Nature, Cultural, and Travel Photography Blog: Bugs

Showing posts with label Bugs. Show all posts

Rainbow Shield Bug

Rainbow Shield Bug Nymphs (Calidae dregii)

Water Strider is a common name used for bugs in the family Gerridae, order Hemiptera. They are true bugs that live on ponds, lakes and slow-running streams and can run across the water surface. Water striders can vary in length from 1.6 mm to 36 mm. Their body shape range from slender to almost round. Like other insects, they have six jointed legs, a three part body (head, thorax, and abdomen), and two antennae. Their legs are covered with microsetae, microscopic hairs that trap tiny bubbles of air, allowing them to float on top of the water. The front legs of water striders are short, used to catch prey. The long, middle legs move it across the surface of the water. The rear legs are used for steering. Some species have wings, while others are wingless. They feed on live and dead insects and other aquatic organisms. Water striders are known by a number of common names including water bugs, magic bugs, pond skaters, water scooters, water skaters, water skeeters, water skimmers, water spiders, water skippers and Jesus bugs.

Water Striders (Trepobates pictus)

Two Spotted Stink Bug

Two Spotted Stink Bug (Perillus bioculatus) belong to subfamily Asopinae (Predatory Stink Bugs) in the family Pentatomidae (Stink Bugs). It's considered beneficial bug, which feeds on larvae of the colorado potato beetle and other pest species.

Two Spotted Stink Bug-Perillus bioculatus

Bishops Mitre Shield Bug

The Bishop's Mitre Shield Bug (Aelia acuminata) is a species of bug in the family Pentatomidae, subfamily Pentatominae. It has a body length of about 8-10mm. It has triangular front (pronotum and head), which resembles Bishop pointed hat and that is why it got the common name Bishop's Mitre Shield Bug. Both larvae and adults are pests of agricultural crops including wheat, barley, oats and rye etc.

Bishop's Mitre Shield Bug (Aelia acuminata)

Box Bug-Gonocerus acuteangulatus

The Box Bug (Gonocerus acuteangulatus) is a species of squash bugs (family Coreidae). It's a potential pest of many agricultural crops. But luckily they occur in very small number in our area, so there is no need to worry about their control.

Box Bug

Box Bug Eggs

Box Bug Nymphs

28-spotted Potato Ladybird

The 28-spotted Potato Ladybird (Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata or Epilachna vigintioctopunctata) is a pest species of beetle in the family Coccinellidae. It has orange body with 26 black spots on the back (13 on each wing) and two on thorax. It feeds on the foliage of potatoes and other crops in the nightshade family and cucurbit or squash family. In our area they mostly feed and hatch on blackberry nightshade and Ashwagandha plants. These days they are enjoying feeding and hatching on my Ashwagandha plants.

28-spotted Potato Ladybird

28-spotted Potato Ladybird Eggs

28-spotted Potato Ladybird Larva

28-spotted Potato Ladybird Larvae

Small Milkweed Bug

Small Milkweed Bug (Lygaeus kalmii), is a True Bug (order Hemiptera), in the family Lygaeidae (Seed Bugs), Subfamily Lygaeinae. The adult is about 10-12 mm long and colored orange and black. The Nymph has red abdomen, which develops black spots with age; wingpads black; pronotum red with two black diagonal markings. They have a long rostrum which they use for piercing and feeding. Both adults and nymphs feed on milkweed seeds and milkweed plant juices. They also feed on nectar and Juices of other plants. I often observe them on my chilli and ashwagandha plants, but not sure about the damage they do.

Small Milkweed Bug

Small Milkweed Bugs Mating Pair

Small Milkweed Bug Eggs

Small Milkweed Bug Nymph

Red Cotton Bug-Dysdercus cingulatus

Red Cotton Bug or Red Cotton Stainer. (Dysdercus cingulatus) is a colorful bug in the family Pyrrhocoridae. It's a pest of cotton and that's why it's called red cotton bug. Besides cotton it feeds on a variety of plants. Personally I observed it in the okra field. The female (20mm) is larger then the male (18mm).

Red Cotton Bug (Dysdercus cingulatus)

Red Cotton Bug (Dysdercus cingulatus) Mating

Red Cotton Bug Nymph

Cletus trigonus-Slender Rice Bug

Cletus trigonus (Slender Rice Bug) Family: Coreidae, Order: Hemiptera.

Cletus Trigonus Mating Pair

Ladybug Life Cycle

Ladybug Life Cycle Diagram

Like Butterflies the Ladybugs life cycle also consists of four stages i.e. eggs, larva, pupa, and ladybug. Here are some pictures that show the different stages of a ladybug life cycle.

Egg Stage

Female ladybugs lay their eggs on the underside of leaves. The eggs are laid in cluster of 10 to 15 eggs. A female ladybug will lay more than 1000 eggs in her lifetime. They don't have any specific host plant, but lay eggs on plant where the larvae food, mites or aphids exist. The eggs hatch in about 3-7 days depending on species and temperature.

Ladybug Eggs

Larvae Stage

When the eggs hatch, the eggs shell become the first food of the larvae. After that, they will look for tiny mites or aphids. Newborn larvae look like tiny alligators with small spikes. After a few days, the larvae will be large enough to begin to molt (shed their skin). The larva molt several times (5-7) before pupation. The larva stage last for about 10-14 day. Below are the pictures of larvae of different types of ladybugs.

Ladybug Larva

Pupa Stage

On maturity, the larvae attaches itself to a leaf or stem.. The larval skin then splits down the back, exposing the pupa. During the pupa stage, the larvae are going through a metamorphosis into a ladybug. The pupa stage last for about 5-7 days.

Ladybug Pupa

LadybugPupa

Ladybug Stage

When the metamorphosis is complete, the skin of the pupa will split open and the full grown ladybug will emerge. The newly emerged ladybug is soft and spotless and have pink or pale color. As the shell hardens, the spots and prominent color of ladybug appears.