Common Georgia Insects

Common Georgia Insects Crickets: male vs. female shown Camel crickets Mole crickets

Common Georgian Insects Hercules Beetle Large green with brown spots Male has horn Largest beetle in North America

Common Georgia Insects Luna Moth Locally endangered due to pollution Males have more feathery antenna to pick up females pheromones.

Common Georgia Insects Kudzu bug Not that common Invasive insect Eats kudzu (good) but starting to eat soybean crop (bad) Gives off stinky smell

Common Georgia Insects Cicadas Live underground for up to 17 years Come out in masses Leave husk on tree at final molt Make “summer noise” Cicadas: the familiar sound of summer - CBS News Video

Common Georgia Insects Velvet Ants (aka Cow killers) Actually female wasps Males have wings VERY PAINFUL STING

Zoology 11/7 1. Notes-Insect behaviors and social structure Upcoming-Arthropod Unit Summative-11/12 Vocab quizzes Chelicerates 11/9 Zoology 11/7 1. Notes-Insect behaviors and social structure 2. Life of insects video

Insect Behavior and Metamorphosis

PHEROMONES Sex- excite or attract opposite sex Trailing- laid down by foraging insects to help other members of colony find food. Alarm- warn others of danger Caste regulating- used by social insects to control the development of certain individuals in a colony.

SOCIAL INSECTS Ants, termites, most bees & wasps Traits of social insects Parental care of young Several generations present in same location Division of labor

DIVISION OF LABOR Reproductive caste Queen- produces eggs to maintain colony. Regulates sex of offspring Parthenogenesis Unfertilized eggs- males Fertilized eggs- females

Queen termite

Division of Labor b. Drones- mate with new queens

Division of Labor Worker caste Sisters, all daughters of queen Care for the eggs, larvae, queen & drones. Forage for food Maintain the nest Workers have gland in head that secretes royal jelly. This pheromone-laced liquid determines the larvae’s roll in the colony. Future workers receive jelly for 1st 3 days. Future queens receive jelly throughout larval stage.

Division of Labor f. Soldiers- defend the nest Bees & wasps do not have soldier insects.

Inside a Termite Mound Mound is made of soil, termite saliva, and dung. Top has chimneys w/tunnels that draft hot air out of mound. Cool air enters near bottom of nest. Temperature control is important for growth of fungi(food).This is also where termites enter & exit. Termites live in bottom of nest underground Chambers for storing wood & growing fungus (food) underground

Solitary Insects Social Insects Advantages Hide from predators No immediate competition Live in small spaces Exploit small food resources Group defense & alarm Food gathering Nest building Care of young Disadvantages Lack of social benefits Intense predation Parasitism disease

Other Insect Behaviors ANT SLAVERY- Some ant species invade others nest & steal larvae. They take them back to the nest where they become workers. ANT FARMING- Some will “herd” aphids & protect them from predators. Aphids supply sweet liquid- honey dew which ants eat. Leaf cutter ants collect plants, compost it, and use it to grow fungus which they eat.

Paurometabolus Metamorphosis Incomplete metamorphosis Egg Nymph- look like small adults Lack reproductive organs Lack wings 3. Adults- after several molts, reproductive organs & wings are grown.

Holometabolus metamorphosis Complete metamorphosis Egg Larvae- wormlike (grubs- beetle larvae) No reproductive organs No wings Must eat constantly to store enough energy for pupa stage Pupa- inactive stage May be surrounded by cocoon (moths). Body is undergoing radical change. Adult- emerges w/ reproductive organs & wings.

ECONOMIC/ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE BENEFICIAL HARMFUL Provide products EX: wax, honey, silk Parasites (fleas, lice) Pollinate 65% of all plant species (food crops) Vectors for disease (fleas spread bubonic plague) Control harmful insect population (praying mantis) Destroy $5 billion in crops annually Medicinal purposes (bee venom for M.S. and maggots for sores that won’t heal.) Some people are allergic (bees) Can cause death Soil insects aerate the soil & decompose Provide food source for many cultures

C The reproductive males in a social insect colony are called? a. Drones b. Workers c. nymphs Immature insects lack reproductive organs & ___. Mouths b. Wings c. Respiratory organs Use the diagrams below to answer questions 3-5. Which organism is the nymph? Which organism is the pupa? Which of these is holometabolous metamorphosis? C A B D E