Top 17 Most Common Insects in Old Harbour

The giant Crab Spider is a large spider native to the tropics; the largest reported individual had a leg span of 30 cm. This cosmopolitan spider is highly valued in some areas, as it's able to catch cockroaches and other indoor pests. Reportedly, it hunts even scorpions and bats. This spider is venomous and sometimes bites humans, but it's considered harmless.

Erinnyis ello, the ello sphinx, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. It is distributed from Argentina through Central America to the United States as far north as Nevada. The wingspan is 75–85 mm. The abdomen has gray and black bands. The forewing upperside of the female is pale gray with a few dark dots near the outer margin, while the forewing upperside of the male is dark gray and brown with a black band running from the base to the tip. In both sexes, the hindwing upperside is orange with a wide black border. Adults are on wing year-round in the tropics and southern Florida. Adults feed on the nectar of flowers, including common soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) and Chinese violet (Asystasia gangetica). The larva feeds on a variety of host plants, including papaya (Carica papaya) in the family Caricaceae; poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), Mexican jumping bean (Sebastiania pavoniana), Cnidoscolus urens, and cassava (Manihot esculenta) in the Euphorbiaceae; guavas (Psidium spp.) in the Myrtaceae; and saffron plum (Sideroxylon celastrinum) in the Sapotaceae. The ello sphinx can be parasitized by the braconid wasp Microplitis figueresi.

The wingspan is 6 - 9 cm. The upper surface of the males is bright orange without markings. There are two female forms, a pink-white and yellow-orange form. The underside of the forewings of both sexes has a straight submarginal line. There are two seasonal forms: the winter form has heavier underside markings.

The pharaoh ant (Monomorium pharaonis) is known as one of the most widespread house ants in the known world. As a vector of diseases, they are considered to be a pest when invading hospitals. In moderate clients, they are almost entirely found indoors. They are identified with their sandy appearance, but they are not shiny.

The graceful twig ant (Pseudomyrmex gracilis) is a solitary wasp-like ant that can deliver a powerful sting if threatened. It lives in a small nest with a single queen, whose only role is to lay eggs once enough workers are born. This species eats a wide range of items, including live insects and fungus spores.

The southern green shield bug larvae molt five times before they reach their mature size. They are named for their unpleasant scent and are considered pests due to their preference for feeding on leguminous plants such as soybeans. Wasps and flies that parasitize the southern green shield bug are sometimes used as biological controls for its population.

Contrary to what you may believe based on its name, the grizzled mantis (Gonatista grisea) does not come with five o'clock shadow and a dark backstory. Their appearance may be gruff, but it benefits them to blend in with the side of trees. It uses this ability as an ambush predator that waits for its approaching prey.