Field Guide

The swift crab spider has many spiny hairs covering the top of its body and legs, and it often has a light pinkish-tan cast.

Red-headed ash borers resemble wasps, but they are harmless to people. The colors and markings are distinctive. Their larvae feed on a variety of dead or dying hardwoods, helping the decomposition process and enriching the soil.

The two-lined spittlebug is a common member of the froghopper family. The two lines may be red, orange, or yellow. Some individuals are all black, except for the red eyes.

The adult dogwood spittlebug has distinctive black and yellow markings. It feeds on dogwoods, blueberries, and their relatives.

The arabesque orbweaver is a common orb-weaving spider in Missouri. The coloration is quite variable, but the slanting dark marks on the abdomen help to identify it.

Nut and acorn weevils, in genus Curculio, have very long, narrow beaks and chunky bodies. Females bore tiny holes into developing acorn, hickory, or other nuts, and deposit their eggs within.

The cocklebur weevil is about ¼ to ½ inch long. The larvae bore inside the stems and roots of cocklebur, ragweed, and other plants in the sunflower family.

The longlegged flies are a large, diverse fly family. They often have eye-catching metallic green, copper, bronze, or blue bodies and long legs. Their delicate wings are often clear and look iridescent in bright light, but many species have dark marks near the wing tips.

Earthworms are familiar to just about everyone who digs in the soil. They play a major role in the nutrient cycling and structure of soils. There are many species. The most familiar ones in Missouri are nonnative.

Plant bugs, or mirids, are a huge family of true bugs. They are often overlooked — except by gardeners and farmers. Most mirids eat plants, and some are agricultural pests. As a group, they’re an important food source for birds and other insectivores.