h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I think that currently Homoptera is a full order of insects, not a sub-order as this article states. Perhaps this has changed since the article was researched?

Thanks for taking the trouble to read the entry. If only it were so straight forward. It seems to depend largely on which entomologist you listen to. I used the most common definition. You'll find they're many and various, if you look around. Here's one I just found at Berkeley within a minute of starting a search on "homoptera":

"Most people tend to call anything with lots of legs a "bug." However, to an entomologist, a "bug" is one of the 35,000 or so species of the order Hemiptera. Hemiptera means "half wing" and refers to the fact that part of the first pair of wings is toughened and hard, while the rest of the first pair and the second pair are membranous. Hemipterans also have modified piercing and sucking mouthparts; some suck plant juices and are plant pests, while others can bite painfully.
A possibly paraphyletic group of insects known as the Homoptera is sometimes included within the Hemiptera, even though they lack the toughened areas on the first pair of wings. Some entomologists group both Hemiptera and Homoptera within the group Heteroptera; others use the name Heteroptera for what we have called the Hemiptera and use Hemiptera for the Heteroptera. Confused? So are we. Anyway, the Homoptera have the dubious distinction of being probably the most destructive insects of all."

There's a fair amount of confusion, as you can see. That's why I used the most common definition.

Ah, yes I found that same site after a moments search. That sums it up pretty well, I guess. I have recently been involved with a project tracking the life cycle of the milkweed bug (a Hemipteran). It's a measure of my attachment to the little guys that I do not like comparing them to aphids.

I definitely agree, you should use the most common definition. Have you studied entymology, or is this just a subject you happen to be familiar with?

I decided that I would write guide entries on subjects that really fascinated me but that I didn't know very much about. It would give me a reason to roll up my sleeves and find out everything I could about the things I'd love to get involved in but never could, because I'm too old now.

I envy you - isn't that terrible? And I can understand how you can get attached to your bugs. I've never actually met a cicada but I love the noisy little suckers anyway. I'm also very fond of and interested in ants.

That's a good philosophy for writing guide entries, actually. You are a "Researcher" in the literal sense. Me, I try to stick to what I know, which ain't much.

Never met a cicada? Do you live in the US? Here in Virginia we're due for a slew of periodic cicadas in the next few years. I remember the last batch, and no matter how much I loved the things, I'd be a bit miffed at not being able to open my mouth for fear of swallowing one. Still, they're quite interesting to me, seeing as I have some personal experience with them and all.

Hmmm... all this bug talk is motivating me to write that Hemlock Wooly Adelgid article I've been thinking about. Quite a hot topic here at the uni, apparently, at least in the entymology department.

No, I live in Leicestershire, right smack-bang in the middle of England. We only have one species of cicada in Britain and that lives in the New Forest - that's in the South West of England.

I wish you would write your article on Hemlock Wooly Adelgid. Already you have me interested. What fascinates you about this particular insect? Why isn't it considered a pest in Japan? Is it controlled by natural predators there?

We have a problem with Japanese Knot Weed in Britain. Japan seems to have a collection of attractive but problematical little treasures for us. I believe you also have a problem with knot weed in the USA.

The biggest impediment to writing entries for The Guide is h2g2 itself. You get so involved in discussing just about everything that ever interested you with people here, it's hard to find time to go to work and sleep, never mind writing guide entries.

I hadn't considered why HWA isn't a pest in Asia. As with most foreign pests, I assume its a lack of natural predators that makes it a problem. The seminar I attended on the subject discussed the use of a biological control agent, Laricobius Nigrinus, a Coleopteran (or beetle) which IIRC eats the HWA's eggs.

And yes, I find it very hard to write entries with all the conversations that interest me rage about. Probably why I only have one edited entry to date.

When you said you might do an article on the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid I nipped off to find out what it was ... as you do. The stuff that came up was all about what a little nuisance it is. I guess you're not so interested in its pesky qualities then. What interests you about it?

Being as attached as you are to the milkweed bug, might you do an entry on that?

I know, it's finding the time isn't it? But it would be great to get more entries on insects in The Guide. That is to say, I would be delighted to be able to read more of the sorts of things that interest me.

Pesky? Its a destructive little thing. They can kill an infested Hemlock tree in 3-4 years by defoliation (and trees are supposed to live pretty long). The Hemlock is valued as a preferred habitat for certain birds (I'm not sure which), and is desirable for landscaping in gardens.

As for entries, I'm being particularly diligent in getting all my schoolwork done so I should have time this week. Yeah, I suppose I could write an entry on milkweed bugs too. I already have most of the info laying about on my computer anyway.

Yes I think the guide could use a bigger biology section in general, and insects of course, being the most interesting and numerous animals, ought to have first priority.

Right then! I'll be looking forward to seeing your Hemlock Woolly Adelgid and Milkweed Bug entries appear over at Peer Review in the fullness of time. Be sure to let me know when they're ready for review and I'll nip over and have a read and a comment.

I can hardly wait

Milkweed bug entry, Work in Progress:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A536221

Oh good. That's coming along nicely!

How does it feed on seeds with a proboscis? Are the milkweed seeds liquid inside or does the bug have a way of liquefying the interior of the seeds?

I guess with that "loud" colouring, they won't have many predators. And if they live mainly on milkweed, they're beneficial rather than a pest. They sound like nice little bugs ... or are they big?

I like your curiousity, if you don't mind I'll continue to draw on it for ideas about what to include next.

When I get time I'll look up my measurements from the project and make a size chart spanning the whole development process. I answered your question about the proboscis though and generally fleshed out the GuideML more.

It's good. I read it last night but was too tired to post then.

Interesting proboscis arrangement. As you don't mind me being nosey I'll ask some more questions.

You mentioned the 'large milkweed bug'. This implies there's more than one species of the bug. How many different species are there, how do they differ and do you find different species of mwb in different areas of the world/country?

Where do they deposit their eggs, and at what time of the year? How long between laying and hatching? Do they all emerge together?

Do they ever gather in large numbers, for mating for example? How do they find mates? Do they use sound, pheromones, dance or do they just trip over each other? Do they fly to a lek? Do they mate more than once? How long do they live after mating/egg laying?

I expect I might be able to find more questions ... if you want any more

About species, I am thinking I may have to focus on the large milkweed bug, maybe even title the entry "the large milkweed bug" just because I don't know much about the other species. I only studied the large, and I can't find information on how other species differ. I knew about the small milkweed bug from the start, but I have found mention of a japanese type as well.

It's a good idea to concentrate on the one you're most familiar with. I think it would be good to just mention that there are several different species and they vary in size, colour, markings, geographical location ... or whatever. No need to go into detail. I was only offering a few ideas, all or any of which you're perfectly safe to ignore

Good suggestions, thanks.

BTW I think I'm going to save the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid article for a planned project to get me into the University of Life. Have you been there? Seems to me you'd make a good field researcher.

That seems like a fine idea. I did check out the U of Life a while ago when it first started. I asked Mark Moxon if I should sign up and this was what he said:

"That depends. Taking on a project is not the same as writing an entry for the Guide - it's a bigger undertaking that should incorporate managing multiple Researchers helping out, more than one entry (ideally), and a timespan of about six weeks. If you're thinking of writing a single entry on a single topic, then just writing it is enough. If you want it to be Edited, then stick it in the Peer Review process at http://www.h2g2.com/PeerReview. The difference between a project and an individual entry is the difference between the thesis and the single essay - take your pick!"

I don't really want to get involved in something that's going to demand a lot of commitment. I'm not, in any case, what you might call a team worker. I think they'd notice my lack of self-discipline sooner or later and sling me out

Yes, I'm planning to do a big thing on insect pest management with junk like:
termites
pesticide use and the environment
Bacillus Thuringiensis
Bt corn and the monarch butterfly
colorado potato beetle
southern pine beetle
hemlock wooly adelgid
purple loosestrife
general entries on chemical control and biological control
DDT
gypsy moth
cockroaches
(and more, depending on if I have time)

Probably won't get started til next fall though unless I can find a way to be online during the summer. Any british bug pests you can help with?