Also, entomology-types, please correct me. I am learning. This will be a sort of "learning diary" and a place to keep track of my brain. Be respectful of that, but still, constructive criticism is welcome.
The key topic will be Tipulidae (craneflies, or daddy-long-legseseses) of the Order Diptera (true flies). With much deliberation (approx. five moths of wool brain) I decided I liked Tipulids enough to specialise in them as part of my Natural Talent apprenticeship, during which I am investigating bugs on bogs (lowland raised bogs to be exact). My mentor and I had a bit of an eureka moment in the car whilst driving around roundabouts in the outskirts of Glasgow (where we were heading ceased to be of importance). He decided that craneflies made sense, as there are clever-Tipulid-types on hand to instruct me, and plenty of the wee beasts on bogs.
(Photo: A cranefly (female - note pointy ovipositer) found at Glenshee in late April)
They also tie in with climate change issues (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/3307701/Crane-fly-emerging-later-due-to-climate-change.html). Many Tipulid species emerge as adults in autumn, and the effects of warming due to climate change have caused them to emerge later in the year. Adult craneflies are an important source of food for breeding birds such as the Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria). Their late emergence could mean less food for Plover chicks (http://www.ncl.ac.uk/biology/assets/MWhitt_pdf/10Global%20Change%20Biology.pdf). It is also a worry that upland bogs are not wet enough for the developing larvae of some Tipulid species (http://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/2011/research/daddy-longlegs/). Bogs are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, as they are cool, wet habitats and can suffer from drying and erosion... and aren't in particularly good shape as it is as they have been extensively drained for agriculture.
So, Tipulidae seems like a good place to be. I feel there is still lots to be learned, and I am eager to try out some of the test keys available. I'm becoming quite a fan of cranefly wings - they are delicate and sometimes patterned, and wing venation (the pattern of the veins) is used as an identification character in their case. Today I plan to start sketching some of my unfortunate specimens. I imagine that daddy-long-legs aren't in the top three "most endearing bugs" category, but I hope to get at least some of you to appreciate their gangly beauty.
Studying entomology has taught me not to overlook anything and I've been rewarded with wee intriguing jewels... like the Pseudoscorpions, for example. Wowzers... what can I say. I sat in a conference room listening to Gerald Legg (Mr. Pseudoscorpion) on Saturday with my jaw hitting the desk. Okay, I already though Pseudos were exciting because they are teeny and have pincers like a scorpion and run about in leaf litter hunting other teeny things like Springtails... BUT... I was amazed to discover that they also:
1) Dance with each other during courtship (not all, but some, as mating is dangerous for male Arachnids)
2) Create intricate packets of sperm that they mount of spikes of silk which the female comes to collect, often enticed by a blob of eau de cologne
3) They look after their babies - the mothers even produce "milk" from their ovaries to feed their developing young, plus some create a silken cradle which they guard, feeding the bubbas from their own mouths!!!!
I heart Pseudoscorpions. If you want to see some of these guys, just find some nice deep leaf litter or compost (or perhaps under bark/stones) and shake it in a garden sieve into a big tray. They are pretty tiny but unmistakable when you do see them! Pictures to follow.
No comments:
Post a Comment