Arthropod Questions Answered
An extractive metallurgist attempts to answer your entomology questions!
OK, like most people who have web sites, I check the access statistics for the pages from time to time. And one of the things that the statistics program tells me, is what search terms people have used that found these pages. A lot of these search terms are phrased in the form of questions. So, even though I wasn’t explicitly asked any questions to my face, I figure, what the heck, I was *sort of* asked them, so I might as well take a stab at answering. And even though I am an extractive metallurgist by profession, not an entomologist, I have picked up a lot of information and can answer a lot of the more basic stuff. I’m making a good faith effort to be correct, but anytime you see that I’m making a mistake, please feel free to leave a comment to correct me. So, anyway, here goes!
1. How does a click beetle escape predators?
They have a joint in the middle of their thorax that they can “cock” to store energy, then when they release it they pop vigourously and are really hard to hold onto. A picture of one is here.
2. What does a funnel web spider look like?
The funnel web spiders in North America are blackish-brown, moderately hairy spiders with bodies up to a centimeter long. The males wander around a lot, while the females hang out in their webs, which look like a white silk sheet curled into a cone at one end. The funnel web species in North America are harmless, and completely unrelated to the Australian funnel web spiders (aside from both being spiders, that is).
3. Why are mites arachnids?
According to the introductory entomology book I have here (Fundamentals of Entomology, by Richard J. Elzinga),the identifying traits of an arachnid are:
(a) eight legs (four pairs of legs)
(b) their mouthparts consist of ”chelicerae” and ”pedipalps”
(c) their bodies are divided into two portions (the cephalothorax and the abdomen)
(d) they have no antennae.
Mites have all of these traits, and are therefore arachnids.
4. Aside a spider, what animal belongs to the arachnid family?
Mites, ticks, scorpions, pseudoscorpions, harvestmen, whipscorpions, sunspiders, sea spiders, and similar animals. Spiders are by far the most commonly-seen arachnids, though.
5. What are assassin bug wanted for?
Murder! They prey on a lot of insects that we consider to be pests. For example, there are species of assassin bugs that eat bedbugs. Some assassin bugs sometimes also bite humans (and some southern species actually live on mammal blood), so sometimes you *don’t* want them.
6. Why can’t humans adapt to pesticides as quickly as insects?
Two reasons: (1) insects have a lot more offspring than humans, a single pair of insects could have hundreds or even thousands of offspring, so even if a small fraction of those have pesticide resistance, they can rapidly breed the population back up. (2) they breed a lot *faster* than humans. Some extreme cases, like fruit flies and aphids, can have a generation every few weeks, compared to about one generation every 25 years for humans. And every generation swaps around and spreads any genes for pesticide resistance, so they can evolve very fast if necessary.
7. How do harvestmen breed?
Well, there are over 7000 species of harvestmen, who probably all do it somewhat differently, but there is a description of how the common Striped Harvestman does it here. Basically it involves a lot of prodding each other and wrestling.
8. Can funnel webs live on windows in Australia?
I don’t see why not, lots of other spiders do, although I expect that they’d be most likely in the corners of the windows or underneath the windowsills.
9. Is the male funnelweb more dangerous?
If you mean the Australian funnel web, then yes, but only because you are more likely to encounter the males. They wander around looking for females, while the females pretty much stay put. So, the males are the ones that might, say, crawl into a pile of clothing or a shoe.
10. Can mites get in your brain?
Urgh. I hope not! They mostly infest skin and hair follicles, but I suppose there could be some species that get inside the body and infest the brain. I’ll have to look into that.
11. How many have been bit by a funnel spider?
Probably a lot fewer than the number of people who think they have. According to this Australian Government site, only 13 people have died from Australian funnel-web bites, and there have been no deaths since the antivenom was developed in 1981. They don’t say how many people have been bitten and survived, probably nobody knows for sure. There is a tendency to notice a wound that looks kind of bite-ish, see a spider somewhere around, and say “Hey, that spider must have bit me!” Then the panic starts.
12. Where do funnel web spiders live?
There are at least two distinct families of spiders that build funnel-shaped webs, but the two groups are not actually related. The non-poisonous funnel webs live all over the world. The poisonous ones only live along the east coast of Australia.
13. Are crickets and grasshoppers the same thing?
No, although they are related. Crickets tend to be fatter, softer, and more inclined to live in caves and under rocks, while grasshoppers mostly live, well, out in the grass, hopping about.
14. Why arthropods are scarce in the oceans?
They aren’t. Crustaceans, like lobsters, crabs, and shrimps, are all arthropods, and they seem to be pretty common in the oceans.
15. Varroa mite can they kill people?
Um, no. They only bite honeybees. Unless you rounded up, say, 100,000 of them and used them to choke somebody to death, but I suppose that isn’t what you meant. Or if they kill all of a beekeeper’s honeybee colonies, driving him to bankruptcy, thus causing him to commit suicide in despair, but that probably isn’t what you meant either.
16. Why is the funnel web so poisonous?
I don’t know. Just lucky, I guess.
17. Where can a harvestman bite you at?
Probably nowhere. They don’t have much in the way of biting apparatus, and I doubt they can even leave a mark, let alone break the skin. And I believe that they have no venom in any case. The harvestmen I have played with over the years were pretty inclined to shed a leg or two and get away, but never really made any attempt at biting.
18. What is the name of the continent that spiders don’t live in ?
That would be Antarctica. Practically nothing lives on land in Antarctica, so that isn’t very surprising. Although, there are “sea spiders” in the ocean *around* Antarctica, does that count?
So, that’s what I have for now. I’ll add more as they come up. And, if someone wants to formally ask me a direct question, I’m game if you are.
My son was just bitten by what we think was a “Goldenrod Crab Spider-possibly female” we can’t seem to find any info. on the bite itself, and what we need to do!!! can anyone guide us please…Thanks
Well, everything I have read about spiders suggests that you have very little to worry about. As far as I know, Crab Spiders do not have a venom that is dangerous to humans. Just treat it as a simple puncture wound – clean it, and if it looks like it has gotten infected, see a doctor about it, the same as you might do if he’d poked himself with a pin or been stung by a small bee. Otherwise, it shouldn’t be a problem.
Hi,
I am the Program Coordinator at the Portage Lake District Library in Houghton and am wondering if you would consider doing a program for kids and adults about bugs for our Summer Reading Program. The theme for the Summer Reading Program is Catch the Reading Bug,” and it goes for six weeks beginning July 7.
Please contact me either at the library (482-4570) or email me and let me know if you are interested. Your website is awesome, and I think you’d have good ideas for a great presentation.
Thanks so much,
Chris
Hi,
I live in Texas and have trapped what looks like a Red-Back Spider (totally black in color with red stripe like feature along its upper abdomin). My research reveals it is a relative of the Black Widow spider.
Although, The Red-Back is, supposedly, only found in Australia/Tasmania. Should I report this or go on my merry way?
Thanks!
Well, according to this page on Bug Guide, immature female black widows frequently have the red marks on the top of the abdomen rather than (or in addition to) the bottom. It probably isn’t anything that needs to be reported. I’ve been finding that spider ID is pretty tricky, so being able to say what it is for sure, other than “some relative of the Black Widow”, is probably not going to be practical.
As far as that goes, even if it was confirmed to be an Australian redback, and you did want to report it, I’m not sure who you would report it *to*. In Michigan, I suppose we could try contacting the Cooperative Extension Service, or maybe the Department of Natural Resources, but I’m not sure that they would do anything about it. Probably the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology would be more likely to at least record it, but again I doubt that they’d do anything else. For Texas, substitute the names of the equivalent government agencies/universities.
PLEASE help me. There is something living on(under) my skin. I’ve gone to the ER twice and was laughed out of there.I can see them & they have a very distinct soar, it looks like a sun that a small child draws. round with spikes around the outside. I’ve had this since may & need a referall to see a dermatologist but I still have 9 more days till my primary care dr, appt. I’m afraid I’m gonna die. That wouldn’t bother me except I have kids, if not for them I’d put the bullet in my head myself. Please your my last hope I’m not being dramatic just can’t live like this any longer. If you can’t help me, read my obit in the PI. Don’t mean to sound threatening, just so very desperate
Well, first off, calm down. If it hasn’t gotten worse since May, I doubt it will get worse in the next nine days. I’m not aware of any North American biting insects or skin parasites that are life-threatening, or even that cause any real lasting harm (other than the possibility of skin infections if you keep scratching the bite). I’m not a medical doctor, obviously, but I don’t think that you have anything to worry about aside from some itching and discomfort. You are already doing the right thing. Go ahead, see your doctor, get your dermatologist referral, and in the meanwhile keep the sore (or sores) clean, and try not to scratch it. If you can’t help scratching it, try disinfecting it and putting a bandage over it to keep from absent-mindedly scratching it open again. Sometimes, if I don’t keep myself from scratching black-fly bites, they last for weeks, but they clear up right away if I just leave them alone.
I forgot to tell you a few more things, First it doesn’t itch, not at all. Also about 1 third of my hair has fallen out, almost all of my left eyebrow is gone(NO! not from scratchting it, that’s what the ignorant dr at the er told me, Like I would know whether or not I scratched my eyebrow off! Half of my r/brow is gone also. Now here’s the really weird part, are you ready?When this first started in late May I figured I got it from our new puppies, We just had a batch of chihuahua’s born May 14 so I was pretty cool with it knowing I wouldn’t die…But hold the fort!!!!2 days later I was cleaning out my purse, it was a disgrace, when I found a worm, unlike any I had seen before. I screamed holly h***! my friend put it in a baggie where it still resides. Do you have any idea who I can contact about this or where I can take it? You want it?Thank you so much kind sir for your promptness regarding my mail
No, I don’t want it, I wouldn’t know what to do with it either. If you think you might have got something from your puppies, maybe you should talk to a veterinarian in addition to going to see your doctor and a dermatologist.
I have an the top of an old deer skull with antlers in my room that i killed about 4 years ago. I recently discovered shaving all around it and when I looked to see what was causing this i found the skull infested with some sort of bug, living and gnawing out the marrow of the skull. They were almost catepillar looking, but had some sort of tail that made them look like an earwig. When I shook them out they were all different sizes from maybe a half inch long to almost microscopic. What on earth type of bug was this? i have searched many sites and pictures and have not yet found this bone gnawing insect. I mainly want to figure out what this was so i can know whether or not to be worried.
Given what they are eating, I’d say there is a good chance they are larvae of one of the dozens of common species of dermestid beetle. They are well-known for eating bits of skin and dried flesh off of bones. I have a picture of one here, if yours looks different it may be a different species, but I expect it is related. Can you get a picture, or even make a sketch?
In any case, as far as I know dermestid beetles are harmless to anything that is still alive.
I’ve been getting bit by tiny little things at night (and probably during the day); No-see-ums, biting midges, I’m not sure. What I do know, however, is that during the day I sometimes squash little bugs on the window that have a little bit of red blood in them. So my question is this: Are there any bugs that have red blood (or some other fluid) when you squash them or is this a sure sign that the little bugger has been taking a drink of me?
“bug blood” isn’t red (it’s usually colorless or greenish), and the only bugs I know of with a red blood-like pigment are the cochineal insects in Mexico. So, it’s a pretty safe bet that the red blood is either yours, or blood of some other mammal in the house.
I am trying to identify a beetle that is EVERYWHRERE. It is in my house in every room and I have now found them in my car! They look like a darkling beetle, except that they have a golden horizontal stripe near their head. I first thought they were attracted to the crumbs my kids were getting under the couch. But since then I have seen them in the upstairs bedrooms and attic. They seem to like to hide. I have found them in clean laundry piles and in boxes in the attic. (places that do not have any food). We have just moved into this house about three months ago. We live in the upper peninsula of Michigan. I have never before seen these bugs. (we moved from indiana) but they are grossing my out. I mostly see the worms, before they shed and turn into the beetle. How can I get rid of them?
This doesn’t quite sound like anything I’ve seen up here. The closest thing is probably larder beetles, although they have more of a brown band across the shoulders, not something I’d call a golden stripe. What do the larvae look like? If they are smooth, and somewhat armored (like mealworms), then they are probably related to darkling beetles, but if they are kind of hairy they are probably some kind of dermestid beetle. Can you get a picture of them?
At any rate, the normal advice for getting rid of beetles like this is: (1) get rid of any dampness, and move the things that you find them living in away from walls and floors that might trap moisture; (2) vacuum up any organic debris; (3) wash any clothing they are getting into, and any clothes that aren’t going to be worn for a while should be washed, dried, and sealed up in bug-proof containers (those giant Ziploc bags are supposed to be good); and (4) if the first three don’t take care of the problem, sprinkle diatomaceous earth in areas that you have seen infestations starting.
This *should* take care of them, without having to call in an exterminator or spray around noxious chemicals (diatomaceous earth isn’t exactly a poison, it’s a powder with tiny sharp edges that poke holes in insects so that they bleed to death, but the edges are too small to penetrate the skin of humans or pets).
I took a picture of this really cool looking captipillar and can’t seem to find out what he is or will be. It’s the first one I’ve ever come across. We live in the country in South Texas and are always checking out bugs etc. Is is possible to post a picture here?
For the best shot at an ID of any bug found in North America, I’d recommend Bug Guide. There’s a good shot if you just do a search on terms that relate to your caterpillar (like fuzziness, color, size, etc), you’ll be able to find a match. If you can’t find it, then you’ll need to register (it’s free), and then go to the ID request section and upload your picture. Once it is posted, probably within a couple of days somebody will tell you what it is. I’ve had really good luck with this, they’ve helped me out a lot.
Can you tell me what type of insect this is? http://www.bethumbed.com/insect-bride/
I saw it earlier today and was really curious and nobody could tell me what it is. I am from the Philippines. Thanks.
JC – BeThumbed: I have never seen anything like it. The closest I’ve seen is “wooly aphids”, they produce a white, fluffy wax “veil” kind of like what your bug has. They don’t look much like it otherwise, though.
I expect that there are more species of insects in any given square mile of the Philippines than there are in the entire state of Michigan, so there’s a good chance that nobody will be able to identify this.
I have ants coming into my kitchen and these are the first I’ve ever seen, that when I squash them with tissue , there is like a bright blue blood that comes out of them, very weird! Does anyone know why??? It’s like a blue ink or something.
I’ve never heard of ants with bright blue blood either, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. One question, though: is there any possibility of some blue-colored sugary material (a dropped piece of candy, or some spilled blue kool-ade, or something along those lines) that the ants might be getting into? If they are carrying blue syrup back to their nest, that would certainly make it look like they had blue blood. Maybe you could try to follow where they are going, find out what is drawing them into the kitchen, and check to see if it is blue?
hi, is the brown job jumping spider poisonious? and do you know where they live in the world also the brown recluse?
thanks
sophia
Sophia: hardly any spiders are venomous enough to worry about. Even the ones that are big enough to penetrate your skin mostly don’t have dangerous venom. The little brown jumping spiders like the one I posted a picture of are too small to give much more than a pinprick. As far as the Brown Recluse, I’ve never seen one. I understand that they mostly live in the south-central US, and no further north than about the middle of Ohio and central Illinois.
Help!Can anyone tell me why there have been hoards & hoards of greenhouse millipedes ( Oxidus gracilis ) this year? Every day thousands & thousands ( perhaps even millions ) have been crawling all over my carport and patio.I sprinkled “Sevin” dust around my house & this killed some but they continue to come. I cannot walk without stepping on some and they sound like crunch, crunch. This is super gross! I have to sweep up dust pans full every day, sometimes 2 or 3 times a day. As fast as I sweep, I turn around and more are creeping onto the areas. They even make it into the house. Is this a new phenomenon, a cyclic occurance like the 17 year hatches of some cicadas,a new species, because it has been so dry most of this year, a sign of global warming, or what? This has been going on for months and I am beside myself.
Well, they are apparently an invasive species from Asia, and the sort of boom-and-bust behavior you are seeing is pretty characteristic for invasive species. They gome to a new region where their predators and diseases are not present, and breed pretty much unchecked until they completely saturate their environment. At which point they are ripe for disease, a new predator, or even just depletion of food and starvation to cause a massive dieback. They will probably repeat this behavior at irregular intervals until some predator develops a taste for them, or a suite of diseases gets established that keeps them in check. I’m seeing similar behavior in sweet clover weevils, earwigs, and asian ladybeetles in our yard right now, and these millipedes will probably be the same.
One thing you could try is some sort of barrier around your carport. Diatomaceous earth is supposed to be good for keeping out a wide variety of crawling arthropods, like cockroaches. It couldn’t hurt, and at least diatomaceous earth isn’t toxic to humans.
I am working on an insect curriculum for kids and need a picture of a tympanum. Would you be willing to give me permission to use yours?
Hey there, Tim.
I’ve caught myself a Dragonfly – short pale blue abdomen, black thorax & head. Judging by the abdomen, it seems to be a skimmer. Wings are mostly black, but not in a band formation – instead it covers the top half of all wings and tapers off to the ends of the wings… Any clue as to which species this may be?
Great work here.
Thanks.
Chanel: I’m really bad at identifying insects from verbal descriptions (the creature I end up picturing in my mind almost never bears any resemblance to the actual insect), and I understand that identifying dragonflies to the species is pretty hard in any case (there are a lot of species, and they don’t look as reliably different from each other as one might think). That said, does your dragonfly look like it might be related to this one? If it does, just poke around on the BugGuide site to see if that’s the closest match.