The other title of this post is "Oh Shit, It's somewhere in my house and I'm damn glad my wife wasn't home when it got loose and flew away!"

I've been trying to find a moth fly for a few weeks now. They are really small, really cool fuzzy looking flies (Psychodidae) that have broad rounded wings and resemble moths. Since the first time I saw one, I've found them to be really interesting despite a rather disgusting ecology. The best way to find them is to look in warm places where there are drains. The larva feed in the gunk that clogs up drains, hence their other common name: drain flies (or sewage gnats).  One of the most reliable places are public restrooms that have floor drains. For example, I've seen them a number of times at Bally's Fitness in the men's locker room where there are quite a few perpetually wet floor drains and in various public restrooms at highway rest stops. I've even been lucky enough to have them in my bathroom at home from time to time, but not recently since we Draino'ed the sink... I guess that has got to stop. I mean which would you rather have, the inconvienence of a clogged sink or drain flies? Seems like a no-brainer too me.

Here is some info on their life history from Cornell: The drain flies may go through the life cycle in 1 to 3 weeks, and the adults can live for about 2 weeks after emerging.  Eggs are laid in irregular masses in such places as water traps in plumbing fixtures, around built in sinks, garbage disposals, or anywhere moist decaying organic matter occurs.  The larvae and pupae are aquatic or semi-aquatic, living in the decomposing film of organic matter. The larvae live in moist organic matter and feed principally on algae.  The muck of gelatinous material that accumulates on the sides of drains and overflow pipes in houses may provide suitable breeding sites.  Some species are able to survive hot water and soap.

So the other day, I was lucky enough to find one on the wall in a bathroom at Panera Bread. Fortunately, I had my reuseable coffee cup with me and after spilling out the coffee, I was easily able to corral it into the cup. And, even more luckily, I wasn't seen by anyone, because even I know that trying to explain that "I was just catching a drain fly"  in the men's room probably wouldn't go over too well in today's politically correct world...take a look at this fly, it's REALLY cool. Unfortunately, I only have this one photo because just after I snapped this picture it flew away to somewhere in the house and despite a rather intense search I couldn't find it. But, I can only hope it wasa fertilized female and in a short period of time, the Moskowitz household will be blessed by a few more to photograph!!!!!    

I was toying with something like Hear No Weevil, but it was just too damn corny! However, this weevil is so cool...I know they are the bane of farmers and foresters, but in the fall we regularly get these acorn weevils around our house and I really enjoy finding them. We have lots of large oaks (red, white and chestnut) around the house, but I'm not sure if this weevil is host specific on any of them, or is simply happy with all of them. The mouth is on the end of the long snout and is used in a drill like way to bore through the acorn shell and get at the meat inside. I'm going to put one under a scope and see what the mouth looks like, I'm betting it is going to be really cool! They also have the antennas on the snout and you can see them in the photo. This weevil is only about 1\4 inch long. Enjoy!

Science Daily is a great source for insect related news and other current science stories. They also have an archived story search going back 10 years.  You can go to the website by clicking here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/

You should also visit the Entomological Society of America website for some really cool videos on insects. The thumbnails of each video are at:  http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=entsoc&view=videos

The Entomological Society of America is holding a video competition for members and the videos are posted on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=entsoc&view=videos

There are some really fantastic videos of amazing insects and people. I entered a 2 minute video about my research on Cordulegaster erronea http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMPru3zihmQ&feature=channel_page and what I have been able to tease from this really interesting and enigmatic species over the past few years. It is one of the coolest dragonflies and only occurs on really beautiful, small, rocky, cold, clean, shady forested streams. Really not bad for a study area!

I've been conducting a wide variety of investigations to try and glean information about its life history including radio-tracking, larval surveying, mark-resighting and simulating mate behavior. The ecology of the Tiger spiketail and other cordulids, is generally poorly known but may offer insight into mate recognition and mating systems.

The males patrol the streams for long-periods of time searching for ovipositing females. Through my research, I have been gaining an understanding of mate recognition triggers. It is likely that the males recognize the ovipositing posture and movement of the females and that their movement pattern, color and shape are critical mechanisms for males recognizing females. I was lucky to capture two mating instances (actually pre-copulation activities) and capture them on film. The information about what happened is on the video page at http://members.webs.com/MembersB/editAppPage.jsp?app=videos&path=%2F#videos/videos/view/5202703-mate-recognition-and-mating-behavior-in-cordulegaster-erronea-the-tiger-spiketail-dragonfly-

I'm certain that if you don't find these two insects awesome you are:

Not a bug addict

I photographed these in Panama on Barro Colorado Island....

Lanternfly 2-27-08 Barro Colorado Island

I ALWAYS wanted to see one of these and was lucky enough to find one on BCI. I'm pretty sure it is Fulgora laternaria. It's just an awesome insect. Check out this closeup of it's head...

And if this bug isn't cool enough, here is another amazing one that was attracted to my blacklight:

Reticulated planthopper (Pterodictya reticularis) 2-25-08    

This species is apparently also a Fulgorid, like the species above. TheFulgoridae are apparently closely related to cicadas, but more primitive. The white "plumes" on this insect are a waxy secretion. I read online that the caterpilars of a few small butterflies feed on this waxy substance, though I cannot find anything but the one website to confirm it. I'd love to know if anyone has any information on this...

I've posted more photos of Panama insects in the photos category. Enjoy! 

This underwing moth flew into our house the other night when I opened the back door! It was attracted to the back porch light and must have been sitting on the door frame. Underwings are pretty fantastic and have been a favorite of collectors and evolutionary biologists for a long time. The upper wings are shades of gray and brown and are perfect for camoflouging the moth during the day on tree bark. The underwings, where they get their common name, are typically brightly colored and are shown when the insect feels threatened. It is thought that this bright flash of color either startles the attacker, or is enough to disrupt the search image they have and allow the moth a few precious seconds to escape. They are very strong fliers and this one flew all around the house in an erratic way and then would settle down very briefly until I came within about a foot, then it would take right backoff again. I finally cornered it in a bathroom, shut the door and was able to get these photos. I'll look it up in a great book on underwings (which I think is now out of print) Legions of the NIght (buy it if you can find it!) and post which species it is. Enjoy.

For at least a year now, I have been annoyed by the Scotts Lawn Care logo. It is without a doubt, the most ridiculous corporate insect logo of all time (I know this is a very sweeping statement, but it is just freaking stupid). Scotts is an international lawn care company and you would think they would want something that approaches reality. So what am I talking about?

The butterfly is some kind of cross between a monarch and a tiger swallowtail. While it is very colorful, why? Both butterflies are really very nice, why combine them in some freakish way? I would love to know what the advertising company was thinking and how much they were paid to come up with this one! Clearly, they were not bug addicts, but they may very well have been smoking something!

Finally a few minutes to post some photos of katydids from New Jersey. The tropics really don't have anything on us (ok, maybe a little), but our katydids are really cool too! Before we get into some closeups, I really like this one of my son who obviously is not nearly as follicly challenged as I am....

When I ran my Mercury Vapor Light the other night, I had more katydids come in then I can ever remember being attracted at one time before. Here are a few photos...

East Brunswick, NJ 9-13-09 Lesser Anglewing (front) Greater Anglewing (rear)

East Brunswick, NJ 9-13-09 Lesser Anglewing - Of course you have to bring them into the house!

East Brunswick, NJ 9-13-09 Greater Anglewing

East Brunswick, NJ 9-13-09 Look at how the brown spot on the thorax of the Lesser Anglewing matches the brown leaf areas and the green color of both katydids matches the leaves they are on. You have got to love this stuff!!!

East Brunswick, NJ 9-13-09 Tree Cricket (I think it is a narrow winged tree cricket). These small insects must occur by the zillions in my suburban neighborhood because in late summer on warm nights they make quite a racket.

I just stumbled on this NPR audio file from 2006 when a reporter joined us in the field. We were supposed to show him how we tracked dragonflies, but like often happens with fieldwork, the best made plans didn't. We simply couldn't catch a suitable sized dragonfly for the transmitters. So, instead we put one on a tiger swallowtail butterfly. While it didn't fly too far, it did prove that it is possible to put one on a butterlfy and track it's movements. As far as we know this was also the first time anyone tried radio tracking a butterfly. Even though it wasn't the most stellar performance by our bug, I don't think any of us were disappointed at all. All scientific research is a series of baby steps ultimately leading to something larger. Enjoy the audio and accompanying article.  

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5618498   

The stretch of the NJ Turnpike near Newark Airport has been called the Billboard Miracle Mile because of the crazy number of vehicles that pass through the area every day and therefore, the very high cost of billboard advertising there.

So, if you don't think that the Asian Long Horned beetle scares the hell out of forest managers, forest products companies and the maple syrup industry, check out this billboard.

The area around Carteret, NJ was ground zero over the past few years for one of the largest infestations. It is believed that the beetles came into the area on scrap wooden pallets. (Carteret is only a few miles from Port Newark and Elizabeth which are some of the largest shipping ports in the US. Until recently there was a  huge outdoor pallet reclamation facility in Carteret) The beetle resulted in an aggressive eradication program that focused on the removal and burning of  more than 10,000 trees, many on streets and in residential neighborhoods. It is believed that the program was succesful but intensive monitoring continues.