  The insect world populating the dense grass jungles and sand-dune deserts at Castle Neck is generally unfamiliar to the human towering above, yet its principal characters may readily be observed by the keen eye, or, better, the keen eye aided by a simple magnifying glass. Insects are identified by the presence of six legs. Insect-like animals may be found with more than six legs. Let’s look at these first. INSECT RELATIVES: MULTILEGGED CREATURESEight-legged Animals
Ticks are quite common at the beach, but only the tourist who ventures into the woods will encounter them. From the tip of a blade of grass they hook on to a warm-blooded animal passing by. In removing a Tick some care is necessary so that the tiny head will not remain embedded in the victim. Ticks can usually be persuaded to let go if touched with a lighted cigarette or daubed with rubbing alcohol.
Better known as “Daddy-long-legs,” these creatures resemble Spiders, but are not very closely related to them. They are perfectly harmless and cannot bite. Most of them feed on plant juices or dead insects.
Many spiders are to be found on Crane’s Beach. Most are small, harmless, and difficult to identify. However, some of the general groups may be readily recognized:
Creatures with More Than Eight Legs
The Sow Bug, commonly called the “Pill Bug,” is usually found hiding under a damp log. It is completely innocuous and will often roll into a ball when disturbed.
The Centipede is usually found hidden in a moist place. It feeds on insects killed by a poison injected through its jaw. Although Centipedes occasionally bite a finger, their poison is so weak that the bite can be ignored.
The Millipede is found in much the same habitat as the Centipede, under a board or rock or inside a rotten stump. It is harmless, and lives for the most part on decaying plants. INSECTS: SIX-LEGGED ANIMALSThe MayfliesThese insects have long, soft bodies and two long “tails.” The first stage in the Mayfly’s life is spent under water in one of the several swampy pools behind the main beach. Early in the spring it changes into the winged adult that is unable to eat. This adult lays its eggs and dies soon afterwards. The Dragonflies and Damselflies
Dragonflies are often called “Devil’s Darning Needles,” but they are perfectly harmless. They frequent wet areas, where they feed on other insects—particularly mosquitoes!
Aside from their smaller, more delicate appearance, these insects look like the Dragonflies. They are found in the same places and have similar habits. The Fan-winged Insects: Grasshoppers, Crickets, etc.
Most Grasshoppers are strong fliers and are easily frightened into flight. The males may be heard singing during the day—a rasping noise produced by drawing the hind leg across the veins on the wing.
The commonest Cricket here is the Black Field Cricket (Acheta assimilis). The “singing” of the Cricket is produced by the male as he rubs his wings together. Of particular interest is the Snowy Tree Cricket (Oecanthus niveus), which chirps rhythmically. By counting the chirps in one minute and subtracting forty, then dividing this total by four and adding your new sum to fifty, you will have a rough estimate of the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit.
Mantids were once rare in New England but in recent years seem to have been extending their range northward and are now quite common even in the grassy beach area. They are said to be the only insects that can look over their shoulders. The Earwigs
The Earwig hides by day, coming out at night to feed on plant material. Since it does not bite with its pincers, it can be handled freely. Other species are occasionally found. The Seaside Earwig (Anisolabis maritima) is the largest New England earwig. It has more than twenty-four segments to its antennae, whereas the European has no more than fifteen. The True BugsIn common parlance, the term “bug” is usually applied to all insects. Actually the following group is the only one scientifically recognized as “bugs.” In all of them, half of the forewing is thickened and leather-like, and all of the mouth parts are designed to pierce their food.
The most common member of this group is the Red-and-Black Milkweed Bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus), which feeds exclusively on Milkweed. A small insect (Geocoris) also belongs to this group. It has a hammer-shaped head and may be found beneath dried seaweed.
There are many kinds of Stink Bugs, so named because of the disagreeable odor they emit when crushed. Some are brightly colored and are commonly found on the fleshy dune plants. The Aphids and Scale Insects
The Woolly Aphid is found only on Alder and Maple trees and may be recognized by its downy appearance. Although it feeds on the tree, it is never common enough to do any damage. The wool is a secretion of wax protecting the insect.
You must look very carefully to discover one of these insects. The young Scales have legs and move about during the month of June. Then they settle down, lose their legs, and secrete a wax shell over their bodies. These Scales are extremely common at the beach, but only the careful observer is likely to see them. The Golden-eyed Insects
In spite of its delicate shape, when caught the Lacewing emits an odor which has earned it the name “Stink Fly.” Its eggs are laid singly on long stalks because the young, called “aphid lions,” are cannibalistic. Nature’s Insect Tanks: Beetles
The Carrion Beetles lay their eggs on a dead animal, which they bury as a food reserve for their young. This habit has given them the common name of “Burying Beetles.”
The legs of the Ground Beetle are designed for quick movement. These beetles are mostly active by night. They are beneficial because they eat other insects.
The adult feeds savagely on other insects, killing them with powerful jaws—which can also nip your finger. The larvae are called “doodlebugs” and live in upright burrows in the sand, allowing their jaws to extend above ground to capture unsuspecting prey.
Click Beetles are so named because of the resounding “click” they make when snapping up into the air after being overturned. The adults are strict vegetarians, so look for them on plants.
There are more than 1400 species in this group in the United States and more than 30,000 in the world. Two of the most common at the beach are:
These are very common beetles on the dunes. Their long snout is used to drill into seeds and plant tissues. None of our species do great harm, but they have some unpleasant relatives—the Plum Curculio (Conotrachelus nenuphar) and the Cotton Boll Weevil (Anthonomus grandis).
Many kinds of “Ladybug” or “Ladybird” Beetles can be found at the beach. Some feed on plants and others on small insects. The insect-eating varieties are extremely valuable.
The Firefly’s light is produced by the chemical reaction of a substance called luciferin. It is an almost perfect “cold” light, with practically no heat loss. The light is used to attract the opposite sex during mating. The larva of this beetle is the “glowworm.” The Scaled-wing Insects: Butterflies and MothsButterflies may be identified by their threadlike antennae, which are club-shaped at the end; Moths usually have feathered antennae.
The Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio ajax), with yellow and black wings, is the largest butterfly at the beach, and, indeed, the largest butterfly in America. In midsummer you may find one fluttering about flowering plants.
These butterflies are common wherever there is an open area such as the dunes. In other parts of the United States the caterpillars destroy great amounts of alfalfa and cabbage.
The Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is our most common species. Because of its bitter taste the birds won’t eat it.
Nymphs are found from sea level to the mountain peaks. Look for them in the Pitch Pine woods behind the beach.
The Skippers look much like Moths. Their crazy, zigzag flight helps identify them.
Two species occur in our area:
The larvae of these moths are the well-known “Woolly Bear” caterpillars that are covered with a dense coat of rusty-red and black hairs. They are not beneficial. Two common examples are:
The adult is less readily recognized than is the web home of these caterpillars. In the spring, the webs may be found on most of the Black Cherry trees in the area.
The caterpillars of these moths are the famous “Inch-worms” which move along by arching the body to bring the tail up to the head, then throwing the head out as if measuring the inches with the body. The Two-winged Insects: Flies and MosquitoesFlies differ from other insects in having only two wings (one pair). The second pair has degenerated into a tiny club-shaped structure that aids the Fly in keeping its balance.
Also called “No-see-ums” and “Sand Flies,” these tiny blood-sucking Flies are altogether too common at the beach. So small that they can pass through window screening, they are best discouraged with a liberal dose of insect repellent.
Crane Flies are associated with the wet, swampy areas behind the beach. In spite of their mosquito-like shape, they can’t bite. The galls appear as unnatural swellings on plant stems or leaves. Each species of these flies has a specific-shaped gall, made on a specific type of plant, and at a specific place on the plant.
Robber Flies do not bother human beings but they attack other insects, often larger than themselves, in mid-air.
The Syrphids are constantly found among flowers and so are called “Flower Flies.” They are nearly as important as bees in pollination. All are harmless to us.
Only female Mosquitoes bite. They must have one meal of blood before they can lay eggs. We have eighteen species of Mosquitoes in our area. The Ants, Wasps, and Bees
Ants are social insects, and our species is found in large or small colonies everywhere. Ants are also the most common insect. Two readily recognized types are:
INSECT COLLECTING—AN INEXPENSIVE HOBBYInsects are everywhere and it is easy to collect them. Practically no expense is required to produce a very beautiful collection. Some of the seaside insects are most unusual and not available elsewhere, so it would be well to start your collection right here. Some references that will help you are:
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