'SECTS IN THE CITY
Jane’s ‘Sects in the City columns provide a humorous, informative close-up and
colourful insight into the insect world. ‘Burke’s Backyard’ is one of Australia’s
best-selling lifestyle and gardening magazines.
Model Behaviour The preying mantis is definitely the supermodel of the insect world. ... the glamorous creatures stalking catwalks in London, Paris and Milan actually have a lot in common with the beautiful Green mantis, Orthodera ministralis that parades around my garden. For a start they both have lithe slender figures incongruous to their voracious appetites. The Green mantids are pest-culling machines and will outperform pesticides given the chance. The 4 to 5 cm long adults will not usually approach a victim more than half their size, which would be more than a little intimidating for a little fly (If you have ever been surrounded by a gaggle of 6 foot plus stilettoed, bewigged amazons you would understand this sort of intimidation perfectly!). There are other similarities. Mantids and models both love the green stuff – the former to hide in and the latter to roll in. ...Both of these creatures have fierce man-eating reputations, but in truth, this is not common practice. A few ferocious individuals may have given everyone a bad name! They are both great posers. The mantis is the only insect that can turn its head past the shoulder and has perfected the over-the-shoulder-smoulder with huge flirtatious eyes. These fragile, other worldly beauties are gorgeous to behold and the supermodels aren’t too bad either! |
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Stick with me! I have a complete passion for insects and they are a recurring theme in my artwork. My absolute favorite family of ‘bugjects’ is the Phasmotodeans, which we commonly refer to as Stick Insects. I used to photograph human stick insects on the European fashion catwalks, and I find the real thing just as beautiful, but just a little easier to work with! Stick Insects would have to be one of evolution’s proudest achievements. An arsenal of bumps and protrusions render each species virtually invisible in it’s habitat. They even mimic the movement of the leaves and sticks they eat and live amongst to complete a masterful illusion, so finding one of these gentle giants in the garden is always a privilege. Adults can regenerate lost limbs and antennae - although they may re-grow disproportionately smaller. So if you come across a stumpy legged one you know it had a close encounter of the carnivorous kind. ...If you are lucky enough to find one, return it to the nearest tree and leaf it be! |
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| Weevils not evil Just a few weevils give the rest a bad name ...Weevils conjure up dreaded thoughts of spoiled flour and cereals – but a few naughty species have given the rest a bad name. And when I refer to ‘the rest’ I am talking about 60,000 or so other named species! They are the largest family in the animal kingdom.... |
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| Damsels and Dragons These acrobats of the sky have been around a long time Dragons and damsels have a long history together that started well before knights in shining armour appeared! ...they even mate on the wing making them the founding members of the mile-high-club. ...The Dragonfly is a large and ferocious winged hunter, hence the name. ...Damselflies seem romantic souls, with their huge flirtatious eyes, shy smiles and pretty colours. Even their coupling is beatific,with the ‘mating wheel’ all Odonatarians form taking a distinct heart shape... |
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| Flying Colours This long distance adventurer travels in style .. Danaus plexippus, may look fragile, but it has a surprisingly robust constitution. ...the long mass migration it is famous for in its homeland where 10 to 100 million butterflies travel up to 4,000 km each year – imagine all the frequent flyer points! ...quite large with a graceful flight pattern and has been recorded at speeds of up to 40 km per hour. Whilst not up to speeding fine territory, they would outstrip most of us in a head-to-antennae marathon. |
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| The Teenage Rampage Hollywood doesn’t love all Australians… Australians are doing well very in California ...Hollywood types like Nicole, Mel, Heath and Russel. ...Antipodean Longicorn beetles have also been busily creating a big reputation for themselves in tinsel town. ...The attractive adult beetles don’t do much harm,...It ís the boring teenagers that damage the species reputation!... large jaws in constant motion followed by bottomless-pit stomachs. ... LA Eucalypts suffered at the hands of the teenage rampage. Experimentation with Aussie wasps with a penchant for nymph flesh ... has resulted in a Mexican stand-off (literally!) with the beetles rapid advance bought under control at the border. |
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| Bird, bug or beetle? They are not ladies either, but they are a garden favourite! Coccinellidae are commonly known as Ladybirds in the UK and Ladybugs in the Americas... as well as Lady Beetles. ...However these names are deceiving, as they are neither bird nor bug and are definitely not ladies either! Most of these cute rounded tanks are fierce predators with voracious 350-aphids-a-week habits, are prolific public fornicators and most can excrete a foul tasting paste from their leg joints if bothered – hardly ladylike behaviour! |
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