Hairy Scorpion

Hadrurus arizonensis

Meet the largest Scorpion in North America-- the Hairy Scorpion. These arachnids can grow over 5in long, and their large size makes them quite the predator within their desert habitat. They feed on smaller invertebrates (including other Scorpions) and will even hunt snakes, lizards, and small vertebrates as well.

Hairy Scorpions are named for the dark brown hairs that cover the backs of their otherwise yellow-ish bodies. Their coloration helps them to blend in with the dry environment that they live in. You'll find these Scorpions in the Mojave and Sonora Deserts.

The large pincers on these arachnids are used for more than just grasping at food. These guys are excellent burrowers, and can dig tunnels that are more than 2m in length. They hang out in them during the daytime, emerging at night to hunt.

Even though they are large in size, the Hairy Scorpions shouldn't frighten you. Their sting is venomous, but tends to be no worse than a beesting for the average person.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : North America
Size : Length around 5.5in (14cm)

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Arachnida -- Order : Scorpiones
Family : Caraboctonidae -- Genus : Hadrurus -- Species : H. arizonensis
Image :  Fritz Geller Grimm

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Belgica antarctica

Belgica antarctica

Did you know that insects do live on Antarctica? You may have assumed that the cold weather would scare the tiny invertebrates away from the continent, but you would've assumed wrong! Today's animal is one of a handful of little Arthropods that make our southernmost landmass home year round.

Belgica antarctica has the important distinction of being the largest terrestrial-only inhabitant of Antarctica-- at a whopping 6mm in length! These insects have some seriously amazing adaptations that allow them to survive in the hard environment-- they can go without oxygen for several weeks, they can survive their bodily fluids freezing, and they are able to produce specific compounds that keep that freezing to a minimum.

Warm temperatures are actually harmful to B. antarctica. They need to stay close to freezing in order to thrive. If it gets too cold though, they are in trouble. Luckily, they spend nearly all of their time just under the surface of the snow, which keeps the heat to within a few degrees of freezing.

Belgica antarctica can live up to 2 years, and spends most of that time in four different larval stages. As adults their lifespan in very short-- only around 10 days. They live just long enough to mate and lay eggs before dying.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Antarctica
Size : Length up to 6mm

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Insecta -- Order : Diptera
Family : Chironomidae -- Genus : Belgica-- Species : B. antarctica
Image :  Richard Lee

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Snowberry Clearwing

Hemaris diffinis

The Snowberry Clearwing is a species that belongs to a group collectively known as "Hummingbird Moths."

You can identify this particular species by it's furry yellow and black banded body that can be anywhere from 1-2 inches in length. They also have wings that appear to be clear, due to a lack of scales (hence the common name).

Snowberry Clearwings live in most of the United States, and in parts of western Canada. As pupae they feed plants like Snowberry and Honeysuckle. As adults they drink nectar, hovering in place like a Hummingbird. They are most commonly seen during the daytime hours.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : North America
Size : Length up to 2in (6cm)
Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Insecta -- Order : Lepidoptera
Family : Sphingidae -- Genus : Hemaris -- Species : H. diffinis
Image : Lonniehuffman

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Chinese Mitten Crab

Eriocheir sinensis

Today we're going to learn about the Chinese Mitten Crab-- a Crustacean named for its large, furry front claws.

You may not think too much about the environmental impacts this crab, whose body is about the size of a fist, but they are actually a very troublesome invasive species! Chinese Mitten Crabs are native to eastern Asia, but they have now spread to Europe and North America as well.

Chinese Mitten Crabs are troublesome because they make large migrations, displacing native species at every step of the journey. They breed in the oceans, grow up in freshwater rives, and hatch in estuaries. Due to their movements they can even be found hundreds of miles from the sea! In all of those different habitats the Crabs compete with native species for food and burrows. They also damage fishing nets, and have caused that industry to lose great amounts of money.

Not everyone is frustrated with the Chinese Mitten Crabs though-- they are a delicacy in parts of China and some can sell for over $100 a kilogram!

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Native to Asia
Size : Carapace up to 4in (10cm) in diameter
Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Malacostraca -- Order : Decapoda
Family : Varunidae -- Genus : Eriocheir -- Species : E. sinensis
Image : NHM

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Pacific Cleaner Shrimp

Lysmata amboinensis

The Pacific Cleaner Shrimp is a Crustacean of many, many names. Their list of alias includes the Skunk, Scarlet, and Northern Cleaner Shrimp (because of their location and identification).

The "Cleaner" part comes from the fact that these small, 2in long Shrimp feed on dead tissue, debris, and parasites of much larger aquatic species. In fact, larger fish are known to seek out the reefs that the Pacific Cleaner Shrimp live on, just so the shrimp can help to  get rid of trobulesome parasites! They will even go inside of a fishes' mouth!

Pacific Cleaner Shrimp are found in the tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. They live relatively close to the surface, hanging out in the coral reefs.

Amazingly, every single Pacific Cleaner Shrimp is born male. As they age they go through metamorphosis and molt, and eventually becoming hermaphrodites.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Tropical Indo-Pacific Waters
Size : Length up to 2in (6cm)
Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Malacostraca -- Order : Decapoda
Family : Hippolytidae -- Genus : Lysmata-- Species : L. amboinensis
Image : Chris Moody

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Anomalocaris

Anomalocaris

Anomalocaris is the name of a genus that lived during the Cambrian period... over half a billion years ago!

These ancient relatives to the arthropods of old swam in the seas that covered the planet. Their fossils have been found in places that are (now) as far apart as Canada, China, and Australia.

Anomalocaris grew up to 3ft in length, and had a segmented body that allowed it to swim using an undulating motion. They also had complex, stalked eyes, and two arms covered in barbs that extended from the mouth. The mouth itself was circular, and may have been able to crush hard-bodied prey like Trilobites.

The interesting anatomical features of Anomalocaris made it difficult to identify for many, many years. Different body parts were found independent from one another, and were actually attributed to several different animals, including Jellyfish and Crustaceans. While the first fossils were discovered in 1892, it took until 1985 for scientists to realize all of those fossils belonged to the same animal!

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Status : Extinct, lived during the Cambrian ~500 million years ago
Location : Worldwide
Size : Length up to 1m
Classification : Class : †Dinocaridida -- Order : †Radiodonta
Family : †Anomalocarididae -- Genus : †Anomalocaris
Images : Worldlesstech

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Ox Beetle

The Ox Beetle is a species of Rhinoceros Beetle that can be found in North, Central, and South America. They are medium-sized for their subfamily-- only growing to about 4cm in length, as opposed to their largest cousins which can be half a foot long! Interestingly though, they are still one of the largest Beetles in North America.

Ox Beetles  are sexually dimorphic, with males having much larger horns. There are actually two different types of male-- one with very large horns (the "major" variety) and one with shorter, stubbier ones ("minor").

Both sexes are great diggers, and they even bury their eggs underground. The Beetles typically stay in their larval stage for about a year, and during that time they feed on decaying vegetation. As adults they will only live 4-6 months (typically during summertime), and spend that time breeding and eating leaves and fruit.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : North and South America
Size : Length up to 4cm
Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Insecta -- Order : Coleoptera
Family : Scarabaeidae -- Genus : Strategus-- Species : S. aloeus
Image : Shawn Hanrahan

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Dark Sword-grass

Meet the Dark Sword-grass, a moth that can be found in temperate regions all around the world, and which also happens to be quite the pest while in its larval stage.

Many moth species stick to a specific plant-type while in their larval stage. Not so for this insect! They feed on grasses, weeds, fruits, grains, vegetables, and many, many other plants. Understandably, they can be quite the pest in agricultural areas. They like to feed on the crops near ground level, which can very quickly kill the plant!

As adults they are far less damaging-- they consume flower nectar. Their adult stage also has the interesting distinction of being one of the fastest flying insects! They can sustain ground speeds of 70mph!

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Worldwide
Size : Wingspan up to 5cm

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Insecta -- Order : Lepidoptera
Family : Noctuidae -- Genus : Agrotis -- Species : A. ipsilon

Image : M. Virtala

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Julia Butterfly

The Julia Butterfly is an insect with a very large range that spreads from the southern United States all the way down to Brazil. They are residents in most of their range, though in the U.S. they sometimes move north to Midwestern states during the summer.

Both male and female Julia Butterflies are orange, though the males are more vibrant. They have a black border that runs around the edge of the wing, though the exact pattern varies with the subspecies.

You'll find Julia Butterflies living in grasslands and near forest edges. They are fast flyers, and as adults they scurry about in the daytime in search of both mates, and nectar to feed on. As caterpillars they consume Passion Vines.

Julia Butterflies are not listed by the IUCN, but they are abundant through most of their range. The population only really dips when it gets to the fringe areas.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : North and South America
Size : Wingspan up to 9cm

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Insecta -- Order : Lepidoptera
Family : Nymphalidae -- Genus : Dryas -- Species : D. iulia

Image : A Machado

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Eurypterus

Eurypterus sp.

The world of the Silurian period was very different from the world of today. Most noticeably, there were no land animals. All of the living animals could be found underwater, populating the oceans that covered many of our present continents.

In these oceans you could find all sorts of primitive life. Bony fish were just starting to make their appearance on the evolutionary timeline, for example. You could also find a massive array of invertebrates, including the members of the genus we'll be learning about today-- Eurypterus.

Eurypterus includes 15 different species of Sea Scorpion, all of whom lived between 432 and 418 million years ago. Their fossils have been uncovered in what is now eastern North America and Europe, and interestingly the first fossils dug up were confused for Catfish bones!

When we think about Scorpions today, we imagine small arachnids that are about the size of your hand. Eurypterus was much, MUCH larger. On average, the different species measured 1-2ft in length. However, the largest fossil showed a creature that was over 4ft long!

Eurypterus had a body made up of two segments-- the prosoma and the opisthosoma. The former contains the head, thorax, and appendages that are used for walked, eating, and swimming. The latter is segmented and contains the gills and reproductive organs.

Members of the genus were opportunistic feeders-- they both hunted and scavenged. While they could swim using their large paddle-like appendages, they did not swim in order to hunt. Eurypterus walked along the sea floor when it was searching for food.

The Eurypterus genus only lasted for 14 million years, which is a short amount of time when compared to other members of its Order. Amazingly though, despite that short amount of time they are the most represented Eurypterids in the fossil record-- nearly 95%!

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Status : Extinct for 418 million years
Location : Europe, North America
Size : Length up to 4.3ft (1.3m)

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Merostomata -- Order : †Eurypterida
Family : †Eurypteridae -- Genus : †Eurypterus

Image : Funkmonk

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17 Year Cicada

Magicicada septendecim

There are a handful of Cicacads known as "periodicals," and the 17 Year is the largest and most northern living of the group.

These insects get their name from their long and unusual life cycle. For seventeen years you will never see them. The entire population will live underground as Juveniles, and then all at once they emerge as adults to breed and start the cycle over. And interestingly, though they live nearly two decades as juveniles, their adult life lasts only a few weeks-- just long enough to breed and lay eggs.

The timing of the cycle depends on the specific population. For example, one brood near by home state appeared way back in 2002, while another was more recent in 2007. One of the New England broods is even scheduled for 2013. People in North America have been tracking these Cicadas since 1715!

Unfortunately, their long reproductive cycle puts them in conservation trouble. If something were to happen to a brood it could be totally disastrous. For this reason they are listed as Near Threatened.

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IUCN Status : Near Threatened
Location : North America
Size : Length up to 1.5in (4cm)

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Insecta -- Order : Hemiptera
Family : Cicadidae -- Genus : Magicicada-- Species : M. septendecim
Image : Martin Hauser

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Timema Stick Insects

Timema genevieve

Timema is the genus name for a group of 20-odd stick insects that are all found within the western United States. Most of these species live in the state of California, and a few others are found in neighboring states.

Like all Stick Insects, the members of the Timema genus are all very well camouflaged. They resemble small, stout, sticks and branches, and range in color and size depending on the species. All of these critters are nocturnal, so their coloration is especially important since they need to hide out and rest during the daytime. At night they come out to feed on different shrubs and trees.

One absolutely remarkable feature of this genus is that it is the earliest, most basal branch of the living Stick Insect groups. This means that they have a few very primitive traits that are all their own. For one, their legs only have three segments, instead of five. Secondly, about 1/4 of the species are asexual, and are able to reproduce through Parthenogenesis (females lay eggs that do not need to be fertilized by males). Two of the species exclusively reproduce asexually, and have been doing so for over a million years!

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : United States
Size : Varies

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Insecta -- Order : Phasmatodea
Family : Timematidae -- Genus : Timema
Image : Paradise Reserve

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Common Pillbug

Armadillidium vulgare

Despite the name, the Common Pillbug is not a bug at all. It is actually a Crustacean! They live on land (unlike many of their more well known relatives) and feed on decaying plant matter.

Common Pillbugs are named for their ability to roll up into little balls when they are alarmed. Interestingly, their genus name Armadillidium, is named for another rolly-polly creat
ure-- the Armadillo!

These critters are found in abundance throughout continental Europe and the British Isles. They have also been introduced to parts of North America. They live on land, and hide in dark, moist places during the daytime hours.

Many Crustaceans breed in water, but not these Pillbugs! They actually reproduce on land, and pay their eggs in large sacs. The eggs incubate within those sacs, and tiny juvenile Pillbugs emerge from the sac fully formed.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Europe
Size : Length up to 18mm

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Malacostraca -- Order : Isopoda
Family : Armadillidiidae -- Genus : Armadillidium -- Species : A. vulgare

Image : Folini

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Death's-head Hawkmoth

Acherontia lachesis

The common name of today's animal actually can be applied to all three species within the genus Acherontia. One of the three lives in Europe and Africa, while the other two call Asia their home. All are very similar in size and appearance, and all actually are able to mimic the scent of bees so that they can enter hives unnoticed to steal honey-- interesting!

Death's-head Hawkmoths get their ominous sounding names from the human skull-like patterns that are found on the thorax. Because of their appearance they have long been associated with evil and death. Their genus name even derives from the name of a river that is said to be a branch of the river Styx. The three species names-- atropos, styx, lachesis-- all relate to the underworld.

Another feature that has given these insects a creepy reputation? They shriek. When threatened they expel air from their pharynx, created a very eerie high pitched squeaking noise.

The Death's-head Hawkmoth has appeared in art and literature, including the novel Dracula and in works by Poe and Dali. It is also the iconic moth found on the poster for the film The Silence of the Lambs, though the skull on that image is actually a derivation of a Salvador Dali work.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Africa, Europe, Asia
Size : Wingspan up to 5in (13cm)

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Insecta -- Order : Lepidoptera
Family : Sphingidae -- Genus : Acherontia

Image : Mosmas

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Argiope lobata

Argiope lobata

Argiope lobata is a species of spider with a range that extends across Africa, and into southern Asia and even parts of Europe. They are not dangerous to humans.

These spiders can be identified by their silvery abdomens that are ridged speckled with black. The males are quite small in size, measuring only 6mm. The females on the other hand, can reach up to 25mm and are more noticeably colored.

Argiope lobata, like all members of its genus, builds zig-zag patterned webs. They also build thicker white lines, called stabilimentum, into their webs. These lines help to camouflage the spider from prey, but also make the webs noticeable by larger animals (so that they don't get destroyed).

When it comes time to breed, the male spiders will build webs next to the females. After mating, the female will place her egg sac on the web, and this sac can contain as many as 1,400 eggs. Interestingly, the eggs hatch during the autumn months, but to stay warm the tiny spiderlings remain in the sac through winter, emerging when it is warm again in spring.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Africa, Europe, Asia
Size : Body length up to 6mm (males), 25mm (females)

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Arachnida -- Order : Araneae
Family : Araneidae -- Genus : Argiope -- Species : A. lobata

Image : Ester Inbar

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Koa Bug

Coleotichus blackburniae

The Koa Bug is the largest species of true bug that is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. They can be found on all of the main islands of the chain, living in Koa trees and `a`ali`i bushes.

Like all true bugs, Koa Bugs have no chewing mouth parts. Instead, they have a little tube-like mouth part that they use to get inside the seeds of their host plants. Once inside, they suck out the insides.

Kos Bugs are also members of the "Jeweled Bug" family, Scutelleridae. Because of this they sport an enlarged, sheild-shaped thorax. However, the Koa Bugs are different from many of their cousins because they do not have the ability to secrete a stinky, defensive chemical. They are sometimes called "Stinkless Stink Bugs".

Unfortunately, the Koa Bug populations are being hurt by some introduced species. Non-native Stink Bugs made their way to the islands and started to cause damage. To get rid of those invasive bugs, a Stinkbug-eating Fly was brought in... only it can't tell the difference between the native and non-native bugs. Though you can still find Koa Bugs on most of the larger islands, the population is declining.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Hawaii
Size : Body length up to 15mm

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Insecta -- Order : Hemiptera
Family : Scutelleridae -- Genus : Coleotichus -- Species : C. blackburniae

Image : Libraries Impact Learning

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Yellow Sac Spider

There are a couple of species that go by the common name "Yellow Sac Spider," but the specific one that we will be talking about today is Cheirachanthium punctorium (what a mouthful!)

These spiders, which are found in Central Europe and Asia, grow to about 15mm in length. They get their name from their yellow coloration, and from their egg-laying behavior.

Females build large (compared to their bodies) egg sacs in the grass, and they defend these 4cm long pouches very aggressively. And their aggression should be taken somewhat seriously! Their bites can actually pierce human skin, and cause reactions similar to a wasp sting in most humans (though some people will of course react in worse way).

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Europe, Asia
Size : Body length up to 15mm

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Arachnida -- Order : Araneae
Family : Miturgidae -- Genus : Cheiracanthium -- Species : C. punctorium

Image : Rainer Altenkamp

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Franklin's Bumblebee

Bombus franklini

When we hear about endangered creatures, the most prominent species in the spotlight tend to be bird, mammals, and other large vertebrates. But there are certainly endangered invertebrates as well, and the Franklin's Bumblebee is one of them.

No one has actually seen one of these bees since 2006, when a survey turned up only one worker. They live in a very small range between Oregon and California, and actually have the smallest range of any Bumblebee in the world.

The decline for Franklin's Bumblebee has been swift. They were still abundant back in the 1990s, but pesticides, habitat loss, and the introduction of new diseases have been devastating. It is very possible that they are already extinct.

The Franklin's Bumblebee is not the only Bee in danger though. Colony Collapse Disorder has led to a 96% decline in Honey Bees across the United States. The spread of infected, commercially raised Bees is thought to be a major contributor to this catastrophe. Unfortunately, the Franklin's Bumblebee, due to its tiny range, may not have survived this huge drop, and could be gone forever.

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IUCN Status : Critically Endangered
Location : United States

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Insecta -- Order : Hymenoptera
Family : Apidae -- Genus : Bombus -- Species : B. franklini

Image : Thorp

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White Witch

Thysania agrippina

Thysania agrippina is a moth that goes by many different names-- "White Witch" is just one of them. Ghost Moth, Great Grey Witch, and Birdwing Moth are all common titles given to this moth species.

This particular Moth is one of the largest such insects in the entire world. They have wingspans that can reach 12in, which gives them the largest overall spread, though the Atlas Moth has a greater wing area. You may have noticed the relatively slim wings on the White Witch, which are speckled with white and grey.

Though the White Witch is not listed by the IUCN, it does have some local conservation designations. In parts of Brazil, for example, it is considered to be endangered. The species has a range that extends from southern Brazil all the way up to Texas, and they lay their eggs on plants within the Legume family.

Interestingly, this species was drawn several times by Maria Sibylla Merian, one of the famous Naturalists that we covered way back when!

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Central and South America
Size : Wingspan up to 12in (31cm)

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Insecta -- Order : Lepidoptera
Family : Noctuidae -- Genus : Thysania -- Species : T. agrippina

Image : David Bygott

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Lesser Diving Beetle

Acilius sulcatus

In its Western European range, Acilius sulcatus is reffered to as the Lesser Diving Beetle. These Water Beetles grow to around 20mm in length, and range in color from yellow, to brown, to black.

You will find these little Beetles, unsurprisingly  in bodies of water. They have the ability to fly, so they are not confined to a single source, and they prefer locations that are low in predatory fish. Because why live where you're going to get eaten?

If there are predators around, the Lesser Diving Beetles have a defensive mechanism. They are able to secrete a toxin that drugs their attacker and puts them to sleep! They are also very fast, and are one of the quickest of all the Water Beetles.

Lesser Diving Beetles have one brood each year, either in the spring or in the autumn. Adults in cold climates are able to survive the winter by hanging out in bodies of water that do not freeze.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Europe
Size : Length up to 20mm

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Insecta -- Order : Coleoptera
Family : Dytiscidae -- Genus : Acilius -- Species : A. sulcatus

Image : Commons

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