Hobbies And Interests
Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle
Multicolored Asian lady beetles are more commonly known as "ladybugs." These small, circular beetles have a red or orange shell with black dots on it. Ladybugs prove beneficial to gardens with scale, aphid or harmful pest problems, as these beetles eat them. During colder months, multicolored Asian lady beetles might take refuge in your home. Michigan's Department of Natural Resources warns that they often emit a stinky, staining yellow fluid when smashed.
Hungerford's Crawling Water Beetle
These small yellowish-brown water-loving beetles live in the streams of northern Michigan's Cheboygan River watershed. The herbivorous Hungerford beetles eat periphyton and algae, with their main predators including larger insects, tadpoles and fish. Listed as endangered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Michigan, this is one of the smallest endangered species in Michigan. Seann Clifford of the University of Michigan's Museum of Zoology notes that while many related beetles swim downstream and fly upstream, this species rarely travels downstream and doesn't fly much. Instead, it's a strong enough swimmer to swim upstream.
Emerald Ash Borer
The emerald ash borer is relatively new to Michigan. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says they weren't discovered in the state until 2002. These beetles are native to Asia and threaten Michigan's ash tree population. These elongated borers have a metallic green shell and only grow about half an inch long. Emerald ash borers can live up to an entire year, with multiple larval stages before maturing into adults. They're known to invade ash trees in Washtenaw, Oakland, Wayne, Macomb, Livingston and Monroe counties, where Michigan's Department of Agriculture has enacted a quarantine on all affected ash trees and wood to hopefully prevent further infestation.
Cottonwood Borer
Cottonwood borers are a type of long-horned beetle often confused with the Asian longhorn beetle, which isn't known to be in Michigan. Cottonwood borers have long antennae with a yellow, black and white body. They grow up to 1.5-inches long and live along river banks or wherever poplar and cottonwood trees are found. Larval cottonwood borers also destroy the trees they're in. Adults start attacking trees at the base, working their way up through the branches and leaves.