Insect of the week (June 2, 2025)
Our insect of the week for June 2, 2025 is the clubbed mydas fly – Mydas clavatus (Drury, 1773) [DIPTERA: Mydidae]. It is native to central Illinois and was one of the first large flies which caught my attention as a young entomologist. Yes, they are large (up...
Insect of the week (May 26, 2025)
Our insect of the week is Promachus hinei Bromley, 1931 [DIPTERA: Asilidae]. It is a member of the same family we examined last week (the genus Laphria). Adult robber flies are often fast and loud. They capture other flying insects. This species often hangs from...
May, 2025 Field Trip
On May 17, 2025, we visited Henry Alan Gleason Nature Preserve (south and west of Manito, IL just off the Goofy Ridge blacktop). This is an area with immense sand dunes (deposited after the last glaciation). Many plants and animals which are more common in the...
Insect of the week (May 19, 2025)
Our insect of the week is Laphria thoracica Fabricius, 1805 [DIPTERA: Asilidae]. As you can see in this stacked photograph, it resembles a common eastern bumblebee (which it often eats). Although not common, it can be found in central Illinois from late May through...
Insect of the week (May 12, 2025)
We next turn our attention to the insect order Diptera (the true flies). I plan to spend a number of weeks on these insects. Obviously you are familiar with the blood suckers (such as mosquitos, deer flies, horse flies and black flies). There are roughly 120,000...
Insect of the week (May 5, 2025)
Our insect of the week is Feniseca tarquinius (Fabricius, 1793). [LEPIDOPTERA: Lycaenidae] This is a most interesting butterfly. Commonly called the harvester butterfly, it is the only carnivorous butterfly in North America. Larvae feed on various species of aphids....
April, 2025 Field Trip
We held our April meeting/ field trip at Merwin Nature Preserve in McLean County (Illinois). This nature preserve is located near the town of Lexington. The Mackinaw River flows through the preserve. We arrived at the preserv about 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 19....
Insect of the week (April 28, 2025)
Our insect of the week for April 28, 2025 is the promethea silkworm moth, Callosamia promethea [LEPIDOPTERA: Saturniidae]. It is also known as the spicebush silkmoth because caterpillars prefer to eat the leaves of spicebush. You often see cocoons hanging from host...
Insect of the week (April 21, 2025)
Our insect of the week for April 21, 2025 is the snowberry clearwing moth, Hemaris diffinis [LEPIDOPTERA: Sphingidae]. It is so names because adults lose the majority of scales on their wings shortly after they emerge from the pupal stage due to their very active...
Peoria approximella (a moth named in New York for Peoria, IL). Photo of Michigan specimen courtesy Jim Vargo (used with permission).