Arthropods 14

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Southern California Arthropods #14: Miscellaneous Orders
© W.P. Armstrong 15 April 2009
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House Hoppers (Order Amphipoda)

A deceased house hopper (Talitroides sylvaticus). These small crustaceans are about 8 mm long and belong to the order Amphipoda. House hoppers apparently develop from eggs laid in leaf mold under shrubbery and ground covers. They often appear in profusion on side walks and in houses of southern California during or just after the first soaking rain of October or November. Apparently they are escaping from their flooded habitat and soon die in great numbers. Amphipods or "water fleas" include many freshwater and marine species. In fact, they are commonly found in duckweed samples from ponds and streams.

Earwigs (Order Dermaptera)

European earwig (Forficula auricularia). This unusual insect was introduced into California from Europe. It catches other insects with its terminal forceps, but also feeds on tender young plants, fruits and seedlings. Although they tend to hide in cracks and crevices, they don't seek out human ears. It is possible that they might crawl into the ears of someone sleeping on the ground, particularly if the area is infested with earwigs.

Fleas (Order Siphonaptera)

A cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis). About 2 mm long (size of a pin head).

Size of straight pin and sewing needle used in Wayne's Word articles.

Mayflies (Order Ephemeroptera)

These are aquatic insects that only live a few hours or days as fragile adults, hence the name Ephemeroptera (from ephemeral or short-lived). Males of the genus Callibaetis have a prominent brown-tinted front margin on their forewings. Adults emerge as dark-colored "subimagos" that soon molt. This is the only order of insects in which the molting process occurs in a winged adult stage.

References:

  1. Evans, A.V. 2007. Field Guide to Insects and Spiders of North America. Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. New York, New York.

  2. Hogue, C.L. 1993. Insects of the Los Angeles Basin. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

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