Hobbies And Interests
Caterpillars
There are many types of caterpillars in the woods of Pennsylvania. The Eastern tent caterpillar uses a web nest to hatch eggs in black cherry trees, apple trees and crabapple trees. It is distinguished by a white line that runs down the back. A relative of the Eastern tent caterpillar, the forest tent caterpillar, features a row of pale spots in a keyhole pattern on its back. The gypsy moth as a caterpillar has five pairs of blue spots and six pairs of red spots. As with other adults in this category, the pupae stage is over around the end of June. It enjoys foliage of several trees but are most apt to seek out oak.
Adelgids
The hemlock woolly adelgid is a small insect that feeds on hemlock trees with a stylet. Many insects can cause fatal damage to trees. This is also true for the spruce gall adelgid and the cooley spruce gall adelgid. Both leave deformations on the foliage of trees or plants. Pineapple-shaped deformation at the end of twigs signal spruce gall adelgids, while the whole twig may be deformed with cooley spruce gall adelgids. Feedings go on until late in the summer when all adelgids emerge with wings.
Beetles
Eastern white pine trees are home to the white pine weevil. They eat on a leader of the tree and then use the area to raise their young. This causes the tree to have malformations that reduce its value. The twin chestnut boreris favors chestnut trees before creating a blight that causes the death of the tree. Larvae of the beetle feed on the tree between the bark and wood. There are two lines on its wings that distinguish this beetle from others.
Scale
Scale insects differ between the male and female. Males have wings; females do not. Females are larger and feed in one area. The oyster shell scale looks like an actual oyster shell. They feed off the tree or plant by draining the fluid. Branches become covered with what appears to be oyster shells. The magnolia scale is the largest of this type of insects in Pennsylvania. Their favorite spots are young branches. Although hatchlings have a brown color, females grow to be dark brown to pink. Males appear in colors from white to pink. Sooty black mold is often seen on leaves from a plant or tree that this type of scale feeds on.
Potentially Dangerous Insects
Many insects in this area have the capacity to be lethal for humans or animals, especially to those with specific insect allergies. Bees such as the honey variety and wasps such as the paper wasp deliver venom to people or animals. Both can cause swelling and pain in the area around the sting. This is also true for hornets and yellow jackets. A blister beetle may effect the skin with irritations from its secretions. Fire ants bite when their nests are disturbed. This insect creates a burning sensation that is can be extremely painful.