A Bug for Dan

[Dan From Smithville]

Is it true they also exude a noxious fluid from their knee joints, to deter adversaries?

I think I read this somewhere, but it might have been 1st of April.

Correct. And this lovely alkaloid-rich fluid from what has become the invasive Asian ladybird beetle impacts parts of the wine industry here in the US. They congregate anywhere including vineyards and are caught up in some of the harvest. A friend studied this and determined a threshold number of beetles per plant that negatively impact the flavor of wines from Minnesota.

 

[John53]

Is it true they also exude a noxious fluid from their knee joints, to deter adversaries?

I think I read this somewhere, but it might have been 1st of April.

That's fine, you've obviously done the work. "I think I read it somewhere" counts as years of scientific research on here.

 

[John53]

Correct. And this lovely alkaloid-rich fluid from what has become the invasive Asian ladybird beetle impacts parts of the wine industry here in the US. They congregate anywhere including vineyards and are caught up in some of the harvest. A friend studied this and determined a threshold number of beetles per plant that negatively impact the flavor of wines from Minnesota.

Do you happen to know if they were introduced accidentally or on purpose for pest control?

 

[exchemist]

That's fine, you've obviously done the work. "I think I read it somewhere" counts as years of scientific research on here.

Too true, Squire!

That's why I've now resolved to log on only occasionally, and make only sparing comments when I do.

 

[John53]

Too true, Squire!

That's why I've now resolved to long on only occasionally, and make only sparing comments when I do.

I have no life so can't escape. I will miss your posts.

 

[exchemist]

Correct. And this lovely alkaloid-rich fluid from what has become the invasive Asian ladybird beetle impacts parts of the wine industry here in the US. They congregate anywhere including vineyards and are caught up in some of the harvest. A friend studied this and determined a threshold number of beetles per plant that negatively impact the flavor of wines from Minnesota.

We have Asian Labybirds in the UK too now. They are orange with black spots instead of the red with black spots that the domestic varieties have. And they seem to outbreed them too. However I think the domestic ones also have this bizarre chemical weaponry in their knees. I wonder what the French and Italians do about it. I've never heard of it being a major issue in their wine industries.

 

[exchemist]

I have no life so can't escape. I will miss your posts.

Well mine is constrained at present by a nasty attack of "old man's trouble". Think I've got an infection in my prostate. So I'm stuck here, waiting for the late night NHS service to ring me back and hoping I can get a prescription for some antibiotics and then find a pharmacy that is still open. Of course Saturday night is the very worst time, so that, naturally, is when this blows up.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

Do you happen to know if they were introduced accidentally or on purpose for pest control?

Pest control, but have since risen to invasive status. Like in laws that have worn out the value of their welcome I suppose.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

Too true, Squire!

That's why I've now resolved to log on only occasionally, and make only sparing comments when I do.

You'd think at my age, I would have learned the wisdom of that, but I just can't seem to keep my thoughts shut down on certain topics.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

We have Asian Labybirds in the UK too now. They are orange with black spots instead of the red with black spots that the domestic varieties have. And they seem to outbreed them too. However I think the domestic ones also have this bizarre chemical weaponry in their knees. I wonder what the French and Italians do about it. I've never heard of it being a major issue in their wine industries.

I don't really know. I can speculate that native species are in check from existing ecology or don't possess the swarming character to the extent of the Asian ladybird species. I'm not sure how widespread the ability to exude toxins from the knee joints is, but it is in many species to my knowledge and the ability should be present in at least some European species.

It is a good question. Unfortunately, you have seen the extent of my knowledge on the subject in a couple of posts.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

Well mine is constrained at present by a nasty attack of "old man's trouble". Think I've got an infection in my prostate. So I'm stuck here, waiting for the late night NHS service to ring me back and hoping I can get a prescription for some antibiotics and then find a pharmacy that is still open. Of course Saturday night is the very worst time, so that, naturally, is when this blows up.

All the best on that and get well quickly. I too will miss your greater presence here. But I also understand the frustration of dealing with overnight experts. Apparently you can score some major qualifications from reading the blurbs on the back covers of books.

 

[exchemist]

All the best on that and get well quickly. I too will miss your greater presence here. But I also understand the frustration of dealing with overnight experts. Apparently you can score some major qualifications from reading the blurbs on the back covers of books.

Books? You're an optimist.

 

[John53]

This one was on the flyscreen of the back patio this morning. Perhaps a type of soldier fly?

The body is 25mm and 35mm including wings.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

This one was on the flyscreen of the back patio this morning. Perhaps a type of soldier fly?

The body is 25mm and 35mm including wings.

View attachment 83822

Cicada.

 

[John53]

Cicada.

I would normally have guessed cicada but I thought it was too small

 

[Dan From Smithville]

I would normally have guessed cicada but I thought it was too small

Size can be helpful and misleading. I noticed from your size estimates it seemed pretty small. There are some small species of cicadas. We have one here that is tiny compared to the others and I've never actually seen it in the wild. A friend gave me a couple of specimens he had collected.

 

[John53]

Size can be helpful and misleading. I noticed from your size estimates it seemed pretty small. There are some small species of cicadas. We have one here that is tiny compared to the others and I've never actually seen it in the wild. A friend gave me a couple of specimens he had collected.

I took the tape measure out and measured it.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

I took the tape measure out and measured it.

That works. More than I would probably do.

Who am I kidding. I would probably do that. too.

 

[John53]

Cicada.

Maybe a Yoyetta Celis Silver Princess (Yoyetta celis)

Any idea what the 3 red dots between the eyes are?

 

[Dan From Smithville]

Maybe a Yoyetta Celis Silver Princess (Yoyetta celis)

Any idea what the 3 red dots between the eyes are?

Could be. Have you seen this? A web guide to the cicadas of Australia

Those are ocelli (singular ocellus). They are simple eyes.