Category Archives: Insects & other Invertebrates

Insects, spiders, rolly pollies, worms, etc.

Io Moth (Automeris io) Venomous Green Caterpillar.

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Stalk of Fennel

Sister Squid found this Io Moth Caterpillar crawling around in our Yard Long Beans.  Neither of us knew what it as and luckily we did’t try and pick it up.  The Io Moth Caterpillar is one of a number of stinging caterpillars … Continue reading →

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I hate you Squash Vine Borer

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Stalk of Fennel

This vile horrible creature is the Squash Vine Borer.  She’s a wasp mimic, active during the day, a quick flier and most likely the cause of your dying squash.  I hate you Squash Vine Borer.  She lays her tiny flat orange … Continue reading →

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Mealybug Destroyer

Posted on June 23, 2011 by Stalk of Fennel

At first I thought it was a wooly aphid so I looked it up and it didn’t look right. Then I thought maybe it was a mealy bug so I looked that up. Nope… but it did send me down … Continue reading →

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Paper wasps

Posted on June 22, 2011 by Stalk of Fennel

Ahhhh my winged minions.  These are one of my favorite insects in the garden.  I’m sure it’s partially because they’re usually feared and misunderstood.  If they sting you it hurts, but unlike yellowjackets or hornets they’re usually fairly docile.  I … Continue reading →

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Parasitic wasps

Posted on June 21, 2011 by Stalk of Fennel

Parasitic wasps are a gruesome lot.  There are many types.  Some are parasites to specific animals (mostly arthropods) while others may parasite a variety of animals.  I think the parasitic wasp above is Anomalon ejuncidum.  It’s a parasite of caterpillars and … Continue reading →

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Wolf spider

Posted on June 21, 2011 by Stalk of Fennel

Wolf spiders eat all sorts of insects. They’ll eat some of your beneficials as well but since they don’t attack plants and are insect hunters… The effect of this drug performs differently in different people and the duration of this … Continue reading →

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Long legged fly

Posted on June 21, 2011 by Stalk of Fennel

According to Wikipedia there are over 7000 species of long legged flies. Almost all of them have a beautiful iridescent metallic blue green body. The adults are predators of small animals and they’re also scavengers. Today I caught a bunch … Continue reading →

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Aphids

Posted on June 21, 2011 by Stalk of Fennel

Another of the most common garden pests. Ladybugs love to eat them and ants love to herd them. Yup, ants herd aphids to collect the honeydew they excrete as they suck the juice from your plants. Ants eat the honeydew … Continue reading →

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Sharpshooter leafhopper

Posted on June 21, 2011 by Stalk of Fennel

These pests come in all different colors. Here’s one from my garden. Sharpshooters lay their eggs inside leaf tissue. They hatch inside the leaf, emerge as a small soft nymph and shed their exoskeleton a few times until they’re adults. … Continue reading →

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Praying mantis

Posted on June 21, 2011 by Stalk of Fennel

One of the best known predatory insects.  Praying mantids track the eyes of other animals, even large mammals like you.  You can see this praying mantis looking at me as I take the photo. For humans, it is much more … Continue reading →

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