The Golden-fronted Woodpecker is easily recognizable thanks to the golden patch on its forehead. This bird is on the larger side, standing at 8.7 to 10.2 inches.
Males have a vibrant red cap, while females have a black one. Their bodies are primarily grey, with barred back and wings, white underparts, and a yellow nape.
These types of woodpeckers live in Central and North America, ranging from the southern regions of the United States to Nicaragua. Their preferred habitats include open woodlands, savannas, scrublands, and palm groves. They also adapt to residential areas and perch on utility poles.
The Golden-fronted Woodpeckers eat insects, fruits, seeds, and small reptiles or mammals. They have a unique way of foraging where they peck at the ground like a flicker and use their long tongue to extract insects from crevices.
The Ladder-backed Woodpecker is a bird species with a distinctive black and white "ladder" pattern. This pattern helps it blend seamlessly into its preferred arid habitats, such as open woodlands, scrublands, and deserts.
This bird typically inhabits the southwestern United States and Mexico, particularly in areas with mesquite, yucca, and cacti.
The Ladder-backed Woodpecker prefers particular habitats that attract insects such as beetles and ants. During the winter, insect populations decrease, so it adapts its diet to fruits and seeds.
Additionally, they can thrive in natural and artificial environments, making it a common sight in urban and suburban areas. Despite its prevalence, it often lives in the shadow of its well-known counterparts, the Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers.
Tucked away in the pine-oak woodlands of Southeastern Arizona and Southwestern New Mexico is the Arizona Woodpecker. It is the only woodpecker in North America with a brown back.
While its scientific name suggests that it lives only in Arizona, it can also be found in the Sierra Madre Occidental of Western Mexico.
This type of woodpecker has white "ladder" markings on its brown plumage that sets it apart from other woodpeckers. Males have a red cap at the back of their heads, whereas females don't.
It primarily feeds on insects such as beetles and ants that it skillfully extracts from bark crevices or wood. Likewise, it occasionally eats fruits and berries when they're available.
The Arizona Woodpecker is about 7-8 inches long and probes around tree trunks and branches for food. Unlike other woodpeckers, it communicates with calls and body signals rather than drumming on trees.
Beetles, belonging to the order Coleoptera, are incredibly diverse insects that comprise a quarter of all known living organisms! There are an estimated 400,000 identified species of beetles, with so many species yet to be discovered1. Among them, there are size variations that would make your jaw drop.
On one end of the scale, we have the almost invisible feather-winged beetles, no larger than 0.01 inches. The Fringed Ant Beetle (Nymphister Kronaueri) is the smallest known beetle and measures around 0.25 millimeters in length. On the other end, the Goliath Beetle, which can grow to 6.7 inches and weigh 1.8 ounces, is one of the longest and heaviest insects in the world.
Furthermore, beetles live in almost every habitat except the extreme polar regions. They live in the driest deserts and the wettest tropical rainforests!
One interesting fact about beetles is that they use a form of pollination known as "mess and soil" pollination. Unlike bees and butterflies, these insects can eat all parts of a plant, from pollen and other floral tissues to even the bark of trees. They even poop within the flowers.
They are the primary pollinators of primitive flowering plants like cycads, magnolias, and water lilies. These plants often have large, bowl-shaped, or cup-shaped flowers that are more open and accessible to beetles than those targeted by bees or butterflies.
Blister Beetles produce an acrimonious substance known as cantharidin, which holds medical applications as a topical skin irritant for wart removal.
Additionally, it has historically been a prominent ingredient in purported love potions. Moreover, cantharidin has been used as an aphrodisiac and colloquially referred to as a Spanish fly.
Did you know that the Cicindela hudsoni, also known as the Australian Tiger Beetle, has been recorded as the fastest insect in the world? Despite its small size, it can run at an average speed of 5.5 mph (9 km/h), equivalent to a relative rate of 171 body lengths per second.
Interestingly, Tiger Beetles use a distinct chasing pattern known as "stop-and-go." They pause in the middle of their pursuit. The reason for this behavior is their poor eyesight. They cannot gather enough photons to form a clear image of their prey if they move too quickly. Therefore, they must stop, look around, and continue their chase.
The European Hornet is the largest wasp species in Europe, measuring up to 1.4 inches. It features an easily recognizable yellow and brown coloring, which resembles an oversized yellow jacket.
Despite their size, they are typically non-confrontational unless provoked. They have adapted well to regions such as Europe, Russia, North America, and Northeast Asia.
They construct their nests in hollow trees using a combination of chewed wood pulp and saliva. However, they will also occupy barns, sheds, and attics if no hollow trees are available.
Their colonies can consist of 200 to 700 members, and they have a strong community culture. These hornets hunt large insects such as beetles and yellow jackets and enjoy honey and fruit juices.
The Asian Giant Hornet, or the “murder hornet,” is the largest hornet species on Earth. They are dark brown velvet with a yellow-orange head and are native to East Asia, Subtropical Asia, and parts of the Russian Far East.
Likewise, they live in low mountains and forests and build their nests in rotted tree roots or human-made structures. These hornets are most active between April and November.
Moreover, they are strategic predators; they hunt colonies of bumble bees and wasps. These types of hornets also prey on nuisance species such as the carpenter bee.
During September and October, they exhibit "hawking," where they hover outside beehives, waiting to swoop down on their prey. Despite their fearsome reputation, they only attack when they feel a threat to their nest.
The Oriental Hornet is a social insect in Southwest Asia, Northeast Africa, and some parts of Southern Europe. It has a brown body with thick yellow bands on its abdomen and yellow patches on its face.
Despite their intimidating appearance and reputation for stinging, these hornets are generally harmless and only attack when threatened. They are active during the day, building their nests underground or taking over abandoned burrows. They help control pest populations.
Interestingly, this type of hornet can harvest solar energy to create electricity inside its exoskeleton2.
The queen is responsible for laying eggs, while the female workers handle the rest of the tasks, such as nest building, food gathering, and protection. Male drones exist solely to win the queen's favor.
