Blue-winged Wasp (Scolia dubia), Glen Burnie, Maryland, September 2015. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.
Carpenter bee (ylocopa virginica) on Mexican sunflower, Kinder Farm Park, Millersville, Maryland, October 2018. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.
Carolina Mantid (Stagmomantis carolina), Baltimore, Maryland, September 2017. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.
Wall mural, Aliceanna St., Baltimore, Maryland, October 2011. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.
All insects noted below are native to Maryland.
Blue Dasher Dragonfly (Pachydiplax lonipennis), Baltimore, Maryland, August 2016. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.
Also members of the superfamily Vespoidea, wasps are close biological cousins to ants.
One member of the Formicidae family, the Red Imported Fire Ant (Solenopsis invica) from South America, is an invasive species in Maryland.
Assassin Bug (Family Reduviidae)
Assassin Bugs are "true" bugs, meaning that they have needle-like mouth parts or beaks and two pairs of wings. Assassin Bugs have long, narrow bodies, long legs, and thin wings. Some can be colorful, even bright red, while others are camouflaged in brown and black. Their size depends on the particular species, but they can be 0.3 to 1.5 inches in length. Usually found on plants or among leaves, they attack other insects, including aphids, caterpillars, and bees, hold them with their front legs and stab them with their curved beak in order to inject a toxic saliva and liquify the prey's tissue. While most species are not aggressive towards people and only will bite if disturbed, some are parasitic to people and can transmit disease. Also see: Wheel Bugs.
Bedbugs (family Cimicidae)
Like fleas, or ticks (class Arachnida), bedbugs are parasites, and feed by attaching to a host. Unlike fleas or ticks, however, bedbugs are not known to transmit diseases. Their name derives from the habit of infesting beds and other common areas where host bodies sleep.
Bumblebee on coneflower, Annapolis, Maryland, June 2011. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.
Honeybees in a honeycomb, Crownsville, Maryland, September 2014. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.
Bumblebee (Bombus), Thurmont, Maryland, July 2016. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.
Beetle, Gibson Island, Maryland, October 2019. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.
Fireflies live in temperate and tropical habitats, preferably in damp or humid areas. While some eat pollen or nectar, others eat insects or nothing at all.
Firefly (Lampyridae) beetle, Baltimore, Maryland, July 2015. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.
Butterflies & Moths (order Lepidoptera)
Cicadas (family Cicadidae)
Cicada (Auchenorrhyncha), Baltimore, Maryland, August 2015. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.
Eggs laid during a swarm are classified as Broods and given a number. For example, all species of cicadas born in 1998 belong to Brood XIX, whereas those born in 2004 belong to Brood X. There are twelve recorded 17-year cicada broods and three 13-year broods. Of the broods found in Maryland, Brood X is the largest. Brood XIX is the only 13-year brood in Maryland, and in 2004 was only recorded in St. Mary's County. Each swarm can reach billions of insects in a given area, with numbers climbing even higher when multiple broods emerge in the same year. Specific 13- and 17-year broods only will swarm together once every 221 years. Brood X and XIX are expected to next swarm together in 2089. Though vunerable during a swarm to the usual insect predators, such as frogs and birds, the species greatest threat may be the Eastern Cicada Killer (Sphecius speciosus), a wasp that burrows underground to prey on the dormant creatures between swarms.
Cicada (Cicadoidea) & its exuvia (exoskeleton), Baltimore, Maryland, May 2017. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.
Cockroaches (order Blattaria)
Crickets (superfamily Grylloidea)
Camel Cricket (family Rhaphidophoridae), Baltimore, Maryland, September 2016. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.
Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), Annapolis, Maryland, October 2011. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.
Chiggers (family Trombiculidae)
Chiggers are red mite larvae. Usually found on grass and other vegetation, the chiggers attach themselves to hosts, including people, and feed on tissue for up to several days before dropping off.
Most cicada species resemble each other, with black body, transparent wings, and an approx. length of 1.5 inches. They do not bite or sting, although pets may suffer gastric distress if allowed to eat too many during a swarm.
Swarms of cicadas (also known as periodical cicadas) appear in Maryland at verying intervals and last about six weeks. During this period, cicada youth, known as nymphs, mature, mate, and then die. Six individual species of cicadas are found in Maryland, falling into a 13- or 17-year hibernation cycle. Upon maturity, they emerge from the ground, and begin to swarm. Prior to emerging, cicadas largely feed on tree sap from the roots of deciduous tree.
Brood X: 1902, 1919, 1936, 1953, 1970, 1987, 2004, 2021, and next expected in 2038.
Brood XIX: 1907; 1920; 1933; 1946; 1959; 1972; 1985; 1998; 2011; and next expected in 2024.
Although there are approximately 4,500 individual species of cockroach, only four species generally are encountered in Maryland. The most common of these is the American Cockroach (Periplaneta americana). Despite its name, it is not native to the Americas. Introduced from Africa to the colonies in the 1600s, this species is found throughout the world. Nocturnal, the American cockroach is one of the largest species of cockroach, capable of reaching more than two inches in length. It has also been classified as one of the fastest land insects in the world, reaching a speed of 3.4 mph, or 50 body lengths per second.
Member of order Orthoptera, suborder Ensifera, crickets are close biological cousins to grasshoppers, and often mistaken for them. Crickets possess long antennae compared to their body length. Unlike grasshoppers, crickets are primarily nocturnal. Eggs are laid in fall, with females using their abdomen to bury the eggs. Usually buried in loose soil, some species of crickets are known to cut niches into trees or other plants to lay their eggs. Once hatching from their egg in the spring, crickets experience a series of molts. Known for its distinctive call, only the males chirp. This is done by rubbing wings together, not their legs, as is the common belief.
A distinctly unique member of suborder Ensifera, Camel crickets(family Rhaphidophoridae) visably resemble spiders. Known for their distinct humped back, Camel crickets range in color from bronze to dark brown, with patterns of spots or stripes of similar color. They possess long legs as well as antennae (the legs comprising over half their total length). Although there are larger species, Camel crickets generally do not exceed two inches in Maryland. Unlike other members of order Orthoptera, Camel crickets do not make chirping noises or possess wings. Instead, they are a jumping insect that often leaps towards its attacker as its defense mechanism. Also known as Cave crickets, this family is drawn to dark, damp areas, and needs a moist environment to reproduce. Though found in any dark, damp location, Camel crickets frequently nest in basements, garages, or even inside walls. Though menacing in appearance, Camel crickets do not pose a threat to humans or pets.
Damselflies & Dragonflies (order Odonata)
(more than 170 recorded species in MD)
Odonata are distinguished by their elongated bodies, large rounded heads, and two pairs of long, slender, transparent wings. They also possess long, dexterous legs that allow them to catch their prey while in flight.
Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa) dragonfly, Monkton, Maryland, July 2015. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.
One species, the Gray Petaltail, is endangered.
Dragonfly, Glen Burnie, Maryland, June 2011. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.
Fleas (order Siphonaptera)
Flies
Wingless parasites, fleas travel by jumping from host to host. Tiny insects, they measure only 0.06 to 0.12 inches long, and can leap up to 13 inches, over sixty times their length. As with most parasites, fleas feed by attatching themselves to animals, such as dogs or birds, piercing the skin, and sucking the blood. It is through feeding that the flea acts as a vector for diseases.
House flies (Musca domestica) can reach up to 0.25 inches long and have red eyes and four long, dark stripes on their bodies. Other flies include horse flies and deer flies. Horse flies (Tabanidae) can grow to 1 inch in length and are black or gray, while deer flies grow up to 0.5 inches and are black-brown with dark patches on their wings. While house flies are drawn to decaying vegetation or carrion, horse and deer flies feed on nectar, though females require blood to reproduce. Flies may serve as vectors for numerous diseases, and can be found almost anywhere.
Grasshopper, Baltimore, Maryland, July 2019. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.
Katydid (family Tettigoniidae), Baltimore, Maryland, August 2019. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.
Mantis (order Mantodea)
The only native species of mantid in Maryland is the Carolina Mantid (Stagmomantis carolina), although other exotic species are now found throughout the State. Carolina Mantids are carnivores that are harmless to humans and are commonly found in woodlands and meadows, though their populations are declining possibly due to presence of non-native mantid species.
Mantis on leaves of fig tree, Glen Burnie, Maryland, August 2011. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.
Brown Mantis on screen, Glen Burnie, Maryland, October 2011. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.
Large Milkweed Bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus), Parkville, Maryland, November 2018. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.
One major threat to native Maryland mosquitoes is the Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus).
Moths (order Lepidoptera)
see: Butterflies & Moths
Stink Bugs (family Pentatomidae)
Also found in Maryland, the brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) is an invasive species from Asia.
Termites (order Isoptera)
Members of Order Hemiptera, stink bugs (also known as shield bugs) are found throughout the world. They come in many forms, although all possess certain traits. Stink bugs bear five-segmented antennae from which their scientific name derives. They also have hardened wings that protect them on the ground. With most species, wings interlock with thorax plates forming an hourglass pattern on their backs. Glands located in the thorax produce a foul odor when they are startled or killed, thus their common name. In Maryland, native species as adults average a half inch in length. Feeding on crops and vegetation, stink bugs are generally harmless. However, this family is resistant to most pesticides, making them a much more destructive pest when they arrive in great numbers. For most species, the life span is one year, and they are most active between June and October.
Termites feed primarily on dead plant material: wood, fallen leaves, soil, and other organic detritus. This diet makes termites a pest insect that can seriously damage crops, as well as homes and property. Members of a caste system led by the queen, termites produce overlapping generations with workers to care for the young. Unlike many other caste system hives, termite nests may hold more than one egg-laying queen at a time. Lastly, the soldier class is primarily responsible for keeping intruders out of the hive. The largest threat to the hive is ants, although other insects may enter if openings are large enough. Sometimes called white ants due to physical similarities, termites are members of the infraclass Neoptera, and are more closely related to grasshoppers and earwigs. Besides color, one of the most differentiating traits is their antennae, which resemble a string of beads, and are slightly curved. Termites are tiny, generally some 0.25 to 0.37 inches in length, although a queen’s abdomen may distend before laying eggs. During this time, a queen’s total size may increase by over ten times.
Wasps (family Vespidae)
Only female wasps possess stingers, and may sting repeatedly, unlike bees. Both hornets and yellow jackets are classified in the wasp family. Another distinction is that wasp nests die out each year, with a single queen hibernating elsewhere over the winter to start a new colony the following Spring. Each year, a new queen is born to start the next colony. Although painful, allergic or hypersensitive reactions to wasp stings generally affect only one to two people in a thousand.
Blue-Winged Wasps (Scolia dubia), Glen Burnie, Maryland, September 2014. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.
Also members of the superfamily Vespoidea, ants are close biological cousins of wasps.
Wheel Bug (Arilus cristatus)
Wheel Bugs are large Assassin bugs which can reach up to 1.5 inches in length. They have long, dark, camouflaged bodies, with a spiked "wheel" or crest on their backs and thin wings. They have six long legs and two scent glands, orange-red in color, which can produce a strong odor if disturbed. Their larvae, once hatched, have dark bodies, but red abdomens and antenna tips. Usually found on plants or among leaves, Wheel Bugs are predatory, attacking other insects, including caterpillars, grasshoppers, and stink bugs, and stabbing them with their beak in order to inject its toxic saliva and liquify the prey's tissue. While they are not generally aggressive towards people, if mishandled, they have an extremely painful bite. Also see: Assassin Bugs.
Yellowjackets (genus vespula, Dolichovespula)
Two genus within the wasp family (Vespidae) are collectively known as yellowjackets. Though each possesses differing traits and habits, both bear similar abdomen coloration and patterns. In Maryland, the most common species is the Eastern Yellowjacket (Vespula maculifrons). Approximately half an inch in length, these yellowjackets prefer nesting in the ground, but also may be found inside attics, basements, garages, or any other protected area where they can gain acces.
Another species native to Maryland, the Bald-Faced Hornet (Dolichovespula maculata), despite its name, actually is a yellowjacket. This species differs from most yellowjackets in that its patterns are very light yellow, bordering on white, and are only found on its face and at the tip of its abdomen. This distinction led to its name.
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