Honeybees
Apis mellifera
Sexes & Castes: Honey bees have three castes: drones, workers, and queens. Drones are male, while workers and queens are female.
Diet: Honey bees obtain all of their nutritional requirements from a diverse combination of pollen and nectar.
Reproduction: Once mated, queens may lay up to 2,000 eggs per day.
Monarchs & Milkweed
Danaus plexippus
Size: Wingspan of 8.9–10.2 cm (3+1⁄2–4 in)
Diet: Larvae feed exclusively on milkweed and consume protective cardiac glycosides.
Reproduction: They typically lay 300 to 500 eggs over a two- to five-week period.
Six-spotted Green Tiger Beetle
Cicindela sexguttata
Size: The adult is 12–14 mm (1/2-5/8") in length
Diet: Small arthropods
Reproduction: The female lays her eggs in sandy patches, and the larvae burrow into the ground after they hatch.
Ticks
Ixodida
Size: Adult ticks are approximately 3 to 5 mm in length
Diet: Ticks are ectoparasites and consume blood to satisfy all of their nutritional requirements.
Life Cycle: Egg, larva, nymph, and adult
Bug Eyes
Looking At The World Through Bug Eyes
By Barbara Cummings, Interpretive Naturalist, Turkey Run & Shades State Parks