(Family: Chalcididae)
Chalcids are parasitoids of several groups of insects including Diptera (flies), Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), Coleoptera (beetles), and Hymenoptera (true bugs). Some deposit eggs inside their hosts’ eggs while others attack the nymphs.
Family: Reduviidae).
These “true bugs” (Order: Hemiptera) are often misidentified as pest insects. The tip of their proboscis (the pokey mouth-part thing) differentiates them from similar bugs.
(Family: Noctuidae)
These caterpillars are the larvae of some moths in the family Noctuidae. They get their name from their behavior of cutting small plants at the base of the stem. Since there are so many species, they come in a variety of colors and patterns, so damage is the best way to identify them.
(Order Blattodea)
Cockroaches often have a small head and a broad, flattened body. If wings are present, they are folded over the backside of the body.
Leaf-mining flies
(Genus: Liriomyza)
The larva create tunnels in the mesophyll, leaving the epidermis intact. This will resemble light colored “squiggles” on the leaves.
(Subfamily Polistinae)
Though these wasps can be known for stings, they are not usually aggressive unless they are protecting their nests. They are also not scavengers such as yellow jackets, so they are less likely to aggravate your next picnic. However, they are fantastic pollinators and predators.
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