Insect Encounters
Looking through the bug covered windshield of our Pace Arrow, got me thinking about the vast variety of bugs we have encountered on our road trip. We began in Oklahoma and took a north easterly route through Missouri , Illinois , Indiana , Ohio , Pennsylvania , New York to Connecticut . On the return route we went from Connecticut to Pennsylvania then Maryland , West Virginia , Kentucky , Tennessee , Arkansas and finishing up in Oklahoma .
During our travels I observed several interesting species of insects that we generally do not encounter on the west coast.
The Cicada beetle produces a loud almost constant chirping/clicking sound. In Latin, Cicada means “buzzer”, an even better description. The Cicada is related to spittle bugs and leaf hoppers. They are most active at night but are also heard during daylight hours. Their presence signifies humidity. I have been aware of them since about Missouri .
Fireflies, also known as lightening bugs, are such a treat. I grew up with this insect on the east coast and forgot how lovely they are. We first spotted them when we were camping in Geneva State Park on Lake Erie. The Firefly or Lampyridae is of the beetle order. We witnessed them again during our stay in Connecticut along with the dreaded deer flies! These triangular shaped stealth bombers take a chunk of hide with them and send even the most seasoned forest hiker into an arm swinging frenzy. They are in the horsefly family and are also known as yellow flies. They are prevalent in wet areas like the ones we have been visiting. Won’t miss them!
In Oklahoma if you walk through the grass during the summer, you may return to the house with numerous red itchy bumps on your feet and ankles. These bites may have been made by what the natives called chiggers and scientists call Trombiculid mites. In their larvae stage they attach to animals and humans and inject digestive enzymes into the skin. This breaks down skin cells making them easier to ingest. YUM!
By far my favorite insect sighting was a wonderful variety of colorful butterflies in Mammoth Cave , Ky. There were yellow winged with black trim, tiny powder blue, large black with brilliant blue spots. Over 100 species of butterflies were identified during a pilot project at Western Kentucky University’s, Upper Green River Biological Preserve last year.