ENY 1001 Bugs and People Additional Readings

ENY 1001 Bugs and People Additional Readings
Some of your additional readings for ENY 1001 will be included in full and others will link to external websites. The information found in these readings will be included on the class exams. Click on a topic to access the reading or web link. Class is dismissed on Fridays, so please use that time to complete these readings. Your exams will consist of 50 multiple choice questions and will be taken from (1) lectures, (2) readings from your required text and (3) required readings from the Internet sites and additional readings listed below. Readings from the text are covered in the study questions posted before each exam. These questions do NOT cover the other sources of information, so be sure to take good notes as you read. When appropriate, I will refer you to this page to access the indicated web site and read the associated paper. Information from these sites will be included on the exam. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19 20. Reading Topic Entomophobia Biblical Bugs Mythology, the Scarab Beetle, Native American Myths Pests on and Around You Medically Important Insects Pleasure Bugs: Aesthetics and Spanish Fly Insect Products : Silk and Honey Tarantella and Scarecrow Cultural Entomology and Urban Legends Insect Music Insect Poetry Butterfly Symbology (Lepidopteran) Insect Monuments Bizarre Bugs Laws: Thailand Insect Collecting Eating Insects: Food Forensic Entomology Insect World Records and Insect Flight Pesticide Label Information (Bonus) Bugge Faire (Group Project ‐ Photos) Lecture # 3 4 5 8 9 10 11 12 12 13 14 17 17 18 24 25 26 27 21 1 Entomophobia and Delusory Paratosis http://medent.usyd.edu.au/fact/delpara.htm Biblical Bugs http://bible.christiansunite.com/Torreys_Topical_Textbook/ttt307.shtml Please read the following scripture references to insects. You may click the link above to view the list then click
each reference to read the verse.
Created by God
(Genesis 1:24,25)
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Unclean and abominable
(Leviticus 11:23,24)
Bee
(Judges 14:8; Psalms 118:12; Isaiah
7:18)
Cankerworm
(Joel 1:4; Nahum 3:15,16)
Fly
(Exodus 8:22; Ecclesiastes 10:1;
Isaiah 7:18)
Hornet
(Deuteronomy 7:20)
Lice
(Exodus 8:16; Psalms 105:31)
Palmer-worm
(Joel 1:4; Amos 4:9)
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Beetle
(Leviticus 11:22)
Earthworm
(Job 25:6; Micah 7:17)
Gnat
(Matthew 23:24)
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Locust
(Exodus 10:12,13)
Maggot
(Exodus 16:20)
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Spider
(Job 8:14; Proverbs 30:28)
Clean and fit for food
(Leviticus 11:21,22)
Ant
(Proverbs 6:6; 30:25)
Fed by God
(Psalms 104:25,27; 145:9,15)
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Caterpillar
(Psalms 78:46; Isaiah 33:4)
Flea
(1 Samuel 24:14)
Grasshopper
(Leviticus 11:22; Judges 6:5;
Job 39:20)
Bald locust
(Leviticus 11:22)
Moth
(Job 4:19; 27:18; Isaiah 50:9)
Mythology and The Scarab Beetle 1. Arachnid This word is used for "bug" with eight legs. Spiders and scorpions are classified among this group. As the myth states, a mortal woman by the name of Arachne was famed for her intricate weavings. All the people proclaimed that Athena, the goddess of Wisdom had given her a great gift. Arachne disagreed. She boasted that her talent was hers alone, and nobody had bestowed it upon her. She also bragged that her weaving was superior to Athena's. Athena overheard her and was livid with rage. Wanting to teach the girl a lesson, Athena disguised herself as an old hag and then challenged Arachne to a contest of weaving. Arachne agreed. In a flash of light, Athena transformed back into her true form and began to weave. Hours later, they were both finished and brought their creations out for judgment. Athena had woven a picture of the gods in all their glory, sitting on their thrones drinking ambrosia. However Arachne was foolish enough to weave the gods getting drunk and looking incompetent. Both weavings were perfectly woven. Athena could not contain her rage any longer. She thought of a punishment to fit the crime. Finally, she uttered the words of a spell and Arachne turned into a spider. The punishment was truly fit for the crime because Arachne still weaves; only now her threads are a 2 hundred more times delicate than those she weaved before; yet, when people see them, they only sweep them away. The other version to this story is that, when the two finished weaving, Athena was jealous at how beautiful Arachne's weaving was. In her moment of rage, she tore apart Arachne's work of art. Arachne was so sick with grief that she went off into the woods and hung herself. When Athena saw her body, she took pity on the poor girl and turned her into a spider. 2. Global and Historical Spider Myths  The spider has a world‐wide mythology; as the Great Weaver, it is an attribute of all Great Mother goddesses who spin the web of destiny.  The Norse Norms are also associated with the spinning of fate. Hindu and Buddhist myth depicts the spider as weaver of the web of illusion (maya).  The Old Spider holds an important place in Oceanic tradition as the Creator Goddess of the South Pacific. Her son, Young Spider, created fire.  The Australian Aboriginal Great Spider is a sky hero.  In Japan, Spider Women can ensnare the unwary, and the Goblin Spider is a shape‐shifter who appears in different forms to harm people. The huge spider, Tsuchi‐Gumo, caused trouble in the world until it was trapped in a cave and smoked to death (steel could not kill it).  Spider is the creative feminine power in AmerIndian myth. She wove the dream of the world of phenomena and the web of fate; she was herself created to bring life to the earth, she created plants and animals, giving them all names, and lastly created humans. There is also a trickster spider who is a shape‐shifter and who brought culture to the people. Old Spider escaped the Flood and was a member of the Animal Council which helped the people "Recover the Light".  The Trickster spider also appears in Africa among the Ashanti, but is also the Wise One and a divinity.  In Jamaica, the Trickster spider is represented as taking on animals, humans and the gods and sometimes being able to outwit even the gods.  There are many “old wives' tales” about spiders, the most widespread being that they are venomous. There are few spiders poisonous to man like the American Black Widow. Other tales were that fever could be cured by wearing a spider in a nutshell round the neck, and a common cure for jaundice was to swallow a large live house‐spider rolled up in butter. In Ireland, this was a remedy for ague. A spider on one's clothes was a sign of good luck or that money was coming and the very small spider is still called a money‐spider. 3 3. How the Fly Saved the River (Native American Fable) Many, many years ago when the world was new, there was a beautiful river. Fish in great numbers lived in this river, and its water was so pure and sweet that all the animals came there to drink. A giant moose heard about the river and he too came there to drink. But he was so big, and he drank so much, that soon the water began to sink lower and lower. The beavers were worried. The water around their lodges was disappearing. Soon their homes would be destroyed. The muskrats were worried, too. What would they do if the water vanished? How could they live? The fish were very worried. The other animals could live on land if the water dried up, but they couldn't. All the animals tried to think of a way to drive the moose from the river, but he was so big that they were too afraid to try. Even the bear was afraid of him. At last the fly said he would try to drive the moose away. All the animals laughed and jeered. How could a tiny fly frighten a giant moose? The fly said nothing, but that day, as soon as the moose appeared, he went into action. He landed on the moose's foreleg and bit sharply. The moose stamped his foot harder, and each time he stamped, the ground sank and the water rushed in to fill it up. Then the fly jumped about all over the moose, biting and biting and biting until the moose was in frenzy. He dashed madly about the banks of the river, shaking his head, stamping his feet, snorting and blowing, but he couldn't get rid of that pesky fly. At last the moose fled from the river, and didn't come back. The fly was very proud of his achievement, and boasted to the other animals, "Even the small can fight the strong if they use their brains to think." The above parable is supplied by Paula Giese, who can be contacted by e‐mail at [email protected]. Paula is the webmistress of a web site for Indian Schools in the US and Canada. Her site includes more stories from the Indian Nations. 4. Pandora's Box At first, the life of man on earth was happier than it is now, and then miseries and discontents gradually crept in. Prometheus and Epimetheus created men only, not women. Then Zeus was angry with mankind. He devised the worst punishment he could think of, and invented Woman. Hephaestus, the smith of the gods, was instructed to form her from the earth and make her irresistibly beautiful. Each of the gods gave her his own special gift of skill, and from this she was called Pandora, "all gifted". 4 When she was perfected with every gift and arrayed in all her loveliness, this treacherous treasure was taken down to earth by Hermes, the messenger god who wears winged helmet and sandals to speed his flight, and given to Prometheus' foolish brother, Epimetheus. Now Prometheus had warned his brother not to accept anything from Zeus, even if it looked like a gift sent in friendship; but Epimetheus as usual acted first and thought afterwards. He accepted the maiden from Hermes and led her into his house, and with her a great jar ‐ some say a box or chest ‐ which the gods had sent with her, telling her to keep it safely but never think of opening it. This was too much for a lively girl like Pandora, who among her gifts was endowed with the first feminine curiosity. After restraining it for a little while, she at last gave in and lifted the lid from the jar, and from that moment began the sorrows of mankind. For each of the gods had stored in it the worst thing he was able to give, and wonderful as had been the gifts with which they endowed her, just as dreadful were the evils that rushed eagerly from the jar in a black stinking cloud like pestilent insects ‐ sickness and suffering, hatred and jealousy and greed, and all the other cruel things that freeze the heart and bring on old age. Pandora tried to clap the lid on the jar again, but it was too late. The happy childhood of mankind had gone forever, and with it the Golden Age when life was easy. From then on man had to wrest a hard living by his own labor from the unfriendly ground. Only one good thing came to man in the jar and remains to comfort him in his distress, and that is the spirit of Hope 5. The story behind Silk Natural silk in form of satin was the symbol for wealth and power for centuries. Its economic and cultural relevance is displayed by the fact that the longest historic trading route bears its name, which is woven with many tales and historic events. The knowledge of making silk was one of the best‐kept secrets of the Chinese empire until a princess owing to her marriage smuggled the cocoons of the silk worm Bomyx mori in her hairdo. (Another version says a priest smuggled them in a hollow staff.) The secret of satin is discovered but not the secrets of the material properties of natural silks and the processes of spinning them. They are subject of vast and intense research, driven not least by economic considerations. Production of silk didn't change since centuries and is characterized by many a wearisome handcraft. This matter of fact had lead to a search for a technically producible substitute already before world war two. To that time the strongly developing Polymer chemistry has brought to us synthetic fibers like Nylon or Rayon. None of them has the same properties like natural silk. Today, the techniques of molecular biology and biotechnology show us a way of synthetically producing the natural product itself. Moreover, by combining different 5 genes or sequence parts the production of designed materials of considered properties could be in reach. This circumstance has put a new light on the question that sequence parts of the silk proteins refer to a certain material property and how they could be altered. In addition, the outlook of bioengineering silk fibers has highlighted silks from other species that, up to then only had scientific relevance. This is the point where spider silk research comes into the story. Before we switch to it, it should be said that spider silk is coming back to Bombyx mori. One consequence of biotechnological production is, that one has to have not only the genes but also a suitable expression system. On the first look this seems to be no longer a problem since for instance the Canadian company Nexia produces 'biosteel' in goat milk. In fact they can produce quantities of protein. However, this is only half the way. Bombyx mori could be the expression system that already bears a spinning device inside and agricultural and economic structures outside. This sounds very smart and smooth, but we don't know whether this is in our 'silky way'. As a matter of fact, we still have to learn a lot from nature, especially about the smart way of producing polymers! 6. Some Facts about Spiders:  Spiders have been on the planet for around 350,00 years.  There are at least 37,000 known species of spiders in the world and approximately 700 species live in Florida.  Spiders are invertebrates, arthropods and ARACHNIDS.  The name of the class, Arachnida, comes from a young Greek girl Arachne. Her spinning and weaving were so perfect that she angered the goddess Athena, who turned Arachne into a spider to weave through the rest of time. There are several versions in Greek Mythology.  The English word spider comes from the German word meaning spinner.  Spiders have 2 body parts, a cephalothorax and abdomen.  Spiders have 8 legs attached to the cephalothorax.  Most spiders have poor eyesight even with 8 eyes. Some spiders may only have 2, 4, or 6 eyes.  All spiders are predators.  Spiders as a group eat more insects than birds.  Most female spiders live a year or two, but female tarantulas may live for 25 years. Most male spiders live 4‐5 months except the male tarantula. They may live for 4‐10 years.  Some native cultures eat tarantulas.  All spiders make silk, but not all spiders make webs. Some silk is sticky; some is dry. Silk is made in the abdomen and squirted from the spinnerets. Spiders have six spinnerets. Some spiders can make seven different kinds of silk.  Silk is liquid until it hits the air and then it hardens. 6  Primitive people for fishing nets, lures, bags and headdresses, have used spider silk. Spider silk has been used for cross hairs in telescopes, levels and surveying equipment.  Most all spiders are poisonous and some authorities say all spiders are poisonous, but only a few spiders have venom and fangs strong enough to be harmful to humans.  A spider does not chew its food. It bites its prey and the venom injected into the prey paralyzes or kills it prey. The digestive effect of the venom turns the tissue of the prey into a liquid which is then sucked up into the spider’s stomach. Spiders are able to turn insects into a kind of soup as they are only able to eat liquids.  Spider legs are covered with hairs that serve as sense organs. The hairs pick up vibrations and smells from the air. Spiders have at least 2 claws at the end of each leg. These claws allow them to climb glass. Web builders have 3 tiny claws at the end of each leg and they hang onto their web with the middle claw.  The chelicerae are two small organs near the mouth that are used to grab and kill prey. Each chelicera has a hollow fang at its end. The chelicerae of most spiders move from side to side, but tarantulas move up and down.  Spider droppings are white and are called guanine.  Molting is an important part of every spider’s life. The exoskeleton does not grow and must be shed and replaced by a larger exoskeleton. The new skeleton forms inside the old one. The outer exoskeleton pops open and the spider climbs out in its new exoskeleton.  Jumping spiders have the best eyesight of all spiders. They can see 4‐12 inches away. Most web‐building spiders have poor eyesight and rely on web vibrations.  Web weaving spiders use webs to trap insects. The shape of the web varies with species. Some build orb webs, funnel, sheet, dome, mesh or tangle types of web. Some spiders do not make webs.  Venom from the Black Widow spider and the Brown recluse spider is made up of protein compounds. Black widow venom is 15 times more potent than the venom from a Diamondback Rattlesnake, but they inject only a tiny amount of venom. Very few people die from a bite of a Black Widow spider.  Some orb weaving spiders put a special design in the center of the web, with a thicker silk. This is called a stabilimentum. It gives off ultra‐violet rays which attract insects, allow birds to see the web and often hides the spider in the middle of the web.  Spiders are carnivorous predators.  Web weaving spiders build 4 basic web types: orb, tangle, sheet and funnel.  Most dangerous spider in the world is the Australian Funnel Spider.  Baby spiders are called spiderlings. They break out of the egg case using an egg tooth on the pedipalp. There may be 500 spiderlings in an egg case. They remain in or around the egg case until they have molted one time. Some spiderlings will prey upon others in the egg case.  Many young spiders leave the place of their birth by ballooning. They climb to a high place, tip their abdomen upward and release a strand of silk. They continue to let out silk until the breeze picks the silk strand up and pulls the spiderling along in the breeze. Spiderlings have been seen 20 miles out to sea and 3 miles high. 7  The "6 S’s of Silk" or how spiders use silk are: signal threads, spirals, snares, shelters, safety lines and sacs for eggs.  Sex of a spider can be determined by the size of the pedicel, the junction of cephalothorax and abdomen. In other words it is the spider’s waistline. The female will have a broad pedicel while the male’s will be more slender. The male will have club shaped pedipalps and the female will be slender and stick like.  Enemies of spiders are: humans, weather, frogs, toads, lizards, birds, shrews, hunting beetles, ants, centipedes, parasitic flies, wasps, fungus and other spiders.  Cobwebs have been used for dressing wounds. It seems to have an anticoagulant in the silk.  Wandering spiders trail a safety line behind them as they travel and anchor it down periodically. When they return they recycle the silk by eating the safety line. This helps them produce more silk.  Common Florida spiders are jumping spiders, crab spiders, golden silk spiders, spiny orb weavers, argiope spiders, lynx spiders, wolf spiders, orchard spiders and long jawed orb‐
weavers. The most venomous spiders in Florida are the Southern Black Widow spider, Brown Widow spider, Red Widow spider and the Brown Recluse spider. 7. Egyptian Scarab (Excerpts from the Philosophical Research Society) Royal Egyptian Scarab From Hall’s Catalogue of Egyptian Scarabs, Etc., in the British Museum. The flat under side of a scarab usually bears an inscription relating to the dynasty during which it was cut. These scarabs were sometimes used as seals. Some were cut from ordinary or precious stones; others were made of clay, baked and glazed. Occasionally the stone scarabs were also glazed. The majority of the small scarabs are pierced as though originally used as beads. Some are so hard that they will cut glass. In the picture above, A shows top and side views of the scarab, and B the under surface with the name of Men‐ka‐Ra within the central cartouche. 8 Egyptian Scarab Oracle by deTraci Regula The ancient Egyptians knew the power of the sacred scarab, symbol of life, hope, and regeneration. The Egyptians believed that everything vibrates with living magic; the actions of sacred birds and animals can reveal the will of the gods and goddesses; and with the right divination system, all things can be known. Some claim you can use this oracle to gain insights about love and relationships, finances, career planning, and much more! Celestial in the Earthbound ‐ The Scarab While active in a variety of other cultures, especially in the civilizations of the Eastern Mediterranean, it seems to hold that the greatest conceptual design of the Scarab came from the Egyptians. Often the symbolic significance of animals and plants is rooted with their dissemination, and the symbolic meanings are usually derived from the observed behavioral and growth habits. It was mistakenly believed that the scarab or dung beetle laid its eggs in balls of dung which it rolled into its nest. It was(and most likely still is) a strange but familiar sight to see these little creatures rolling these balls of dung on the ground. This action suggested to them that the invisible power that rolled the sun across the sky could be represented in symbol form by the earthbound scarab. Further, they noticed the young beetle emerged from these dung balls by what they translated as an autogenic process. This was bound in their version of the sun god, who was thought to have created himself. The reality in the habits of the dung beetle is that the ball's function is that of a housing for reserve food supplies. The ball containing the eggs on the other hand are pear shaped, and is never actually 'transported' anywhere from their burrowed dens. It is also interesting to note that the word for scarab and existence in Egyptian are one and the same (the word is kheper). Also born from these observations, it therefore came to represent the sun; the path of the sun; self‐creative power; resurrection and immortality; divine wisdom; and also renewal and regeneration. There was an Egyptian god named Khepera, whose head was that of a beetle, and stood for the power of creation itself. Later on, the scarab sometimes stood for the eternal endurance of the soul. Dead beetles were often present in the Egyptian tombs; carved amulets and seals bearing the scarab were also common. The people of Ancient Egypt believed that all scarabs were males, and thus the scarab also represented virility and regenitative powers. 9 Cultures out of Africa, in the Congo region, still see the scarab as a lunar symbol of eternal renewal. Among the many objects people identify as typically Egyptian, amuletic seals and scarabs bearing designs form one of the largest groups. Although most popular from the Middle Kingdom through Dynasty XXVI (from ca. 2025 to 525 B.C.), this object type is recovered from late Old Kingdom through Ptolemaic Period (from ca. 2565 to 30 B.C.) contexts. Versions from the First Intermediate Period (ca. 2250‐2025 B.C.) often have a ridge, shank, hemicylinder, or animal back and a naturalistic or geometric design base. The earliest examples were probably used as amulets rather than seals, since they are found almost exclusively in funeral jewelry of women and children and the designs are not incised deeply enough to leave an impression in mud or wax. During the First Intermediate Period, a new motif, the scarab beetle, came into use as a back type for many amulets. Shortly thereafter, the scarab became the most common type of back for both amuletic and functional seals. The beetle's form was easily incorporated into the shapes already in use. Its widespread popularity, however, grew from the concepts symbolized by the scarab. In writing, the hieroglyph of a scarab beetle embodied the words "become" or "come into existence" This association developed because the ancient Egyptians watched the beetle's young appear, seemingly spontaneously, from the ground. They did not know, of course, that the adult scarab beetle had previously deposited eggs in a dung ball in its nest underground. Additionally, the scarab was linked with Re, the sun god. In fact, the scarab beetle represented Khepri, Re's morning aspect. This connection developed because the living beetle, after selecting a piece of dung for food, packs the dung into a ball by pushing it back and forth across the ground before depositing it in its lair for future consumption. The ancient Egyptians identified the resulting sphere with the sun disk. Therefore, to them a giant scarab beetle guided the sun across the sky. With these powerful connections, it is not surprising that the scarab was an extremely popular amuletic symbol. Early Dynasty XVIII, reigns of Hatshepsut and Tuthmosis III (ca. 1539‐1425 B.C.) Abydos, D116 Length 1.5 cm; width 1.1 cm ACC.1917‐78. Excerpted from Reflections of Greatness by Diana Craig Patch. © 1990 The Board of Trustees, Carnegie Institute. 8. Lepidoptera in the Mythology of Native Americans
http://www.insects.org/ced4/mythology.html
10 Pests Some common urban pests include the following insects. Your readings will cover a few of them. 1. Termites 2. Silverfish 3. Cockroaches 4. Lice 5. Paper Wasps 6. Fleas 7. Cereal/Cigarette Beetles (stored product pests) 8. House fly Body Lice Body lice and head lice look identical, but their location on people is a reasonably accurate diagnostic clue. Head lice are found almost exclusively on the scalp, whereas body lice may be found either on the body or clothing. Unlike head lice, body lice attach their eggs to the fibers of undergarments, particularly along inside seams and other areas of close body contact. A female body louse usually deposits 9‐10 eggs per day, and a total of 270‐300 eggs over her lifetime. The eggs are incubated by the person's body heat and hatch in about one week. Temperatures above 100oF or below 75o F. reduce or completely stop egg hatch. Development time (egg to adult) is about 3‐5 weeks. Body lice are most common during the winter months, when people tend to wear layers of clothing, creating a warm, moist environment that is ideal for louse development. An important point to note is that body lice spend most of their life on clothing and crawl onto the host to feed for short periods. Although as many as 1,000 body lice have been removed from heavily infested clothing, ten lice per person is probably more typical. Body louse problems are more likely to occur in situations where the same clothing is worn constantly for several days or weeks. Since body lice can survive away from a person for 24‐48 hours, they can survive in clothing that is removed nightly but worn again the following day. Although body lice can transmit certain disease organisms, this problem is generally confined to underdeveloped countries where poor sanitation and overcrowding are major contributing factors. Feeding activity by the lice causes significant skin irritation, swelling and the formation of red welt‐like marks. Severe infestations can lead to allergic reactions and skin disorders, such as impetigo and eczema. 11 Silverfish This bright, silvery, soft‐bodied insect prefers cooler, more moist areas. Its diet may consist of items like the glue on stamps. Since it does not like dryness or heat, it is less likely to be found in the heated home in the winter. At the optimum temperature of 72‐80 degrees F., the females may lay up to 100 eggs in a lifetime. The life cycle may be completed in 3 to 4 months, but usually longer periods are required. Housefly Flies are a nuisance around the home, and their filthy habits contribute to the spread of certain disease organisms. The female housefly may lay up to 600 eggs in her lifetime, which may last for several weeks. The eggs hatch in 12 to 24 hours into tiny larvae. A complete cycle may be accomplished in 7 to 9 days, but actual duration depends directly on weather conditions. American Cockroach It is the largest of the common roaches found in the U.S. and often obtains a length of 1 1/2 inches. The American roach is a strong flier and both sexes have fully developed wings. Food storage and preparation areas, such as restaurants, grocery stores, bakeries, and houses, are often infested. The female roach can produce 6‐14 egg capsules in one mating season. These capsules contain from 10 to 16 eggs each. Incubation for the eggs varies from 38 to 49 days, after which the young nymphs hatch. About Roaches: • Hate light • Breath through holes on their sides • Bleed clear blood (hemolymph) • External skeleton • Live 1‐2 weeks without head • Travel 3 miles per hour • 5,000 species • 1 mate‐
12 pregnant for the rest of her life • Originated 280 million years ago • Favorite places to hide: under toaster & refrigerator • Fit into a space the width of a dime • Can survive 40 minutes under water • Live 1 week without water‐1 month without food • Cannot survive 32 degrees • Move mouth side to side • Largest roach in South America is 6 inches long‐1 foot wingspan • Have 6 legs and 18 knees • 75% of its time is spent resting • Females emit a scent to attract the males • Crushed cockroach can be applied to a wound or sting. Termites About Termites: Queen may live for 15 years • Lay 1 egg every 15 seconds • Have 4 wings • Burrow tiny mud tunnels to a source of wood • Drywood termites leave “sawdust” near windows (fecal pellets)• Enjoy wood resulting from leaky plumbing • Can destroy entire house in 2‐3 years • Found in every state except Alaska • Help the food chain by recycling wood for the soil. Medically Important Insects Wheel Bug Size: About 1 inch (25.4mm) 13 Mosquitoes Females feast on your feet for food • Attracted to cheesy smell expelled from feet • More odors = more bites • Mosquitoes smell humans from 90 feet away • More rain = more mosquitoes • Love to lay eggs in standing water or decaying fruit • Attracted to the color blue • Warded off by the scent of the citronella candle Spanish Fly Blister beetle is the common name for certain, usually black or brown, mostly elongate and cylindrical beetles belonging to the family Meloidae. Blister beetles are common insects found feeding on the flowers and foliage of various plants. Occasionally some, e.g.,potato beetles , become serious defoliating pests of potatoes, tomatoes, beets, asters, and other crops and flowers. The larvae are predacious or parasitic, feeding on the eggs of grasshoppers and of bees. Blister beetles undergo hypermetamorphosis, a complex life cycle with several different larval forms. The first of the six larval stages, called a triungulin, is a minute, active, and long‐legged form that seeks out the host's nest; the following stages are grublike. Adults emerge in midsummer. One group of blister beetles has body fluids that contain cantharadin, a substance that can cause the skin to blister, from which the family gets its name. The Spanish fly (Lytta vesicatoria), a bright green or bluish blister beetle, is a common S European species from which cantharides are extracted and commercially prepared by crushing the wing covers (elytra) of the adults. This quite poisonous chemical is used medicinally as a skin irritant (in plasters), a diuretic, and an aphrodisiac. The lethal dosage for man is about .03 grams.These beetles have been known to kill horses when accidently ingested with hay. If smashed against the skin, the blister beetle leaves a nasty blister. They are found locally. Another group of meloid beetles has no cantharadin and is sometimes called the oil beetle because of the oily substance they secrete as protection against predators. An old method of management of blister and oil 14 beetles was to brush them into pans of kerosene or kill them with systemic poisons or contact insecticides. Beautiful Bugs – Aesthetically pleasing 1. Butterflies 2. Fireflies (Lightningbugs) 3. Crickets Insect and Arthropod Products Spider Silk The use of spider silk is not new. The fishermen of the Solomon Islands use spider silk to produce small nets and in the middle ages spider webs were used as wound plasters. There are some reports that even go back to ancient Greece and Rome. Indeed, the scientific name "Arachnida" comes from Greek mythology. Of course, most of the reports describe doubtful uses that more or less originate in the mystic view of mankind on animals. But the outlooks given on the use of spider silk in our days also somehow sounds like witchcraft: bulletproof vests from a material that looks so fragile? People are not trying to make gold from iron but from protein! In order to get sustainable resources and to avoid disposal problems, natural materials and substances become of more and more importance. New biotechnological methods allow industrial production of those substances and materials and so, back to nature. Spider silk could be one of those new materials, because this remarkable biopolymer is characterized by extraordinary properties, e.g., an enormous tensile strength and high elasticity (30‐40%), stability against a lot of different solvents, some of them aggressive. In addition, the nets of spiders seem to resist microbiological attacks; however, spider silk is still biologically degradable. Due to those extraordinary physical, chemical and biological properties Spider silk belongs to those natural materials considered for new and innovative applications in medicine and engineering. 15 Honey Honey is composed mainly of a variety of sugars, traces of pollen and water. There are also enzymes present. The following is a list of components from 490 samples of largely uncrystalized honeys. Moisture(%) Levulose(%) Dextrose(%) Sucrose(%) Maltose(%) Higher sugars(%) Undetermined(%) pH Free Acidity Lactone total Acidity Lactone/Free Acid 17.2 38.19 31.28 1.31 7.31 1.50 3.1 3.91 22.03 7.11 29.12 0.335 Ash(%) Nitrogen(%) Diastase 0.169 0.041 20.8 The Tarantella The tarantula takes its name from the town of Taranto, the principal town of Apulia, near where the spider is found. A large spider, it is unusual in that it does not trap its prey by spinning a web, but rather uses its speed to catch its victims, before using poison secreted from glands in the jaw, to dispatch the victim. In olden times, Apulia was known for the prevalence of a disease called 'tarantism', which induced an hysterical condition in the sufferer, with one characteristic feature being the sudden desire to dance in a wild and rapid whirling motion. In fact, the dance was one of the body's natural defenses against the illness, with the rapid activity helping to work the illness out of the body, through perspiration. The Italian dance, the tarantella, originates from this. While the name 'tarantism' is now believed to also have been derived from Taranto, it was previously commonly supposed that the illness was a result of the bite of a tarantula spider, 16 and that the name originated with spider. Accordingly, it was believed that the cure for the bite of the tarantula was to perform the dance. Should one be unfortunate enough to get bitten, a recommended piece of music ‐ 'Antidotum Tarantulæ' ‐ for the victim to dance to, to cure the bite ! There are three possible sources for the origination of this dance. 1) One is the bite of the Tarantula. The dance was used apparently to cure the bite of the spider (a cure if you will.) The bite of the spider was presumed to make one hallucinate. The town's folk will play music while the afflicted person would dance non‐stop to ward off the spider's venom. 2) Others say when bitten, the Tarantula spiders venom, would make the person uncontrollably move about as if dancing. In 1374, an "Outbreak of Dancing in the Middle Ages" referred to as the St. Vitus Dance that went unexplained until the realization that these dancers had been bitten (believed due to the bite of the Tarantula Spider, also considered to be first dance marathon history.) 3) The Third story is of the town's named Toranto and Tarentum, its supposed origin. Women working in the fields, who would be bitten by the Tarantula spider would dance off the venom. It is said that having been found that profuse perspiration, which seemed to force the poison out through the pores of the body, was the only remedy for the bite of this venomous spider, and as exercise was their chief means of inducing perspiration. (Many believed the spider's bite to be deadly, and during those times, there was no anti‐venom available.) Cultural Entomology This article is on the longer side, so be sure to set some time aside to read it and take notes. 1987. Dr. Charles Hogue. Annual Review of Entomology,Vol 32. Information from this article will be on your next examination. http://www.insects.org/ced1/cult_ent.html Urban Legends ‐ See if your friends can answer these True and False Urban Legends about arthropods. Have you heard of these before? Arthropod crackers (Urban legends) T. Really big insects (snakes too) can get imported along with fruit shipments. F. Bugs congregate in the pointy ends of bananas, so discard before eating. F. Dragonflies ("darning needles") can sting you very severely. T.*Only hymenopterans sting. A large dragonfly may be strong enough to pinch. F. If a dragonfly or a ladybug lands on you, you will have good luck. T. "Killer" African bees are swarming into Texas from down South. T. A lot of people have found live or dead insects in their fast food snacks. T. Cockroaches love coffee, live in TV's, too often get in your cup or food. T. Insect lays eggs in open wound; months later baby insects eat their way out. (Note: depends on the 17 insect) Variation: Woman gets bitten, after insects out, she dies/has breakdown/ watches Oprah. ["The Spider Bite" in TMP] F. Cactus shakes, then explodes with hundreds of scorpions/spiders. ["Spiders in the Yucca" in TMP] F. Explorer gets bug in ear; bug eats thru to other ear; gave birth on way... [Various ULs of this type under "A Bug in the Ear" in _CBA_] F. A woman w/beehive hairdo is so proud of it she doesn't wash her hair; she dies from bees/spiders in it. [Variations on bug and ethnicity also noted.] ["The Spider in the Hairdo" in TVH] Fb.Lobsters,dropped in boiling water, scream.(Nah, it's steam from under shell) Fb.Moth/butterfly scales from wings will poison or blind you. Fb.There are US state laws making it illegal to kill/capture praying mantises. T.*The bite of the Brown Recluse spider is nasty.
This article is from the Urban legends FAQ, by Terry Chan [email protected] and Peter van der Linden [email protected] with numerous contributions by others. http://stason.org/TULARC/education‐books/urban‐
legends/44‐Arthropod‐crackers‐Urban‐legends.html (pasted below to avoid advertisements) History of Scarecrow The Scarecrow is one of the most familiar figures of the rural landscape not only in the United Kingdom but also throughout Europe and many other countries of the world. His ragged figure has been recorded in rural history for centuries. His image has proved irresistible to writers from William Shakespeare to Walter de la Mare as well as to filmmakers since the dawn of the silent movie. Yet, despite all his fame, the origins and the development of the scarecrow have remained obscured in mystery. The above is from the cover of Scarecrow Fact and Fable, Author Peter Haining, Published in 1986 by Robert Hale. Facts Earliest known written fact about scarecrow in 1592. Definition of a scarecrow ‐ That which frightens or is intended to frighten without doing physical harm. Literally that which ‐ scares away crows, hence the name.... scarecrow. Decline is due to the change of farming technology started with the industrial revolution. The hectic life of the farmer means that he doesn't have time to even feel the earth or walk it. He sits in his combination machine. He is protected against the elements and maybe listening to music. He is high off the ground and the earth and its magical properties are lost in a kind of factory floor. The hedges have gone to make larger areas. Lots of wild life has gone but somehow "The Crow" survives. The farmer of old would once a year sew his land by hand after the land had been lovingly prepared and tended. Now this is all done by machine. The farmer used to discard his old clothes and create a friendly chap and put him to guard his crops. He worked and still does. Farmers of today barely make a Scarecrow. On talking to them young and old still have a love of them. They try electronic ones and pop up balloon types. They are still trying to find an answer! 18 The birds soon get wise to these. I believe if the Scarecrow is going to do his job he has to have a mystical feel about him.  In the past, farmers used boys or old men with a “clapper clapper”.  The scarecrow was devine in Pagan times; hence, the use of a crucifix shaped pole on which to mount the scarecrow. The crop had to germinate and grow for life to continue.  In olden times, when an old brick oven was too old to use, it would be placed in a field, draped in clothes.  The Scarecrow has been known by different names: "Jack A Lent" from the "Merry Wives Of Windsor" 1597. "Mommet" Somerset. "Murmet" Devon. "Mammet" Yorkshire, Lancashire. "Hodmedod" ‐ with hat and stick. Berkshire, Isle of Wight. "Tattie Bogies" Potato Fields. "Tattie Bouie" "Mawhini" Suffolk, Norfolk, East Anglia. Insect Music
INSECT MUSIC. The peculiar sounds made by different insects, though usually known as insect music, are probably far from musical in the opinions of those who listen to it with dread. Many superstitious people have firm belief in dire warnings concerning certain calamities which "insect music" portends. For instance we are told that the "deathwatch" is a popular name applied to certain beetles that bore into the walls and floors of old houses. They make a ticking sound by standing on their hind legs and knocking their heads against the wood quickly and forcibly. Many superstitions have been entertained respecting the noise produced by these insects, which is sometimes imagined to be a warning of death. There are many insects, however, which produce sound decidedly musical; and many such instances have been enumerated. Everybody is familiar with the music of the katydid. Here it is the male that has the voice. At the base of each wing cover is a thin membranous plate. He elevates the wing covers, and rubs the two plates together. If you could rub your shoulder blades together you could imitate the operation very nicely. Certain grasshoppers make a sound when flying that is like a watchman's rattle — clacketty‐clack, very rapidly repeated. There are also some moths and butterflies which have voices. The "death's‐head" moth makes a noise when frightened that strikingly resembles the crying of a young baby. How it is produced is not known, though volumes have been written on the subject. The "mourning cloak" butterfly — a dark species with a light border in its wings — makes a cry of alarm by rubbing its wings together. The katydids, crickets, grasshoppers and other musical insects are all exaggerated in the tropics, assuming giant form. Thus their cries are proportionately louder. There is an East Indian cicada which makes a remarkably loud noise. It is called by the natives "dundub," which 19 means drum. From this name comes that of the genus that is known as Dundubia. This is one of the few scientific terms from Sanskrit. Entomologists have succeeded in recording the cries of many insects by the ordinary system of musical notation. But this method does not show the actual pitch, which is usually several octaves above the staff. It merely serves to express the musical intervals. It is known with reasonable certainty that many insects have voices so highly pitched that they cannot be heard with the human ear. Evidence of this fact is that some people can distinguish cries of insects that are not audible to others. But even if there are a few notes lost to many of us, there is enough insect music to prove vastly entertaining to those who take interest in the insect world, and the peculiar methods of its inhabitants in communicating with each other. The Boll Weevil Song:
Let me tell ya a story about a boll weevil. Now, some of you may not know, but a boll weevil is an insect. And he's found mostly where cotton grows. Now, where he comes from, hm, nobody really knows. But this is the way the story goes. The farmer said to the boll weevil "I see you're on the square". Boll weevil said to the farmer "Say yep! My whole darn family's here" ”We gotta have a home, gotta have a home” The farmer said to the boll weevil "Say, why do you pick my farm?" The weevil just laughed at the farmer 'n' said "We ain't gonna do ya much harm" ”We're looking for a ho‐o‐o‐o‐o,‐o‐o‐o, ‐o‐o‐
o, o‐o‐ome" And the boll weevil spotted a lightning bug. He said "Hey, I'd like to make a trade with you. But, ya see if I was a lightning bug, I'd search the whole night through" ”Searchin' for a home, I'd have me plenty of home" And the boll weevil called the farmer, 'n' he said "Ya better sell your old machines, 'cause when I'm through with your cotton, heh, you can't even buy gasoline." ”I'm gonna stake me a home, gotta have a home” And the boll weevil said to the farmer, said " Farmer, I'd like to wish you well." Farmer said to the boll weevil, "Yeah, an' I wish that you were in ****" ”Lookin' for a home, lookin' for a home” ”(Ahh, you have a home all right, you have a home” (A real hot home, ahhh)” The Cotton Boll Weevil 20 Insect Poetry 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 Butterfly Symbology You will find it interesting how many things butterflies and moth represent in different cultures. Excerpts from these readings will be on the exam. http://www.insects.org/ced4/symbol_list2.html and http://www.insects.org/ced4/symbol_list3.html 35 Insect Monuments
"The only monument in the world to a pest" according to the Enterprise, Alabama Chamber of Commerce. The monument is there because the arrival of the boll weevil and the subsequent destruction of the cotton crop led the town to diversify its agriculture. This later turned out to be a good move and the boll weevil became something of a town celebrity. Dothan, Alabama now produces one fourth of the entire US peanut crop. The town owes it all to the boll weevil, and it shows gratitude by celebrating the peanut ‐ every autumn they have a TWO‐WEEK LONG peanut festival. DESCRIPTION Adult - The adult weevil measures from 3 to 8.5 mm
from the tip of the snout to the tip of the abdomen. It is
usually reddish or grayish-brown though its color may
vary (yellowish-brown to dark brown) according to its
age and size. The conspicuous snout is about half as
long as the body. A distinctive characteristic is
thdouble-toothed spur on the inner surface of each fron
Egg - The pearly white egg is elliptical and
approximately 0.85 mm long. The soft shell permits the
egg to fit into almost any cavity.
Larva - The newly hatched larva is inconspicuous,
being only slightly larger than the egg. The mature
larva is white, legless, and about 13 mm long. Its head
and mouthparts are brown; its body is curved and
wrinkled.
Pupa ‐ White at first, the pupa becomes brown as it develops. 36 Oh, My and Bizarre Bugs Please visit http://www.lightmediation.net/blog/podcast/august/biodiversity.pdf to view photos of the Insect Family Membracidae and how diverse their head ornaments can be. What biological advantage do you think these adaptations have? Thorn bugs Goliath Beetle ‐ Goliathus cacicus Giant stick insect
Hawk Moth Mimicry ‐ This moth caterpillar defends itself by mimicing a snake. Mantidfly Mantispid climaciella Wasp Mimic, Warning Colors. 37 Laws Dealing with Bugs: Collecting in Thailand Browse the following website for some legalities of insect collection and trading in Thailand: http://www.dnp.go.th/fig/protected_brochure_E.htm Eating Insects: Food Lost Foods on a Comeback : Incan Crops  Lupine  Tarwi  Amaranth  Oca Insects as Food Questions from these readings will be included on the exam.  Nutritional Value of Insects: http://www.food‐
insects.com/Insects%20as%20Human%20Food.htm  National Geographic News – Entomophagy – http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/04/0416_040416_eatingcicadas.html  Zhiyong's Bug‐Eating Page ‐ http://eat.bees.net/ Additional Information There are 1,462 recorded species of edible insects. Doubtless there are thousands more that simply have not been tasted yet. 100 grams of cricket contains: 121 calories, 12.9 grams of protein, 5.5 g. of fat, 5.1 g. of carbohydrates, 75.8 mg. calcium, 185.3 mg. of phosphorous, 9.5 mg. of iron, 0.36 mg. of thiamin, 1.09 mg. of riboflavin, and 3.10 mg. of niacin. Compare this with ground beef, which, although it contains more protein (23.5 g.), also has 288.2 calories and a whopping 21.2 grams of fat! Bug Recipes WORM FRITTERS Sharon Elliot Head Chef, New York Parties
1/3 cup creamed corn 1/3 cup canned corn 3 to 4 tablespoons corn meal 1 large egg 3
tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon baking power 1/8 teaspoon salt pinch nutmeg
pinch pepper 3 1/2 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup corn oil 3/4 cup dried whole mealworms or
wax worms
Beat egg until light and add corn. Add flour, corn meal, baking powder, salt pepper
and nutmeg. Melt butter and mix together. Roll in worms. Ladle 1/2 ounce portions
into deep fryer containing hot oil. Serve hot with plum sauce. Makes 25 very small
fritters.
CHOCOLATE CHIRPIE CHIP COOKIES by Kathy Gee and Julie Stephens
2 1/4 cup flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 1 cup butter, softened 3/4 cup brown
sugar 1 tsp. vanilla 2 eggs 1 12 oz bag chocolate chips 1 cup chopped nuts 1/2 cup
dry roasted crickets
38 Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; set
aside. In large bowl, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla; beat until
creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually add flour mixture and insects, mix well. Stir in
chocolate chips. Drop by rounded measuring teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cook sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes.
TOFFEE SURPRISE by Peggy Thomas
3/4 cup tightly packed brown sugar 1/3 cup butter 1/2 cup live mealworms (you can
get them at a pet shop or bait shop) 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips colander
paper towel cookie sheet 9 inch square baking pan
Mealworms come in a container with either bran or crumpled newspaper. To separate the
mealworms from the packing material, place in colander and gently toss. Remove dead
mealworms and any other bits of debris.
Wash mealworms in colander under cool water. Place on paper towel and pat dry.
They are now ready for cooking.
Place paper towel on cookie sheet. Spread mealworms on paper towel and place in
200 degree oven for one to two hours until they are thoroughly dry and crunchy.
They are now dry roasted.
Butter baking pan. Coarsely chop dry roasted mealworms and set aside. Carefully
heat sugar and butter in saucepan until boiling. Stir over medium heat for seven
minutes. Remove from heat and stir in roasted insects. Pour into pan.
Sprinkle chocolate chips over hot mixture and cover pan for five minutes or until
chocolate melts. Remove cover and spread melted chocolate evenly over toffee.
While still warm, cut into 1 1/2 inch squares. Refrigerate until firm.
GRASSHOPPER FRITTERS from 'Ronald Taylor's "Butterflies in My Stomach"
3/4 cup sifted flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup milk 1 egg
slightly beaten 1 cup grasshoppers
Sift flour, baking powder and salt together into a bowl. Slowly add milk and beat until
smooth. Add egg and beat well. Pluck off grasshopper wings and legs, heads optional. Dip
insects in egg batter and deep fry. Salt and serve.
Forensic Entomology Required Reading link: http://www.forensic‐entomology.com/index.html (Click this to review insects in legal investigations) Additional Information: (Excerpts from all readings may be included on the exam.) 39 Bugs as Crime Solvers Forensic entomology is the use of insect knowledge in the investigation of crimes or even civil disputes. It is one of the many tools of forensic science. Forensic entomology is not only a useful tool to decide how long human remains have been undetected, but forensic entomology can also be used to find out whether the corpse have been moved after death, the cause of death, and also solve cases of contraband trafficking. Forensic entomology is a tool for the future, and while forensic entomologists master the art of estimating the post mortem interval, there are probably lots of undiscovered uses for insects in the investigation of crimes. The History of Forensic Entomology In an experiment famous as much for its demonstration of scientific method as for its contribution to entomology, Francesco L. Redi (1668) studied rotting meat that was either exposed to or protected from flies. From his analysis of subsequent blow fly infestation, he refuted the hypothesis of the "spontaneous generation" of life. Up to that time, it was generally believed that under the right conditions maggots came from rotten meat. Later, Bergeret (1855), near Paris, France, was the first westerner to use insects as forensic indicators. The body of a baby was found behind the plaster mantle in a house, and an investigation was begun. Bergeret determined that the assemblage of insects associated with the corpse pointed to a state of decay that dated back several years; consequently, the question of guilt was thrown upon the earlier occupants of the house, and not upon the current ones. Bergeret's methods and materials were quite similar to one of the main medicocriminal entomological techniques still in use today; that is, the successive colonization of a corpse by a predictable succession of arthropod species. Between 1883 and 1898, J. P. Megnin in France published a series of articles dealing with medicocriminal entomology. The most famous of these, La Faune des Cadares, served in large part to make the medical and legal professions aware that entomological data could prove useful in forensic investigations. Although entomologists are most familiar with the references cited above, medicocriminal matters in the Far East predate these considerably. In 1235 A.D., Sung Tz'u, a Chinese "death investigator," wrote a book entitled The Washing Away of Wrongs (as translated by McKnight 1981) in which forensic science as known at that time was detailed. In this text, what was probably the first actual medicocriminal entomology case was recounted. A murder by slashing occurred in a Chinese village, and the local death investigator was deputized to solve the crime. After some fruitless questioning, the investigator had all villagers bring their sickles to one spot and lay them out before the crowd. Flies were attracted to one of the sickles, probably because of invisible remnants of tissue still adhering to it, and the owner subsequently broke down and confessed to the crime. In other portions of the text, Sung Tz'u demonstrated knowledge of blow fly activity on bodies relative 40 to those orifices infested, the time of such infestation, and the effect of trauma on attractiveness of tissue to such insects. Any analytical system is as reliable as is the data upon which it is founded, and forensic entomology is no exception. Because accurate identification of necrophilous arthropods is of paramount importance, few repeatable results could be obtained before adequate taxonomic work had been accomplished on the invertebrates (the insects and related animals) in question. Taxonomy and systematics comprise the science describing, classifying, and proposing evolutionary relationships of the various forms of life. Although many synanthropic (strongly associated with human activity) flies (such as Drosophila, Musca, Muscina, Ophyra, Stomoxys, and others) are not encountered frequently in typical forensic investigations, other species assume great importance (Greenberg 1985). Carrion (dead tissue) feeding blow flies (Calliphoridae) and flesh flies (Sarcophagidae) are those most useful in death investigations. Aldrich's (1916) monograph on the Sarcophagidae made use of distinctive male genitalia, thereby enabling entomologists to identify adult male specimens from this important family. This concept involved the so called "lock‐and‐key" arrangement in many insects that facilitates reproductive isolation between species. The male copulatory organs of each kind (species) of higher flies are composed of unique, complex structures that are used as key characters to enable specific determination. This adaptation has been applied with equal success to the forensically important blow flies. Twenty years later, Knipling (1936) published descriptions and keys to many common early (first instar) maggots of flesh flies. Although considerable work had been done on the blow fly fauna of North America (for instance, Knipling 1939), Hall's 1948 monograph, The Blowflies of North America, made possible the accurate identification of adults and mature larvae of most species of this family as well. Although very few new (that is, previously unrecognized) North American calliphorid species have been described recently, efforts have been devoted to accumulate improved distributional information (Hall and Townsend 1977, Hall 1979, Goddard and Lago 1983). More research is needed on accurate identification of the critical larval and pupal stages (those most frequently collected in death investigations). At present, first instar blow fly larvae (the stage that hatches directly from the egg) generally are not identifiable to species, and second instars (the next maggot stage) can be identified accurately only on occasion. The situation is somewhat better with respect to third instar or prepupal larvae (the largest maggot stage, and that most commonly observed), but only if such specimens are preserved properly. Even so, a significant number of indigenous blow flies cannot be identified at present as immatures. This is currently an area of active research, and to this end the relatively new technique of scanning electron microscopy is being applied (Liu and Greenberg 1989). Because of the medicocriminal requirement for reliable data on rates of larval development, considerable effort has been expended to measure such intervals. Anecdotal information on blow flies contained in earlier works was largely supplanted by Hall's (1948) rearing data, and 41 the latter has been refined for some forensically important species to degree hour status (Greenberg 1985). Because insects are coldblooded animals, their rate of development is more or less dependent on ambient temperature. Research has shown that for each species there generally is a threshold temperature below which no development takes place. As temperature rises above this threshold, a certain amount of time is required for the insect to attain defined stages of development (for instance, from the newlylaid egg through the second instar maggot). Because this heat is accumulated as "thermal units," it can be calibrated and described as "degreedays" or "degreehours," depending on the accuracy of temperature readings and time period involved. However, most laboratory rearings (upon which the degreehour data are developed) have been done at constant temperature, so additional research will be necessary to establish correlations between these data, typical fluctuating field temperatures (warmer during the day and cooler at night), and the average daily measurements frequently reported from weather stations. Retrospective weather records from the nearest weather recording station (such as an airport) are those most often used in medicocriminal evaluations Access to the scientific literature pertaining directly to medicocriminal entomology has been facilitated by two recent bibliographies. An initial guide to entomological involvement in forensic pathology, plus a selected bibliography, was provided by Meek et al. (1983). A bibliography of all publications dealing wholly or in large part with medicocriminal entomology worldwide was compiled by Vincent et al. (1985). The latter paper contained 329 references and was current through 1983; therefore, the actual body of literature pertaining to this sub discipline of forensic entomology is not large when compared to many other biological or legal subjects. The first textbook devoted to forensic entomology was published in 1986: A Manual of Forensic Entomology (Smith 1986). This is an excellent reference for the entomologist, and it brings together in one place all the salient information contained in the literature on this subject. A procedural guide, Entomology and Death, was published in 1990 and is intended for crime scene investigators and other forensic specialists. Record Setting Bugs Assignment: Visit and read the information at http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/walker/ufbir/ You do not need to read the scientific article attached to each bug, but make note of the record, what bug holds it and what kind of bug it was (beetle, fly, etc.). A list of some of the record holders is included below. Additional Readings: HOW INSECTS FLY Airplanes, like most birds, derive their ability to fly largely from the specialized shape of their wings: a rounded leading edge, flattened underneath and bulging top, tapering away to a slender trailing edge. 42 The wings of insects, however, do not have this typical aerofoil shape. Instead they are roughly the same thickness throughout. As a result, insect wings are used in the air in much the same way that oars are used in water. They push downwards to help the insect climb, backwards to move it forwards, and scull horizontally when the insect hovers. Many insects also use what scientists call a 'clap‐fling' mechanism ‐ in which the wings are clapped together at the end of each beat, then flung apart at high speed ‐ to hurl turbulent rings of high‐pressure air below and behind them. The action helps to thrust the insect up and forwards. Some insects, like the larger butterflies and moths, are capable of gliding, twisting their wings slightly to ride the air currents. Most insects, however, and particularly the smaller ones, rely on the sheer speed of their wing beats to keep them up. HOW FAST THEY FLY. Larger insects, such as dragonflies, have relatively slow wing beats but are fast fliers. Tiny insects such as mosquitoes, beat their wings extremely fast, but fly fairly slowly. The buzzing sound made by insects is caused by their wing movements and by air turbulence. The faster the wings vibrate, the higher the pitch of the buzz. The table below shows how many complete up‐
and‐down wing beats each insect carries out each second in flight, and shows how fast it usually flies. Insect White butterfly Damselfly Dragonfly Cockchafer Beetle Hawk Moth Hoverfly Bumblebee Housefly Honeybee Mosquito Midge Wing beats/second 8 ‐ 12 16 25 ‐ 40 50 50 ‐ 90 120 130 200 225 600 1000 Flight Speed (km/hr) 7 ‐ 14 3 ‐ 7 25 ‐ 55 11 18 ‐ 50 11 ‐ 14 11 7 7 ‐ 11 1 ‐ 2 1 ‐ 2 Insect World Records Insect Record
Author
A fly at 145km/hr Fastest Flier J.H. Byrd Fall Webworm, feeding on 636 species Greatest Host Range Richard A. Worth Yucca Moth, 19 years Longest Diapause Marcos R. de Faria An African Fly, ‐270 deg. Most Tolerant of Cold Jason P.W. Hall A fly, <3% moisture Most Tolerant of Desiccation Kerri Schwarz An aphid, 4.7 days Shortest Generation Time Tang Li A fly, 0.002 mm long Smallest Eggs Varsovia E. Cevallos 43 Honey bee Most Spectacular Mating Doug Sieglaff A fly, 1046 Kz Fastest Wing Beat C.W. Scherer Tsetse fly Least Specific Sucker of Vertebrate Blood
L. M. A. Okedi Desert locust, 4500km Longest Insect Migration Christopher Tipping A beetle, 51 years Longest Life Cycle Yong Zeng A thrips, 60 Most Instars B.R. Sojack The burying beetle Most Parental Sharing of Brood Care Kevina Vulinec Green peach aphid Resistant to Most Insecticides Barbra Larson Vasquez A mosquito, 7 days Shortest Sexual Life Cycle Likui Yang A louse, 4.5 offspring Lowest Lifetime Fecundity Bianca Cecilie Nygård An Australian Moth, >29,000 eggs Highest Lifetime Fecundity Henning Brueland A fly, 1360m Adapted to Greatest Depths A.A. Akers A fly Least Oxygen Dependent Andy Rasmussen An ant, >60 deg. C Most Heat Tolerant Van Sherwood The brine fly Most Saline Tolerant Dina Richman Harvester ant Most Toxic Venom W.L. Meyer An African cicada, 105.9dB Loudest John M. Petti Fig wasp Greatest Host Specificity G.H. Schneider A wasp, 3055 individuals Largest Parasitoid Brood Juan Manuel Alvarez Desert locust, 10 billion Largest Swarm Hussein Sanchez‐Arroyo Swallowtail butterfly Most Spectacular Batesian Mimicry Mark Salvato A beetle, 45 milliamberts Greatest Bioluminescence Hazel C. Levy Goliath beetle, 71 grams Largest David M. Williams A tick, 8ml White witch moth, 280mm Largest Blood Meal Largest Lepidopteran Wing Span K. E. McKenzie Hugo L. Kons, Jr. Giant walking stick, 555mm Longest Deanna Branscome A queen ant, 28.75 years Longest Adult Life Ramazan Cetintas Monarch butterfly, 4000km A bee, 53 matings Longest Regularly Repeated Migration Most Polyandrous J. Akers Pence Hector Cabrera‐Mireles Mayfly, 5 minutes Shortest Reproductive Life Craig H. Welch A wasp, 139um Australian Tiger Beetle, 5.6mph Smallest Adult Fastest Runner Jerry E. Gahlhoff, Jr. Thomas M. Merritt Pesticide Label Information (to be read before extra credit on pesticides) http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/envirohort/426‐707/426‐707.html Bugge Faire Be sure to complete the proper paperwork for your group and work together to create a dish, placard, and costume that “Wows” the judges. The Medieval Bugge Faire is something you will remember for years to come. Go Gators! 44 45