![]() ![]() We captured them in glass jars and looked in amazement as we tried to figure out how their lights worked.įireflies are a good indicator species for the hea lth of an environment. They would come out at dusk and stay only for a few hours. Remember those nights of wandering outside in the spring and summer and being surrounded by amazing little flying strobe lights. Let’s be a kid again with the Firefly/Lightning Bug! They may not be the most loved bug in our state, but the Florida woods cockroach plays a crucial role in our ecosystem. However, they are primarily a detritivore since their diet consists mainly of organic waste and dead plant matter such as bark and leaves, thus returning vital nutrients to the ecosystem. They eat mold, moss, lichens, and other organic material found in dark, damp places. They can live for over a year.įlorida woods cockroaches rarely enter the home since abundant food is found outdoors. The nymphs undergo 6 to 8 weeks of molts before becoming adults. Without fertilization, only about 60% of the eggs are viable, and those that hatch will not live to adulthood. ![]() The egg cases contain an average of 20 to 24 eggs and will hatch after 50 days. With or without fertilization, the Florida woods cockroach produces an egg case known as an ootheca. ![]() This chemical secretion is used to ward off predators, and it stinks. Contact with the bug may cause skin irritation as they secrete a chemical from a gland under their abdomen. In modern times, it is normally used only by seafarers, “landlubbers.”įlorida woods cockroaches are usually found under palmetto leaves and decomposing matter. It means a big, clumsy, stupid person, also known as a lout or lummox. If their numbers are large enough, they can decimate a plant. Lubbers will bore holes throughout a plant regardless if they are vegetables, citrus, or ornamentals. This Grasshopper occurs in such large numbers in Florida that it can cause damage to your landscape’s plants. Lubbers are long-lived, and both the adults and the nymphs can be found year-round in Florida. After 2 days, the toxins in the lubber’s body will deteriorate enough for the prey to be consumed. Loggerhead Shrikes will capture the Grasshopper and impale it on thorns or barbed wire. Birds and lizards avoid them, but parasites will infect nymphs from the tachinid fly. Their bright color pattern is also a warning to predators that they are not good to eat. ![]() The Grasshopper’s diet is so varied that it is difficult for predators to adapt to the toxin produced. This chemical discharge repels predators and is manufactured from their diet. When alarmed, they will secrete and spray a foul-smelling froth. A month after the Grasshopper becomes an adult, they begin to lay their eggs.īoth females and males make noise by rubbing their front and hind wings together. There is no diapause in the egg development, and they take just 200 days to develop depending on temperature. The coloration of adults will vary throughout their lives as well, and they are often mistaken for different species. They will have 5-6 molts to develop their coloration, wings, and antennae. They are black with yellow, orange, or red strips. Nymphs have a completely different appearance from adults. ![]()
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