Spotted Wing Fruit Fly (Drosophila suzukii)

These images result from an assignment to photograph an invasive fruit fly that threatens fruit and berry crops. Unlike domestic fruit flies that typically attack decaying fruit, these prefer fresh and ripening fruit. They can turn a fresh berry crop into mush in just a few days. 


Originally called asian fruit flies, they are a new, invasive species that threatens agriculture across North America.


Fruit flies are tiny. Doing an insect portrait at this scale is a serious technical challenge, and I was unsure that I could pull off by the assigned deadline. I won't bore you with all of the technical details, but I used the same stacking technique discussed in yesterday's post.



portrait of a female spotted wing fruit fly (Drosophila suzukii)



portrait of a female spotted wing fruit fly (Drosophila suzukii)



portrait of a male spotted wing fruit fly (Drosophila suzukii)

Termites In The Air (Reticulitermes flavipes)

Thousands and thousands of termites filled the air on a warm, humid day. This phenomenon, while filling every homeowner with a sense of dread, is something to see. Hoping to get a photo of the colony from which all of the airborne termites were emerging, I took some time to locate the source, but by then, the emergence was mostly finished. This species must have contact with the soil to survive, so they are unlikely to inhabit a wood structure with a good, concrete foundation.


From AnimalsDiversityWeb: R. flavipes reproduce in swarms. Swarming occurs when a colony reaches a certain size and when temperature and moisture levels are favorable. Usually this occurs on warm days after rainfall. Some researchers speculate that swarming occurs after rainfall because the ground is moist, which make it easier to create a new nesting site (Benavides, 1988). Alates, winged swarmers, fly from their native nest until they hit a "fracture point" in the air. This causes their wings to fall off (Benavides, 1998) This flight is not considered a mating flight because R. flavipes are only sexually attracted to their mates after their wings have broken off (Light, 1922). Once they find a mate, which takes a while because the female is choosy, they walk together to find a suitable nesting site. They mate after they've built a "nuptial chamber" in their new nest (Benavides, 1998). At her peak a queen will lay an egg every 3 seconds, or 30,000 a day. She will lay 10's of millions of eggs during her life



subterranean termites (Reticulitermes flavipes) workers and winged reproductives



subterranean termites (Reticulitermes flavipes) beginning their reproductive and distribution flights.



subterranean termites (Reticulitermes flavipes) workers and soldiers in decaying wood

The Red Imported Fire Ant (Solenopsis invicta)

If you have ever been to the southern part of the United States, you probably learned early on that it is not wise to sit in the grass for a picnic, or any other activity. Thanks to this vicious little insect, the imported red fire ant, many outdoor activities take on a certain edge of risk.


These ants are tiny and hard to spot, and since their accidental introduction to the U.S. in the 1930's, they have become a major pest. With no native predators to keep them in check, their populations have expanded through the southern part of North America.


Their little nest mounds are everywhere, and easy to spot if you know what to look for.



imported red fire ant (solenopsis invicta) nest mound

If you agitate the nest mound at all, they emerge in mass to defend their home.



imported red fire ant (solenopsis invicta) defensive reaction

For such a small ant they pack a powerful sting.



imported red fire ant (solenopsis invicta)


Photographing the portrait below was not easy. I had to use a magnifying loupe to see which end of the ant was the front! 





imported red fire ant (Solenopsis invicta)