Month: August 2022

2022 Insect Reflections

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This was another great year to observe insects in the vicinity of the Sun Foundation. Many, many thanks to the Ericksen family (especially Bob and Joan) for sharing their enthusiasm for the natural world with so many others. Also, many thanks to the instructors and teaching assistants for inviting me into their classes to discuss the world of insects (and to take the time to examine what can be found at the Sun Foundation). This remains the basis of my citizen scientist project to better document the insects found in central Illinois.

Here is a recap of all the orders and families encountered during one week in June, 2022. I find this to be an amazing list. Keep in mid we are only looking at orders and families of insects. Think if we could identify all to the species level.

Here are the taxon totals for the week (not bad for a few hours of observations each day):

  • 12 orders of insects encountered
  • 82 families of insects encountered

The next time I offer these insights, I plan to also link to an iNaturalist project (Insects of the Sun Foundation). This was created in June, 2024 [updated June 4, 2024]. I set the parameters for this project to include all of Marshall County, Illinois (as some insects may not be readily observed in the confines of the Sun Foundation, but may occur nearby).

Order Coleoptera (beetles)

Order Dermaptera (earwigs)

Order Diptera (flies)

Order Hemiptera (true bugs) 

Order Hymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps)

Order Lepidoptera (butterflies, moths, skippers)

Order Mantodea (praying mantis)

Order Mecoptera (scorpionflies)

Order Neuroptera (net-winged insects)

Order Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies)

Order Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets)

Order Phasmatodea (walkingsticks)

Insect Insights

2022 ASIW Day 5 – June 17

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During the last day of Art and Science in the Woods this year, I visited the Patchwork class in the morning and the Paint on the Path class in the afternoon. As I did previous days, I spent roughly 2 hours with each class. We searched for insects by walking the paths near the Sun Foundation, sweeping and beating vegetation and observing insects in flight and on plants. Students had the opportunity to participate in another round of insect bingo (the winner in each class gets to select a prize). I separated the insects observed for each class below.

Insect taxa encountered – Patchwork Class

This list of insect taxa observed is arranged alphabetically by order and family within each order. These are the families of insects we observed during this class. Each link will take you to a page explaining more about that group of insects.

Totals for the morning – 9 orders, 40 families of insects. This list does not include non-insect arthropods we observed (such as spiders, ticks, centipedes, millipedes and their relatives). I think this was the diversity record for an individual class during this entire week. Well done students and teachers!

Order Coleoptera (beetles)

Order Diptera (flies)

Order Hemiptera (true bugs)

Order Hymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps)

Order Lepidoptera (butterflies, moths, skippers)

Order Mantodea (praying mantis)

Order Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies)

Order Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets)

Order Phasmatodea (walkingsticks)

Insect taxa encountered – Paint on the Path Class

This list of insect taxa observed is arranged alphabetically by order and family within each order. These are the families of insects we observed during this class. Each link will take you to a page explaining more about that group of insects.

Totals for the afternoon – 8 orders, 28 families of insects. This list does not include non-insect arthropods we observed (such as spiders, ticks, centipedes, millipedes and their relatives).

Order Coleoptera (beetles)

Order Dermaptera (earwigs)

Order Diptera (flies)

Order Hemiptera (true bugs)

Order Hymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps)

Order Lepidoptera (butterflies, moths, skippers)

Order Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies)

Order Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets)

Insect Insights

2022 ASIW Day 4 – June 16

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On day 4 of Art and Science in the Woods, I visited the Draw and Sculpt class in the morning and the Coyote Games class in the afternoon. As I did for previous days this week, I spent roughly 2 hours with each class. We searched for insects by walking the paths near the Sun Foundation, sweeping and beating vegetation and observing insects in flight and on plants. I separated the insects observed for each class below.

Insect taxa encountered – Draw and Sculpt Class

This list of insect taxa observed is arranged alphabetically by order and family within each order. These are the families of insects we observed during this class. Each link will take you to a page explaining more about that group of insects.

Totals for the morning – 7 orders, 29 families of insects. As mentioned on prior days, this list does not include non-insect arthropods we observed (such as spiders, ticks, centipedes, millipedes and their relatives).

Order Coleoptera (beetles) 

Order Diptera (flies)

Order Hemiptera (true bugs)

Order Hymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps)

Order Lepidoptera (butterflies, moths, skippers)

Order Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies)

Order Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets)

Insect taxa encountered – Coyote Games Class

This list of insect taxa observed is arranged alphabetically by order and family within each order. These are the families of insects we observed during this class. Each link will take you to a page explaining more about that group of insects.

Totals for the afternoon – 7 orders, 27 families of insects. As mentioned on prior days, this list does not include non-insect arthropods we observed (such as spiders, ticks, centipedes, millipedes and their relatives).

Order Coleoptera (beetles)

Order Diptera (flies)

Order Hemiptera (true bugs)

Order Hymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps)

Order Lepidoptera (butterflies, moths, skippers)

Order Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies)

Order Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets)

Insect Insights