Tag: predatory insect
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Question of the Week – Wheel Bug
What is this mean-looking critter? The wheel bug (Arilus cristatus) is one of the most recognizable assassin bugs. It may be a mean-looking critter with a scary family name, but the wheel bug is beneficial. This unique insect is named after its gear-like “wheel” along its back. As one of the largest assassin bugs, it…
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Question of the Week – Chinese Mantid Ootheca
What is this thing that looks like a piece of foam stuck to a blueberry cane? This is the ootheca, or egg mass, of the Chinese mantid (Tenodera aridifolia). Chinese mantids are nonnative predatory insects that much larger than the native Carolina mantid. Mantids are generalist predators that will prey on just about any insect…
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Question of the Week – Lacewing Larva
What is this little critter? This is a lacewing larva, often called a trash bug or garbage bug. They collect insect molts, dead insects, bits of leaf debris, bark, lichens, spider webs, and other material from their environment. The material is woven and tied into a hemispherical mass and carried on their backs. The larvae…
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Question of the Week – Carolina Mantid
What insect is hiding in plain sight in this photo. The insect right in the middle of the photo that looks like a woody stem is a Carolina mantid (Stagmomantis carolina). The Carolina mantid is a native to South Carolina and is our official state insect. A few recognizable features of mantids include the long…
The South Carolina Grower 