Is it just me or does it seem like Kansas has the creepiest of creepy crawlies? Back in the day when my brother was studying entomology for 4H, he would find the biggest, scariest and most colorful bugs all over the Sunflower State. Just what are these bugs? Are they going to eat you in your sleep? What do their markings mean? All of these questions (and more) will be answered as we explore 10 common bugs that you’ll find in Kansas.
1.) Arrow-shaped Micrathena Spider
Wikimedia Commons The Micrathena sagittata, or arrow-shaped micrathena, has a distinct yellow, black, and red arrow-shaped abdomen. The males grow up to 5 millimetres, the females to 9.
2.) Banded Woollybear Caterpillar Moth
Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons The Woolly Bear larva hatches from its egg in the fall; overwinters in its caterpillar form in the winter; and then thaws, emerges, and pupates into the Isabella Tiger Moth in the spring. Fun fact: some Isabella Tiger Moths can live through as many as 14 winters!
3.) Photinus pyralis Firefly
Wikimedia Commons The Photinus pyralis (or lightening bug) is essentially just a flying, light producing beetle with a unique light organ on the ventral side of its abdomen.
4.) Boxelder bug
Wikimedia Commons The Boisea trivittata (Boxelder) is commonly found on boxelder, maple, and ash trees, and feeds exclusively on maple seeds.
5.) Brown marmorated stink bug
Wikimedia Commons Newer to the Kansas area, the Halyomorpha halys was accidentally introduced to the United States in 1998 after hitching a ride in packing crates from Asia.
6.) Brown recluse spider
Wikimedia Commons The greatly feared Loxosceles reclusa is a poisonous spider with a distinct, violin-looking mark and an unusual three sets of eyes.
7.) Burying Beetle
Wikimedia Commons How did the Nicrophorus americanus get its name? Because it likes to bury the carcasses of small vertebrae, of course!
8.) Buffalo treehopper
Wikimedia Commons It’s not easy being green? The Stictocephala bisonia begs to differ, as it is able camouflage to resemble thorns and twigs.
9.) Camel Cricket
Wikimedia Commons The humpbacked Rhaphidophoridae are commonly found within caves, animal burrows, cellars, under stones, and inside of wood.
10.) June bug
Wikimedia Commons Why does the Sunflower State get so many stinking Phyllophaga in the summer? It’s because the females lay 60 to 75 eggs underground over a two week period. Yuck!!
Is your skin crawling yet?
Wikimedia Commons
The Micrathena sagittata, or arrow-shaped micrathena, has a distinct yellow, black, and red arrow-shaped abdomen. The males grow up to 5 millimetres, the females to 9.
The Woolly Bear larva hatches from its egg in the fall; overwinters in its caterpillar form in the winter; and then thaws, emerges, and pupates into the Isabella Tiger Moth in the spring. Fun fact: some Isabella Tiger Moths can live through as many as 14 winters!
The Photinus pyralis (or lightening bug) is essentially just a flying, light producing beetle with a unique light organ on the ventral side of its abdomen.
The Boisea trivittata (Boxelder) is commonly found on boxelder, maple, and ash trees, and feeds exclusively on maple seeds.
Newer to the Kansas area, the Halyomorpha halys was accidentally introduced to the United States in 1998 after hitching a ride in packing crates from Asia.
The greatly feared Loxosceles reclusa is a poisonous spider with a distinct, violin-looking mark and an unusual three sets of eyes.
How did the Nicrophorus americanus get its name? Because it likes to bury the carcasses of small vertebrae, of course!
It’s not easy being green? The Stictocephala bisonia begs to differ, as it is able camouflage to resemble thorns and twigs.
The humpbacked Rhaphidophoridae are commonly found within caves, animal burrows, cellars, under stones, and inside of wood.
Why does the Sunflower State get so many stinking Phyllophaga in the summer? It’s because the females lay 60 to 75 eggs underground over a two week period. Yuck!!
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