Backyard Bugs: An Identification Guide to Common Insects, Spiders, and More

by Jaret C. Daniels

Overview

Get to know the bugs in your backyard.

How many times have you seen a bug and wondered, “What in the world is that?” Here’s an easy and fun way to identify backyard bugs. Acclaimed entomologist and nature author Jaret C. Daniels presents a simple yet informative guide to backyard bugs of the United States and southern Canada. Featuring more than 150 species organized by where the bugs are generally found—such as at lights or on flowers—this fascinating book covers everything from ants to mosquitoes to spiders. Its easy-to-use format, full-color photographs, and neat-to-know information are handy for homeowners, gardeners, campers, and even children. As an added bonus, there are bug-related activities for families to enjoy. When you see a bug, look it up. You’ll be amazed by what you learn!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781591936855
Publisher:	Adventure Publications, Incorporated
Publication date:	05/16/2017
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	1,111,975
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 7.40(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Jaret C. Daniels, Ph.D., is a professional nature photographer, author, native plant enthusiast and entomologist at the University of Florida, specializing in insect ecology and conservation. He has authored numerous scientific papers, popular articles, and books on gardening, wildlife conservation, insects, and butterflies, including butterfly field guides for Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Ohio, and Michigan. He is also co-author of Wildflowers of Florida Field Guide and Wildflowers of the Southeast Field Guide. Jaret lives in Gainesville, Florida, with his wife, Stephanie.

Read an Excerpt

Bugs Found at Lights: Butterflies and Moths (Order Lepidoptera):

Underwing Moth 

Size: Variable; wingspan 1.5–3.0 inches

ID Tips: Variable; forewings typically dark with barklike pattern and hind wings with colorful bands

Range: Throughout the United States 

This is a highly distinctive and diverse group of moths with more than 100 species found in North America. Adults have stout bodies and dark, dull-colored forewings with mottled or barklike patterns that they hold over their back while at rest. As a result, they are highly camouflaged when sitting on tree trunks, a common location to find them during daylight hours. However, when disturbed, underwing moths quickly spread their wings to reveal much brighter hind wings below before flying off to a nearby tree. Colored with bands of red, pink, yellow, orange, and even white, this hind wing pattern, coupled with their rapid wing motion, may help to startle interested predators. The showy nature of this group has made them popular with collectors and naturalists alike. Active at night, underwing moths are commonly attracted to artificial lights or may readily be drawn to sugar baits.

Believe It or Not: Underwing moths have simple ears that enable them to hear the ultrasound of a night-hunting bat. This early detection helps them avoid capture; to do so, they either move away from the approaching bat or fly erratically. 

Giant Leopard Moth 

Size: Wingspan 2.5–3.5 inches

ID Tips: Large; elongated white forewings with a mix of solid black and hollow black spots 

Range: The eastern United States

With its bold white-and-black pattern, there is absolutely no mistaking this striking insect. The sizable giant leopard moths are common at artificial lights. If disturbed, they often drop to the ground and temporarily play dead. When doing so, they curl up their plump abdomens to reveal a bold-orange-and-iridescent-blue pattern, likely serving to scare off potential predators. If further molested, the moth secretes acrid yellow droplets from glands in its thorax. The large larvae are deep black with bright red rings on their bodies. They have a broad host range, feeding on a wide assortment of different plants and may readily move from one species to another. Fully grown larvae may reach three inches in length and are often spotted wandering along the ground in fall as they search for a protected site in which to overwinter.

Believe It or Not: Aptly named, the giant leopard moth is the largest tiger moth found in eastern North America.

Table of Contents

How to Use This Book 3

Insect Anatomy 6

The Head 7

The Thorax 7

The Abdomen 7

Stages of Development 8

What You Might Find 8

Where to Look for Insects 14

Beware of Bites and Stings 24

Bugs Found at Lights

True Bugs (Order Hemiptera) 26

Megaloptera (Alderflies, Dobsonflies, and Fishflies) 27

Butterflies and Moths (Order Lepidoptera) 28

Beetles (Order Coleoptera) 41

True Flies (Diptera) 45

Antlions, Lacewings, and Mantidflies (Order Neuroptera) 46

Spiders (Order Araneae) 48

Mayflies (Order Ephemeroptera) 49

Caddisflies (Order Trichoptera) 50

Stoneflies (Order Plecoptera) 51

Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids, Locusts, and others (Order Orthoptera) 52

Bugs Found in or Near Water

Beetles (Order Coleoptera) 54

Flies (Order Diptera) 55

True Bugs (Order Hemiptera) 56

Dragonflies and Damselflies (Order Odonata) 59

Bugs Seen in the Air

True Flies (Order Diptera) 68

Beetles (Order Coleoptera) 70

Bugs Found on Flowers

True Flies (Order Diptera) 72

Beetles (Order Coleoptera) 75

True Bugs (Aphids, Cicadas, and others) 81

Wasps, Bees, Ants, and Sawflies (Order Hymenoptera) 82

Spiders (Order Araneae) 92

Butterflies and Moths (Order Lepidoptera) 94

Bugs Found on Structures

Bees, Wasps, and Ants (Order Hymenoptera) 134

True Flies (Order Diptera) 136

Spiders (Order Araneae) 137

Bugs Found on the Ground

Sowbugs, Pillbugs, and Woodlice (Order Isopoda) 138

Beetles (Order Coleoptera) 139

Spiders (Order Araneae) 145

Bees, Wasps, and Ants (Order Hymenoptera) 146

Butterflies and Moths (Order Lepidoptera) 150

Millipedes (Order Julida) 152

Cockroaches and Termites (Order Blattodea) 153

Earthworms (Order Megadrilacea) 155

Vinegaroons (Order Uropygi) 156

Lacewings, Mantidflies, Antlions (Order Neuroptera) 157

Snails (Order Pulmonata) 158

Slugs (Order Soleolifera) 159

Earwigs (Order Dermaptera) 160

Harvestmen and Daddy Longlegs (Order Opiliones) 161

Centipedes (Class Chilopoda) 162

Grasshoppers, Crickets, and Katydids (Order Orthoptera) 163

On Vegetation

Aphids, Cicadas, and Others (Order Hemiptera) 164

Beetles (Order Coleoptera) 179

Butterflies and Moths (Order Lepidoptera) 186

Grasshoppers, Crickets, Locusts, and Others (Order Orthoptera) 202

Spiders (Order Araneae) 209

True Flies (Diptera) 211

Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) 213

Mantises (Order Mantodea) 214

Walking Sticks (Order Phasmida) 215

Fun and Family-Friendly Bug Activities 216

Easy

Netting Insects 216

Hunting for Wolf Spiders with a Flashlight 217

Butterfly Watching 217

Attracting Insects with a Black Light 217

More Advanced Projects

Moth Baiting 219

Native Bee Nest Box 219

Planting a Pollinator Garden 221

Rearing Caterpillars 222

Pitfall Trapping 223

About the Author 224