Cicadas (two cicadas are in the insect collection in the Visitor's Center)
The high pitched whine coming from the trees along the boardwalk to the Visitors' Center is coming from male cicadas. See earlier reports for more information.
Butterflies and Moths
Flies (there is a large robber fly in the bottom right of the Visitor's Center collection)
Robber flies are still quite common along all the trails. See the June 1 - 14 sheet for more information.
Dragonflies and Damselflies (the Filigree Skimmer is in the middle of the collection)
The active orange-red ones seen flying near still waters such as Manzanita and Smith Springs are called Flame Skimmers. They also occur near the water in McKittrick Canyon. Less robust, the pencil thin damselflies occur in larger numbers than the dragonflies. The damselflies often have blue and black coloration. There are two damselflies below the Filigree Skimmer in the collection. Dragonflies and damselflies loose their vivid body colors when they die. See the June 14 - 21 information sheet for more information.
Tarantula Hawks
Most of the large black insects, commonly seen zipping along several feet above the vegetation, are tarantula hawks, one of the larger spider-hunting wasps. You can see their long legs trailing behind as they fly. Up closer, on plants or on the ground, you will notice that they have orange wings, and might also notice that their bodies are really a deep, rich blue not black.
Hunting females can often be seen along the trails, walking excitedly on the ground checking out holes, cracks and crevices, occasionally flicking their wings. The females are looking for tarantulas, particularly the larger female tarantulas. (A rather large female wasp faces off with a tarantula in a small display box below the cutout of the Soaptree Yucca in the display along the wall.) The female wasp will paralyze the tarantula, and eventually lay an egg on it. After the egg hatches, the developing wasp feeds on the spider, which is still alive. When the time is right, the juvenile wasp pupates (the pupa of a butterfly is called a chrysalis and that of a moth is contained inside a cocoon) and eventually emerges as an adult. The eaten-out skin is all that remains of the spider.
Adult wasps can also be found visiting flowers, feeding on nectar. It is only the juvenile wasp that feeds on spiders. NOTE - female tarantula hawks have a potent sting.
Grasshoppers
At least seven kinds of grasshoppers in various stages of development can be found along the trails right now. The most common ones are adult band-winged grasshoppers. These grasshoppers are cryptically colored and often difficult to find when they are on the bare ground, not moving. When they fly, you can sometimes notice flashes of bright colors, mainly oranges and yellows around here, coming from their back wings. These grasshoppers can make a crackling sound when they fly.
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