Images of Other Arthropods

Images of Other Arthropods

	Heteroptera: Coreidae - Leaf Footed Bug. Though it feeds on plants, it is capable of inflicting a rather painful bite like its Reduviid cousins, so handling of this insect is not recommended. This is a rather large insect; this specimen was slightly over 1" in length.
	Leaf Footed Bug - Note the leaf-blade like appendages on the legs that give it its common name.
	Leaf Footed Bug - Front view. The piercing sucking mouthparts are, unfortunately, not visible in this picture. What seperates heteroptera, the true bugs, from the generic term "bugs" is their mouthparts.
	Leaf Footed Bug - Found it. A picture showing the piercing-sucking mouthparts tucked away just beneath the head. Note the length of the beak which extends past the head (ventral side) and terminates around the front of the abdomen. That's one big beak and one real good reason not handle this guy. The abdominal spiracles (breathing holes, are also visible)
	Leaf Footed Bug - one last look from the side. These amazing creatures, ugly to some, are beautiful in their design and complexity. The close-ups reveal what is not seen in just glancing at the overall animal.
	Crustacea: The Common Pillbug. Natures little mulcher, pillbugs are common around flower beds and other areas of high moisture. Unique in that it is one of the few terrestrial crustaceans, the same class as crabs, lobsters, and shrimp.
	Top view of a pillbug. Pillbugs are not insects; they have 7 pairs of legs and two pairs of antennae, unlike insects which have 3 pair of legs, wings, and one pair of antennae. Note the hinged body armour that allows it to roll up into a tight ball.
	Never accept rides from strangers, especially on the grill. This grasshopper is probably not a big fan of Ford trucks these days.
	Small, white fly, I am not sure as to what the species is however.
	Lepidoptera. A small red-headed moth, on the front porch during the day. Most moths are nocturnal; this one just happened to be out during the daylight hours.
	Same moth, but larger image revealing more detail. Large file, but worth the wait. Besides, as cheap as cable modems are these days, you don't have any excuses to still be using the 'ole 56k Edsel.
	Dichtyoptera: Periplaneta fuliginosa. The Smoky Brown cockroack. A common pest of homes in North Texas, the Smoky Brown is generally referred to as a "waterbug". This large roach can be found virtually anywhere, inside and outside of homes. This one encountered a monitor designed to catch them.
	Dichtyopetera: Periplaneta fuliginosa. Smoky Brown Cockroach egg case, one of about 30-40 found in small hole in a maple tree. This illustrates the incredible breeding power of the "lowly" cockroach. P. fuliginosa is one of the major pest species of cockroach. Adults are 1"-1¼" in length.
	Dichtyopetera: Periplaneta fuliginosa. More egg cases of the smoky brown cockroach. Each case is approximately ½" in length.
	Diptera: Tipula paludosa: Commonly known as the "mosquito hawk", the crane fly is a common sight in Spring and Summer. They do not feed on mosquitoes, and the larva are quite damaging to lawns and grass root systems.
	Isoptera: Reticulitermes sp. Eastern subterranean termites alates (swarmers) photographed 2/23/2000, swarming outside of a home in North Texas following a two inch rainfall. Unusually warm weather conditions along with the rain accounted for the early swarms.
	Isoptera: Two termite alates alight on the side of a brick during an early swarm in Feb. There were approximately 1,000 swarmers present.
	Isoptera: More swarmers. Swarmers everywhere. They covered the ground after emerging from the ground, and for about an hour they flitted about before shedding their wings looking to start new colonies.