Name: Dog Day Cicada
Location found: In our backyard
Interesting facts: Cicadas sing by flexing membranes called tymbals, located on its underside. Cicada nymphs live underground and eat the sap of trees, then emerge and shed their skin, called an exoskeleton.
Notes: This picture shows the cicada's exoskeleton on the left, and the adult insect on the right. My brother found this nymph, and we got to take it inside and watch it molt and emerge as an adult. Then we let him go on our big maple tree.
Name: Ambush Bug
Location found: Maplewood Nature Center
Interesting facts: They are called ambush bugs, because they are predators, and they ambush other bugs as their prey.
Notes: I also found one of these in my backyard on a blade of grass. This picture is kind of blurry, but it shows two ambush bugs mating.
Name: Goldenrod Soldier Beetle
Location found: Maplewood Nature Center
Interesting facts: They are also known as "Pennsylvania Leatherwings". They are a relative of fireflies.
Notes: We see a lot of these whenever we hike in prairie areas. They are always on prairie flowers.
Name: Cecropia Moth Caterpillar
Location found: We got about 12 of these guys from a neighbor of a friend of my Dad's!
Interesting fact: They have many spiky things on them. The caterpillars go through 5 instars, or stages, before cocooning. They live in the cocoons over the winter, even in Minnesota!
Notes: We are raising them in my bug habitat in our backyard. We are trying to feed them Maple leaves, even though they are used to lilac leaves. We hope that we can get them to turn into cocoons! This is an actual picture of one of my caterpillars. Thank you to John and Rose for getting these for me.
Name: Crab Spider
Location found: Wild River State Park
Interesting Facts: These spiders don't build webs, they hunt their prey. Some species can even change their color to match the flower they are on, in order to camouflage themselves and surprise their prey.
Notes: You have to look very carefully to see this spider in this picture! Can you find him?
Name: Stinkbug (we're not sure of the exact species, but think this is definitely a type of stinkbug)
Location found: Wild River State Park
Interesting facts: These are also called shield bugs. They produce a stinky liquid, and if you don't handle them gently, they may release that liquid on you!
Notes: It seemed to be in an area of the forest that had a lot of fungi. I wonder if they eat fungi?
