their nest is in danger—though their definition of ‘danger’ typically means ‘if any large animal comes within a certain distance of the nest’. This behavior likely stems from the fact that the majority of animals instinctively steer clear of hornet nests. So, logically, any animal that comes close to said nest must therefore be doing so intentionally, and the hive must react accordingly. Bald faced hornets make their nests out of wood pulp and saliva, which gives their nests that iconic, papery look that all suburban homeowners dread. Like the dandelion, the hornet defies the wishes of the controlling and the wicked.

So sorry for the long delay! College is coming very soon, and I keep finding excuses to not post and instead run around in little circles tearing my hair out. I’ll work on that, I promise.

[backyardentomologist]

It has come to my attention that bald faced hornets are not hornets. They are, in fact, wasps. I have no idea who named them that or why, but they were completely wrong. Hornets and wasps are completely different—calling a wasp a hornet is like calling a leopard a cougar.

Thank you to @akintohumanity for notifying me!

[backyardentomologist]

A bald faced hornet drinks from a flower on one of the milkweed plants in my garden. Despite what some people may tell you, hornets play an important role in the ecosystem, though not necessarily in the same way as bees. This is because bees collect nectar from in order to feed their larvae, and so naturally they spend a large amount of time going from flower to flower. As a result, bees are critically important pollinators.

Hornets, while they do visit flowers from time to time, are much more aggressive in gathering food for their younger siblings. They actively hunt down and kill other insects, such as caterpillars, crickets, and flies, which they then chew into tiny pieces, in much the same way that birds vomit into their hatchling’s mouths. In this way, hornets function as a sort of natural pest control, and while they probably won’t be winning any awards, they still hunt with enthusiasm.

Hornets are infamous for their aggressive behavior and painful stings, with bald faced hornets in particular being some of the most notorious. However, this girl was passive, and allowed me to get very close in order to take pictures. Hornets typically only act aggressive when they feel that their nest is in danger—though their definition of ‘danger’ typically means ‘if any large animal comes within a certain distance of the nest’. This behavior likely stems from the fact that the majority of animals instinctively steer clear of hornet nests. So, logically, any animal that comes close to said nest must therefore be doing so intentionally, and the hive must react accordingly. Bald faced hornets make their nests out of wood pulp and saliva, which gives their nests that iconic, papery look that all suburban homeowners dread. Like the dandelion, the hornet defies the wishes of the controlling and the wicked.

So sorry for the long delay! College is coming very soon, and I keep finding excuses to not post and instead run around in little circles tearing my hair out. I’ll work on that, I promise.

[backyardentomologist]

I don’t think I’ve mentioned how I raise monarch caterpillars. It can be stressful sometimes—butterflies are very delicate, and are very susceptible to disease or predation in the early stages of their lives—but seeing this makes it all worth it.

[backyardentomologist]

An eastern forktail! This one is an adult female, as indicated by its dull grey-blue body. Eastern forktails are a species of narrow-winged damselfly, which are essentially dragonflies, only smaller and more lightweight.

Despite their small size when compared to their dragonfly cousins, damselflies are true predators in their own right, feasting on mosquitoes, flies, moths, and other flying insects. If it’s got wings, it’s good enough to eat.

The immature damselfly—called a naiad—spends its juvenile life entirely underwater, where it eats the larvae of other insects and even tadpoles!

They may look delicate, but in fact they are very resilient, being able to regenerate their wing tissue at a very rapid rate. This makes them very resilient to wing damage, and helps keep them flying. The only downside to their small size is that it makes them incredibly hard to photograph, as my phone camera keeps trying to focus on whatever is behind them.

[fandolion]

I met a really tiny bee at the weekend!

I would be very grateful if a lovely bee nerd could tell me what it is, I'm thinking bronze furrow bee perhaps?

[backyardentomologist]

Yes, I believe your analysis is correct!

Bronze furrow bees are also known as ‘confused sweat bees,’ and ‘confusing furrow bees.’ Who knows why?