Natural Science Forum / Biology / Entomology / June 2008

I saw an insect in south-eastern Michigan today that looked
like a grasshopper. It was brownish, about 2cm long, had long
antenna (2cm), and two short (2mm) rear appendages.
I checked my field guide of Insects and Spiders, but couldn't

I went for a walk on Great Wass Island, Maine, US, on June 10.
It's about a 90-minute drive west of Acadia National Park in the Atlantic
ocean.
During my lunch break I saw many many black ants, body length about 1cm.

I recently stumbled upon a specimen of this species, inside an industrial
building area, far away from any pond or waterhole. What amazed me was the
size of it, about 8.5cm (3,4 in) and the lack of the tail breathing tube.
Has anyone seen an insect like this; is that size normal ...

I dig up june beetle grubs now and then in tot lots wood chip piles
(while metal detecting) but this guy is a whopper LOL.   Blew it and
didn't put a normal june beetle grub in the same shot.    I buried the
guy in a few hand fulls of woodchips I took from the tot lot.    Is

I live in New England, and every year with the warm weather I start seeing
these creatures.  They have a thin, flat body up to maybe 2 inches long held
flat to the ground, and lots of legs (seemingly more than 6 or 8), on the
long side and arched up off the ground.  They're basic ...

I need some help...I can't find any good books and nothing on the net to
help ID genetalia. When I look at a male Papilio and open the claspers I see
three distinct protrusions from the very end of the abdomen, moving up
toward the first segment:

Spotted this insect on a wall in Atenas, Costa Rica.  Does anyone know
what it is?
http://www.laidmanproductions.com/unknowntome_saltamonte.jpg
Thanks.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2119/2540760699_b1e8bb3e99.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3040/2540760767_0b74918169.jpg
I've just noticed lots of these critters on the "Snowball" bush in my
yard (New York City). What is more, they seem to be doing something