Myths, Misconceptions and Insect Lore

by Jean Godawa

In the early years of my career, when I visited nature and gardening groups or was invited to a classroom of eager six-year-olds, I was curious to hear the stories and background knowledge that people had about insects. Sometimes the stories were stated with such conviction that I had to go home and check through my textbooks to make sure I wasn't missing some obscure fact.

I did not enjoy telling a sweet child that the number of spots on a ladybug doesn't indicate its age or that earwigs don't crawl into your ear and nibble on your brain. When it comes to insects, I feel that knowing the straight-up facts makes people less afraid of them.

Myths and misconceptions about insects abound. Insect lore has a long historical tradition that is usually based on the predictive abilities, dangerous potential or valuable qualities of these fascinating creatures.

A common legend says that if a woolly bear caterpillar (Pyrrharctia isabella) with wide black bands crosses your path in the fall, it will be a long, harsh winter, especially if it is crawling in a southerly direction, trying to escape the northern cold. Narrower black bands, apparently, predict a mild winter.

As tempting as it would be to believe a simple caterpillar over complicated meteorological tools, sadly, the black bands on a woolly bear caterpillar have nothing to do with the upcoming winter. This caterpillar moults several times before it pupates and becomes the adult Isabella tiger moth. With each of the caterpillar's moults, the black bands get shorter.

There is, however, an insect that truly does have a bit of weather expertise. It may not be able to predict upcoming weather but it can tell you the temperature. If you count the number of chirps of the snowy tree cricket (Oecanthus fultoni) in a 13 second period, then add 40, you will get the approximate temperature in degrees Fahrenheit.

Long before we were measuring the outside temperature with cricket chirps, people looked to insects for other inspirations.

The ancient Egyptians had a particular affinity for a creature whose behaviour many of us would find repulsive. The scarab beetle rolls up balls of dung to bury and lay its eggs inside. Rather than seeing this as something disgusting, the Egyptians saw it as a symbol of the sun rolling across the sky. Since the young hatched from the dung ball, they interpreted it as a young sun god being reborn every morning. This god, Khepri, was often depicted as a man with a scarab beetle for a head.

Cricket cage of coconut shell and ivory from the Qing dynasty (Smithsonian Institution)

They may not be soft and cuddly like puppies or kittens but some insects are treasured pets. Valued by some Asian cultures for their melodious and calming chirp, crickets have been collected in cages for hundreds of years. Elaborately carved bone or wood cages have been found dating back as early as 960 A.D.

Another insect, cicadas, were also revered in Chinese culture as a symbol of rebirth and immortality. While too loud to keep indoors, they were sometimes kept in cages that hung from the eaves of the house or in tree branches nearby.

This attraction to insects is very much alive today. Bug markets in Shanghai and Beijing have become popular tourist stops where thousands of crickets along with some very decorative cages are sold. Many of these insects are used for sport rather than their soothing sounds, as cricket fighting has continued to be a popular pastime.

Thanks to a lazy grasshopper, I learned early that it was important to prepare for tomorrow. Many of us remember Aesop's story of the grasshopper who spent the summer singing and dancing while he watched the ants collecting food for the winter. When winter came, the grasshopper, near death, begged the ants for help, which they refused to give. Aesop was harsh!

Whether founded in observation or superstition, stories and beliefs about insects are just as common today as they were in antiquity.

I have been told many times that having a ladybug land on you is considered to be good luck. While not one for superstitions, I have to agree. Ladybugs eat plant pests which is definitely good luck for gardeners.

Post written by Jean Godawa

Jean is a science teacher and writer. She has been writing science-related articles for print and online publications for more than ten years. Jean holds a degree in biology and environmental science with a focus on entomology from the University of Toronto. She has also conducted field research in the tropical rainforests of Asia and South America.

Many thanks to Ken Sproule and Joseph Berger for allowing us to use their photographs in this post.

Bookmark this post with a Pin.

Five Garden Bugs You Need to get to Know

It is my pleasure to introduce you to Jean Godawa, a science educator and writer. Insects may be a tiny creatures, but that is not to say they don't have an important role to play in the garden. In her first post, Jean introduces us to five insects whose role in the garden is highly beneficial. Most importantly, Jean helps us to avoid misidentifying the less familiar larval form of these helpful insects as pests.

One of the hardest lessons for novice gardeners to learn is to embrace the presence of insects in the garden.  Of course we know that there are plant-destroying bugs that can wipe out some of our favourite flora, but there are other creatures that we should be welcoming into our gardens.  Acting as pollinators, predators and decomposers, beneficial insects are the master gardeners and we are just their apprentices.

Lacewing 

The aptly named, faery-like lacewing (Chrysopidae) has an appetite for plant-sucking aphids. Lacewings are common throughout North America and lay their eggs at the end of stalks, usually on the underside of foliage.

Larval form of green lacewing      

In its immature form, as well as adult, predatory lacewings protect plants from herbivorous insects.

Seven spotted ladybug larvae  

Ladybugs, also known as lady beetles or ladybird beetles (Coccinellidae) are one of the most easily recognized garden bugs. Like lacewings they help keep aphid populations in check. Their larvae however, are not so easily recognized and are sometimes mistaken for unwanted pests.

The colouring of these ladybug larvae along with the bright colours of their adult forms, acts as a warning. Ladybugs have a foul taste that protects them from birds, bats and other insectivores.

Hover fly   

The same yellow and black colour provides an advantage to several other insects. It’s difficult to tell the difference between a hover fly (Syrphidae) and a wasp. Up close, you can see that hoverflies, like all flies (Diptera), only have one pair of wings. All other winged insects have two pairs. The colouring mimics that of a wasp which helps guard against predators. Despite this warning, hover flies do not sting.

Hover fly larva on aphid infested plant

Hover fly larvae are predators of tiny plant-eating insects. Adult females hover over plants looking for a place to lay eggs. Plants with aphids, whiteflies or other pests are optimal as they provide a food source for her larvae once they hatch. As adults, hoverflies derive their energy from nectar and, in a small way, act as pollinators.

Braconid Wasp Cocoons on Sphynx Moth Caterpillar

Most of us are familiar with, and probably afraid of, the yellow and black colouring of another insect. Wasps, like hornets and yellow jackets, scare us away from outdoor fun, especially in late summer when they seem to be everywhere. But our bias towards wasps shouldn’t taint the whole group. There are thousands of species of wasps, particularly in the ichneumonid and braconid families that are immensely helpful in the garden and most of them do not sting. Braconid wasps act as control agents for particularly destructive creatures like caterpillars. The adult wasps lays eggs directly onto caterpillars and when the larvae hatch, they eat the caterpillar from the inside out.

Ichneumonid wasps   

Adult ichneumonid and braconid wasps can, in a small way, help pollinate flowers when they visit them for nectar, but it is their parasitizing larvae that are most helpful against pests.

Bumble bee  

Of course we could not discuss black and yellow insects without mentioning bees (Apidae). With their larvae safely protected in nests underground, in tree cavities or other protected spaces, adult bees forage for pollen and nectar throughout the garden. Their feeding activity pollinates the flowers of many backyard trees and garden vegetables, ensuring we have fresh foods like sweet cherries, flavourful herbs, plump tomatoes and Halloween pumpkins.

The recent decline in bee populations, particularly in honeybees, threatens even the smallest vegetable garden. Not only does bee pollination provide food for our table, it ensures that seeds form for future harvests. Create a bee-friendly garden by including their favourite plants, building a bee house and providing a small water source.

Recognizing these master gardeners and being able to distinguish them from unwanted visitors is just one of the important lessons we, as their apprentice, must learn.

Bookmark this post with a Pin.

Many thanks to Ken Sproule and David Cappaert for providing images for this post.

About Jean Godawa: Jean is a science teacher and writer. She has been writing science-related articles for print and online publications for more than ten years. Jean holds a degree in biology and environmental science with a focus on entomology from the University of Toronto. She had conducted field research in the tropical rainforests of Asia and South America.