Photo: Goldenrod with Jagged Ambush Bug, Judy Gallagher
Judy Gallagher is an ASNV board member and a regular surveyor of local wildlife who also captures photos of what she sees, in particular the less common species. Here are some observations from her most recent survey.
Goldenrod with Jagged Ambush Bug, Judy Gallagher
I have loved Goldenrod ever since I was a child. There are many Goldenrod species, and most are at their best at this time of year. I didn't appreciate this when I was younger, but Goldenrod is an important fall pollinator plant and the flowers are nectar rich. Bumblebees, beetles, flies, moths, butterflies, etc. feast on goldenrod. This in turn provides great meals for predators like the Jagged Ambush Bug, the subject of this month's column. Look carefully at the picture above; can you see the Jagged Ambush Bug? It's pretty well camouflaged and many insects will not spot it.
Jagged Ambush Bug, Judy Gallagher
Jagged Ambush Bugs are in the same family as Assassin Bugs and Wheel Bugs. There are couple of possible species in our area and they are hard to tell apart. Their front legs are thick, sort of like those of a Praying Mantis, designed for grabbing and holding prey. They aren't good flyers and they hide on flower heads waiting for prey to come to them. When that happens, they stab the prey with their mouthparts and inject a chemical which paralyzes the prey and liquefies the prey's body. The Jagged Ambush Bug then sucks up the liquefied prey sort of like you or I would consume a milkshake.
Jagged Ambush Bug with Moth, Judy Gallagher
They usually are well camouflaged, enabling them to catch and eat prey much larger than they are. Jagged Ambush Bugs come in different colors, and scientific studies have documented that each individual tends to choose where they perch to hunt based on color.
White Jagged Ambush Bug, Judy Gallagher
A white Jagged Ambush Bug will usually select a white flower, a yellow Jagged Ambush Bug will usually select a yellow flower like Goldenrod, etc.
Immature Jagged Ambush Bug, Judy Gallagher
Immature Ambush Bugs can be green, and also blend in well as shown here.
Different Shades of Yellow Ambush Bugs, Judy Gallagher
Ambush Bugs tend to become more yellow over time by adding yellow pigment to their bodies. But they don't seem to be able to get rid of the yellow pigment to become more white. Scientists suggest that this may occur because white flowers tend to be replaced by yellow flowers as summer progresses, and the white flowers that are found here in the fall are mostly not native. Did Goldenrod help shape Jagged Ambush Bugs' color preference? I don't have the answer to this question, but future studies may shed light on this.
View all of Judy’s Observations from Meadowood articles here.