1. Vertebrates & Invertebrates Fall 2011

2. Vertebrates Backbone to which protects nervous system Enlarged brain Gills or Lungs

3. Vertebrates Fish Amphibians Reptiles Birds Mammals Let’s brainstorm some vertebrates we might find on our school’s property…

4. Invertebrates No backbone Primarily Worms and Arthropods Majority of these are Arthropods –Over 1 million known species –Have an exoskeleton Why are we interested in Invertebrates?

5. Benefits of Beneficial Insects Help to manage insect “pests” –Mosquitoes and other biting insects –Aphids and other insects that harm gardens Reduce the need for pesticide sprays Attracted by shelter & food supply –Hedge rows –Plants of different heights –Flowering plants

6. Types of Beneficial Insects Praying Mantid Lady Beetles Green Lacewings Assassin Bugs Pollinators –Bees –Wasps –Butterflies/Moths Spiders*

7. Praying Mantids Three species of Mantids in KY –Chinese –Carolina (only native) –European Wait for insects to get too close then grab them with their front legs Carolina Mantid – reaches about 2 ½” in length

8. Lady Beetles Beneficial Beetles –Seven-spot Lady Beetle –Pink Lady Beetle –Convergent Lady Beetle Pest Beetles –Mexican Been Beetle –Squash Lady Beetle –Asian Lady Beetle Some are predators of Aphids Lady Beetle Larva Pink Lady Beetle

9. Green Lacewings Two types of Lacewings –Brown –Green Predators of Aphids & Insect Eggs Their eggs are food for other insects such as lady beetles, larger lacewings, as well as spiders Lacewing Eggs Lacewing Larva Eating Aphids

10. Assassin Bugs Dark Colored –Green –Gray –Black Hunt prey and use front legs to capture prey Inject poison into prey to paralyze them Spined Assassin BugWheel Bug Bee Assassin Zelus Assassin

11. Pollinators Bees & Wasps –Typically have 4 transparent wings –Some wasps & bees live in colonies –Most are solitary –Bees are special types of wasps that evolved to gather pollen & nectar –All bees have branched hairs Butterflies & Moths –Coiled mouth parts –Large, scaled wings Color patterns are made by overlapping scales –Typically butterflies fly during the day, moths fly at night –Antennae differentiate Butterfly antennae are straight with a knob end Moth antennae are straight and bare or feathery

12. Wasps Two categories of wasps –Hive wasps –Solitary wasps Many different species in each category Two common beneficial wasps –Paper Wasps (Hive) –Potter Wasps (Solitary) Potter Wasp Paper Wasps

13. Bees Hive Bees –Honey Bees –Bumble Bees Solitary Bees –Carpenter Bees –Halictid Bees (“sweat”) Help flowering plants pollinate Honey BeeBumble Bee Carpenter BeeHalictid Bee

14. Butterflies Common KY Butterflies –Swallowtails Black/yellow or Black/blue colors –Sulphurs, Whites Some are considered pests –Fritillaries Common in fields/meadows –Monarch Dark-orange wings with black or dark-brown veins and dark borders with white spots Pink-edged Sulphur Black Swallowtail Checkered White Monarch Meadow Fritallary

15. Moths Common KY Moths –Sphinx Heavy, football shaped bodies Relatively narrow wings Thickened antennae at the tips –Hummingbird Common to KY –Snowberry Clearwing –Hummingbird Clearwing Mimic Bumblebees Hummingbird Clearwing White-lined Sphinx Caterpillar Carolina Sphinx

16. Spiders (Arachnids) Numerous different types of spiders Focus on Crab Spiders –Flower Spiders –Running Crab Spiders Predators for flies, bees, etc. Ambush prey by hiding in flowers or leaves Flower Spider Eating Fly Running Crab Spider

17. Let’s go find some beneficials!