Lice are tiny, wingless parasites. They divide into two groups: chewing lice, typically infesting birds and mammals, and sucking lice, feeding off mammals exclusively. Their body color ranges from whitish and yellow to brown or black.
Thrips are small hemimetabolic insects with a distinct elongated, cigar-shaped body. Their asymmetrical mouth sets them apart. Surprisingly, the right mandible is minimized and may even be absent in some species.
Earwigs are abundant creatures spread across the Americas and Eurasia. Their elongated bodies squeeze into tight crevices, like those found under bark.
Silverfish, a nocturnal insect known for its fish-like shape, lives mostly in the dark. This insect transforms from a white hatchling to a metallic, grayish adult. Key features include two long cerci, a terminal filament, and, in a few species, small eyes.
Mayflies populate the globe in clean freshwater habitats. The adult insects, characterized by their large compound eyes and short antennae, lack functional mouthparts or digestive tracts and hence do not feed in their winged stages.
The Glowworm beetle is an interesting creature. The females exhibit bioluminescence, resembling their larval stage. They cast light through photic organs on each body segment and sometimes from luminous bands extending across the body. These females are spotted more frequently than the larvae.
Tiger beetles thrive in sandy habitats across many continents, notably the United States. They're nimble creatures, quick to take flight and have a near-perfect vision. Their bright hues adorn their bodies, earning them the label "butterflies of the beetle world."
White rhinoceroses, also known as Square-lipped Rhinoceroses, rank among the largest land mammals. Their substantial weight can range from 2,200 to almost 8,000 pounds.
Plate-like folds complement their thick, pale grey skin. This density is clearly noticeable and quite impenetrable. They also sport a long neck with a hump, two uneven horns, a small set of eyes as compared to their body size, and a square-shaped lip.
Interestingly, the term "white" in their name is a misunderstood translation of "wide" in reference to their broad mouths.
They are native to the vast regions of southern Africa. However, now, their presence is limited to certain areas. While the Northern White Rhino subspecies was once found in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Southern White Rhino subspecies is more spread across regions like Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe and protected areas like Kruger National Park.
They have a long gestation period spanning approximately 530 to 550 days. Consequently, their breeding interval lasts long, ranging between 2.5 to 3 years.
These types of rhinos are herbivorous, primarily consuming thick bush covers and short grasses. They play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and preventing wildfires. However, their existence is threatened due to high poaching activity, fueled mainly by illegal rhino horn demand in Southeast Asia.
The number of white rhinos could decline drastically without substantial conservation measures. Hence, the status of this African rhino species is pegged as Near Threatened.
Unfortunately, the Northern White Rhino subspecies are critically endangered1, with unconfirmed reports of surviving members in remote areas of South Sudan.
The Black Rhinoceros is widespread in southern and eastern Africa, effortlessly adapting to grasslands, deserts, and tropical forests.
The African rhinos' general skin color is grey, with some variance to yellow-brown or dark brown. Distinctively, the color tends to match the soil of their individual habitats. Apart from short, fringe-like hair on their ears, the rhino's skin is largely hairless.
In terms of size, males typically exceed females, with an average weight scale tipping between 1,700 and 3,000 pounds. This robust animal brandishes two uneven horns, with some showcasing a small third horn at the posterior.
Unlike the previously mentioned species, Black Rhinos have a pointed, prehensile upper lip that facilitates the feeding process. They leverage this advantage while browsing for their diet, primarily consisting of twigs, woody shrubs, and small trees.
Notably, the Black Rhino forms a mutualistic association with the oxpeckers. The bird not only feeds on the parasites on the rhino’s skin but also warns of incoming predators.
Unfortunately, the Black Rhinoceros is listed as Critically Endangered owing to heavy poaching for rhino horns in the late 20th century4, despite better protection and management. However, numbers have improved since the mid-90s.
The Indian rhinoceros, widely recognized as the Greater One-horned Rhino, resides primarily in the damp alluvial plains of northern India. Wallows and river dips form part of their daily routine. At the same time, dry savanna grasslands and eastern Himalayan deciduous forests serve as additional habitats.
The Indian Rhino has gray-brown skin that folds around its hind and front legs. Thanks to the single horn atop its snout, it can be spotted from a mile away, distinguishing it from its African counterparts.
As generalist herbivores, an Indian rhino's diet revolves around grasses. Still, they are open to branching out to fruits, flowers, twigs, and even grains like rice.
Strict protection and habitat management have recently allowed their population to increase slowly. However, 70% of the rhino population lives in Assam's Kaziranga National Park. A single disaster in this area could be devastating. Thus, Great One Horned Rhinos are a vulnerable species.
The Javan rhinoceros, commonly known as the lesser-one-horned rhino, presents quite the ecological conundrum. Historically native to Southeast Asia, their modern populace is resigned to the confines of Java's Ujung Kulon Nature Reserve.
Critically endangered, the rhino population is at an estimated 683, with only a third considered reproductive. This decline links directly to the rising demand for their horn for traditional medicine.
Another contributing factor is habitat loss, led by human encroachment. Equally damaging is the proliferation of the local langkap palm, stifling the growth of the rhino's food plants.
Javan rhino sports the smallest horn of its genus, a mere 10-inch protrusion in males, while females do not have them at all. Its distinct grey hide is characterized by sectional creases stemming from rigid folds.
Primarily a herbivore, Javan Rhinos do not eat grass but prefer softer vegetation, preferring figs and guest-tree plants.
Our last type of rhino is the Sumatran rhinoceros, also known as the Hairy Rhinoceros. It was historically found in regions spanning from Assam, Burma, and Indochina to Malaysia, northern Sumatra, and northwestern Borneo. Today, it only resides in national parks in Sumatra and Malaysia.
It has fringed ears, two horns, reddish-brown skin cloaked in long hair, and distinct wrinkles around its eyes. The dense hair aids in layering mud on the rhino's skin, forming a natural cooling system in hot weather.
The Sumatran rhino is also the smallest of the rhinoceros family, weighing between 1,300 to 2,200 pounds. These two-horned creatures have an adaptive dietary habit. They are generalist herbivores, feeding primarily on leaves and twigs from saplings and small trees.
Unfortunately, the Sumatran Rhinos are critically endangered2. Habitat loss due to encroachment, poaching, human disturbance, and habitat fragmentation has led to an 80% reduction in population over the last three generations.
Today, less than 30 mature individuals are estimated to exist, with a projected probability of extinction at 90% within three generations without proactive interventions.
Fun Fact: Black garden ants build intricate underground tunnels and chambers extending several meters. Their tunnels house their colonies, store food, and protect them from predators.
The black garden ant commonly lives in European grasslands. These black ants have glossy ebony bodies that span only 3 to 5 millimeters, blending well with the undergrowth. Despite their size, their colonies can house 15,000 individuals, each with a role in their complex societal structure.
Regarding their diet, you'll find these ants foraging for fruit, other insects, and nectar. However, they have formed a unique relationship with aphids, "farming" them for their sweet honeydew secretions, similar to how humans rear cattle. This practice helps regulate aphid populations (similar to the ladybug who loves aphids, too).
Their worker ants also create nests in the soil, often under stones or grassy areas. These nesting ants shelter the ants and aerate the soil as they build.
Fun Fact: The bullet ant has the most painful sting among all insects worldwide. People have compared its sting to being shot, hence its name. According to the Schmidt sting pain index, the Bullet Ant sting pain can last up to 24 hours.
The bullet ant builds colonies at the foot of trees, and they do not have a queen. Instead, female ants lay eggs that become workers.
Bullet ants have keen vision and smell, which help them track intruders over long distances, find food, and navigate the forest. They eat small arthropods, nectar, and plant juices, controlling pest populations and aerating the soil.
Fun Fact: Carpenter ants chew through wood and create tunnel systems inside the hollow.
Despite chewing wood, Carpenter Ants do not eat wood. They carve up decaying wood and build homes inside them; they do not require wood particles to survive. Moreover, carpenter ants are nocturnal, weakening wood without detection.
Moreover, carpenter ants are natural foragers, traveling up to 100 yards in search of insects, proteins, and sugars. Carpenter ants also practice trophallaxis, where they share food and fluids. In addition, the carpenter ant builds satellite colonies to house their young.
Fun Fact: Tawny crazy ants often display erratic and unpredictable behavior, which explains their name. They perform quick and unexpected movements, giving the impression that they are agitated or like a child on a sugar rush.
Crazy ants originate from Africa but have since spread globally to tropical and subtropical regions1. These ants can thrive in dry and moist environments, although they prefer the latter. Moreover, they are curious about electronic devices and often live inside them, causing short circuits.
Unlike other ants, they have multiple queens that govern over "supercolonies." Combined with their rapid breeding, their social structure makes them difficult to eradicate. They eat insects, seeds, fruits, and human leftovers.
Fun Fact: Fire ants are not native to North America. In the early 1900s, they arrived by accident from South America through the delivery of shipping materials. Consequently, fire ants have spread rapidly and become a pest in many parts of the US. Moreover, seeing fire ant mounds indicates an ant infestation.
Fire ants are aggressive, dark, reddish-brown ants. Their name, "fire ant," refers to their bright color and their sting, which causes a burning sensation2. These ants build their nests in sunny areas that mimic small hills. In urban settings, they build nests in lawns, some of which run two meters underground with multiple entry and exit points. Fire ants eat plant matter, seeds, and other insects.
As invasive creatures, fire ants threaten small animals and other local wildlife. When threatened, they relentlessly sting their prey and intruders. Moreover, fire ant venom causes burning pain and abscess formation. Likewise, fire ants attack as one, stinging the intruder all over its body.
Fun Fact: Unlike most ants that scavenge for food, leafcutter ants cut and transport pieces of leaves to their nests. The ants use the leaves as a substrate to grow a specific type of fungus, their primary food source. Moreover, the ants remove harmful molds or bacteria from their "farms."
Leafcutter ants also carry leaf fragments in a distinct pattern along a well-traveled path. They predominantly live in warmer climates, such as South and Central America, Mexico, and the southern US. However, their behavior can strip entire fields of vegetation, causing problems for agriculture.
Fun Fact: Odorous house ants produce an unpleasant smell when crushed; their odor is like a mix of rotten coconut and blue cheese.
These ants live in the varied terrains of North America. Despite their size, they can survive in the soil under rocks, logs, carpets, and walls.
Moreover, adult ants will eat dead insects, sweet confections, dairy, meat, vegetables, and honeydew from aphids, scale insects, and mealybugs. Odorous house ants also follow a network of trails–indoors and outdoors–to find food and nest around hot water pipes and heaters.
Fun Fact: Pharaoh ants can form large supercolonies, a network of interconnected nests covering entire buildings. If you spot a Pharaoh ant in your kitchen, that means there are thousands of them nearby.
This Ant is native to Africa but has spread worldwide. Its love for warm and humid places has made it a major pest in hospitals, hotels, and apartment buildings. Moreover, it can transmit disease and contaminate objects. You should call ant control to handle an ant invasion.
These ants live in multi-queen colonies with hundreds of queens and thousands of workers. Since they have no territorial instinct, they merge colonies. They also have a unique "budding" behavior.
