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Common Name: Praying mantid
Order: Dictyoptera
Family: Mantidae
Photo Credit: John Obermeyer, Purdue University
Pest Status: The praying mantid is considered a highly beneficial
insect, because it is an effective predator.
Appearance: Adults are quite large, some over 3 to 4 inches long.
The body is tan-brown with the longitudinal forewing’s outer
margins edged in a pea-green color. They have a large head borne
on a greatly lengthened prothorax. The raptorial forelegs are often
held in a “praying position” and are armed with spines to help
capture prey.
Life Cycle: One generation develops each season. In the fall,
females lay eggs in large, tan frothy masses, glued to tree twigs,
plant stems, and other objects. Overwintering occurs in the egg
stage. Tiny nymphs emerge from the egg mass in the spring or
early summer.
Where to Collect: Adults are active in late summer and early fall
and are usually found on plants that host other insects.
Common Name: Red-legged grasshopper
Order: Orthoptera
Family: Acrididae
Pest Status: Red-legged grasshoppers are plant feeders and can
cause damage, usually during dry years.
Appearance: The red-legged grasshopper has a reddish-brown
back, a yellow belly, and bright red hind legs. It can range in length
from ¾ to 1½ inches.
Life Cycle: This grasshopper overwinters as eggs in the soil. Eggs
hatch throughout the spring and early summer. Nymphs feed and
grow for about a month, molting five or six times. Mature grasshoppers
mate and continue feeding on crop plants. About two
weeks later, the females begin to deposit clusters of eggs in the soil.
Where to Collect: This grasshopper prefers areas of low,
moist soil.
Photo Credit: John Obermeyer, Purdue University
Common Name: Rice weevil
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Curculionidae
Pest Status: Rice weevils are common pests of stored cereal products.
Appearance: The rice weevil is small ( 1 ⁄10-inch), but has a long,
curved snout almost one third of the total length of the insect. The
body is red-brown to black in color with four light-yellow or red
spots on the corners of the wing covers.
Life Cycle: Adults chew into the grain kernels from the outside
and lay their eggs inside the grain. Larvae develop through several
instars and also pupate inside the grain kernels. They may complete
a generation in a month in warm conditions. Adults often live for
seven to eight months.
Where to Collect: These weevils are most commonly found in
stored grain bins or infested pantries.
Photo Credit: John Obermeyer, Purdue University