ENTOMOLOGY: Science About Insects. Volume IV - Is the swarming gene also inherent in humans?

ENTOMOLOGY: Science About Insects. Volume IV 

Is the swarming gene also inherent in humans?

Dr Abe V Rotor 

 

31. Swarms of bees, locusts, gnats and other organisms

32. All about Insects - Self Administered Test

33. Moths: Masters of Camouflage and Mimicry
34. Swarming of winged termites marks the start of the monsoon season 

35. Backyard as Laboratory and Workshop: Bizarre creatures share our homes

36. Control invasive species by turning them into culinary delights.

37.  Bottle Brush or Weeping Willow - Insect repellant and spray.

38. Cranefly or Daddy-long-legs

39. An Evening Guest - A Giant House Spider!

40. Glowing Spider

41. My Spider Pets

42. 43. Research Triangle: Hydrangea, Caterpillar and Me

43. Rare insects found on Fuga Island 

44. Rare Insects in Photographs and Verses

31. Swarms of bees, locusts, gnats and other organisms fill the imagination with awe and fear.

Biologically swarming is essentially a social act enabling members of a colony to share genes with others belonging to the same species but different colonies. Nature has so timed swarming to occur simultaneously in order to enhance gene sharing which is vital to the survival of the species, otherwise in-breeding within the colony is perpetuated like brothers, sisters, marrying each other.

 Annual migration of monarch butterflies down Mexico and Central America to escape winter in the north.  Ants on the run in search for food, reminiscent of the biblical story.  

 A kind of swarming is also observed among coelenterates (corals). At a given precise time, eggs and sperms are released into the water in countless numbers, and there fertilization takes place, the resulting zygotes becoming minute hydras that will soon attach themselves to become new corals. In certain islands in the Pacific ghost crabs crowd the shorelines and beaches during a particular period of the year at a certain phase of the moon, and there mating takes place in a kind of orgy. The gravid females then shake off their eggs in the water where they will soon hatch and initially become zooplanktons. Very few of these survive to maturity. 

Swarming among winged termites (simut-simut Ilk.) is perhaps the most romantic, in fact it is called nuptial flight because in the sweltering night air lovers meet, and then they descend and seal their vows. The couple seeks a suitable place where they will establish a colony. 

Swarm of migratory locust

Swarms of gamu-gamu (gnats and midges) become nuisance to communities in sheer number, swarms of locust destroy fields of standing crops overnight, swarms of bees, especially the African bees, may send a whole community to abandon homes and belongings. In the bible King Solomon halted his troop to let an army of ants pass by. This could be the kind of ants we know that invade homes and schools, and there are killer ants that destroy everything on their path. 
Old folks attribute swarming to several reasons which science has tried to explain scientifically. 
Jellyfish swarming along beaches is disastrous to the fishing industry and tourism. 
• Swarming is a seasonal occurrence dictated by a biological clock, and therefore timed with the life cycle of the species. (e.g. termites and ants). This kind of swarming occurs regularly to a particular species. 

• Certain organisms such as locusts - Locusta migratoria manilensis -  (photo) are driven by necessity to gather into a swarm. Small groups first congregate where food is available and then coalesce into huge numbers, mating and reproducing along the way, before turning into migratory swarms. This kind of swarming though unpredictable has historical records in a place. It often jibes with the occurrence of widespread drought or with the El Niño phenomenon.

• Ecological imbalance may lead to swarming such as the case of gamu-gamu swarming on Laguna Bay in the sixties. Overfishing in the lake triggered a population explosion of gnats which constitute the main food of fish. Thus swarming is an indicator of the conditions happening in an ecosystem. 

Much of what we know about the subject can’t sufficiently explain pathological conditions where bacteria suddenly burst in numbers, or how fungi all of a sudden grow over an entire forest floor. Why do people move to cities? Why did the Israelites turn to the golden calf, a symbol of fertility, after their deliverance from Egypt? Do we harbor the genes for swarming called orgy?
Is urbanization a kind of swarming? Anti-pork barrel scam rally at the Rizal Park.  People are drawn together for a common cause - the key to social reform. (Acknowledgement: Internet photos, Wikipedia)

32. All about Insects - Self Administered Test

                                                                        Dr Abe V Rotor


 1. The study of insects is Entomology. Kasama dito ang mga relatives niya.

2. Lahat na insekto ay may 6 na paa – sa lahat na life stages nila.

Cotton Stainer - Dysdercus megaloiygus

3. Magkamaganak ang insekto sa sugpo at alimango, ganon din an gagamba.

4. If you find harmful insects around, the best thing to do is spray agad parang masugpo.

5. You can prepare a simple solution to keep off insects in your garden: crushed garlic, little soap and kerosene and a baldi of water – just water on the plants.

6. IPM means Integrated Pest Management – universally the standard in pest control.

7. The first to adopt in IPM ay ang wastong pagbubukid, sanitation, cleanliness.

8. Ang ikalawang bahagi ng IPM is the protection and encouragement of natural
enemies of harmful insects.

9. Ang mga sumusunod ay tinatawag social insects: termites, ants and bees.

10. Colonies of aphids, scale insects, mites are pseudo-social in nature.

11. Lahat na grasshopper, if starved and threatened will form the congregans and migratoria stages.

12. Social insects are strictly matriarchal that is, the queen is the head of the colony.

13. Preying mantis mating is characterized by the killing and feeding of the male by the female to insure fertilization – and the continuation of the species.

14. Among the exotic insects for gourmet is the field cricket, Gryllotalpha africana or camaro.

15. Ticks, flea, bedbugs, centipedes all belong to the fame family – Hexapoda.

16. The Chinese are fond of taking care of field rickets as pet – insects instead of dogs.

 Coconut beetle (Oryctes rhinocerus)

17. There are insects that live for 17 years, other 20 years – or even more.

18. The shortest living insect is the Mayfly – lacewing, called Ephemerid (Family Ephemerida).

 Green Bug (Nezara viridula) 

19. Aphids and scale insects form colonies so that they are classified social insects.

20. As a general rule, chemical control is the last resort in pest control.

21. A number of TV and print advertisements on spraying insects are predisposing users to danger from the pesticides.

22. Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring, criticize pesticide manufacturers for the annihilation of birds that feed on insects and sprayed crops.

23. In swarming, different colonies on the same species are timed simultaneously to encourage cross breeding.

24. The queen termite mates only once in her lifetime, so with the honeybee queen.

Firefly

25. The firefly carries a lamp – bioluminescence that is almost all light, and very little heat. It is the most efficient light emitted by living organisms. ~

 33. Moths: Masters of Camouflage and Mimicry

Dr Abe V Rotor

                                                               Sphinx Moths

Polymorphism or Diversity?
These three Sphinx moths have strong basic morphological characteristics, including size and color that at first glance one would not suspect their differences. The shape and position of their antennae are different, so with their "hoods". Another difference lies in the markings on their bodies and wings. In some cases a pair of eyes (lowermost photo) appears real to a would-be predator.

                                                Markings and Transparency

Two ways to mimic and not be seen,

opaque and part of canvas;

or translucent as if you're not there,

and let the enemy pass.

The Art of Taking Off

Either it flaps or glides on the wind that a moth flies. It can be both, Left photo shows a gypsy moth preparing for takeoff with wings drawn up. At this stage, the predator is puzzled of the sudden transformation into a bright and large abdomen, while the moth flies and escape. A hawk moth (right) spreads its wings side wise and prepares to glide. Without a favorable wind current it is a clumsy flyer. Because moths are nocturnal, navigation relies mainly on the sensitive antennae and two compound eyes.

From Dropping to Monster

This Geometrid moth lies prostrate like a dropping of a bird or rodent in order to escape its enemies. Then it begins to stir as it senses danger, its antennae now beginning to rise, and its wings start to split open ready for takeoff. There is a close relative of the moth (not in the photo) which has a unique defense mechanism. It twists its outer wings upward and inward, exposing a monstrous look to scare the intruder.

34.  Swarming of winged termites marks

the start of the monsoon season

Take heed of winged termites (gamu-gamu or simut-simut Ilk) swarming in early evening in lighted homes and streets. Swarming means new termite colonies are in the making! Your home may be vulnerable.      

Dr Abe V Rotor 

Termites are among the most enigmatic creatures.  They are also among the oldest, older than the dinosaurs, and virtually have not changed.  Thus they are considered living fossils.  

What is more amazing is their life cycle and behavior as social insects. To ordinary observers it is a case of "now you see, now you don't."  For in most part and time of their lives, they are ensconced in mounds, crevices and tunnels of wood and earth incognito to the busy world.  

Here they form colonies in thousands, governed by a royal couple, with the queen tremendously enlarged compared to the king and the castes, the workers and the soldiers.  And her task is to lay eggs daily to maintain the colony to as long as twenty years. 

Protect your home from termites.  

• Keep your home and surroundings clean, free of termite food such as pile of leaves, stock of firewood, old clothes, paper, unserviceable furniture, etc.    
• Check regularly the presence of termites in your home - floor, ceiling, bookshelves, rooms, even in unlikely places like apparador and piano. Repair, and trace source of invasion.  Early detection is crucial. 
• Treatment with chemicals may be necessary.  Consult an authorized pest controller. Keep in mind that pesticides pose danger to health and environment.  
• Dig out termite mound (punso) around the house, in the garden and field.  Be sure to destroy the queen, otherwise the mound will grow back.
• At the start of swarming, put off the lights in your home so that the swarm dissipates or moves away into the open. Coordinate with neighbors to do the same.
• Where swarming is heavy, place a basin of water around a lighted bulb or lamp. Gather trapped insects for feeds or simply discard properly.  
• Saw off stumps and limbs of trees.  Tree termites live in the hollow of trees, and standing dead trees. 
• Knock down abandoned buildings which are a source of invasion. Effective termite control is a community effort.   
• Observe Integrated Pest Management (IPM) where biological control and good farming practices work effectively. Examples: house lizard and toads feed on gamu-gamu, flood control and proper tillage reduce termite population. 
• Dismiss subtly superstitious beliefs and fairy tales of dwarfs living in anthill (punso) without taking away the quaintness of bedtime stories. Termites have no place in ouir dwellings.  They belong to the forest to keep the balance of nature, recycling dead trees and litters back into soil. 
• Avoid loud metallic music at home and vicinity. This stimulates termites to feed and make tunnels aggressively, according to recent research.         

Termite queen is surrounded by workers and soldiers, with the king on top.  The king is a bit larger than any member of the castes.  Right, winged termites swarm in early spring in temperate countries, or at 

the start of the rainy season in the tropics. 

  

Closeup of the soldier, worker and immature members. Winged termite showing two pairs of wings of the same size and pattern (unlike most winged insects), from which its order Isoptera (same wings) is derived.

 

Left, dry termites live entirely on wood with very little moisture. Right, 

termitecomb, a complex maze of undigested and digested wood, earth 

and frass (excreta) serves as a complex tunnel and abode of the colony. 

Its architectural design keeps the structure ventilated and light, but strong and firm in shape. In the case  of wood, the termitecomb keeps it to appear undamaged until it finally gives in to stress and gravity.  

 

How high and massive can a termite mound (punso) get? This one in Africa.is for the Book of Guinness   Right, cross-section of a mound showing the queen's chamber, chimneys and ramifying tunnels.  A mound grows in size through time and as the colony increases. The queen may live up to 20 years, and is capable of rebuilding the mound. In certain societies the queen is dug out 

and made into a delicacy.  

Basin full of  gamu-gamu trapped by lamp, a practical method of gathering gamu-gamu for animal feeds and also as human food. Photo taken at author's residence in San Vicente (IS) 2017. 

 

Cu Chi Tunnel in Vietnam, a complex underground tunnel of the Vietnamese resistance against the French colonialists and Vietcong guerillas during the Vietnam War extends several kilometers linking major strongholds. It houses underground command centers, dormitories, armories, and hospitals. The Cu Chi tunnel owes much of its design from that of the termites. Left, map of the Cu Chi Tunnel complex, author waves at well-wishers before exploring the man-made maze. Right, author points to ventilation system of the tunnel appearing as natural termite mound. Team finds great relief upon emerging from the hot, steamy tunnel. ~

35. Backyard as Laboratory and Workshop: Bizarre creatures share our homes

Bagworm, looper or geometrid, giant African snail, balloon frog

Dr Abe V Rotor

Looper or geometrid caterpillar moves by loop-and-stretch, and stands like a cobra on reaching a dead end. When threatened, it feigns dead and mimics its surroundings. Geometrids belong to Order Lepidoptera, Family Geometridae. (from Greek geo 'the earth' and metron 'measure' — refers to the larvae, or inchworms, which appear to "measure the earth" as they move in a looping fashion.

A very large family, it has around 35,000 species of moths. A well-known member is the Peppered Moth, Biston betularia, which has been subject of numerous studies in population genetics. Several other geometer moths are notorious pests. These include Chaisma, Selenia, Scopula and Tetracis Geometrid moths however have butterfly characteristics, like slender abdomen. Typical of moths, they are nocturnal, active at night time. Note specimen crawling on the author's arm. Does the looper cause blister like the higad?

Pagoda Bagworm (Cryotothelea heckmeyeri). It is the larva of a moth belonging to Order Lepidoptera, Family Psychidae. The caterpillar remains ensconced in its bag in its entire larval stage which takes five moultings before it becomes into a cocoon without leaving its bag. The male soon emerges as a winged moth, then into adult. The male moth leaves the bag to find a mate, while the female moth is wingless and has to remain in the bag, receives a mate, deposits her fertilized eggs inside, then falls off to the ground or waiting prey. The bag grows by accretion, that is, the larva adds pieces of leaves on to the bag.

The pagoda is built by adding shingles over the bag, each shingle increases in size as the larva gets bigger. Which of these photos shows the correct position of the insect with its host plant?

Another species of bagworm (Crypthothela fuscescens), builds its bag with dried twig of the uniform sizes. The spent bag simply remains hanging in the plant. Lower photo shows an exposed larvae purposely for study.

 

Giant African snail (Achatina fulica) is the biggest land snail in the Philippines, introduced by the Japanese during WWII, either as supplemental food or biological agent of warfare. This mollusk has developed into a pest of garden and orchard crops.

Can you locate the pair of eyes? You may use a magnifying glass over these photos, or you may zoom in these photos in your computer.

Globular or Balloon Frog (Tukak Bat'og Ilk which means fat bellied)

Uperodon systoma is a small genus of microhylid frogs from South Asia. Their sister taxon is Ramanella of Class Amphibia, Order Anura. The common name of these frogs is globular frogs or balloon frogs in reference to their stout appearance. These medium-sized (maximum snout–vent length 64–76 mm (2.5–3 in) burrowing frogs eat ants and termites. This species is widespread in South Asia, Little is known about the population status of this species. This is a completely fossorial species that buries itself in loose, moist soil.

Specimens have been observed in dry forest areas, plains, home gardens and low-intensity agricultural areas. The adults surface only during the summer monsoons; during the dry months they retreat into the soil. Termites are reportedly the main food of this species. Breeding takes place during the monsoon rains. Males call from the banks of torrents or paddy fields, and eggs are laid in masses which float on the water surface.

The main threats are the loss of suitable habitat to increasing urbanization, and the pollution of both land and wetlands with agrochemicals. There are no reports of this species being utilized, except that it is caught for food like other edible frogs in some parts of the country. What triggers this frog to become enormously bloated like a balloon from which it got its name?

Answer to Trivia:

1. Looper: The caterpillar is smooth and has no poisonous hairs like the higad (tussock moth caterpillar).

2. Pagoda bagworm - The normal position is upside down. The bagworm hangs on the underside of the leaf for protection against direct sunlight and enemies.

3. Giant African snail: The eyes are mounted at the tip of each of the longer antennae like periscope.

4. Balloon frog: It engulfs air until it become distended. This is for self defense since it appears instantly big before its puzzled potential predator. When threatened it wedges itself in its abode like a rock crevice where it is difficult to pry it out. By storing air it can stay under water, or afloat, and it can travel on moving water. Air increases the volume of the frog's mating call which can be heard far and wide. ~

Lesson on former Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid with Ms Melly C Tenorio 738 DZRB AM Band, 8-9 evening class, Monday to Friday

References
Living with Nature in Our Times
Copyright 2007 Abercio V Rotor and University of Santo Tomas
Living with Folk Wisdom
Copyright 2009 Abercio V Rotor and University of Santo Tomas

36. Control invasive species by turning them 

into culinary delights.

Dr Abe V Rotor

What is the best way to beat invasive species? Well, if humans managed to eat field rats, mole crickets, snails, pythons, alligators - and other "pests", why can't these undesirable organisms be part of his culinary taste and art?

Golden Kuhol (Pomacea caniculata)

1. Pets turned wild - knife fish and janitor fish.  Once fancy pets in aquarium, they found their way to Laguna Lake and Taal Lake. They can be cooked like any fish.  
2. Food to pest - Golden Kuhol (Pomacea caniculata).  Imported in the seventies as food  like the popular French escargot, it has spread to rice fields, where they have developed in a major pest of rice. Cook it with tanglad and luya, better still with gata.

3. Migratory swarms - Locust (Locusta migratoria) PHOTO) moves in swarms, thousands upon  thousands riding on wind current, invading fields and forests many kilometers away. They settle down as solitary grasshoppers, remaining in the place, mate and multiply, until the next migratory season. Have you tasted sauteed mole cricket  June beetle, gamu-gamu (winged termite)?  It tastes the same. 

4. Biological Warfare in peace time - Giant African Snail (Achatina fulica) introduce by the Japanese during World War II, now a common garden pests. One time a recipe was prepared on the request of a school head, and all his teachers tasted it - with delight. 

5. Fugitive to invader - Asian carp in Illinois, Missouri and Mississippi river. It is similar to our tilapia - Tilapia nilotica and T. mosambica. American will learn to love the carp like we Asians. Just like how we first accepted it when it was introduced in the fifties by Dr Deogracias Villadolid, a prominent fisheries expert. Today tilapia is an important part of the Filipino diet,

  

6. Breakout from cage - Black spiny-tailed 
Iguana has invaded Florida. It eats about anything, including birds. When made into adobo, iguana meat tastes like that of monitor lizard.

7. Trans-oceanic invasion - Lion fish (PHOTO) has venomous spines and dangerous to aquatic and human life alike. Origin Pacific and Indian oceans to the Caribbean. It's cooked like any marine fish.

8. Adaptive mechanism of survival - Nutria a rodent originated in South America and has invaded the Gulf Coast, destroying valuable wetlands, and make bore tunnels through levees. In the Philippines the Rattus rattus norvigicus was accidentally introduced and have adapted to city life.

9. Wildlife gone wilder - Armadillo, a gentle and peaceful armored animal of Central and South America is upsetting the balance of food webs, eating just anything, even stealing eggs of threatened sea turtles. They say it's good meat. The closest animal to the Armadillo in the Philippines is the Scaly Anteater which is a threatened species.

10. Biological Control agent gone wild - Toad (Bufo marinus) introduced in Australia to control sugarcane pest, now overruns even homes and highways. This is poisonous, even animals have learned to avoid it. It is for this reason, its population increased rapidly in Australia.  

Except for No 10, these invasive species have found their way to the dining table. Man's gustatory delight is indeed the best way in dealing with undesirable creatures. ~ 

-----------------

* Lesson on former Living with Nature School on Blog, Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid with Ms Melly C Tenorio 738 DZRB AM Band, 8-9 evening class, Monday to Friday

37. Bottle Brush or Weeping Willow Insect repellant and spray, deodorant and ointment
Dr Abe V Rotor

Direct crude extract (ground fresh leaves) repels mosquitoes and flies. It also serves as fresh deodorant in the bathroom and kitchen. Author under a willow tree (Salyx sp). UST campus, Manila

Dilute with tap water at 1:4, filter with ordinary cloth, and spray (atomizer) on garden plants and in dark corners.
Bottle Brush or Weeping Willow (Salix sp)
Another preparation is by dissolving the fresh extract with ethyl alcohol 1:2 ratio, air dry, and add Vaseline or Petroleum Jelly to the powder residue. This also serves as ointment of minor wounds and skin problems.

The mosquito repellant that is advertised is made of synthetic compounds and there are reports that it is carcinogenic, affecting not only the skin but internal organs as well, since poison can be absorbed by the skin and goes into the blood stream which circulates throughout the body.Researchers from the University of Santo Tomas found out that the volatile oil of the weeping willow, also known as bottle brush (named after the form and shape of the leaves) is an effective mosquito repellant. The oil is extracted by dissolving the ground dried leaves with ethyl alcohol as solvent.

Results of the experiment showed that the extract is effective in repelling house mosquitoes (Culex pipens) with the same efficacy as the advertised commercial product. The result also validates the old practice of using weeping willow to ward mosquitoes by simply rubbing crushed fresh leaves on the skin. (Clemente R, Landan RP Luquinario MI and P Padua, UST 2002)

The weeping willow (Salyx sp) looks sad and in mourning, its leaves droop and are pointed downward, extending to the ground or water where it grows on river banks and pool sides. Like a Narcissus, its reflection is an illusion of awe and wonder, and fear.

The drooping branches though makes a perfect promenade shade and shelter; it is a favorite subject of art and poetry.

At the slightest breeze, the tree "weeps" in whispers, and sways daintily without any apparent effort. Few dare to plant willow by the window - it transforms into a spiritual being to the superstitious, and courts bad luck to the pessimist.

But the willow is an important tree. Where it grows it creates an ambiance of mixed feelings, and to many cultures it is a tree that is much revered - and feared. Overall all, the world is not what it is without the willow - weeping to the sorrowful, hissing and vibrant to the hopeful, romantic to the lover, sacred to the religious, miracle cure to the healer. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Direct crude extract (ground fresh leaves) repels mosquitoes and flies. It also serves as fresh deodorant in the bathroom and kitchen. Dilute with tap water at 1:4, filter with ordinary cloth, and spray (atomizer) on garden plants and in dark corners. Another preparation is by dissolving the fresh extract with ethyl alcohol 1:2 ratio, air dry, and add Vaseline or Petroleum Jelly to the powder residue. This serves as ointment of minor wounds and skin problems. ------------------------------------------------

The Importance of the willow tree Medicine -

The leaves and bark of the willow tree contain Salicin which is metabolized into salicylic acid in the human body.

Precursor of aspirin.

Salicin is isolated in crystalline form and formulated as acetylsalicylic acid, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug.

Provides temporary relief.

Ancient remedy for common ailments to the Sumerians, Greeks and Native Americans

Claimed to be effective in cure of diseases including cancer.

Agriculture - as source of nectar and pollen for bees.
Energy - biomass and biofuel,
Art -

Charcoal for drawing, wood for sculptures

Garden features and landscaping

Pen and ink paintings in China and Japan

Environment -

Hedges and landscaping

Land reclamation, soil building and soil reclamation

Phytoremediation,(bioengineering)

Slope stabilisation and soil erosion control

Biofiltration, shelterbelt and windbreak
Wildlife habitat
Religion -

Ritual in Jewish holiday of Sukkot, and Buddhism

Christian churches in northwestern Europe and Ukraine use willow branches in place of palms on Palm Sunday.

In China, some people carry willow branches on the day of their Tomb Sweeping or Qingming Festival.

Willow branches are put up on gates and/or front doors, to ward off the evil spirits.

The Goddess of Mercy Guanyin is shown seated on a rock with a willow branch.

Literature -

Ancient Korean poem goes, "By the willow in the rain in the evening." The poet Hongrang to her parting lover wrote, "...I will be the willow on your bedside."

In Japanese tradition, the willow is associated with ghosts. It is popularly supposed that a ghost will appear where a willow grows. Willow trees are also quite prevalent in folklore and myths.

In English folklore, a willow tree is believed to be quite sinister, capable of uprooting itself and stalking travelers.

Hans Christian Andersen wrote a story called "Under the Willow Tree" (1853) in which children ask questions of a tree they call "willow-father", paired with another entity called "elder-mother"

Old Man Willow in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, appearing in The Lord of the Rings.

"Green Willow" is a Japanese ghost story. Other stories: "The Willow Wife" and "Wisdom of the Willow Tree."

Remember "The Willow in the Wind?"

38. Cranefly or Daddy-long-legs

If you can detect a cranefly, you must have a third eye.

Dr Abe V Rotor

This is a rare specimen I caught at home. It is a very curious one, although it is quite familiar; it is a relative of the mosquito. It is also rare because its size is much bigger than the ordinary cranefly we often called daddy-long-legs.* 

Crane Fly (Tipula sp), 

Family Tipulidae, Order Diptera

The cranefly undergoes four stages - egg, larva called maggot, pupa and adult. The maggot feeds on crops and pasture grass but it inflicts little damage. The adults emerge and swarm in the evening. They have queer body structure and movement. 

Craneflies are clumsy fliers, mainly because they have only one pair of wings for flying. That is why they are classified Diptera - two wings. The pair of hindwings are reduced into halteres or balancers which look like stubs or knobs.

When at rest, craneflies shake continuously in all directions that they become virtually invisible to their enemies. This unique mechanism has not been fully studied.

Among the Arachnids, members of the Pholcidae family are also called daddy-long-legs spiders. Their presence is known to be worldwide. Here are two species of harvestman spiders. The one at the right appears hazy and blurred as seen when it is in continuous shaking motion. (Acknowledgement with thanks: Internet, Wikipedia)  

  

      39. An Evening Guest - A Giant House Spider!

Dr Abe V Rotor

In my room one peaceful evening came a spider.

Welcome, gladly I said, as it paused for a moment

on drawings on the wall my grand children made,

its legs tapping a message for whatever it meant.

Ah, you are an artist too, I guessed, as it moved

along and across swiftly I thought it would fall,

Instead it embraced a make-believe companion;

I looked into this creature a mirror on the wall.

Giant house spider (Aratigena africa) is also known as Wolsey spider (Tegenaria parietina), sometimes referred to as Cardinal spider, named after Cardinal Wolsey during the time of Henry VIII of England. Giant house spiders have been recently classified under genus Aratigena. ~

                              40. My Spider Pets

                Part A - Wolsey Spider - the friendly house spider
                                    Part B - Spider on my Web

                                            Photos by Dr Abe V Rotor

 
Wolsey Spider photos AVRotor

Tegenaria parietina is is sometimes known as the cardinal spider because of the legend that Cardinal Wolsey was terrified by this species at Hampton Court during the reign of Henry VIII. In fact Cardinal Wolsey was once the most trusted man of the king, being highly knowledgeable in managing the affairs of the kingdom, and that he was 20 years older which was ideal as the king's adviser. But Wolsey got the displeasure of the king for the abuse of his power and was vanished. He died before serving punishment for his crime.

Females grow up to 20 mm, males up to 17 mm. Legs are approximately three times longer, although some specimens have legs as large as 7.5 cm with a span between front and rear legs of 14 cm. They are reddish brown. Females can live for up to eight years, while males die shortly after mating. These spiders live mostly in buildings or walls. They look rather similar to T ferruginea.

Wolsey Spider is actually harmless, it is not poisonous and does not attack or show aggression. Which makes it "friendly" to be in the house. When we find a Wolsey spider usually carrying an egg case, we simply catch her with a wide mouth bottle and release her where she does her trade - to kill and eat young cockroaches, flies and other insects.

Part B - Jumping Spider on my Web

 
 Jumping spider (Plexippus petersi) Family Salticidae AVRotor

Arachnida, Greek goddess of the loom,

descended from Mt Olympus with us to live;

your masterpiece, tapestry sans compare,

while mine, dream catcher in make-believe.

As I search the unknown on cyberspace,

simply you wait some prey fall into your web;

we may differ but common is our cunning,

with our own web in its unending ebb. 

Plexippus petersi is a house spider, living indoors, and admired for the skilful way it hunts and catches mosquitoes, flies and other invertebrates. It has also been found living in crops in the Philippines, in one instance in a rice field infested with the armyworm Spodoptera mauritia, and in another, in a corn field attacked by the northern armyworm Mythimna separata. This spider has been investigated as a control agent for houseflies and showed potential as a bio-control agent. Internet info and photo.

Part C. Glowing Spider

Dr Abe V Rotor

                       Glowing spider, relative of the Tarantula

You glow to decoy your prey

into your arms and fang;

or lurk in the magic glow

of phosphorescence

to mimic your surroundings –

an invincible knight you are!

then throw a thousand spears

like the Spartans at siege,

glowing best in victory.~

Part D. Arachne - Thread Artist

Spider Web, Amadeo, Cavite

Dr Abe V Rotor

From where art grows and blooms

the ultimate of human expression

at the tip of the fingers it looms

into reverence and passion;

from morning 'til noon

the thread weaves the evening

while Arachne smiles with the moon

o'er a masterpiece in silence shining. ~

 42. Research Triangle: Hydrangea, Caterpillar and Me   

Dr Abe V Rotor 

Mophead or Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) produces blue and pink flowers, and various combinations and hues, that many people think these are varieties or cultivars.  The fact is, the same plant may produce these varying flowers.  

What determines the color of the Hydrangea flower  is aluminum in the soil. Most soils have aluminum but if the soil is alkaline or basic - 6.0 to 6.5 pH (power of Hydrogen) - the plant cannot absorb the aluminum and therefore its flower becomes pink. If the soil is acidic - 5 to 5.5 pH - the plant can absorb the aluminum and its flower becomes blue. 

A mix of colors is obtained when the pH is between these ranges. This is the secret of gardeners producing Hydrangea of different hues and shades, other that deep blue or old rose pink.  There are other horticultural variations like density of the flower head, height of the plant, branching, variegation, and the like, that make Hydrangea an interesting garden plant. 

And this leads to another phenomenon of nature - dimorphism which is another challenging research. As the name implies a plant or any organism may exhibit  dual characteristics, like two patterns of leaves, or distinct variations termed as chimaera. In Greek Mythology the Chimaera had three heads - lion, goat, and snake. Its body was also mixed having the front part of a lion, middle of a goat, and snake for a tail. 

Came a banded caterpillar heretofore unknown,

     shielded by the plant like its own shell,

and when the flower cluster one morning opened 

     raced this hairy convict from its cell.

It fed on the leaves, not on the beautiful crown, ~ 

     for whatever reason beauty it spared,

and my inquisitive mind found another enigma, 

     why the flower is neither black nor red.

And whoever this emissary of doom its name,

     family and evolution, deserves study,

what these two creatures mean to each other, 

     to me, and the whole of humanity. ~  

43. Rare insects found on Fuga Island

Dr Abe V Rotor

  

Two species of insects found on Fuga Island - stinkbug (Nezara), and locust (Locusta), reported in a study by Dr Ronel P dela Cruz, and published in his book Isla Fuga: Sacred Scapes 2013.  

4. Rare Insects in Photographs and Verses

Dr Abe V Rotor

A. Click Beetle - Living Catapult

Click Beetle (kuddo Ilk) Family Elateridae, Order Coleoptera*

Sweet memories brings a wit long laid,

when I was a child I played,

your game of click-click-click,

telling me if life's bright or bleak.

I asked how many friends or money I had,

by clicking, I knew what you said;

and pressing your breast, my wish implied,

all I wanted, you complied. 

B. Phosphorescent Caterpillars

Caterpillars eating the leaves of ilang-ilang (Cananga

 odorata), at home near La Mesa watershed.

        They came - an army of hungry glowing worms,
        on a sunset on a tall ilang-ilang tree;
        there they hang like lanterns or neon far away,
        and in crepuscular light there I could see
        a familiar tree traced by its essence in the air,
        and now by the phosphorescence from this tree -
        Christmas ahead and beyond yet here at hand,
        by the glow of these worms reminds of Thee;
        through nature's ways to guard the frail and lowly
        through the secret of ephemeral beauty. ~

C. Halloween Moth

                   You can't hide behind mask;
                         it is no longer Halloween;
                   with thin lips and sleepy eyes,
                        I know where you've been. ~ 

            D. Living Emerald in the Garden

" Nature will bear the closest inspection. She invites us to lay our eye level with her smallest leaf, and take an insect view of its plain." Henry David Thoreau

Contrast between an exquisite jewel beetle and a working hand.

Iridescent* Asian Jewel Beetle (Sternocera aequisignata)

You catch the rainbow, the rising sun,

     the fading light of the day,

golden, sapphire, amethyst , emerald

     changing colors as you may.

Green you appear most of the time,

     yet in a variety of design,

that earns you a status of species,

     among hundreds of your kind.

Children love you for play and keep,

     parlors for your vanity;

in the garden you are a living gem;

     Nature's touch of sanctity.

 *Iridescence (also known as goniochromism) is the phenomenon of certain surfaces that appear to gradually change color as the angle of view or the angle of illumination changes. Examples of iridescence include wings of certain insects, feathers, butterfly wings and seashells as well as certain minerals.

"How still the woods seem from here, yet how lively a stir the hidden animals are making; digging, gnawing, biting, eyes shining, at work and play, getting food, rearing young, roving through the underbrush, climbing the rocks, wading solitary marshes, tracing the banks of the lakes and streams! Insect swarms are dancing in the sunbeams, burrowing in the ground, diving, swimming,—a cloud of witnesses telling Nature's." - John Muir *

 *John Muir also known as "John of the Mountains" and "Father of the National Parks", was an influential Scottish-American naturalist, author, environmental philosopher, botanist, zoologist, glaciologist, and early advocate for the preservation of wilderness in the United States of America. Wikipedia