Bugs; those icky things that never fail to give you the creeps. They seem like needless pests but they’re actually really important to our ecosystem. They hunt invasive species, recycle carrion, and pollinate flowers of all varieties. Here are some Oregon-native insects help us out, but of course still look, well, scary.
- Blue-Eyed Darner dragonfly
“Dragonfly 9-13-05 Morro Bay, CA cce2-dragonfly-3829-9-13-05-20x16” by “Mike” Michael L. Baird. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons I wouldn’t want to be in the same room as this guy.
- Buffalo Treehopper
“Stictocephala bisonia qtl4” by Quartl - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons With tiny, green horns that resemble those of a bison, this insect is aptly-named.
- Candy-Striped Leafhopper
“Graphocephala coccinea Kaldari 02” by Kaldari - Own work. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons This little critter loosely resembles a candy cane… And it’s also sweet, sort of. It’s known to excrete a sugar-like substance at other bugs.
- European Cabbage White Butterfly
Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons Don’t be fooled by the charming appearance of this winged creature. It’s really a pest.
- False Bombardier Beetle
“Galerita bicolor” by Bob the Wikipedian - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons These insects look a lot like another species of beetle that are known to explode. These are the false starter versions.
- Giant Leopard Moth
“Giant leopard moth 20050612 173823 1.1300x1210”. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons Underneath its white and black wings is a body of bright red.
- Goldenrod Crab Spider
“Misumena.vatia.beute.wespe.1771”. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons This spider is bright yellow, but it manages to blend in with the flowers it rests on.
- Great Golden Digger Wasp
“Sphex ichneumoneus” by Tom D. Schultz - [1]. Via Wikimedia Commons When you think of wasps, you think of dangerous, biting little beasts. These are quite harmless, actually.
- Red-legged grasshopper
“Melanoplus femurrubrum 20070903” by Gilles Gonthier - FlickR (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gillesgonthier/1313458182/). Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons Check out the legs on this one.
- Tri-Colored Bumble Bee
“Orange-belted Bumblebee” by D. Gordon E. Robertson - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons How does a photography get such a close-up shot of a busy bumble bee like this?
So now you know a little trivia about those creepy little critters that make you squirm. Which are the worst in your book? Tell us about them in the comments below!
“Dragonfly 9-13-05 Morro Bay, CA cce2-dragonfly-3829-9-13-05-20x16” by “Mike” Michael L. Baird. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
I wouldn’t want to be in the same room as this guy.
“Stictocephala bisonia qtl4” by Quartl - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
With tiny, green horns that resemble those of a bison, this insect is aptly-named.
“Graphocephala coccinea Kaldari 02” by Kaldari - Own work. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
This little critter loosely resembles a candy cane… And it’s also sweet, sort of. It’s known to excrete a sugar-like substance at other bugs.
Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Don’t be fooled by the charming appearance of this winged creature. It’s really a pest.
“Galerita bicolor” by Bob the Wikipedian - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
These insects look a lot like another species of beetle that are known to explode. These are the false starter versions.
“Giant leopard moth 20050612 173823 1.1300x1210”. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Underneath its white and black wings is a body of bright red.
“Misumena.vatia.beute.wespe.1771”. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
This spider is bright yellow, but it manages to blend in with the flowers it rests on.
“Sphex ichneumoneus” by Tom D. Schultz - [1]. Via Wikimedia Commons
When you think of wasps, you think of dangerous, biting little beasts. These are quite harmless, actually.
“Melanoplus femurrubrum 20070903” by Gilles Gonthier - FlickR (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gillesgonthier/1313458182/). Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Check out the legs on this one.
“Orange-belted Bumblebee” by D. Gordon E. Robertson - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
How does a photography get such a close-up shot of a busy bumble bee like this?
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
