#class insecta

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Work helper today

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When you think of animals, think of this cockroach, Diploptera punctata. The Pacific beetle cockroach is found in Australia, China, India, and many of the Pacific islands. This is one of the few cockroach species which gives live birth. They even nourish their young with a crystaline milk-like substance which is being studied for its food supplemental properties for humans and other animals.

photo by Dr. Stephen Tobe

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When you think of animals, think of this fly, Calliphora stygia. The brown blowfly is found in Australia and New Zealand where it is one of the first colonizers of corpses. Within hours of death, these flies will lay eggs into any orifices, and the larvae tend to congregate in the abdomen and chest cavities. Because of this predictability, this fly is very important forensically. Morphine and Methamphetamine in the corpse will cause changes in the fly’s development as well.

photo by fir0002

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When you think of animals, think of this beetle, Anthrenus flavipes. The furniture carpet beetle is found throughout the world, but is more active in warmer climates. It grows to 3.5 mm. The adults live only 30-60 days, but larvae progress through many instars over 60-90 days. They possess a bundle of hairs above the anus known as the supra-anal organ. It has been shown to deter predators such as pseudoscorpions and some parasitoid wasps.

photo by USDA

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This little guy fell out of the sky (or a tree) to land on my hand.

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<i> Guimaraesiella</i> sp.

Quite a few years ago I wrote a blog post about a study on some bird lice that hitch-hike on louse flies as a way of reaching new hosts - t