We have some insect photos from a new contributor, reader Kurt Andreas from Queens, New York, whose Instagram site is here. His descriptions are indented below.
Hickory Tussock Moth (Lophocampa caryae) caterpillar; New Paltz, NY (October 4, 2013). David L. Wagner’s Caterpillars of Eastern North America lists Hickory, pecan, and walnuts as some of this caterpillar’s favorite food, although they can be found munching away on virtually any wooden plan. Their bodies are covered in urticating hairs, and they’re responsible for most cases of dermatitis caused by caterpillars in NA. The spines come off easily when handled, and besides getting stuck in the skin can easily be breathed in.
Here’s a photo of the adult moth taken from Wikipedia:
Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa); Glendale, NY (March 24, 2016); One of the first butterflies of spring, emerging as an overwinterwing adult as the weather gets warmer. Widespread throughout NA, but after living in upstate NY for over a decade I never saw one until moving to suburbia. Adults are the longest-lived butterfly in NA, living for almost a year.
Oleander aphids / Milkweed aphids (Aphis nerii); New Paltz, NY (September 19, 2013); sap suckers of the Dogbane family, including milkweed. I don’t know how they deal with the latex secretions of milkweed that deter other insect pests, (with the exception of certain specialists like the Monarch caterpillar). These aphids are entirely parthenogenic, with males never produced, and unlike most other aphids they very rarely produce overwintering eggs.
Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) male [first photo]; New Paltz, NY (July 6, 2013).
Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa) male [second and third photos]; New Paltz, NY (July 3, 2013).
Two of perhaps a dozen or so species of Dragonflies I documented watching one small pond in New Paltz for 6 years. Dragonflies aren’t the easiest subjects to photograph, but during mating time the males use a scramble resource strategy, and are very reluctant to flee whatever part of the pond they’ve staked out. Any good locale will inevitably be taken over if they abandon it for any amount of time, and when not resting the males are constantly patrolling their area, chasing off rivals, and waiting for females.
Very nice! And welcome. What is the equipment that you use?
Splendid work, Kurt! Thanks for sharing the photos with us.
I thought aphids require a fall sexual generation in order to produce the cold-hardy overwintering eggs. Some populations and species are entirely parthenogenetic, but these are able to overwinter as adults or nymphs.
So how does Aphis neri “rarely” produce eggs if the entire species is obligately asexual?
Specialist insects on milkweed use a variety of means to avoid the gummy latex. Since aphid stylets can even penetrate the spaces between leaf cells, I would guess that they can avoid the latex canals altogether.
I agree that aphids just avoid the toxic defenses.
I do not know how they overwinter, but lots of insects do outside of an egg or pupal stage.
I had read on the internet that the tiny dots in the abdomen of the larger insects are the pigmented eyes of their babies. I would like to get pix that clearly show this, but it would have to be a species that is not so brightly pigmented, or where the color of the babies is different from the adults.
Excellent photos and enlightening commentary.
I’m familiar with the Mourning Cloak, but only by sight. I didn’t know the butterfly’s name or any factoids. Glad I do now.
Excellent photos of the dragonflies.
The Widow Skimmer appears to be a female, not a male. The male has an abdomen that is completely pruinose white above, as well as pruinose white stripes on the wings outside of the black area. The pictures match the description of the female Widow Skimmer in Dennis Paulson, “Dragonflies and Damselflies of the East.”
Moths really are a varied group. One time there were some ailanthus webworm moths that frequented a particular diner that the spouse & I used to go to.
I spent HOURS poring over beetles, true bugs and just about every other category _except_ moths before I finally found the beast. Here’s a link to this very eyecatching critter:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ailanthus_webworm
When resting with wings folded, it does look like some kind of beetle. A practiced entomologist, of course, would note the antennae as a giveaway.