One of the remarkable species that feeds on June bugs is Pelecinus polyturator. It is a large wasp about seven centimetres long that primarily reproduces asexually, and is found from northern Argentina to southern Canada.
Pelecinus polyturator uses its long ovipositor to lay its eggs into white grubs, which eat and kill their host after hatching. Much of the discussion around entomophagy eating insects in North America is centred on industrially reared insects like crickets and mealworms. Wild-foraging insects can also play an important role in supplying insects for human consumption, as is the case with June bugs.
Historically, the Bear River people in northwestern California ate fire-roasted June bugs. Today, many people collect adult June bugs from lights or dig larvae from the soil for recipes. If you come across an adult June bug this spring, maybe give it a closer look. This chunky insect could very well be older than any of the babies and toddlers in your life. If you squish it under your foot, you might be saving your lawn from the wrath of hungry white grubs, but you also might be robbing a barred owl , a pelecinid wasp, or your neighbour of a protein-rich morsel.
Edition: Available editions United Kingdom. Wonder What's Next? Find out tomorrow in Wonderopolis! Find a friend or family member to help you explore the following activities: Ready to put what you learned today into practice?
Be like a scientist and observe bugs in their natural habitat. Wait until dark and then head outside to observe some bugs up close.
Turn on a light and see what types of bugs are attracted to the light. How do the bugs behave? Do they seem confused? How does what you observe relate to what you learned today? Share your findings with a friend or family member. Does it really bug you when you see a bug, but you don't know what kind of bug it is?
That's bugs us! Don't worry, though! Thanks to the Internet, you can figure out what kind of bug is bugging you. Jump online to check out Bug Guide to help you identify unknown bugs you've seen! Up for a challenge? Pretend to be a bug! You can be any kind of bug, as long as it's a bug with positive phototaxis. Write a story from the bug's point of view, explaining what it is about light that draws you in. Is it the heat? The bright light?
Maybe the promise of meeting another bug? Or could it be for some reason scientists haven't uncovered yet? Be as imaginative as you can be. Draw your reader in with a clever hook to start your story. Be sure to share your story with a friend or family member and ask them how they might help you to improve it.
Did you get it? Test your knowledge. What are you wondering? Wonder Words bug light guide path moth porch insect constant angle motion natural artificial mesmerized confusing frustrating phototaxis navigational ultraviolet Take the Wonder Word Challenge. Join the Discussion. Nov 23, Hi chancey! DigitalToucan Oct 29, Nov 5, Feb 26, Cameron Oct 31, Nov 1, Riley Mar 1, Before the introduction of artificial lights, nocturnal insects such as most moths evolved to use natural light sources such as the moon or stars in order to navigate.
These insects navigate by keeping themselves aligned at a certain angle relative to a light source. This is because the angle to the light source changes as the insect passes the source, so in an attempt to keep themselves aligned the insect ends up flying round in circles.
The entire situation is, no doubt, very confusing for the poor little things. This theory has a couple of problems , however, since unnatural light sources such as man-made fires have been around for thousands of years.
We therefore might expect that natural selection would have plucked out the insects that engaged in this suicidal behavior. Another idea is that seeing an unobstructed light source indicates that the pathway is clear, therefore the insects fly directly towards it in an attempt to avoid obstacles. By Melanie Clarke September 1, Get home decor deals instantly!
Melanie Clarke has been a Freelance Writer for over nine years and possesses degrees in both Creative Writing and Journalism. As a recent first home buyer, she is obsessed with all things related to home improvement and always has a DIY project in the pipeline.
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