Common name : Flax looper moth Scientific name : Orthoclydon praefactata Family : Geometridae Native to : New Zealand Interesting fact : Due to its special diet where it feeds only on flax leaves, this specific moth has been nicknamed ‘flax looper moth’. With a wingspan of 45 mm, the flax looper moths are sexually dimorphic, […]
Common name : Flatworm Scientific name : Platyhelminthes Family : Platyhelminthes Native to : Worldwide distribution Interesting fact : Unlike most other living creatures, the flatworms are invertebrates, which have no specialized respiratory organs; nor do they have more than 1 digestive cavity. They can only take in oxygen through the process of diffusion. Their
Common name : Field grasshopper Scientific name : Corthippus brunneus Family : Acrididae Native to : Europe, North Africa, Temperate Asia Interesting fact : During courtship, the male attracts the female by singing, and if the female is interested she responds by singing a similar sounding song. 18 to 24 mm in length, the field
Common name : Cupboard spider, False katipo (New Zealand) Scientific name : Steatoda capensis Family : Theridiidae Native to : South Africa Interesting fact : The bite of the false katipo spider is said to be extremely painful in humans. Weirdly it can cause depression for an entire day. Very similar in size and shape to
Common name : Fairy fly Scientific name : Mymaridae Family : Mymaridae Native to : South America, New Zealand, Australia, North America Interesting fact : Known to have been around for a very long time, one of the species of the fairy fly is world-renowned as the smallest insect with a body length of only
Common name : European corn borer Scientific name : Ostrinia nubilalis Family : Crambidae Native to : Europe Interesting fact : A pest to the maize and corn plants, this moth was introduced to the United States, from where it has spread further to the Rocky Mountains and Canada. Only 1 inch in length and 1
Common name : European earwig Scientific name : Forficula auricularia Family : Forficulidae Native to : Indo-West Pacific region Interesting fact : Stories revolving around how the earwig uses its pincers to go into a human’s ear and travel into the brain are just superstitions created on account of this bug’s appearance. About 15 mm
Common name : Eucalyptus longhorned borer Scientific name : Phoracantha semipunctata Family : Cerambycidae Native to : Australia Interesting fact : This beetle has become a huge pest to the eucalyptus trees in California, after it was introduced into Southern California in the 80’s. Eucalyptus trees which are suffering from drought, have been freshly cut.
Common name : Gum emperor Scientific name : Opodiphthera eucalypti Family : Saturniidae Native to : Australia Interesting fact : The emperor gum moth was the first insect to have been successfully used in the development of continuous insect cell cultures. With a large wingspan of 150 mm, the emperor gum moth has a multi-coloured
Common name : Seashore earwig Scientific name : Forficula auricularia Family : Dermaptera Native to : America, Africa, Eurasia, Australia and New Zealand Interesting fact : The earwig has a unique pair of membrane-like wings which are under the forewings, giving it the name ‘skin wings’. The earwig is about 50 mm in length, and is
Common name : Dung beetle Scientific name : Scarabidae Family : Scarabaeoidea Native to : Worldwide distribution Interesting fact : The dung beetle is the only known animal which apparently navigates using the Milky Way as a guide. Not more than 3 cm in length, the dung beetles are classified into rollers, tunnelers and dwellers. True
Common name : Bread beetle Scientific name : Stegobium paniceum Family : Anobiidae Native to : Worldwide distribution Interesting fact : This particular beetle has an affinity for pharmaceutical products such as dried herbs, plant materials used in medicines, spices and at times even for bread and biscuit crumbs. Similar in appearance to the cigarette
Common name : Dew-drop spider Scientific name : Argyrodes antipodiana Family : Theridiidae Native to : Australia Interesting fact : Due to its small shiny body, this spider has been nicknamed the ‘dew-drop spider’. Less than 3 mm in size, the dew-drop spider can be found living in the webs made by other spiders. It does
Common name : Desjardin’s flat beetle Scientific name : Cryptamorpha desjardinsi Family : Silvanidae Native to : Australia Interesting fact : The Desjardin’s flat beetle has an interesting mating ritual, whereby the beetles face in opposite directions, with one running forward and the other backward. 5 mm in length, this flat beetle is yellowish with
Common name : Damselfly Scientific name : Suborder Zygoptera Family : Odonata Native to : Worldwide distribution excepting Antarctica) Interesting fact : These beautiful insects have been around for millions of years. Their existence can be dated back to the end of the Paleozoic era. With the exception of a few families, damselflies are similar in