Generalized Insect Calendar – Carl Olson
January
A chill in the air keeps the bug life down
May see a scorpion slowly moving about, some flies lurking, mantid eggcases probably most easily found now with out leaves masking them.
Early Spring (February-March)
Aphids on Spring Annuals
Hippodamia convergens returns from mountains to lay eggs
April
Tent caterpillars begin silken tent construction on trees
Hippodamia larvae and pupae found on many plants
Tegrodera aloga, the iron cross blister beetle is seen on Eriastrum
Lytta magister, another blister beetle may be found in mating aggregations
Cysteodemus armatus found on western edge of Arizona
Buck moth larvae Hemileuca juno on newly leafed mesquite
Thasus gigas, giant mesquite bug newly hatched
Scorpions start being noticed around homes
Gibbium psylloides (Shiny spider beetle) seems to have a spurt of adult activity
Following good winter rains, a giant crane fly adult freaks the public, thinking giant mosquitoes are taking over
Leaf cutter ants may make a first major attack on exotic vegetation
Harvestor ants begin major work
Clover mites mass if long grasses cut near homes
Digger bees (anthophorids like Centris) emerge in quantity from soil nests to find mesquite, palo verde & ironwood
Trimerotropis pallidipennis grasshoppers have finished maturing and feeding on annuals and migrate, getting trapped in towns because of attration to lights during nighttime flights
Polistes begin nest building
Xylocopa (Carpenter bees) extremely active around the yellow blooms in the spring desert
Pinacate beetles wander the desert floors
May (Hot & dry, snowbird migration out of town begins in earnest )
Orange dog caterpillars (Papilio cresphontes or Giant Swallowtail) first being noticed on citrus)
A funny big-winged Otitid fly with dark costal bands, Diacrita costalis, shows up on screen doors displaying strange wing movements to attract attention
Hemileuca larvae done feeding on mesquite, move to soil to pupate
Male Pepsis wasps (tarantula hawks) mass around flowering palo verde in hopes of mate attraction
Giant mesquite bug nymphs (bright red & white) seen en mass on mesquites moving up and down during day depending on temperatures
Diceroprocta semicincta, dog days cicadas appear along with Cacama valvata the cicada that hangs around the cactus
When temps at night stay above 70, Triatoma rubida, the kissing bugs, fly and enter houses
Hippodamia adults leave town for the mountaintops, being nasty little biters when first arriving at the peaks
Occasional movements by American cockroach and springtails into homes to Beat the Heat (Tucson's cutesy slogan to conserve water while the builders sprawl)
After good spring annual growth, Nysius raphanus (False chinch bug) migrates from dead annuals into yards and then homes by the zillions and may continue into
June.
Diplotaxis and Polyphaga adults emerge and make life at the porch lights fun
June (hot & dry) Usually 100 degree days
Kissing bugs continue search for mates, food & you
Giant mesquite bugs become adults
Cicadas are busting a gut singing in hottest temps
Some of the adult ant lions and June beetles start showing up at porch lights
July (hopefully rains come)
Palo Verde Root Borer adults fly at dusk
Cotinus mutabilis (Fig beetle or July beetle) emerges and finds the figs or prickly pear fruit
Mosquitoes begin to find your ears at night
Fleas may become a problem for your pets
Swarms of Pogonomyrmex (harvestor ants) after mild rains, Acromyrmex swarms (leaf cutter ants) after torrential rains, Gnathamitermes swarm in afternoon during misty rains, Hetrotermes (subterranean termites) swarm after mild rains as wings fill swimming pools
When termite alates appear, so do giant carmine velvet mites to prey on them
Bug diversity fills the night, cicadas sing til dusk, crickets and katydids take over the music scene
Mamma scorpions seen with backfull of immatures
August
Continuation of July activity
In Payson/Prescott area in late August the Dynastes granti (Rhinoceros beetles) appear in great numbers
Tibicen cicadas going full basso voice in Prescott and mountain canyons in AZ
Dogday cicadas (Diceroprocta) about gone in hotter areas
If good rains, American roaches may seek drier climes near or in houses
Schools start, chiggar cases amongst kids has become a major cry as they roll in the unkempt school yards on edges of cities
Male tarantulas begin to move about seeking mates
Leptoglossus (Leaf-footed bugs) swarm on pomegranite fruits or Mexican bird of Paradise beans
September (hot & dry again)
Taeniopoda eques (Horse lubber) adults appear, sometimes in town. This is the big black and yellow hopper with green forewings and ping hind wings. Males are good flyers, females too fat and have shorter wings so just lumber along.
Also the Plains lubber, Brachystola magna adults make an appearance in numbers
Kissing bug adults may make a second major activity time
Migration of Springtails inside because it is too dry and hot outside-mistaken for fleas by public
Mud encrustations noticed on base of saguaro & palm trees, and other dead plant material encrusted by Gnathamitermes as desert cleanup begins in earnest for bugs.
Scorpions seem quite active now, hunting to store up food reservoir before winter
Where mulberries are grown, mulberry tussock moth helping to recycle the dying leaves before they drop
White-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata) caterpillars migrate from feeding sites across roadways to hopefully pupation sites, sometimes creating yellowish-green slippery roadways since cars don't stop for worms
Leaf-cutter ants make another major impact on plant material
October
Temps starting to cool, breaking the springtail migrations
Scorpions less prominent, hiding more, securing burrow or shelter for winter
Hemileuca juno adults emerge from pupa, mate and oviposit on mesquite
Puss moth caterpillars prominent on oak
Pogo ants start closing up nest sites
Mesquite twig girdler, Oncideres rhodosticta, is busily working by now, but the results may not show until next April when mesquite begins to leaf out again and dead twigs show up
November/December (hope for winter rains)
If rains come, may get a swarming or two of subterranean termites, esp. towards Yuma
Nighttime temps drop and activity very limited
Near streams Winter stoneflies will emerge
January
A chill in the air keeps the bug life down
May see a scorpion slowly moving about, some flies lurking, mantid eggcases probably most easily found now with out leaves masking them.
Early Spring (February-March)
Aphids on Spring Annuals
Hippodamia convergens returns from mountains to lay eggs
April
Tent caterpillars begin silken tent construction on trees
Hippodamia larvae and pupae found on many plants
Tegrodera aloga, the iron cross blister beetle is seen on Eriastrum
Lytta magister, another blister beetle may be found in mating aggregations
Cysteodemus armatus found on western edge of Arizona
Buck moth larvae Hemileuca juno on newly leafed mesquite
Thasus gigas, giant mesquite bug newly hatched
Scorpions start being noticed around homes
Gibbium psylloides (Shiny spider beetle) seems to have a spurt of adult activity
Following good winter rains, a giant crane fly adult freaks the public, thinking giant mosquitoes are taking over
Leaf cutter ants may make a first major attack on exotic vegetation
Harvestor ants begin major work
Clover mites mass if long grasses cut near homes
Digger bees (anthophorids like Centris) emerge in quantity from soil nests to find mesquite, palo verde & ironwood
Trimerotropis pallidipennis grasshoppers have finished maturing and feeding on annuals and migrate, getting trapped in towns because of attration to lights during nighttime flights
Polistes begin nest building
Xylocopa (Carpenter bees) extremely active around the yellow blooms in the spring desert
Pinacate beetles wander the desert floors
May (Hot & dry, snowbird migration out of town begins in earnest )
Orange dog caterpillars (Papilio cresphontes or Giant Swallowtail) first being noticed on citrus)
A funny big-winged Otitid fly with dark costal bands, Diacrita costalis, shows up on screen doors displaying strange wing movements to attract attention
Hemileuca larvae done feeding on mesquite, move to soil to pupate
Male Pepsis wasps (tarantula hawks) mass around flowering palo verde in hopes of mate attraction
Giant mesquite bug nymphs (bright red & white) seen en mass on mesquites moving up and down during day depending on temperatures
Diceroprocta semicincta, dog days cicadas appear along with Cacama valvata the cicada that hangs around the cactus
When temps at night stay above 70, Triatoma rubida, the kissing bugs, fly and enter houses
Hippodamia adults leave town for the mountaintops, being nasty little biters when first arriving at the peaks
Occasional movements by American cockroach and springtails into homes to Beat the Heat (Tucson's cutesy slogan to conserve water while the builders sprawl)
After good spring annual growth, Nysius raphanus (False chinch bug) migrates from dead annuals into yards and then homes by the zillions and may continue into
June.
Diplotaxis and Polyphaga adults emerge and make life at the porch lights fun
June (hot & dry) Usually 100 degree days
Kissing bugs continue search for mates, food & you
Giant mesquite bugs become adults
Cicadas are busting a gut singing in hottest temps
Some of the adult ant lions and June beetles start showing up at porch lights
July (hopefully rains come)
Palo Verde Root Borer adults fly at dusk
Cotinus mutabilis (Fig beetle or July beetle) emerges and finds the figs or prickly pear fruit
Mosquitoes begin to find your ears at night
Fleas may become a problem for your pets
Swarms of Pogonomyrmex (harvestor ants) after mild rains, Acromyrmex swarms (leaf cutter ants) after torrential rains, Gnathamitermes swarm in afternoon during misty rains, Hetrotermes (subterranean termites) swarm after mild rains as wings fill swimming pools
When termite alates appear, so do giant carmine velvet mites to prey on them
Bug diversity fills the night, cicadas sing til dusk, crickets and katydids take over the music scene
Mamma scorpions seen with backfull of immatures
August
Continuation of July activity
In Payson/Prescott area in late August the Dynastes granti (Rhinoceros beetles) appear in great numbers
Tibicen cicadas going full basso voice in Prescott and mountain canyons in AZ
Dogday cicadas (Diceroprocta) about gone in hotter areas
If good rains, American roaches may seek drier climes near or in houses
Schools start, chiggar cases amongst kids has become a major cry as they roll in the unkempt school yards on edges of cities
Male tarantulas begin to move about seeking mates
Leptoglossus (Leaf-footed bugs) swarm on pomegranite fruits or Mexican bird of Paradise beans
September (hot & dry again)
Taeniopoda eques (Horse lubber) adults appear, sometimes in town. This is the big black and yellow hopper with green forewings and ping hind wings. Males are good flyers, females too fat and have shorter wings so just lumber along.
Also the Plains lubber, Brachystola magna adults make an appearance in numbers
Kissing bug adults may make a second major activity time
Migration of Springtails inside because it is too dry and hot outside-mistaken for fleas by public
Mud encrustations noticed on base of saguaro & palm trees, and other dead plant material encrusted by Gnathamitermes as desert cleanup begins in earnest for bugs.
Scorpions seem quite active now, hunting to store up food reservoir before winter
Where mulberries are grown, mulberry tussock moth helping to recycle the dying leaves before they drop
White-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata) caterpillars migrate from feeding sites across roadways to hopefully pupation sites, sometimes creating yellowish-green slippery roadways since cars don't stop for worms
Leaf-cutter ants make another major impact on plant material
October
Temps starting to cool, breaking the springtail migrations
Scorpions less prominent, hiding more, securing burrow or shelter for winter
Hemileuca juno adults emerge from pupa, mate and oviposit on mesquite
Puss moth caterpillars prominent on oak
Pogo ants start closing up nest sites
Mesquite twig girdler, Oncideres rhodosticta, is busily working by now, but the results may not show until next April when mesquite begins to leaf out again and dead twigs show up
November/December (hope for winter rains)
If rains come, may get a swarming or two of subterranean termites, esp. towards Yuma
Nighttime temps drop and activity very limited
Near streams Winter stoneflies will emerge