Stars and Stripes in the Bug World

Who Are the Stars of the Bug World?

There are some bugs named after stars you might recognize, like the Bumba lennoni (the John Lennon spider)

Or the Scaptia beyonceae (Beyoncé horse fly)

A scientific name that honors a specific person is called a patronym, and the bug world has a few of them, like the Funkotriplogynium iagobadius (James Brown, mite; iago meaning James, and badius meaning Brown.)

These stars of the bug world may be named after some iconic singers, but I doubt you want to get close enough to them to get an autograph! 

The real star of the bug world has to be the dung beetle — the bug that dances with the stars!

Science Daily  hosted a story of a recent research project that found that dung beetles use the stars to navigate their way. It says; “An insect with a tiny brain and minimal computing power has become the first animal proven to use the Milky Way for orientation . . . dung beetles use the gradient of light to dark provided by the Milky Way to ensure they keep rolling their balls in a straight line and don’t circle back to competitors at the dung pile.” And their system involves “dancing” with the stars when they are atop their dung balls to orient themselves.

Now, What About the Stripes?

Some of the most striking insects are those who flaunt their stripes. 

The Cucumber Beetle

Although some species of cucumber beetles can be spotted, and although they can cause a lot of damage to vegetable crops, those that are stripped sure know how to strut their stripes. As stated at gardentech.com “Adult beetles damage all plant parts above the soil line, feeding on fruits, soft new shoots, flowers and leaves. Their striking coloration makes them easy to see as they feed.”

Giant Sphinx Caterpillar

This striped caterpillar turns into a large moth with a wingspan of over a foot!

The Giant Sphinx is also a stinging species of caterpillar. Leafyplace.com teaches us that “Fine urticating hairs cover the caterpillar’s body and can cause skin irritation when handled. This is also one of the few caterpillar species that bite if caught.”

Striped Albatross Butterfly

This is a common butterfly in Singapore and is often seen in the middle of downtown traffic. The Striped Albatross Butterfly eats a plant called Purple Cleome which is abundant in Malaysia where the species established itself 50 years ago. 

Stars and Stripes Forever

At Fox Pest Control we are proud to wave our stars and stripes this July. But of all the Stars we love, we think our Technicians are the Super Stars! They are there when we need the Fox Home Protection Plan so we can celebrate that those bug stars and stripy bugs are not in our homes! Hats off to our Heroes!

And during July you can get $25 off our Yard Enjoyment Plan by using Promo code: YARD25

Fox Pest Control. No Bugs. Simply Better.