STINGING AND URTICATING ARTHROPODS Flashcards
1
Q
Hymenoptera
A
ORDER:
only insects with stingers derived from ovipositor
true defensive venom
2
Q
What does it mean if the insect stinger is derived from ovipositor?
A
only females sting
ovipositor is used to deposit eggs
3
Q
Apis mellifera
A
honey bee
4
Q
Honey bee
A
Apis mellifera
5
Q
What family is the honey bee (Apis mellifera) in?
A
family is Apidae
6
Q
What is the Apis mellifera (honey bee) used for?
A
widely cultivated, used for pollination and honey production
estimated 30% of all food
7
Q
Drones
A
male bees in a colony
8
Q
Are honey bees (Apis mellifera) social?
A
YES highly social make large hives
9
Q
What kind of workers forage for pollen nectar? What else do they do?
A
sterile workers
will also defend hive by stinging (modified ovipositor)
10
Q
What are sterile workers?
A
genetically female due to their ovipositor to sting
don’t mate and don’t lay fertilized eggs
11
Q
How does a honey bee sting?
A
the stinger detaches from abdomen and is left behind in victim’s skin
12
Q
Can death result from envenomation? How often does this occur?
A
yes it can
RARE
13
Q
What should you do if stung by a honey bee (Apis mellifera)?
A
-remove stinger immediately with fingernail or by grabbing it and pulling out
-venom gland will continue to pump venom for about a minute so remove quickly for less venom injection (pinching the gland won’t increase venom pumped)
-ice pack or similar cold compress is good for pain and swelling
14
Q
What kind of components does venom contain?
A
-histamine and other vasoactive amines
-mellitin
-apamin (neurotoxin)
-acid phosphatase (disrupts cell membrane)
-hyaluronidase
15
Q
What happens when there is severe allergic reaction?
A
anaphylactic shock
16
Q
Anaphylactic shock
A
excessive drop in blood pressure due to histamine, constriction of bronchial tubes (and hence suffocation)
17
Q
When can a sting become fatal?
A
a single sting can be fatal in sensitized individuals
18
Q
About how many deaths happen a year in the US due to stings?
A
about 50
19
Q
What is the treatment of anaphylactic shock?
A
bee sting kits
noradrenaline to maintain blood pressure (EpiPen)
atihistamines
20
Q
What are Africanized bees called?
A
Killer bees
21
Q
How did Africanized bees come about?
A
an accidental release of 26 queens of the African honey bee (Apis mellifera scutellata) in Brazil in 1957
they then mated with local honey bee males
22
Q
Do Africanized bees occurring Africa?
A
NO
23
Q
Are Africanized (killer bees) bees in Georgia?
A
yes the spread to south Georgia in October of 2010 (one-time event not established
24
Q
What do Africanized bees (killer bees) look like?
A
almost exactly like European honeybees
very slight differences in wing length/body length ratio
25
What has more venom European honeybee or the Africanized bee?
European honeybee
Africanized bees have slightly less venom/sting
26
What is the problem with Africanized bees (killer bees)?
AGGRESSIVE
vigorously defend their hive
larger zone of defense and tend to move hives frequently so suddenly appear in new areas
27
Are Africanized bees (killer bees) defensive of their hive?
YES very aggressive defense of hive
will attack in response to minor disturbance, even noise AND they attack in mass and will follow up to 1/4 a mile
28
Do Africanized bees attack by themselves? How far will they chase?
no they attack in mass
will follow up to 1/4 a mile
29
What should you do if you are getting attacked by Africanized bees (killer bees)?
try to get away, like into a vehicle where bees are less able to get at you
if unable drop and cover face and neck
30
What about the bees I see on flowers? What if they are Africanized Honey Bees?
all bees that are away from their colony (hive) have no interest in humans. they are foragers collecting nectar, pollen, or water for their colony and will sting only if they are threatened
the colony (with tens of thousands of bees) will become defensive if they are disturbed
31
What is a "hive" or "colony"?
a nest of bees
32
What is a "swarm"?
portion looking for a new place to live
they have no nest to defend, so don't sting
33
Is the venom from an Africanized honey bee more poisonous than that of a regular honey bee?
No, venom from European and Africanized honey bees is chemically the same
And, because the Africanized honey bee is often smaller than the European honey bee, it actually has slightly less venom
34
What do Africanized honey bees look like?
look exactly like domestic bees
can be distinguished only by DNA
35
What is this:
no hive to defend, full of honey, unlikely to sting
a swarm
36
What is a threatened species?
Bumblebee
37
Do bumble bee's make a hive?
NO THEY ARE SOLITARY BEES
they have individual nests
38
Are bumblebee's aggressive? Can they all sting you?
no
yes and no
females are capable of stinging if handled
males don't sting
39
Why don't male bumble bee's sting?
they don't have stingers
stingers are from a modified oviposit which is only in females
40
Do carpenter bees make a hive?
NOPE
solitary bees
41
Are carpenter bee's aggressive?
NOPE
females sting if handled
42
Do male carpenter bee's sting?
NOPE
a stinger is a modified ovipositor, males do not have this
43
What do carpenter bees look like?
shiny abdomen
44
What do bumblebees look like?
fuzzy abdomen
45
Nickname to remember what a carpenter bee looks like vs. a bumblebee?
shiny hiney
46
How many species of yellow jackets are there in North America?
13 species
47
Where do Yellowjackets build nests?
underground nests
48
How many species of Yellowjackets scavenge for protein at picnic or garbage sites?
7 species
49
What do Yellowjackets like to feed on? What can this lead to?
sweet drinks
some people stung in mouth or throat because of this
50
How can you get rid of yellow jackets via a trap?
1) plastic dish pan or wash basin
2) a tablespoon of liquid dish soap (to create surface tension)
3) three sticks about 13 in Lon
4) two or three twist ties
5) a three or four inch piece of wire
6) 12 in of sting
7) piece of meat, weight causes plummet and drowns
51
Should you lure in yellow jackets? Why or why not?
NO
intercept them, proactive actions!!!!
don't train yellow jackets to come to food
52
What might be a description of a paper wasp?
little waist
53
What wasp invented paper before we learned how to make paper?
paper wasp
54
How do paper wasps make paper?
scrape off bark of tree, chew it, turn to paper mache material and forms nest
55
Where does the queen paper wasp lay her eggs?
into the cells made and other wasps will bring in chewed up caterpillars to feed larva
later they will put paper caps over cell for larva to pupate
56
What protects paper wasp nests?
social Hymenoptera (the wasps that will sting to protect nest)
57
Will paper wasps sting away from nests?
no UNLESS bothered / alarmed
58
Carpenter vs. Bumble
Carpenter:
- smoother, shinier abdomen
-chews a hole in wood to make nest
Bumble:
-fuzzy abdomen
-nest typically in ground
59
Where do carpenter bees like to make nests?
in wood
60
Do carpenter bees eat wood?
nope
bite off and throw out out
61
What do carpenter bees do with collected pollen? Life cycle?
collect pollen, lay eggs on each mass of pollen, seal up hole of wood, larva hatch and hole is opened
62
How do you treat for wasps?
-spray that sprays far so you can be far behind or if its high up
-quick acting, giving good chance to kill and run before survivors get to you
63
What does a bald-faced hornet look like?
black and white
64
What are bald-faced hornet nests made of?
paper with layers that look like paper wasp nests on the inside (outside is covered with paper)
looks fairly large
65
What bug is attracted to lights at night?
European hornet
66
What does the European hornet look like?
reddish on hard part, yellow on abdomen with almost teardrop/keyholes in black on abdomen
67
What does the cicada killer wasp eat? Why?
cicada
good source of nutrients
68
What does the female cicada killer wasp do to feed?
digs hole in ground, goes out and finds cicada (which is larger than her), injects venom in it to paralyze it, wraps leg around cicada and starts to fly but weight pulls her down to eat and she keeps trying to climb a tree and fly, gets pulled down and she keeps doing this until she makes it to her hole
takes cicada down into hole, lays eggs on cicada, when eggs hatch they feed on LIVE PARALYZED cicada, larvae pupate in hole then emerge as adult
69
What is the longest wasp in Georgia?
cicada killer wasp
70
Explain male cicada killer wasps:
- around campus every august
- get in your face
- the ones you see that look so threatening are harmless
71
Can male cicada killer wasps sting or bite?
NO
72
What is smaller male or female cicada killer?
male cicada killer
73
What do mud daubers reflect?
reflect sunlight
74
What do mud daubers build?
mud tubes/hole nests
75
Are the spiders dead that mud dauber babies eat?
NOPE paralyzed to stay fresh and yummy for larva
76
What are in mud dauber nests?
provisions with paralyzed spiders
77
How do mud daubers lay eggs in nests?
lays one egg where spider is, walls off cell with mud, keeps doing this for each cell
78
Do mud dauber's sting?
yes but only if provoked they are solitary
79
Ichneumonidae
wood-boring wasp
80
Wood-boring wasp
Ichneumonidae
81
What do wood-boring wasps look like?
fragile looking
82
How do wood-boring wasps (Ichneumonidae) feed?
parasitizes beetle larva in wood
83
What are the incredibly long strings coming out of their butt? What do they do?
incredibly long ovipositors
used to drill through wood
84
How does the Ichneumonidae (wood boring wasp) detect beetle larva inside wood?
via vibrations of the beetle larva chewing on the dry wood, directs ovipositor directly into the body of the beetle larva in dry wood
85
Can wood boring wasp (Ichneumonidae) sting humans?
NOPE they CANNOT STING HUMANS
86
Where do wood boring wasp (Ichneumonidae) deposit eggs?
inside beetle
87
T or F:
Ovipositor is longer than wasp itself.
TRUE THEY ARE SO LONG GEEZ
88
Is the velvet ant (Mutillidae) an ant?
NOPE NOPE NOPE
WINGLESS WASP
89
Velvet Ant
Mutillidae
90
Mutillidae
Valvet ant
91
Does the velvet ant sting? Is it painless?
STING IS VERY PAINFUL
92
What does the velvet ant (mutillidae) look like?
velvet red and black GO DAWGS LOL
93
Once again, are velvet ant's ants?
NOPE NOPE NOPE
WINGLESS WASPS
94
What is the family name of the velvet ant? How can you remember this?
Mutillidae
they mutilate you lol
95
Do any velvet ants (Multillidae) have wings?
YES THE MALE HAS WINGS
96
Can the male velvet ant (mutillidae) sting?
NOPE ONLY FEMALES STING
97
Do males or female velvet ants have warning coloration?
BOTH have warning coloration
98
Do female velvet ants have wings (mutillidae)?
NOPE
but males do
99
Can male and female velvet ants (mutillidae) sting?
NOPE only females can sting AND IT IS VERY VERY PAINFUL (COW KILLER)
100
Do male and female velvet ants make noises?
YES can produce squeaking noise when alarmed
101
What do male and female velvet ants feed on?
nectar
102
What is the family name for ants?
formicidae
103
Where are imported fire ants native?
South America
NOT NATIVE TO US
104
Do we have any native species of fire ants?
yes two but the imported ants (red and black) are NOT native
105
Where did imported fire ants enter US?
port of Mobile in soil used as ship ballast
106
Which imported fire ants are more aggressive and spread quicker?
RED imported fire ants
107
What have red imported fire ants replaced?
the native species
108
Where are black fire ants?
limited range
northeast Mississippi, northwest Alabama, and a few counties in TN
109
What kind of metamorphosis do imported fire ants have?
complete metamorphosis
egg, larva, pupa, adult
110
How do imported fire ant larvae feed? Which instar can consume solid food?
fed by the workers
fourth instar CAN consume solid food
111
Can adult imported fire ants consume solid food?
NO THEY CANNOT EAT SOLID FOOD
112
How do worker imported fire ants eat?
older larvae eat and convert food to liquids, regurgitated to be eaten by the workers, queen, and younger larvae
113
What are most adult worker fire ants?
sterile (not reproducing)
114
Describe a sterile worker ant of the imported fire ant?
female
wingless
sterile
115
What happens to those imported fire ants who receive extra food as larvae?
they become larger and are made reproductive adults (winged)
116
What is the nuptial flight?
-winged males and females mate in midair
-fall to ground, males die shortly after
-mated queen's wings detach; she digs hole in ground to nest
-she begins to lay eggs, which will develop into small workers in about a month or two
117
When do mounds appear above ground for imported fire ants? How deep does it go?
within several weeks or moths
below ground portion can be 6 ft deep
118
A mature fire ant colony may contain how many individuals?
500,000
119
What is the medical importance of the imported fire ants?
they sting humans
120
What does the imported fire ant sting feel like? Allergic?
burning and itching (urticaria and pruritus) sensations followed by formation of white pustule
Allergic: chest pains, nausea, dizziness, shock
121
What damages to the ecosystem do fire ants create?
displace ground dwelling animals
122
What damages do fire ants do to economy?
cause $6 billion losses in US...you don't want to buy a house with a fire ant infested back yard
123
What damages do fire ants do because of nesting?
can damage plants, lawns, outdoor/indoor electrical fixtures, reduce property value
124
What are the natural enemies of the imported fire ant?
decapitating phorid fly (imported from South America)
125
Why does a fire ant hurt when it gets you?
THE STINGER INJECTING A MIXTURE OF MATERIALS CAUSES THE STERILE PULSE
NOT THE BITE!!!!!!!!!!
126
If the bite doesn't hurt, why do fire ants bite?
it is so she can hold on to project the sting
127
ON EXAM WATCH FOR DIFF OF BITE AND STING!!! FIRE ANTS DO BOTH BUT IT IS THE STING THAT CAUSES PAIN
128
Do male and female fire ants have stingers? Why or why not?
FEMALES ONLY it is a modified ovipositor
129
How do you control fire ants?
bait composed of:
corn cob chunks (sponge)
oil (ant attractant)
toxicant (insecticide)
130
Why is the bait good to get the fire ants? Is slow acting good?
let them feed the poison to the babies, queen, etc.
^ THIS IS WHY SLOW ACTING IS A GOOD THING
spread it out, ants find them, don't put right around mound
131
When should you put out the bait for fire ants?
when it is NOT broad daylight because UV rays break down insecticides
every 4 months
132
Do harvester ants bite or sting? What does it feel like? Do people get bit often?
sting
intensely painful
rare, ants are large and red so generally avoided
133
Are harvester ants common here? Where?
NOPE very rare
much more common out west
134
How many harvester ant species occur east of the Mississippi River?
only one species occurs east of the Mississippi rive
135
What ant is a mechanical vector of bacteria in hospitals?
Pharaoh ant (Cosmopolitan aka found worldwide)
136
Where is the Pharaoh ant found?
cosmopolitan - world wide
can live anywhere
137
Cosmopolitan meaning:
found world wide
138
What is the main problem with the Pharaoh Ant?
contamination in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, etc.
they can crawl and carry so many pathogens all across the hospital and they are so small they can get into a lot of places
139
What is in the order Hymenoptera?
bees
wasps
yellow jackets
hornets
ants
140
Apis mellifera
honeybee
141
Ovipositor
organ female insects use to lay eggs
142
Drone
male honey bee who's main purpose is to mate with a queen
143
Hive
home for a colony of bees
144
Swarm
group of bees that leave original hive to go form a new one
145
Venom
biochemical mixture used as defense through a sting
146
Anaphylaxis
severe, life threatening allergic reaction
can happen in response to bee sting
147
Urticating
stinging or prickling
148
Lepidoptera
urticating caterpillars
149
Urticating caterpillars
Lepidoptera
150
What are on urticating caterpillars (Lepidoptera) that are painful?
urticating hairs (hollow stinging hairs)
break off on contact
151
What is in the urticating hairs of urticating caterpillars?
venom gland at base, injects venom when broken
152
Do hairs of urticating caterpillars hurt after breaking?
yes they still continue to irritate
153
What is in the venom of urticating caterpillars?
acetylcholine in venom
154
What can urticating caterpillars cause?
caterpillar dermatitis (skin reaction to caterpillar hair, spines or secretions)
155
What are symptoms of urticating caterpillar dermatitis?
hives
redness
irritation
discomfort
156
What is the best way to shorten the time of symptoms of urticating caterpillars?
get the hairs out
take piece of tape, put it on there, rip off
treat symptomatically (such as cold press for swelling)
157
What are the four urticating caterpillars?
Io moth
Saddleback caterpillar
Hag moth
Puss caterpillar
158
What are the two caterpillars you are most likely to encounter?
1) Puss caterpillar
2) Saddleback caterpillar
159
Can you pet a puss caterpillar?
yes on the sides
160
When are puss caterpillars and saddleback caterpillars most common? Where are they found?
in late summer and fall
found on wide range of plants
161
Do any arthropods look scary but aren't?
MANY arthropods look frightening are harmless
162
What are some examples of arthropods that look frightening and are harmless?
Hickory Horned Devil
Tomato Hornworm (has rubbery little horn that is red)
163
What is the most common scorpion in the Southeast?
Southern Devil Scorpion
164
What is the only scorpion species we have in North GA?
Southern Devil scorpion
165
Where is the southern devil scorpion most commonly found? When are they most active? What do they feed on?
hiding under tree bark
mostly active at night
feed on insect prey
166
Do Southern Devil Scorpions sting? If so, what does it feel like?
yes
doesn't hurt anymore than a bee sting
167
Can the southern devil scorpion glow?
yes it will luminesce
168
Where is the Hentz's striped scorpion found?
Southern coastal part of GA
along Gulf coast
169
Diplopoda
Millipedes
170
Do millipedes bite or do they sting?
NEITHER
harmless
171
Millipedes
Diplopoda
172
Chilopoda
Centipede
173
Do centipede's bite or sting?
Venom fangs so they bite
174
Centipede
Chilopoda
175
Centipede legs:
Millipede legs:
Centipede: 100 legs, 1 pair of legs per body segment (2 total)
Millipede: 1,000 legs, 2 pairs of legs per body segment (4 total)
176
What are the two native scorpions in GA?
Southern Devil Scorpion
Hentz's Striped Scorpion
177
Why is holding a tarantula/ putting it on your face not smart?
they also have urticating hairs if being chased by predator
178
Actually how dangerous are insects?
only .2 die per million due to arthropod bite or sting
so in reality they are made to be way worse than they actually are
