Bugs

By CONNIE MERTZ

With summer days upon us, it comes as no surprise that the most numerous wild species we encounter are insects. In fact, there are over a million known species! Insects are amazing, if we can get past our distaste for them, but not all insects are pesky. And they do play a role in the intricate web of life. Here are a few highlights about a few of summer’s insects:

• Click beetles “click” when on their backs and have the ability to flip into the air and come down right-side up.
• June beetles may be big and scary, particularly when they hit windows or screens with a vengeance. This is the male searching for a mate; the females can’t fly.
• Field crickets entertain us on hot summer evenings; tree crickets tell us the temperature.
• Katydids have oval wings and live in trees. These are the “voices” we seldom see. The angular-winged katydids seen in bushes produce only a “tzeet.”
• Praying mantis is a skilled predator and gets its name from the way it folds its legs.
• Whirligig beetles “whirl about” on the water’s surface and are fun to watch.
• Fireflies are the most loved of all summer’s insects! The luminous light is made by a chemical called luciferin, and made only by males. This light is present even in the pinhead-sized eggs, soon after being laid.

Insects add a touch of excitement and beauty to our summer ventures. Notice them the next time you are outdoors, and learn to pay attention to their sounds and presence.

[Information taken from the 2001 Western PA Conservancy calendar, available by e-mailing wpc@paconserve.org.]