In this article I’ll share with you the 6 most beautful insects (at least in my opinion) found in North America.
I know beauty can be subjective and I wanted to list several insects that aren’t just visually impressive but also beautiful in the way they behave and interact with their environment.
So keep reading as I think there’s a few examples later on in the article that will surprise you…
The Golden Tortoise Beetle
The golden tortoise beetle also known as the gold bug can be found in the eastern part of North America. They vary in color from reddish brown with black spots to mirror light gold which is how it got its nickname.
The color of the bug actually changes through its development, during mating, and during times of disturbance like when a human touches it. These Beatles are not a danger to humans since they do not contain any stingers nor do they bite or pinch.
They typically change colors and play dead when approached by people. There’s very little biological information available on this species. Typically the first beetles will appear in May or June, they will feed on weeds and then deposit their eggs. By the month of July a new population of adults will reach their peek.
The golden tortoise beetle will typically develop from an egg to an adult in about 40 days. Beyond that time frame not much is known about their life cycle because of the low economic importance of the species.
This insect is not typically kept as a pet because it can be a minor pest if you are planning to garden. Both adults and larvea to feed on foliage like morning glories and sweet potatoes.
If they are disturbing your home, common insecticides will work to rid you of them but typically that is not warranted.
Limenitis Arthemis
The limenitis artemis can be divided into two different groups of butterflies based on whether or not a white band is present along the wings.
The northern group called White admirals will have a white band that travels along both the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the wings. The southern group called red spotted purples lack that trait and actually mimic a poisonous pipeline swallowtail.
These butterflies are found widespread throughout North America. They are found ranging from New England and southern Great Lakes area all the way to parts of Canada.
These butterflies are constantly in motion whether they are flying two to three feet above the ground or they are walking. They are a pretty common type of butterfly and are numerous with a healthy population.
Humans are not really considered a danger to this species. They are not a danger to humans either because they do not contain any sort of way to sting bite or pinch. They are also not poisonous.
Since they are such a safe insect, some people may opt to keep them as a pet as they transform from caterpillar to butterfly. The lifespan of the adult butterfly is fairly short ranging from 6 to 14 days.
In the ecosystem they play a large role by being a pollinator. They feed on flower nectar and distribute pollen from flower to flower.
Ebony Jewelwing Dragonfly
The ebony jewelwing dragonfly is a species of the broadwing damselfly family, it is also known as the black winged damsel fly.
Males of the species have a blue green body and black wings. The females are duller brown with smoky wings that have white spots near the tips. These dragonflies are found along The Eastern side of the US and Southeastern section of Canada.
This dragonfly is not dangerous to humans. It will not sting or bite unless it is threatened. The species of dragonfly is numerous and not endangered. both males and females have a relatively short-lived lifespan of just 15 to 17 days in the wild.
There is not an age for those kept in captivity because it is very few and far between. This is not an insect that is typically kept as a pet. While these dragonflies do not attack people, they are a predator of other insects.
They are crucial to their ecosystems and keep smaller insect populations in check.
Orange Assassin Bug
The orange assassin bug is found in North America along the eastern side stretching into the Midwest.
The orange assassin box has a pointed fang on its head that’s used to attack and stab insect pray, the thing can also inflict painful wounds on hands and arms if you are handling.
While the bite is not fatal, it can cause a burning sensation with swelling that can last for several days. So it goes without saying if you are thinking about picking up an orange assassin bug, handle with care.
These bugs have a light orange body and black bands mark both sides of their flared abdomen. The antenna and legs are also orange with black bands. Humans are not a danger to the orange assassin bugs population.
They are so commonplace that they can be found in gardens and even apartments in urban areas. Despite their combative nature and painful bites, they can be kept in small areas and make great desk pets. Foreign insect orange assassin bugs have a longer lifespan than most.
Assassin bugs do not complete their metamorphosis. Females lay eggs that hatch into wingless nymphs. They will reach their matured size after they have grown and malted about four times. The orange assassin bug will live between 1 and 2 years in captivity.
Orange assassin bugs play a very important role in agro-ecosystems. they keep other insect populations in check. They will pray on aphids caterpillars and sometimes and sex even as large as cockroaches.
Black Widow
The black widow spider is found across North America. they are small spiders that are easily identified by having a red hourglass on the ventral side of their abdomen.
The spider is absolutely a danger to humans. They have an unusually potent venom containing a neurotoxin. It’s worth noting that only the females are dangerous to humans because they are the only ones with unusually large venom glands.
This species is not in danger and are quite numerous across the United States. Even though they are fairly dangerous to humans, no deaths from the black widow have been reported since 1983. There are roughly 2,200 people that report being bitten by a black widow every year, but a lot of these cases do not require medical treatment.
If you are a person who has them as fortunate being bit by a black widow the symptoms usually include severe muscle pain abdominal cramps hyperhidrosis tachycardia and muscle spasms. These symptoms will typically only last up to a week, but can continue for several weeks.
Because the venom is not typically life-threatening, anti-venom is only used as a pain relief and not to actually save lives. Due to the danger associated with their bites, these are not typically kept as pets. A black widow will live for 1 to 3 years, if it is a female.
Females will cannibalize males after mating. a black widow spider will create its own habitat wherever it’s bent its own web. They play an active role in the ecosystem by helping control insect populations by catching prey in its web.
Hummingbird Moth
These birds like moths are widespread in North America. They are not a danger to humans, they cannot bite or sting people.
Humans are not a danger to it either, they are widespread throughout North America and are found in many other places across the world. Hummingbird moths are not typically kept as a pet.
Even though they are a day dwelling moth, they still have a fairly short lifespan. The longest live moths will live up to 7 months but some species of moths will live as short as 3 to 5 weeks.
Hummingbird moth plays a vital role in the ecosystem. They provide food for a variety of wildlife and they feed on the leaves of many different plants. because of this, this has led to plants evolving to make the most appealing to caterpillars and limit damage.
Once they become mods they benefit wild plants by pollinating flowers while feeding off of their nectar and they help in seed production.
Oak Treehopper
The oak treehopper is found throughout the Eastern United States. Treehoppers are named for their host species in this case, oak trees.
This insect is closely related to leafhoppers, but they are larger and the forward part of their thorax is variously modified with bumps and spines.
The oak treehopper in particular is unusual because there is a young white with red and black markings form and an older dull brown or dull green form. Some oak treehoppers have a horn projecting from the thorax over their head.
Humans are not a danger to this insect and they are not a danger to humans. since they are not a danger to humans and do relatively little damage to ecosystems, they are not endangered and are numerous.
In some parts of Florida the population can get a little out of hand and professional companies will need to step in to help. The damage they cause to the trees rarely warrants any sort of extreme action.
The oak treehopper is not usually kept as a pet since it prefers its natural habitat, oak trees. This insect does not have a particularly long lifespan.
Treehoppers will only live for a few months in the wild and there is not a lot of data regarding tree hoppers in captivity. This insect plays a large role in the ecosystem by providing nutrients to larger predators
If you want to learn more about various insects, then checkout our site categories, we have a bunch of articles there that are totally worth reading:
P.S.
That’s it for this article. I hope you enjoyed reading it and if you think it might be useful for someone else then please share it on social media, email or your own website! It really encourages us to write more content and grow the site!
All the best
Steve
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