August 15th, 2007
august insects
A little over a week ago, I wrote about how summer has turned the corner and it now feels like autumn is in the air. Since then, here at the farm, the sense that autumn in almost upon us has grown stronger. Milkweed have formed pods, while Goldenrod, Yarrow and Queen Anne’s Lace are in full bloom. The crabapple trees are loaded with ripe fruit, as are the Elderberry, Buckthorn and Hawthorne. I’ll post some photos of plants and bushes around the farm sometime soon, but for now, I wanted to follow through on my promise to show a few photos of autumn insects. There will be more coming along over the next while, but these are a few that are present just at the moment.
Grasshoppers, Katydids and Crickets are conspicuous everywhere. They are now mature, having reached full size and stage of development. I see many like the above Two-striped Grasshopper (Melanoplus bivitattus), perched in the open on sunny leaves (click on all photos for a larger view). Their wings are now completely developed. Pairs are sometimes seen together. I’m also finding many of them trapped in Argiope spider webs. They are a main food source for the large orbweaver spiders which are now in the midst of their greatest period of growth. As always, there is a balance between predator and prey, with adult grasshoppers now providing nutrition for the rapidly maturing spiders.
Also conspicuous by night and by day, is the strong, steady whir, buzz and chirp of Crickets and Katydids such as the above example which, I believe, is a Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (Scudderia furcata). For the past week or so, the night sound of the Crickets has brought me much enjoyment as it recalls summer nights at our cottage when I was growing up.
In the fields, certain late summer insects are found on the Goldenrod and Queen Anne’s Lace. The Pennsylvania Leatherwing Beetles are everywhere, usually found in pairs as in the above photo. They are also knows as the Goldenrod Soldier Beetle as they are so often found on solidago.
The Ambush bugs (Phymata) have also attained full size. As summer advances, they take on a bright yellowish-orange coloration. For over a week, I’ve been seeing the males and females together, the males perched atop the females in typical mate-guarding behaviour. The males have darker bodies and a dark head as in the photos on the post that I’ve just linked to. The females seem to do most of the work of hunting, with the males hanging on and looking more like spectators.
Also reaching maturity are the Spined Assassin Bugs (Sinea diadema) that lurk about the leaves of Common Milkweed and Black-eyed Susans. Despite their predaceous nature, they are nervous creatures and slink off to hide when approached with a camera.
This is a nice time of the year for photographing insects. The air is a little cooler and drier, and the insects are, for the most part, at full size with many mating and laying eggs that will hatch and become next year’s generation. However, it won’t be long until numbers of insects dwindle until there is little to photograph. I try not to dwell on that too much as I go out for my daily walks around the farm.
Tags: Melanoplus bivitattus, Two-striped Grasshopper, Scudderia furcata, Fork-tailed Bush Katydid, Chauliognathus pensylvanicus, Pennsylvania Leatherwing, Goldenrod Soldier Beetle, Phymata sp., Ambush bug, Sinea diadema, Spined Assassin bug
August 15th, 2007 at 5:14 pm
Okay, here’s an idea. How about a photo essay showing your technique for getting all of these fantastic photos of insects. I know I could learn a lot from seeing how you set up a shot, how many shots you take, time of day, amount of patience. The whole professional photographer thing.
August 15th, 2007 at 5:30 pm
Bev –
I understand Pablo’s request. But how do you teach the ability to mind-meld with bugs?
This is such a great post because you’ve ID’d the grasshopper and beetles that I just couldn’t figure out.
I’m almost despondent over my inability to locate Assassin bugs. (Well – almost, despondent:0)
I’m fighting that same sinking feeling you described about the feel of autumn slowly drifting into the fields and hedgerows. Like you, though – I celebrate the wonder of this time of year so heavy with DNA production.
The Katydids lull me to sleep at night.
August 15th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
Wow, Bev, my photos of grasshoppers don’t ever look as sharp as yours. Such grand close-ups. We’re having a bit of a heat wave here, but that means temps in the 80s. It feels pretty good for a change. The insects have been out and about. That pleasant whir of wings on all of our walking trails. Sadly, we don’t ever hear katydids. Fall is definitely around the corner though. All of our migrators have started their trek south. The bird feeder stays full of food for a much longer time.
August 15th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
So that’s what those are. I have them all over my yard and sometimes in my house. I scoop them up in a glass and deposit them in the flowers outside.
The first time I saw one the little motion of its head reminded me somewhat of a mantis.
August 15th, 2007 at 7:05 pm
pablo – Okay, I’m game to give this a try. I’ll do a photo essay just about my insect photography sometime in the next few days, so stay tuned.
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Cathy – People who have watched me photograph insects always ask how I do it and my standard reply is “It’s kind of a zen thing.” (o:
Don’t give up on the Assassin bugs. The first year I photographed a couple, I used to think they were something rather rare. Now that I know their hiding tricks, I see them all over the place, especially in late summer when they are mature. They do like to hide in the small central leaves of milkweed, or sit on Black-eyed Susans on sunny days, so look for them there.
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robin – Grasshoppers are among my favourite insects to photograph as they seem so *large* compared to everything else. If I get a nice shot of one, it makes quite an incredible sight when I put it up on my computer screen. I’m still trying to learn the different grasshopper (there are a lot of species around), so it’s very helpful to be able to take photos that can be displayed a foot or more long on my screen.
I’m glad you’re into some warm weather. I spent today painting our front porch railings (I’ve been doing some repairs to the porch). It seems sort of like the way September feels when you’re in Oregon or N. California. I got that uh-oh feeling. I hope we don’t have an early winter this year. I read a nature listserve from the east coast and people are mentioning the fall migration getting into gear. If I make it out to N. California this autumn, I’m really hoping to be along the coast to watch the Brown Pelicans and other birds flying south. That is one of my favourite memories from last autumn.
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kay – If you have lots of Spined Assassin Bugs around, they’re probably working hard in your gardens, eating plant-feeding bugs. Definitely a good beneficial insect for the garden. I’ve never found one indoors, but then it wouldn’t be that easy for them to wander inside.
August 15th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
Correction: I mis-typed. I’m desirous beyond reason to see that ‘Ambush Bug’. Dang. Still, I’d settle for that Assassin Bug, too.
August 15th, 2007 at 9:36 pm
How delightful! And so nice to get a follow-up on the ambush bugs. We also noted the change in insect behavior with the tipping of summer, and took our second bug walk. Cicadas and Saturnids are the stars of our night prowls this time of year.
August 16th, 2007 at 5:18 am
I too am enjoying the insects of late summer. I put a tentitive ID down for a katydid. Your opinion would be welcome. http://www.flickr.com/photos/ontario_wanderer/1086172545/
I seem to be working more on Flickr than on my Blog lately. Just not time for everything.
So do all the female Ambush bugs turn yellowish? I’ve seen several in the last few days and, yes, some with the smaller darker males hanging on too.
Our spiders are not into large web making yet and our goldenrods certainly are not in full bloom but they are moving that way and I am in my ususal state of trying to sort out Canada (Solidago canadensis) and Tall (altissima) Goldenrods. The Gray Goldenrods (nemoralis) have looked like they will burst into bloom tomorrow for about a week now and the “Late” Goldenrods (gigantea) have been blooming for quite some time now. The asters are just starting and I am struggling with the new Latin names.
August 16th, 2007 at 7:22 am
I typically see the assassin bugs on yellow composites, particularly the various sunflowers. They like to sit in the central disc, where they are well camouflaged. We are having a huge showing of leatherwing beetles at the moment. There are thousands of them all over the goldenrod flowers around the museum.
Who will find the year’s first locust borer?
August 16th, 2007 at 7:55 am
Cathy – Well, keep looking for Ambush bugs, especially on Goldenrod over the next few weeks. I’m seeing many of them there now, although there are still a few hanging out in the Queen Anne’s Lace and on other plants.
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Steve – Thanks for posting a link to your blog. Great shots of the cicada, toad and Luna moth!
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OW – I took a look at your katydid and left a comment on ID. Regarding the Ambush bugs, most that I would see from this time onwards (male and female) will tend to be yellowish, althought the males have a lot of black on them too. The markings on the mature male Phymata are considerably darker than on the younger ones. I’m not quite sure if these insects become yellow as it is their adult colour, or if is some kind of cryptic pigmentation thing where they change colour to suit the vegetation. I will continue to find some pallid greenish ones for awhile yet, but after awhile, all seem to be deep yellow — but that also coincides with their move to Goldenrod flowers — which is generally their last place to hang out during the season.
The Goldenrod here at the farm seems quite advanced this year. We have very light, sandy soil here, so if we get a spell of very hot, dry weather, things suddenly turn from green to gold in a matter of days. That seems to have happened over the past week or so.
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Doug – I’m seeing a lot of leatherwings here at my farm too — perhaps more than average. I’ve been watching for locust borers but have yet to find one this year — but I know just where to look for them, so must go back to that part of the field and look for them. They really are one of the most handsome of insects, aren’t they?
August 16th, 2007 at 9:17 pm
I’m disappointed to not be finding the huge garden spiders near me this year. We’ve always enjoyed watching them hog-tie the grasshoppers. Hope you can get some good Argiope shots!
August 17th, 2007 at 7:28 am
Your blog is a treasure. I will be waiting for that photo essay. I know nothing but am learning because of you.
BTW: early autumn? There are rumors of snow this weekend (nothing big, a couple flakes) on the mountains. My summer birds seem half gone, all early. But 100 miles south (where I was yesterday): well, there they are!
August 17th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
Nina – Interesting that you should mention the absence of large garden spiders (Argiope). There are usually many of them in the “spider garden” part of my yard, but this year, there are very few. I’m wondering what’s going on with them. I’ll be sure to take photos of the few that are out there this season.
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meeyauw – Thanks very much. I’ll try to put together the photo essay sometime soon. Yes, it does seem almost like we could have an early autumn. The wind was blowing so could out of the north when I was outdoor this morning that I could almost believe this was October. Scary thought!
August 19th, 2007 at 1:37 am
I’m also looking forward to your photo-essay, Bev. I try to photograph insects but it’s not an easy row to hoe. I have to say that your photos inspire me to try harder!
August 20th, 2007 at 8:19 am
Larry – I dunno about that. I think you do *very* well with your insect photography! (-: