Discovering Bugs: Meet the Coolest Creepy Crawlies on the Planet
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COMMON EUROPEAN EARWIG FORFICULA AURICULARIA WHERE North America Europe and western Asia SIZE 12 20 millimeters about 1 2 inch LOOK FOR Reddish brown color flat body and pincers on the end of the body BUG BITE Despite the name earwigs don’t live in ears In fact they can live in a wide variety of environments and are found in many different parts of the world These distinctive little insects have pincers at the end of their bodies and the males generally have larger and more curved pincers than the females Although they can fly common earwigs rarely do These bugs can be a real pest They mostly come out at night and take shelter in dark damp places They can be very invasive if they take up residence in a house and will get into everything including floorboards household plants pantries and even furniture and clothing This bug is classified as invasive in North America and Australia 11
PEACOCK MITE TUCKERELLA JAPONICA WHERE Tropical climates SIZE 2 1 millimeter LOOK FOR Orange body leaflike appendages and long hairs on the end of the body BUG BITE These tiny bugs are too small to see well with the naked eye Their name comes from the leaflike parts all over their backs which resemble the tail of a peacock They have tails of long hair on their backs that are used like whips to fight off predators These mites are herbivores and prefer to live in warmer environments where they can feed on grasses or citrus fruits 12
ANTLION EUROLEON NOSTRAS WHERE All over the world but prefer warmer climates SIZE 15 12 centimeter 2 1 4 6 inch wingspan LOOK FOR Two pairs of narrow wings similar to a dragonfly in adults small body with three pairs of legs and pincers at the head in larvae BUG BITE These bugs have a stage four life cycle from egg to larva young to cocoon to adult While the adult antlion is nocturnal and very similar to a dragonfly the larva antlion is a ferocious bug The young antlions are ambush predators and will conceal themselves in a funnel like pit and wait for prey particularly ants to fall in The antlion larva is also sometimes called the doodlebug because the way it travels leaves a winding trail An ant left falls into the pit of the antlion larva right 13
