Top 20 Most Common Insects in Red Wing

Ischnura verticalis can reach a body length of 2 - 3 cm. These small green, black and blue damselflies have a slender body with four wings folding over the back. The thorax of the males is black above, with pale green sides and green shoulder stripes. Eyes are dark above, greenish below. Abdomen is mainly black, with thin pale rings. The top of the abdomen (eighth and ninth abdominal segments) is blue, with black markings on sides. The males' abdomens shows tiny projections off the tip (hence the common name verticalis of this species). Females are usually grayish-blue, with greyish markings on the abdomen. In the immature female thorax is bright orange with black dorsal and shoulder stripes. The abdomen is black above and orange below. Eyes are dark above, orange below. The pterostigma is white to light brown. The females may be less commonly yellow-green like the male.

The widow skimmer (Libellula luctuosa) is a large insect that grows to be incredibly large with a bulbous head and body. As they age, they are known to grow whitish, much like our grandparents' hair. They live in the water until their final molt, where they reveal their wings, it is at this point it reveals why it has part of a group called the king skimmers.

The autumn meadowhawk (Sympetrum vicinum) is a red dragonfly. It flies near marshes, lakes, and ponds, especially if there's a wooded area nearby. These bugs have compound eyes with highly developed eyesight. They will wait for smaller insects to fly by, and then they'll pursue the prey, with a near perfect catch rate.

The common Green Darner (Anax junius) is a large dragonfly that gets its name from its long abdomen, which resembles a darning needle. The females are polymorphic, meaning there are two types of females. Most females are green all over, but some have brown on the end of their abdomen with a gray tint on the sides.

The twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella) is otherwise known as the ten-spotted skimmer depending on the amount of dots you would like to count. Mature males have twelve brown wing spots and eight white wings spots. They are also known to be pretty massive; this makes them easy to identify.

The japanese Beetle (Popillia japonica) was introduced to the Americas from a tourist's car in Nova Scotia. This beetle has been limited in its ability to fully infest the environment, but cannot be fully eradicated. A swarm of them have been known to strip an entire peach tree in a matter of minutes.

The eastern Boxelder Bug (Boisea trivittata) pierces and feeds on maple seeds. They are not generally considered pests unless they invade homes or destroy fruit in the process. If they do invade homes, their excrement can stain the upholstery. They are also known as the boxelder bug.

The queen is 1.6 - 1.8 cm long and just under 1 cm wide at the abdomen. It is black with scattered gray and yellowish hairs on the head. The abdomen has many bright yellow hairs and areas of reddish hairs. The worker is 1.1 - 1.2 cm long and 5 mm wide at the abdomen. It is similar to the queen but it may have longer hairs. The male is 1.2 - 1.3 cm long and 5 mm wide at the abdomen. It is mostly black with more yellow on the head and abdomen. This species displays four genetically-controlled color polymorphisms: the second and third abdominal terga may have red or black hairs, and the fourth and fifth may be either yellow or black.

Common whitetail skimmer has black bands on its translucent wings which make it easy to identify. The common whitetail skimmer is found throughout North America and serves a vital ecological purpose. The dragonfly’s compound eyes provide it with a 360-degree field of vision, allowing it to spot prey like spiders and other nuisance insects.

The northern Paper Wasp (Polistes fuscatus) has a complex society that is dominated by one queen. The first children that a queen gives birth to are infertile females, giving them the regular job of maintaining the nest. Much like human societies, northern Paper Wasps pamper their youth. There are no nursing homes for the elderly.