Hobbies And Interests
Cicada
Cicadas are black, winged insects that appear in the spring and summer in Ohio. The state also hosts "17-year" cicadas that only appear in 17-year cycles. Cicadas make a distinct singing sound with their large wings and have large green or red eyes. They typically live only a few short weeks and die by autumn.
Blue Bottle Fly
The blue bottle fly is a species of fly found throughout the world. The blue bottle fly is larger than a common housefly, and has a bright metallic blue body. Its legs are covered with thick black hair. Blue bottle flies eat dead animals, and so bad smells attract them. Blue bottle flies are typically among the first creatures that discover a dead carcass, sometimes travelling in groups to search for food to scavenge.
Deer Fly
Deer flies are slightly larger than houseflies and have yellow or black bodies and dark markings on the wings. They have bright green or gold-colored eyes. Female deer flies need to drink blood to create eggs, and so will attack deer, horses, and even humans. These deer flies will make a small incision in the skin of their victim and draw out a drop of blood to drink. While they are not typically dangerous to humans, deer flies are a nuisance and some people have allergic reactions to their bites.
Asian Lady Beetle
The multicolored Asian lady beetle, also known as the Asian ladybug, is a variety of beetle that originated in Asia but was accidentally introduced into Ohio about 30 years ago. The multicolored Asian lady beetle has a brightly colored outer shell covering its wings. This shell can be orange, red, yellow, or pink, and may have black spots. Asian lady beetles differ from native lady beetles because they prefer to survive the winter indoors, making them a nuisance to homeowners. Many Asian lady beetles also have black spots that make a distinct 'M' on the base of their heads.