Can You Name a Few Types of Insects?

Insects come in many forms. There are the flies, beetles, and moths that are common in the garden, as well as the more rare insects that live in the wild. To name a few, you may know them by names like syrphid flies, lady beetles, and thrips. Read on to learn about some of these insects and their common habits.

Praying mantis

The Praying Mantis is a tropical insect that is found in Africa, Asia, and North America. It is a member of the family Mantidae. This family is comprised of over 2,000 species worldwide. Most of these are generalists, eating anything that moves, including insects, frogs, and birds.

A praying mantis will strike with lightning speed if it detects a prey animal. If it is threatened, it will raise its head and beat its wings.

Praying Mantises are hardy, living in warm natural habitats, such as the desert. They are considered a pest control for farms, since they eat mosquitoes, roaches, and other insects. They are also eaten by bats.

These insects are very good at camouflage. Their colors blend in with nature, so they may even mimic flowers. In the United States, there are 20 species of Praying Mantis.

During the summer, the adult Praying Mantis will eat other insects, but will switch to eating its own kind in the fall. They will also eat other creatures such as frogs, ants, and toads.

Male and female praying mantises mate in the fall, and then produce eggs. These are protected by a foamy egg capsule. Females will lay a large number of eggs, up to 600.

Adults live up to one year. Young praying mantids, called nymphs, are similar to adults, except they lack sexual definition.

The male is larger than the female. He carries a pouch with many eggs inside. When he mates, he approaches the female with caution. Once the mating process is over, the male dies.

Lady beetles

Ladybugs are a type of insect that belong to the family Coccinellidae. They can be identified by the number of spots on their bodies. These insects are known for their bright colors and shiny appearance. Some species have pink, yellow, orange, or black markings.

Several species of ladybugs are native to the United States. These insects are generally found on flowers and other plants. Their larvae feed on a variety of soft-bodied insects, including aphids, scale insects, and caterpillars.

Depending on the type of beetle, ladybugs can be either flying or crawling. Most ladybugs are spotted with black or red. The adults are about half an inch long. When an adult beetle is threatened, it may spit out a foul-smelling liquid.

Asian lady beetles are considered invasive pests. They can enter homes through cracks or window frames. This makes them a problem because they can breed inside the home. If they are not taken care of, they will leave a trail of destruction behind.

Asian lady beetles are also called Japanese lady beetles, harlequin ladybirds, or Halloween bugs. Whether they are true members of the lady beetle family or not, they are considered invasive.

These insects have several subfamilies. The Coccinellidae family includes fungus beetles, bark beetles, and lady beetles. Several species are generalist feeders, while others prefer to eat aphids.

Ladybugs can be quite helpful in the garden. They will feed on a wide variety of soft-bodied insects, including flies, spider mites, ants, and aphids.

Syrphid flies

Among the hundreds of different insects there are some that are well known. These include bees, wasps and syrphid flies. Insects that are not stinging or biting include aphids and coccinellids. Syrphid flies are specialized in feeding on soft-bodied arthropods. They are also excellent pest controllers.

Bee flies are often seen in agricultural crops. They are usually hairy and have shiny cuticular body surfaces. Their eyes are flylike compound eyes. However, some species are holometabolous and have red or black barred eyes. The mouthparts of some syrphids are enlarged for foraging.

Syrphid flies are a very important group of insects. Many of them feed on fruit and aphids. Other syrphids feed on flowers. Some syrphids are specialized in foraging on one particular plant. Others spend the winter in protected areas.

Adult syrphids are brightly colored. Some are very small. Some syrphids have a spurious wing vein. This wing vein is best observed with a hand lens.

Besides being excellent pest controllers, syrphid flies are also good allies against aphids and thrips. These insects can mimic many types of wasps and bees. Depending on the genus, they may have a legless larvae called rat-tail maggots. Maggots are creamy white to green in color.

There are eight species of TEMNOSTOMA found in North America. The bronze TEMNOSTOMA has aquatic larvae. Watery species tend to prefer muddy areas in ponds.

Clothes moths

Clothes moths are tiny insects that feed on animal derived materials, including wool, hair, fur, leather, feathers, and horns. They are common pests in households. Their larvae can damage clothes and carpets.

Larvae may live for two years before pupating. During their lifetime, they eat keratin, which is found in natural fibres such as wool and hair. When they are exposed to the sun, they can fade the color of clothing.

The best way to prevent an infestation is to store items in airtight containers and inspect them regularly. Keeping your closets clean will also help.

If you notice a problem, check to see if there are any worn or dirty garments that could be the cause. Adult clothes moths are often hard to spot because they hide in a dark area. Infested items should be cleaned thoroughly, dry-cleaned or laundered.

To protect your clothes, consider using herbal oils. These can help to keep the moths from feeding on your clothes. Using insect repellent sachets or hanging them in your closet is another option.

Clothes moths can infest a variety of decorative items, including furniture and antiques. They can also be a source of damage in craft shops and taxidermists.

Because of their long life cycles, clothes moths can survive without being noticed for many years. They can enter your home through open windows, open doors, second-hand goods, and bird’s nests.

Pollen beetles

There are several different types of insects, including beetles. Many of them help to pollinate plants. Some are predators of worms or slugs. Others feed on flowers.

One type of beetle is the pollen beetle. These tiny black beetles are found in many kinds of flower. They feed on the pollen and stamens of these flowers.

Pollen beetles feed on a variety of plants, including brassicas, cruciferous oilseeds and other crucifers. In addition to eating pollen, they can also assist with pollination. The pollen beetle is a member of the Meligethinae subfamily.

Adult pollen beetles emerge in July and August. They are black in color with a shiny appearance. They have clubbed antennae.

These beetles are able to fly up to 15 km. They can also overwinter in sheltered sites.

Pollen beetles lay eggs in the flower buds of suitable host plants. Generally, they do not cause damage to garden plants. They are a common garden biodiversity.

Some species of pollen beetle are parasitoids. Parasitoid pollen beetles are controlled by aphids when needed. However, when aphids are abundant, the parasitoids are more active. This can lead to high mortality rates.

To control the spread of pollen beetles, insecticides are often used. These include dimethoate, which is used to combat cereal aphids. Biocontrol methods can be applied as well, allowing pollen beetles to be controlled naturally.

Several studies have examined the dynamics of the pollen beetle and its parasitoids at the regional level. For example, a study in Finland examined how landscape features and crop management affected pollen beetle parasitism in rapeseed.

Thrips

If you have a greenhouse, you probably have seen the tiny insect called thrips. Thrips are very small winged insects that feed by piercing plant cells. In the process, they damage and deform plant growth. They also can transmit viruses to plants.

The most common method of control in greenhouses is chemical. There are a number of different commercially available chemicals. Some of them are pyrethrin-like insecticides. However, these compounds may increase the number of contacts between residues and plant parts. It’s best to use small droplets, as they ensure good coverage and penetration into plant parts.

Other methods of control include fungi and biological control agents. These agents may be able to prevent thrips from reproducing. But more research is necessary to determine their effectiveness.

For example, there are a few fungi that are compatible with thrips predators. However, they are difficult to mass-produce. Another problem is that they are not registered for use in the United States.

Biological control methods are often effective. Some of them are based on insect parasitoids. For example, the Orius bugs have been used to control WFT on sweet pepper.

The Orius bug has been tested on several crops, including strawberry, cucumber, okra, and sweet pepper. When it comes to using these fungi, it’s important to follow certain guidelines.

One of these is the number of pests present on a crop. This can be determined by monitoring thrips on a plant.