Black-Eyed Susan ~ Rudbeckia hirta
Rudbeckia is just starting to flower in open, sunny, dry locales. The bright yellow rays make excellent platforms for visiting insects. Some visitors are not only waiting for the central disk to develop its florets providing nectar and pollen, but for the bees it will attract.
Several of these Blister Beetles (
Nemognatha species) were aggregated on the flowers this week.
They have strange looking mouthparts consisting of long maxillae that they use to suck nectar.
There's another reason why they visit flowers although, "females lay eggs on flowers, larvae attach to visiting bees and are carried to visiting bee nests where they eat bee eggs and stored food." (
BugGuide.net)
Some of the first Jagged Ambush Bugs (
Phymata pennsylvanica) of the season are on the
Rudbeckia flowers. With their sickle-like enlarged forelegs, they wait for an unsuspecting insect to land on the flowers and 'ambush' them.
Oh no, I thought the Blister Beetles were good bugs. Darn it! I've never seen an ambush bug before. Wish other bugs would leave the bees alone, they have enough problems as it is. Thanks for the information.
ReplyDeleteAmy
I try not to classify good and bad insects, they all play an interesting and unique role in the food web. I'm sure there's an equal number of predators that they have to watch out for which keeps things in balance. :)
DeleteNow I know what the bug is that I took a photo of on my milkweed..this isn't good then...Michelle
ReplyDeleteAmbush bugs will hang out on any flower where bees or flies visit. There's several bugs and beetles that like feed on milkweed that are fascinating too.
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