Whilst in Devon..

By TonyL

This is new to me..

... perhaps not to you though.

Anyway, what's that moving across the ceiling?

The tiny pile of debris appeared to be magically moving.

On closer inspection, the debris, bits of white and black and brown all clumped together in a heap, had a set of legs scurrying beneath it. A small face was visible peeking out along the bottom edge.

Behold the junk bug. Or garbage bug. Or even trash bug if you prefer.

In reality, the junk bug is actually a cold blooded killer. Study the heap he carries closely. Those aren’t bits of leaves and dirt on his back.

The heap is made up of dead bodies.

The junk bug, also known as an aphid lion, is a voracious predator, common around the world. The bug is actually the larval stage of the green lacewing, a delicate and lovely flying insect.

Scientists say junk bugs heap their kills on their back as part of an intricate camouflage designed to fool birds and predatory ants alike. Sometimes, the bugs add other bits of debris they find, such as small pieces of lichen or leaves. The camouflage likely helps the bugs hunt as well as hide. Aphids are a favorite target, as are the untended eggs of other bugs.
It is possible to grab the debris pile a bug is carrying and pull it off its back. Teasing apart the pieces, the insect carcasses are unmistakable. Most are a ghostly white. Heads and legs are easy to discern.

Junk bugs feed by stabbing soft bodied prey with a pair of sharp, horn-like mouthparts. The mouthparts are hollow.
Then the empty and lifeless husk is added to the gruesome pile and the junk bug scurries on, looking for his next victim.

Lacewing larvae ~ perfect for pest control!

Reminds me of 'My Octopus Teacher'.
And if you have never seen that film, it's an absolute must. Really!

PS. My photo is the one with the pen. The rest are borrowed.

Comments
Sign in or get an account to comment.