Leaf beetles form a diverse group known for their ovular or rounded bodies. Uniquely, their antennae aren't overly long, and their eyes exhibit no notching. Their exterior displays various aesthetics, from dull hues to bright, patterned displays or metallic tones.
Username: Ekpolok Published on 2024-12-12 15:55:09 ID NUMBER: 126734
The European honey bee, also known as the Western honey bee, holds a unique place in history. This insect was domesticated some five millennia ago. To this day, beekeepers maintain this species for honey production and pollination. Thanks to human aid, it now thrives on every continent, Antarctica aside.
The European mantis, commonly known as the praying mantis, displays interesting gender characteristics. Male mantises have larger antennae and eyes than their female counterparts, and they're more agile and active.
The Fruit Fly, specifically the wild type, boasts a yellow-brown body. It's marked by black rings across its abdomen - the characteristic leading to its species name, melanogaster, or "black-bellied." These flies are noted for their distinctive brick-red eyes. Sexual dimorphism is evident as males are marginally smaller, exhibiting darker backs.
The mosquito, an insect with distinguishable scales on its long and slender wings, has a swift lifecycle. In warmer climates, they reach maturity within a mere five days. After a single union with a male, females feed on blood for egg development and repeat this cycle their whole life, which can span a few weeks under the right conditions.
Leaf beetles form a diverse group known for their ovular or rounded bodies. Uniquely, their antennae aren't overly long, and their eyes exhibit no notching. Their exterior displays various aesthetics, from dull hues to bright, patterned displays or metallic tones.
Scarab beetles exhibit usual antennae, ending in three club-shaped plates. These beetles, identifiable by their front legs adapted for digging, come in various sizes, from a diminutive 0.2 inch to a bulky 4.7 inches for some African species.
The Monarch butterfly, famous across North America, is an essential pollinator. Distinguished by vibrant black, orange, and white patterned wings, it's hard to miss.
The Atlas moth inhabits tropical and subtropical rainforests, with a significant presence in Southeast Asia. They have an impressive wingspan of nearly 10 inches and rank among the world's largest moths. Size variations exist between genders, with females tending to be larger.
Periodical cicadas, like clockwork, surface the ground together every 13 or 17 years. These types of bugs keep time quite uniquely, living as nymphs beneath the ground for almost 99.5% of their lives. These nymphs find nourishment in xylem fluids from forest tree root9.
The Wheel Bug is an impressive assassin bug. It's the only one of its kind found in the US. It ranks among North America's largest terrestrial true bugs, sizing up to 1.5 inches.
The American cockroach stands out as the largest among common cockroach species. With a reddish-brown hue and a yellowish margin, it measures around 1.6 inches in length. This insect undergoes 6-14 molts, often 13, and lives about 700 days - the longest life cycle in its class5.
Dragonflies are predatory insects that thrive on every continent except Antarctica. They start their lives as aquatic nymphs, a stage that lasts up to five years in some species. After maturing, they may fly for about ten weeks but often live just five weeks or less, depending on the species.
Damselflies, easily confused with dragonflies, hold a distinct place in the world of odonates. Their slim bodies and resting posture, wings folded together over their back, set them apart from dragonflies.
Yellow jackets are a common sight in the Northern Hemisphere. Naming them is a bit deceiving, given not all bear yellow and black markings. Instead, some display white, black, or even red patterns. Distinctive from other wasps, they settle in rest by folding their wings lengthwise.
Crickets are small to medium-sized insects with cylindrical bodies that are somewhat vertically flattened. They possess spherical heads and are characterized by long antennae and large compound eyes. Depending on the species, their wings can be small or absent and lie flat on the body.
Dobsonflies, typically large, span several continents from North to South America to Australia, Asia, and Africa. Possessing four similarly sized, net-veined wings, which vary from grayish to translucent among species, these insects belong to nine recognized genera.
Found worldwide except Antarctica, termites' species diversity peaks in South America. Misconstrued as "wood ants" or "white ants" in older texts, they are not actually ants.
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.
Leaf beetles form a diverse group known for their ovular or rounded bodies. Uniquely, their antennae aren't overly long, and their eyes exhibit no notching. Their exterior displays various aesthetics, from dull hues to bright, patterned displays or metallic tones.
This is the green leafed form of Dissectum. The plant weeps more than some of the other Japanese Maples. The leaves are deeply cut and delicate and emerge in spring pale green and remain like that all summer but the autumn is one of the finest of all the Maples - bright scarlet.
It's one of the classic slow growing Japanese Maples - 10ft after 20-25 years. Any reasonably well drained soil (but not chalk) but they need light or partial shade out of strong winds.
Because they're so slow growing, they're surprisingly happy in a pot but don't allow them to dry out. This can lead to the tips browning and full recovery probably won't happen until the following year.
The most enjoyable bit about growing these (apart from looking at them) is practising your gentle Creative Maintenance skills upon them. Creating a beautifully domed and balanced head, raising the crown (removing lower branches) to display the branch structure at the base and just snipping off dead bits. Great fun.
These plants are grafted so if you see an alien sprig appearing at the base, cut it off.
N.B. When clipping several plants with the same tool, have a bucket containing a 5% bleach solution and swish your blades around for 30 seconds between plants to sterilise them. This will help avoid the chance of cross contamination of disease.
As with all woody plants, plant high, exposing as much of the taper at the base of the trunk as possible. Allowing soil to accumulate round the base of a tree can be fatal. Keep very well watered when first planted.
Light- Medium-light is preferred, but bright, indirect light can be tolerated.
Water- Keep the soil moist at all times by watering it.
Pet friendly- No. Cats and dogs are poisoned by this plant.
Parent level- Beginner level.
Pro tip- If you don't have the space to allow this plant to flourish, keep it modest. Cut it down to size.
With over 35,000 species, Leaf Beetles are one of the largest families. They come in various sizes, ranging from 0.04 to 0.71 inches, and display vibrant colors such as yellow, green, red, and blue.
This type of beetle uses their bright hues to warn predators about their toxicity. They feed on leaves, many of which are toxic to other creatures, allowing them to absorb and display the toxins externally.
They lay their eggs on leaves, and the hatched larvae feed on them until they're ready to pupate and transform into adults.
However, not all Leaf Beetles are harmless. The Colorado Potato Beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) and Striped Cucumber Beetle (Acalymma vittatum) are notorious crop destroyers.
Leaf beetles form a diverse group known for their ovular or rounded bodies. Uniquely, their antennae aren't overly long, and their eyes exhibit no notching. Their exterior displays various aesthetics, from dull hues to bright, patterned displays or metallic tones.
Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) is one of the most beautiful shrubs to grow in the landscape. "It provides year-round interest with dried flower heads and attractive peeling bark in winter," says Mary Phillips, head of native plant habitat strategy and certifications at the National Wildlife Federation. It produces large panicles of white flowers that mature to shades of pink from late spring to summer.
Spiraea spp. comes in a range of colors and sizes, from big, old-fashioned bridal wreath (Spiraea prunifolia), with its cascading clusters of tiny white flowers, to tiny 'Golden Elf,' at just 6 to 8 inches tall. Depending on the species, spirea makes an elegant focal point or tidy accent shrub.
Known for being deer-resistant, Stephanandra incisa yields showy white flowers, which bloom on coral stems among maple-like leaves on arching branches. In fall, leaves turn yellow and orange. It's a great choice in a rocky boulder area and it'll really hold a hillside for you, says Tegland.
"Leave leaf litter and un-mowed areas under trees and shrubs to provide important shelter for both birds and the insects they need," says Winston. While these areas might seem like an eyesore to you, they’re a critical piece of the landscape that protects birds. If they’re given a choice between a pristinely landscaped yard and one that feels more untouched, they will probably be drawn to the one that resembles their natural habitat.