Archive for the ‘Insects’ Category

Jun
20

Pollinators get you Points!

Posted by in Children's Zoo,Events,Insects,Pollinators,Swap Shop

This weekend, Saturday June 23 and Sunday June 24, the Houston Zoo will be celebrating Pollinators Day.  There will be booths, keeper chats and activities for the kids.

The Naturally Wild Swap Shop will join in the fun.  Any nature journal on pollinators or pollination will get double points!  Topics can include (but are not limited to) bats , bees, butterflies, or the plants that they pollinate.  Journals might also cover the many  products collected or manufactured thanks to the hard work of these and other pollinators.  Don’t know about the Naturally Wild Swap Shop?  Click here for more information.

Pollinators help us with many products from honey to tequila.  They provide something for everyone.  Some Pollinators are at risk and their numbers are dwindling.

Come join us for Pollinators Weekend and learn more about these amazing animals.

 

 

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Jul
31

Whats New in the Swap Shop?

Posted by in Children's Zoo,Insects,Swap Shop

Meet Edward Scissorhands, our Tailless Whip Scorpion.  He now lives in the Swap Shop full time!  Edward is not a true scorpion, but is in the Arachnid family and is a variety found in Africa.  He is harmless to humans but, if you are a cricket or worm, it’s a whole different story.  Tailless Whip Scorpions are nocturnal so they are active at night.  During the day they can be found hiding in leaf litter, logs, bark or under stones.  At night they come out to hunt and then it’s crickets beware.  They don’t have venom like a true scorpion but instead use their pinchers, called pedipalps, to crush their prey.  As in some other arachnid orders, Edward’s first pair of legs are modified to act as sensory organs or whips.  While Edward walks on the other six legs, these two legs are held out in front of his body as he moves to probe terrain and find prey. Come in to swap with us and visit Edward while you are here.  Don’t know about the Swap Shop?  Click here for more information.

Edward the Tailless Whip Scorpion

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Jun
23

Go Native… With Solitary Bees!

Posted by in Conservation,Insects,Spotlight on Species

They can be big, small, fuzzy, shiny, stripy, crazy metallic green or blue – and there are almost 4,500 types of them in the United States.  I’m talking native bees and you can learn all about them if you drop by the Houston Zoo this weekend for the Spotlight on Species: Pollinators event!

Leafcutter bee on Bidens flower

Solitary bees are beneficial in that they pollinate everything in your garden from squash to peppers, oranges to peaches, watermelon, blackberries… the list goes on.   Having a multitude of them around ensures that you will have an abundant harvest from your backyard garden – plus they are not aggressive and are totally fun to watch!  So what do you need to attract them?  Solitary bees do not live in a hive like honeybees (hence the word “solitary”!); they nest either in the ground or in pre-made holes.  70% of solitary bee species are ground-nesters and like bare dirt in a sunny spot to dig their holes (which are often about the diameter of a pencil) – so provide a mulch-free area in one of your flower beds and see what happens!

Ground-nesting bee holes in bare-earth planting bed

The other 30%  of solitary bee species nest in wood and masonry – these bees do not make their own holes, but rather depend on beetles and other wood-boring insects to do the work for them.  So if you have a dead tree on your property that is not a danger to anyone, leave it  - dead trees provide homes for all sorts of cool animals!  You can also make nest boxes for this group of bees – an affordable and fun family project.   You can be as creative as you want, just remember to use only UNTREATED wood for your bee house!

Solitary bee houses at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

OK, you have housing… now you have to provide food!  Solitary bees forage on all sorts of flowers looking for nectar and pollen; some are specialists (they like only one or two plant species) and others are generalists (and  like many different plant species).   A good way to start your bee garden is to go native – set aside areas in your yard to plant things that used to live in your area before humans came along.  Much of Houston was prairie before it was developed – try buying native seeds or join a local society to participate in local plant rescues and seed collecting.  There are many ornamental plants that can be used in your wildlife  landscaping, too.  My favorite local nursery is Caldwell Nursery in Rosenberg – the owners know their stuff when it comes to attracting wildlife!

And last but certainly not least, DITCH THE INSECTICIDES!!!  ALL of them – this means YOU!  Garden with nature, not against her…  As the plant and animal diversity in your garden goes up, your pest problems disappear.   A diverse garden is always a balanced one!!

 

 

 

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Jun
17

Bug Out! Attract the Good Guys to Your Garden

Posted by in Insects,Pollinators,Spotlight on Species

Bumblebee on Lantana flowers

Have you ever wanted to help wildlife but weren’t sure how to do it?  Would you like to start your very own conservation project in your own backyard?  The Houston Zoo is hosting a Spotlight on Species: Pollinators event the last weekend of June, and just in time…. because pollinating insects need your help!  Pollinator habitat in Texas is being destroyed every day – our native prairies are all but gone and any remaining open spaces are being developed at an alarming rate.  But you can create a haven for pollinators at home, at school or even at the office.  You can attract butterflies by planting native and non-native plants that provide nectar and/or food for caterpillars.  Native bees need flowers that provide nectar and pollen and a place to nest  (some nest in the ground and some will nest in special boxes) both of which are easy to provide.  All of these insects are fun to watch and beneficial too… if you are a vegetable gardener or have fruit trees, the more bees you attract the more bountiful your harvest will be!  Learn how to create a pollinator haven by joining us at the Zoo for Spotlight on Species:Pollinators!

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Jun
15

Top 10 Reasons to Love Pollinators

Posted by in Conservation,Insects,Pollinators,Spotlight on Species

Why do we have an annual Pollinator Awareness Day at the Houston Zoo, you ask?  Because pollinators RULE!  Here are 10 reasons why:

10.  Fruit! Bananas, strawberries, blueberries, watermelon, mango, peaches, cherries, apples, kiwi, oranges… well, you get the idea (the list goes on and on).

9.  Veggies! Squash, tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, artichokes, bell peppers, onions, yams, beans… and many more!

8. Nuts and Spices! Almonds, walnuts, cayenne, chipotle, saffron, fennel, Allspice, VANILLA!

 

 

7. Clothes! Cotton, anyone?

6. Halloween! No pollinators, no pumpkins.  So much for traditional Thanksgiving pies, too…

5. Dairy! Hmmm… what’s the connection here?  Alfalfa! Dairy cows need alfalfa (a plant pollinated by leafcutting bees) so that you can have cheese, milk, yogurt, butter, ice cream and pretty much every dessert ever conceived.

4. Honey! (this is a no-brainer)

 

 

3. Coffee!! Let’s face it, without coffee you probably couldn’t even operate this computer.

2. Chocolate!! This is a big one folks!  Did you know that cacao trees (this is where chocolate comes from) are pollinated by a midge, which is a tiny fly?  Are you going to put your flyswatter down now?  I thought so.

1. Life as we know it! about 75% of all flowering plants depend on pollinating animals to complete their life cycles – and even if you don’t eat any part of all those thousands of  plant species, somebody out there depends on them… Without pollinators, animals that depend on those plants would perish and the animals that eat the aforementioned herbivores would starve too.  An absence of pollinators would result in a catastrophic collapse of the Earth’s fragile terrestrial ecosystems (yes, this is where you live).  So put down the bug spray and start creating a backyard pollinator habitat today!  Hey – every little bit helps.

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Aug
30

Venomous Spiders in Texas

Posted by in Insects

Spiders are an incredibly diverse and fascinating group of animals.  As with other venomous creatures, many people tend to be overly concerned about them.  Only two of the 900 species in Texas are truly dangerous and both of them are quite shy and retiring.  Bites do occur but they are rare and usually the result of accidental contact. 

Except for one taxonomic family, all spiders possess venom glands.  By far, the majority of spiders are not dangerous to people although allergic reactions can occur as with wasp or bee stings.  The only spiders of medical significance in Texas are the Black widow (Latrodectus mactans) and the Brown recluse (Loxosceles recluse).  

George the Brown Recluse

The name Black widow is actually a misnomer as the action implied rarely occurs.  Black widows have a potent neurotoxic venom which can be quite dangerous to debilitated persons and young children.  An antivenom is available for Black widow bites if deemed necessary.  Brown recluse venom is a necrotoxin which can cause tissue damage. 

Southern Black Widow

After a male’s last molt he is sexually mature and will spend the rest of his life seeking mates, oblivious to everything else including food.  Most male spiders only live for a few months after their maturing molts.  The male constructs a special sperm web onto which he deposits sperm from his genital opening.  The sperm is then taken up into the pedipalps to be later placed in the genital opening of the female.  After a few weeks the female will construct a silken cocoon in which to lay her eggs which can number from a few to several thousand.

Many spiders guard their egg cases.  Some spiders even exhibit parental care.  A wolf spider female will open the egg sac and allow the spiderlings to ride on her back for a few weeks.  There is even a spider that will regurgitate food for her offspring.

Baby Wolf Spiders on the Bus

We come close to many more spiders than we will ever know because of their size and habits.  These seemingly primitive mechanical creatures actually prove very interesting if one spends a little time observing them.

Jumping Spider - Hentzia mitrata

Written by Judith Bryja, Houston Zoo Herpetology Supervisor

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Aug
23

More than Just 8 Legs – Spiders 101

Posted by in Insects

Jumping spiderMaybe you think they’re creepy crawly or maybe you think they’re fascinating creatures. Regardless of which, spiders live with us, though not often apparent. It can help us appreciate them and be less afraid if we know more about them. And if there are ones to have a healthy respect for, educating ourselves on which those are is a good plan.

A  few quick facts to start:

  • Approximately 41,000 species of spiders have been described thus far.
  • About 900 call Texas home.
  • Spiders are placed in the Class Arachnida which also includes scorpions, mites, ticks, and seven other taxonomic orders. 
  • The lifespan of a spider can vary from a few months up to twenty-five years for female tarantulas! 
  • All spiders are strictly carnivorous. 
  • Most spiders are solitary although a few live communally and cooperate in obtaining prey.

Spiders possess two main body parts: the prosoma (front part or cephalothorax) and the opisthosoma (rear part or abdomen).  Four pairs of walking legs are attached to the prosoma.  A pair of pedipalps are in front of the first pair of legs.  These leglike appendages are used for manipulating prey. 

In the male spider, the pedipalps are used as an intromittent sex organ.  In front of the pedipalps are the chelicerae which are used for defense, subduing prey, and grasping things.  The fangs are housed in a special groove in the chelicerae. 

jumping spider

Although most spiders have eight eyes, some have only two, four, or six.

Some cave dwelling spiders have lost their eyes completely.  Most spiders have fairly poor vision; however, some can see quite well.  Jumping spiders, which actively stalk their prey, have excellent vision.  They also take the award for cutest spider as they will turn their furry heads to peer intently at you.  Spiders breathe by way of tubular tracheae and book lungs.  Book lungs (which resemble the pages of a book) are located on the ventral side of the opisthosoma and allow for air exchange. 

Spiders must molt in order to grow.  The old cuticle separates from the new and about a week later the old skin is shed.  Spiders are extremely vulnerable right after molting and until the new cuticle hardens.

a stitch in time
Silk is produced in glands at the rear of the abdomen.  The glands end in spigots at the end of three pairs of spinnerets.  Spider silk is incredibly strong.  It is used for snares as well as draglines and egg cases.  Female spiders have a special gland specifically for producing egg sac silk.  The spiral orb web is the most well known type of web.  One of our most eye catching natives, the yellow garden spider (Argiope aurantia), can be seen resting in an orb web with a zigzag in the center.

Written by Judith Bryja, Houston Zoo Herpetology Supervisor

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Jun
27

Bee-lieve it or Not…

Posted by in Adaptations,Birds,Children's Zoo,Conservation,Endangered Species,Events,Featured,Insects,Mammals: Our Furry (and Hairy!) Friends,Natural Encounters,Pollinators,Primates,Reptiles,Swap Shop

Blue Faced Honeyeater Photo courtesy of: www.plantbiology.siu.edu

Honeyeaters are important pollinators of many Australian flowering plants.  All 170 species of honeyeaters have a unique adaptation:  a long tongue with a brush-like tip that they use to get nectar from flowers.  The tongue can be extended into the nectar about 10 times per second!

Honeyeaters aren’t the only birds that help pollinate.  Honeycreepers, sunbirds, Brush-tongued parrots, and hummingbirds are just a few of the birds all over the world who are pollinators.  There are 2,000 bird species globally that feed on nectar, the insects, and the spiders associated with nectar bearing flowers. 

For more Bee-lieve it or Not facts, come join the Houston Zoo in celebrating National Polinator Week on June 26th and 27th. We will have tables and chats from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. all about our favorite pollinators.  Bee sure to  record your pollinating adventures in a nature blog to share at the Swap Shop!

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