Cultural Entomology

Cultural Entomology: 

Cultural Entomology By Lara Drizd, Candace Fallon, and Moana McClellan

Orthoptera: Tettigonidae“Katydids”: 

Orthoptera: Tettigonidae “Katydids”

An Introduction to Katydids: 

An Introduction to Katydids Also known as Long-horned Grasshoppers or Bush Crickets 6000 living species in 1070 genera Found on all continents except Ant- arctica Most are green or brown

Camouflage : 

Camouflage Many have evolved to resemble plants

More Camo…: 

More Camo…

Feeding Habits: 

Feeding Habits Most are omnivorous Several are pollen-eating Some travel in swarms

Song of the Katydid: 

Song of the Katydid Their temina are moved back and forth against the scrapers This results in a vibration of the tympana producing the chirping or ticking sound Males produce sound using their stridulatory organs

Breeding Habits: 

Breeding Habits Males call to the females by producing their noises Females of some species will respond by using different stridulation mechanisms Females have a sword- like ovipositor and insert their eggs into leaf tissue or soil

Metamorphosis: 

Metamorphosis Eggs hatch after 1-5 years Larvae become adults Larvae pass through 4-9 instars

Cultural Aspects: 

Cultural Aspects Katydids are eaten in many cultures (Am. Indians & Philippians) People of N. China kept them as pets Adult katydids represent the Buddhist cycle of life, death, and rebirth; are also considered to be a symbol of good omen

Weaver AntsOecophylla smaragdina & O. longinoda: 

Weaver Ants Oecophylla smaragdina & O. longinoda

Distribution & Habitat: 

Distribution & Habitat Oecophylla contains 11 fossils and 2 extant species Two types: red (found in Africa) and green (found in Australia, Asia) Found in tree canopies and shrubs

In the Treetops: 

In the Treetops Always nest in trees or shrubs Nests are created from living leaves that have been “glued” together with help of larvae Ants gather on different leaves and form living bridges to pull edges together Colonies are composed of numerous nests that are spread out over a wide area, up to 40 m across Nests and food sources are thus spread evenly throughout colony

Nest Construction: 

Nest Construction

Nest Construction cont’d: 

Nest Construction cont’d

Eating Habits: 

Eating Habits Predacious - Will eat most small organisms they can find; highly aggressive However, they prefer nectar, so they have been exploited by several plants (ex: Sea Hibiscus) Honeydew is also a favorite, produced by several cater- pillar species and other insects

Weaver Ants as Food: 

Weaver Ants as Food Aborigines use weaver ants as antibiotics and food In Cambodia women shake the trees to catch the ants, then toast them over open fires Pupae are sold in Thailand and the Philippines Sticky rice mixture of adults, eggs, and chili

Biological Control: 

Biological Control Chinese have used weaver ants since 300 AD to control pests in their citrus orchards Many farmers through-out Asia now use these techniques for increased crop yield and fruit quality

Honey Bees: 

Honey Bees

Slide21: 

Honey bee Used cross-culturally in a similar manner Honey ant

Slide22: 

Beekeepers The Raji

Slide23: 

Communication in social insects, pheromones Nectar, honey, and pollen Honey Pollen fermentation invertase + sucrose  glucose + fructose Glucose oxidase + glucose  gluconic acid + Hydrogen peroxide

Slide24: 

Honey Bee Research Plethora of information on honey bees Primary temperate pollinator Institutions of higher learning are not distributed with respect to biodiversity

The End: 

The End

ReferencesKatydidsDefoliart, G. Some insect foods of the American Indians and how the early whites reacted to them. The Food Insects Newsletter, Nov 1994, vol 7 Available from www.hollowtop.com/finl_html/amerindians.htmEbeling, W. Chaper 12. Miscellaneous pests. UC Riverside Entomology-Urban entomology. Available from www.entomology.ucr.edu/ebeling/ebel12.htm#cricket%20species %20listFoltz, J. Orthoptera (Tettigoniidae) Univ of Fl., Dept of Entomology and Nematology, 1998. Available from //eny3005.ifas.ufl.edu/lab1.Orthopteroid/Tettigoniid.htmGwynne, D. & Morris, G. Tottigoniidae. The tree of life web project. 2002. Available from tolweb.org/tree?group=Tettigoniidae&contgroup=Ensifera : 

References Katydids Defoliart, G. Some insect foods of the American Indians and how the early whites reacted to them. The Food Insects Newsletter, Nov 1994, vol 7 Available from www.hollowtop.com/finl_html/amerindians.htm Ebeling, W. Chaper 12. Miscellaneous pests. UC Riverside Entomology-Urban entomology. Available from www.entomology.ucr.edu/ebeling/ebel12.htm#cricket%20species %20list Foltz, J. Orthoptera (Tettigoniidae) Univ of Fl., Dept of Entomology and Nematology, 1998. Available from //eny3005.ifas.ufl.edu/lab1.Orthopteroid/Tettigoniid.htm Gwynne, D. & Morris, G. Tottigoniidae. The tree of life web project. 2002. Available from tolweb.org/tree?group=Tettigoniidae&contgroup=Ensifera

References (continued)Huang, S. Insects in Chines Culture. Michigan State University. Dept of Entomology. Available from cyberbee.net/~huang/pub/insect.htmlIn Praise of the Cricket. Univ. Hawaii at Manoa Art Gallery. Available from www.hawaii.edu/artgallery/passions/cricket.htmlKatydids. Family Tettigoniidae. Brisbane insects and spiders. 2003. Available from www.geocities.com/brisbane_hoppers/Tettigoniidae.htmWeaver AntsAustralian Ants online. Available at www. Ento.csiro.au/science/ants/formicinae/oecophylla/oecophylla.htmBeattie, A. The evolutionary ecology of ant-plant mutualisms. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ Press. 183ppBrian, M. Ed. Producgtion ecology of ants and termites. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press 409 pp: 

References (continued) Huang, S. Insects in Chines Culture. Michigan State University. Dept of Entomology. Available from cyberbee.net/~huang/pub/insect.html In Praise of the Cricket. Univ. Hawaii at Manoa Art Gallery. Available from www.hawaii.edu/artgallery/passions/cricket.html Katydids. Family Tettigoniidae. Brisbane insects and spiders. 2003. Available from www.geocities.com/brisbane_hoppers/Tettigoniidae.htm Weaver Ants Australian Ants online. Available at www. Ento.csiro.au/science/ants/formicinae/oecophylla/oecophylla.htm Beattie, A. The evolutionary ecology of ant-plant mutualisms. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ Press. 183pp Brian, M. Ed. Producgtion ecology of ants and termites. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press 409 pp

References (continued)Recovering Traditional Knowledge: Two Generations of Observations and Farmer Experimentations with Predatory Ants. Available from www.cabi-publishing.org/IPM/development.htmSudd, J. & Franks, N. The behavioural ecology of ants. New York: Chapman and Hall. 206 ppWeaver Ants: Oecophylla smaragdina. Available from www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/inverts/weaver_ants.htmHoney BeesBasic Honey Bee Biology available from science.howstuffworks.comLowman, M. Does money grow on trees? Tha challenges of rainforest conservation. 12 November lecture, 2002.Salzmann, S. Language, Culture and Society. Boulder: Westview Press. 338 pp: 

References (continued) Recovering Traditional Knowledge: Two Generations of Observations and Farmer Experimentations with Predatory Ants. Available from www.cabi-publishing.org/IPM/development.htm Sudd, J. & Franks, N. The behavioural ecology of ants. New York: Chapman and Hall. 206 pp Weaver Ants: Oecophylla smaragdina. Available from www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/inverts/weaver_ants.htm Honey Bees Basic Honey Bee Biology available from science.howstuffworks.com Lowman, M. Does money grow on trees? Tha challenges of rainforest conservation. 12 November lecture, 2002. Salzmann, S. Language, Culture and Society. Boulder: Westview Press. 338 pp

References (continued)Valli, E. 1998. Golden Harvest of the Raji. National Geographic 193 (6): 62-69.Waller, G. Honey bee life history. Available at science.howstuffworks.com: 

References (continued) Valli, E. 1998. Golden Harvest of the Raji. National Geographic 193 (6): 62-69. Waller, G. Honey bee life history. Available at science.howstuffworks.com