Insects and their constructions
Often while walking in the park we do not notice the insects but instead the immobile indicators of what they construct or leave behind. Both can be found below. More will be added as they are caught on camera.
| Common and scientific name | Details | Photos |
|---|---|---|
Black Winged Damselfly Calopteryx maculata |
common along park streams in summer. |  |
Polyphemus Moth Antheraea polyphemus |
Type of giant silkworm moth |  |
Beech Gall Midge Hartigola annulipes |
Small elongated galls are created by the sap-sucking midge larvae. |  |
Eastern Tent Caterpillar Malacosoma americanum |
This moth is a small and inconspicuous as an adult but as a social caterpillar they are very noticeable in their silken tents in the crooks of tree branches. These tents can be seen in the spring and can vary in number from year to year. |  |
Eriophyid mite (Willow Blister Gall) Family: Eriophyidae |
These tiny insects feed on the leaves of the willow and cause the plant to curl and distort to form a protective chamber. The galls tend to be red/rust colored. |  |
Golden Paper Wasp Polistes fuscatus
|
Usually found solitary, this non-aggressive wasp is seen in the summer tending its paper nests. Here pictured on a Chinese chestnut. |  |
Water strider Family:Gerridae |
Seen in large numbers on the streams in summer striding on the waters surface. Currently genus and species are unknown, probably a few different ones. |  |