![]() This cicada prefers to eat the sap of oak trees. Scientific name: Anisomorpha buprestoides. This is the most common stick insect in Florida, and can be found feeding on leaves of trees and shrubs. Luckily, bites to humans from the species are uncommon. The brown recluse possesses a powerful venom and can give a serious bite. ![]() Only the extreme northwest portion of the Florida Panhandle lies within the natural range of this spider. They are voracious eaters of tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant and peppers in back yard gardens and can quickly defoliate these plants.īrown Recluse Spider. Tomato hornworms are large caterpillars that are the larvae of the Five-Spotted Moth. Scientific name: Manduca quinquemaculata. It is a vector for several diseases, including equine encephalitis. This mosquito was first documented in Florida in 1986. It is one of the most well-known hard ticks and is a vector for Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia.Īsian tiger mosquito. This tick is common throughout the eastern and southern United States, to include Florida. Only females can sting.Īmerican Dog Tick. They sometimes bore holes in wood dwellings, becoming minor pests. It is often mistaken for a large bumblebee, as they are similar in size and appearance. Females are capable of an extremely painful sting, hence the ant’s nick-name “cow killer”.Įastern Carpenter Bee. This insect is actually a wingless species of wasp, attaining an approximate length of 0.75 in (1.9 cm). Scientific name: Dasymutilla occidentalis. A yellow fever vaccine was developed by 1937.Įastern Velvet Ant. Yellow fever became a scourge of the tropics and neotropics until effective mosquito control was instituted after about 1900. It can spread the dengue fever, chikungunya, and yellow fever viruses, along with other diseases. This mosquito is an invader from Africa which hitched a ride to the New World with the slave trade. Mole crickets burrow beneath the turf, feeding on the roots of the grass, causing damage to lawns. It is fairly large-about 3–5 cm (1.2–2.0 in) long, and can be found in yards all over Florida where turf-grass is planted. This insect is an invasive species from South America. The moth’s larvae mines the leaves of citrus trees, severely impacting the Florida citrus industry. This moth is an invasive species from Asia that first entered Florida in 1993. These termites can seriously damage a wooden structure in as little as 3 months.Ĭitrus Leafminer. It is often nicknamed the ‘super-termite’ because of its destructive habits. An invasive species from Asia, which arrived in Florida around 1980. Fire ants give a painful sting that often leaves a swollen pustule on the skin.įormosan Subterranean Termite. Fire ant mounds can be found in back yards all over Florida. The fire ant is native to South America, but has become a pest in the southern United States. Females are noted for carrying their young on their back. They are beneficial in that they consume insect pests for food. Though they look ferocious, they shy away from humans. These large spiders can reach 25 mm (0.98 in) in size. The flies can become so bad that it affects tourism.Ĭarolina wolf spider. The small flies are affected by wind currents, and how the winds blow can determine how bad the biting will become. In northwest Florida, stable flies will conglomerate in large numbers in seaweed washed-up on the shoreline and attack humans who venture too close. It mostly attacks dogs and cattle, but will also bite humans. This biting fly originated in Asia, but now can be found worldwide. Their peak season in Florida is April through June. Yellow flies are ferocious biters, with female flies needing a blood meal in order to develop their eggs after mating. They leave small red welts where they bite. They are a nuisance to people outdoors who might spend time near shorelines or wetland areas when winds are calm. They are so small that you can’t see them (hence the nickname ‘No-See-Um’). These are the biting midges of the genus Culicoides 47 species of which are known to occur in Florida. It is found mostly outdoors, where it eats detritus and leaf-litter, but occasionally will sneak into houses. This large cockroach grows to a length of 30–40 mm (1.2–1.6 in). The following is a sampling of the 30 insect species most common to our state. Many of the invaders affect Florida residents and its environment in a negative way. Many insects are considered invasive species that arrived in Florida by accident or were intentionally introduced. Some of them eat the plants we consider important, and some of them bite, sting, or try to feed on us. They all eat something, and whether humans call them “pests” depends on how they impact our lives. Which are the most common bugs of Florida? Florida has at least 12,500 insect species.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |