Top 17 Most Common Insects in Senegal
Insects, with their distinct features and diverse habitats, play a vital role in the natural balance of Senegal. This nation's varied landscapes, from its coastal stretches to arid hinterlands, shape and sustain incredible insect diversity. 17 common species, influenced by geography, climate, ecosystems, and human activities, vary throughout the country. Their roles, as pests or beneficial creatures, underscore the importance of understanding the link between our environment and these fascinating creatures.
Most Common Insects
1. Citrus swallowtail
Papilio demodocus , also known under the English name Citrus Swallowtail ("Citrus Swallowtail"), is a butterfly from the family of the knight butterflies (Papilionidae).
2. Plain tiger butterfly
D. chrysippus is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of about 7–8 cm (2.8–3.1 in). The body is black with many white spots. The wings are orange, the upperside brighter and richer than the underside. The apical half of the forewing is black with a white band. The hindwing has three black spots in the center. The wings are bordered in black and outlined with semicircular white spots. This species exhibits slight sexual dimorphism, as the Male has large scent glands on his hindwings, which the female lacks. They appear as a large black spot with a white centre if viewed from the underside D. chrysippus is a polymorphic species, so the exact coloring and patterning vary within and between populations. It is similar in appearance to the Indian fritillary (Argynnis hyperbius), which may coexist with it.
3. Violet dropwing
Trithemis annulata is a robust medium-sized species with a wingspan of 6 cm. The mature male has a dark red head and a yellow labium with brown central spot. The eyes are red with white spots on the rear edge, and the frons is dark metallic purplish-red. The prothorax is violet with slightly darker longitudinal stripes. The membranous wings have distinctive red veins, the pterostigma is orange-brown and there is a large orange-brown splash at the base of the hind wings. The abdomen is fairly broad and is pinkish-violet, with purple markings on the top of each segment and blackish markings on the terminal three segments. Females are a similar size to males but the thorax is brownish and the abdomen is yellow with dark brown markings. The wings of females lack the red veins of males but have similar orange-brown patches.
4. Black percher
The species is on the IUCN Red List as not endangered, year of assessment 2010, the trend of the population is stable according to the IUCN. The moriaantje is found in Africa and the Mediterranean.
5. Scarlet dragonfly
Crocothemis erythraea can reach a length of 3.5 - 4.5 cm. These dragonflies haves a flattened and rather broad abdomen. The adult male scarlet dragonfly has a bright scarlet red, widened abdomen, with small amber patches at the bases of the hindwings. Also the veins on the leading edges of the wings are red. Females and immatures are yellow-brown and have a conspicuous pale stripe along the top of the thorax.
6. West african fiddler crab
7. Western honey bee
Western honey bee(Apis mellifera) is the most common species of honeybee in the world. Among the first domesticated insects, its cultural and economic impact on humanity has been vast and far-reaching, providing honey, wax and its services as a pollinator. Western honey bee faces challenges worldwide, such as colony collapse disorder, and populations are thought to be decreasing.
8. Convolvulus hawk moth
Convolvulus hawk moth (Agrius convolvuli) is a species of moth most commonly spotted between sunset and twilight. Its elongated head appendage is exceptionally long; longer than the rest of its body which allows it to drain nectar from trumpet-shaped flowers. It feeds while flying and is attracted to light.
9. Pioneer white
Wet-season form. The upperside of males is white with the forewing having the costa from base to base of vein 11 dusky black and then jet black continuing into a widened and curving short streak along the discocellulars to the lower apex of the cell; apical area diagonally with the termen black, the former with six elongate outwardly pointed spots of the ground colour enclosed one in each of the interspaces 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9. Hindwing: uniform, the black along the venation on the underside seen through by transparency; termen between veins 2 and 6 somewhat broadly black, with a series of four round spots of the ground colour in the interspaces; below vein 2 and above vein 6 the termen is very narrowly black. Underside: forewing white, markings similar, more clearly defined, the white spots within the black apical area larger. Hindwing: yellowish white, all the reins very broadly bordered with black; interspaces 1, 2, 6, and 7 with crossbars of black, beyond which there is a subterminal, somewhat broad, transverse band of black between veins 2 and 6. Cilia of both forewings and hindwings white alternated with black. The ground colour on both upper and undersides variable, often cream coloured above; beneath: in some specimens, the base of cell and the elongate spots in apical area of forewing, and the whole surface of the hindwing varies to rich chrome yellow. Female similar; the black markings on both upper and undersides broader, the white spots on black apical area of forewing often sub-obsolete above. Antennae in both sexes black, sparsely sprinkled with white dots; head, thorax and abdomen above and below white: thorax above often bluish grey. Dry-season form. The dry-season form is similar to the wet-season form but on the upperside the black markings are narrower, the white markings on the black apical area of forewing broader and longer, and on the hindwing the narrow inner margining to the black on the termen very narrow, somewhat obsolescent; therefore, the white subterminal spots have the appearance of opening inwards. Underside: ground colour almost pure white; on the hindwing slightly tinged with yellow. Antennae, head, thorax, and abdomen as in the wet-season form. Wingspan of 4.5 - 6 cm.
10. Wandering glider
The wandering glider (Pantala flavescens) is a yellow dragonfly that migrates long distances. It's easily recognized by its elegant flight pattern, where it seems to glide across the sky effortlessly, even when it's windy outside. It often lands near still water, which includes ponds and puddles.
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