David Rogers’ Big Bugs + Pollinators: About the Bugs

As you explore David Rogers’ Big Bugs + Pollinators, take a moment to learn more about the beneficial insects and animals that inspired the artwork!

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Butterfly

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Bumblebees & Mason Bees

Ladybug

Praying Mantis


European Honeybee

Yellow Garden Spider

Daddy Long Legs (Opiliones)

Damselfly

Dragonfly

Butterfly

Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria Cybele)

Pittsburgh Botanic Garden’s different garden areas attract a variety of different butterfly species. Among the most common you will see are the Cabbage White (Pienis rapae), Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele) and the Monarch (Danaus plexippus).

Butterfly adults are characterized by their four scale-covered wings, with the scales giving butterfly wings their color. The scales are pigmented with melanins that give them blacks and browns, as well as uric acid derivatives and flavones that give them yellows; however, many of the blues, greens, reds and iridescent colors are created by structural coloration produced by the micro-structures of the scales and hairs. 

Common Butterfly Species in Western Pennsylvania:

Bronze Copper

Lycaena hyllus

Pearl Crescent

Phyciodes tharos

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Papilio glaucus

Compton Tortoiseshell

Nymphalis vaualbum

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Hummingbirds have varied specialized characteristics to enable rapid, maneuverable flight: exceptional metabolic capacity, adaptations to high altitude, sensitive visual and communication abilities, and long-distance migration in some species. Among all birds, male hummingbirds have the widest diversity of plumage color, particularly in blues, greens, and purples. Hummingbirds are specialized nectarivores tied to the ornithophilous (bird-pollinated) flowers upon which they feed. This coevolution implies that morphological traits of hummingbirds, such as bill length, bill curvature, and body mass, are correlated with morphological traits of plants, such as corolla length, curvature, and volume.

The only hummingbird generally seen in western Pennsylvania is the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. The brilliant red throat is found in males. All birds of this species display bronze and green feathers along their backs.

Hummingbirds do not spend all day flying, as the energy cost would be prohibitive; the majority of their activity consists simply of sitting or perching. Hummingbirds eat many small meals and consume around half their weight in nectar (twice their weight in nectar, if the nectar is 25% sugar) each day.

Bumblebees, Mason Bees and more

Flying insects are the most common pollinators of plants, with bees and butterflies topping the list. There are approximately 4,000 species of bees in North America and 400+ of them are native to Pennsylvania. The study of bees is called apiculture and beekeepers are called apiculturists. The European honeybee (Apis mellifera) is the most well-known pollinating bee.

Bumblebees are another common pollinator in western Pennsylvania gardens. There are 14 species of social bumblebees in Pennsylvania. The most common species is Bombus impatiens, the common eastern bumblebee. One species, the rusty patched bumblebee (Bombus affinis) is listed as endangered. Bumblebees usually nest in underground cavities, such as abandoned rodent holes, but occasionally nest higher up in cavity-like structures, such as hay bales.

Mason bees (Osmia) are another common pollinator bee in western Pennsylvania and play an important role, especially for many native plants, fruit trees and vegetable plants. The mason bee is a native bee that emerges early in spring, just in time to pollinate apple, cherry and plum trees. One type of mason bee, the blue orchard bee (Osmia lignaria), visits more flowers per minute than European honeybees and are more efficient at transferring pollen between flowers, bee researchers have found. They also don’t mind foraging on cold and cloudy days.

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Ladybugs

Ladybugs are in the family of Coccinellidae, a widespread family of small beetles. The family name of Coccinellidae is derived from the Latin word ‘coccineus’, meaning ‘scarlet’. They are commonly known as ladybugs and lady beetles in North America and ladybirds in the United Kingdom. The more than 6,000 described species have a global distribution and are found in a variety of habitats. They are oval beetles with a domed back and flat underside. Many of the species have conspicuous warning colors, such as red with black spots, that warn potential predators that they taste bad.


Most coccinellid species are carnivorous predators, preying on insects such as aphids and scale insects. They are promiscuous breeders, reproducing in spring and summer in temperate regions. Many predatory species lay their eggs near colonies of prey, providing their larvae with a food source. Like most insects, they develop from larva to pupa to adult. Temperate species hibernate and diapause during the winter. Coccinellids migrate between dormancy and breeding sites. 

Praying Mantis

Praying mantis are not pollinators, but are beneficial insects. Mantises are an order (Mantodea) of insects that contains over 2,400 species. Mantises are distributed worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. They have triangular heads with bulging eyes supported on flexible necks. Their elongated bodies may or may not have wings, but all Mantodea have forelegs that are greatly enlarged and adapted for catching and gripping prey; their upright posture, while remaining stationary with forearms folded, has led to the common name praying mantis.

Generally, mantises protect themselves by camouflage in foliage or other backgrounds. When directly threatened, many mantis species stand tall and spread their forelegs, with their wings fanning out wide. The fanning of the wings makes the mantis seem larger and more threatening.

Chinese Mantis

Non-Native
Introduced: 1896

European Mantis

Non-Native
Introduced: 1900

Montgomery Parks, MNCP - https://www.flickr.com/photos/mc_parks_mncppc/51306542126/in/photolist-2hN4szA-2gVmpLB-zLuvZZ-2maMrrj-2maR8jh-2maMrsr-2maSATe-2maMrtU-2maMrv7 Info Info
Narrow Winged Mantis

Non-Native
Introduced: 1926

Judy Gallagher - https://www.flickr.com/photos/52450054@N04/51315550247/in/photolist-2oQPpcF-2or4mEZ-2mbzBhk-2cAbmcP-2mmirxy-2jihXFq-2jJrDaU-2jikTgW-2mqAcS8-2mqEad1-xrEujY-doGzJ4-8RxGZW-8RsPf8-2k2cBsw-4vLQ8K-4vLQuv-CmAfLA-2nTbeEy-2mAtLzz-2nLXcMN-xcntrW-2mAM1kd-2pjmLCp-2nLymKg-aSxx7H-4vQToh-4vLMPV-4vLQFp-4vLMrx-4vQTyG-4vLMeF-LRUVde-2k28aTE-4vQVV3-4vLQLM-Wt6A9D-gH1yj-2p6kWxK-4FMMh6-p8kjzu-p8kjCW-2pe69u4-W5qq35-ass9cD-fUPzFJ-p7C9Fs-ZWBcDq-2n163pc-2ibir7G/ Info Info
Carolina Mantis

Native
Eastern United States

European Honeybee

The European honeybee (Apis mellifera) lives in colonies with a queen, worker bees (all female) and drones (males). European honeybee colonies produce honey, beeswax, propolis, bee bread and royal jelly. Pittsburgh Botanic Garden has three active honeybee hives in an apiary on the Meadow’s edge. Volunteer beekeepers help the Garden to maintain the hives, collect honey and assist the bees in overwintering. 

It is estimated that honeybees alone pollinate 80% of all flowering plants, including more than 130 types of fruits and vegetables. 

“Royal Jelly” is a honey bee secretion that is used in the nutrition of larvae and adult queens.

Yellow Garden Spider

Spiders (order of Aranae) are air-breathing anthropods that have eight limbs, fangs generally able to inject venom and spinnerets that extrude silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all orders of organisms. Spiders are found worldwide on every continent except for Antarctica, and have become established in nearly every land habitat and ecosystem. 51,673 spider species in 136 families have been recorded as of Nov. 2023. 

Common ways to tell a spider from an insect are:

  1. They have eight limbs instead of six.
  2. They do not have antennae.
  3. They have two (or sometimes one) body parts rather than three in insects.
  4. Their abdomens have appendages that have been modified into spinnerets extruding silk (threads for webs). 

Daddy Long Legs (Opiliones)

The creatures most correctly called Daddy Long Legs are in their own separate Order, Opiliones. Common names for this Order are Daddy Long Legs, harvestmen and opilionids. They are characterized by having one basic body segment which shows segmentation on the posterior portion, at most 2 eyes and all 8 legs attach to the pill-like body segment.

They are usually found under logs and rocks, prefer moist habitat although they can be found in the desert, often have long flexible legs (in the temperate northern hemisphere but there are also short-legged Daddy Long Legs). They do not produce silk so therefore they are never found in webs unless they are being eaten by spiders.

Harvestmen clean their legs after eating by drawing each leg in turn through their jaws. Predators of harvestmen include a variety of animals, including some mammals, amphibians, and other arachnids like spiders and scorpions. 

These arachnids make their living by eating decomposing vegetative and animal matter although are opportunist predators if they can get away with it. They do not have venom glands, fangs or any other mechanism for chemically subduing their food. Therefore, they do not have injectable toxins. Some have defensive secretions that might be toxic to small animals if ingested.

Damselfly

Damselflies are flying insects of the suborder Zygoptera in the order Odonata. They are similar to dragonflies (which constitute the other Odonatan suborder, Anisoptera) but are usually smaller and have slimmer bodies. Most species fold the wings along the body when at rest, unlike dragonflies which hold the wings flat and away from the body. Damselflies have existed since the Jurassic and are found on every continent except Antarctica. 

Damselflies tend to have smaller ranges than dragonflies. Most odonates breed in fresh water; a few damselflies in the family Caenagrionidae breed in brackish water.

Eastern Red Damsel

Amphiagrion saucium

Variable Dancer

Argia fumipennis

Powdered Dancer

Argia moesta

Dusky Dancer

Argia translata

Dragonfly

Dragonflies are flying insects of the suborder Anisoptera in the order Odonata. They are similar to damselflies (which constitute the other odonatan suborder, Zygoptera) but are usually larger and have thicker bodies. Unlike damselflies, dragonflies can have expansive ranges, even stretching across entire continents. The majority of dragonflies are native to the tropics with fewer species found in temperate regions. They become scarce in higher latitudes – for example, not being native to Iceland – but strong winds can sometimes blow more southerly species into northern climates.

43 species of damselflies and dragonflies have been identified in the state of Pennsylvania. Dragonflies found in Pennsylvania fall into one of the following groups: darners, emeralds, skimmers, clubtails, spiketails and cruisers.

Dragonflies (suborder Anisoptera) are heavy-bodied, strong-flying insects that hold their wings horizontally both in flight and at rest. By contrast, damselflies (suborder Zygoptera) have slender bodies and fly more weakly. Dragonflies are powerful and agile fliers, capable of migrating across the sea, moving in any direction, and changing direction suddenly. In flight, the adult dragonfly can propel itself in six directions: upward, downward, forward, backward, to left and to right.

The flight muscles need to be kept at a suitable temperature for the dragonfly to be able to fly. Being cold-blooded, they can raise their temperature by basking in the sun. Early in the morning, they may choose to perch in a vertical position with the wings outstretched, while in the middle of the day, a horizontal stance may be chosen. Another method of warming up used by some larger dragonflies is wing-whirring, a rapid vibration of the wings that causes heat to be generated in the flight muscles.