You've found the famous Dave's Garden website! Join this friendly global community that shares tips and ideas for home and gardens, along with seeds and plants!
Check out the DG homepage for a brief overview of what you'll find in this gardening mega-site.
Login
If you don't have an account yet, visit the registration page to sign up.
Believe it or not, most of the 50 states have their own official insect! For the sake of brevity, I'll present the information by insect rather than state. So you see, you'll have to read the whole article to learn the identity of your own state's favorite.
For the record, the image you see here is a Chinese Praying Mantis (Tenodera sinensis) and is not the chosen insect for any of the states. But she was wandering through my garden and I took a picture, thus adopting her as the Leland Acres Official Insect. I've briefly described this critter at the end of the article.
Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly(Euphydryas phaeton) Maryland claims this beauty. Range is east of the Mississippi, from as far north as Nova Scotia, across to the Great Lakes Region, and southward as far as northern Georgia and Mississippi. Sometimes found in Oklahoma, Texas, or Nebraska. The butterfly inhabits wet meadows and marshes in the eastern distribution, and dry wooded hillsides in southwestern areas.
California Dogface Butterfly(Colias eurydice) This stunning butterfly is only found in California. Photos are rare, and those found in research are all heavily protected by copyright. To see one, click here. Named for a wing pattern that looks like a canine face, only the males are so marked. The female has a small black dot on each yellow forewing.
Carolina Mantid(Stagmomantis carolina) A native species of mantis that boasts stature in South Carolina, it is one of six species found in North America. A valuable predator in the garden, mantis egg cases (oothecae) can be purchased commercially. Mature length is about 2 1/2 inches and the coloring ranges from brown and gray to green, depending on the insect's camouflage needs.
Colorado Hairstreak Butterfly(Hypaurotis crysalus) Adopted by Colorado, this is another butterfly for which public domain photographs were difficult to find. However, you can see this beauty here. The insect is native to the southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico, and depends only on the Gambel Oak (Quercus gambelii) for survival.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly(Papilio glaucus) Very familiar to most people, this variety of Swallowtail was adopted by Virginia. It is found all over the eastern United States, and as far west as eastern Colorado, but most of the year, it ranges through the southern areas.
European Honey Bee(Apis mellifera) A most popular insect resides in many states: Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia (state insect), and Wisconsin. The most important contribution of this insect is pollination. Without bees, our agricultural product would be endangered. The bee has many predators amongst insects, mammals, birds, spiders, and reptiles or amphibians. More recently, the Honey Bee is threatened by Colony Collapse Disorder.
European Mantis(Mantis religiosa) Connecticut claims this beneficial predator as the official state insect. It was inadvertently introduced in 1899 on a shipment of plants, and is now resident in many parts of the country. Grows 2 to 3 inches long and is bright green or tan.
Firefly(Photuris) Photuris pennsylvanica is the state insect for Pennsylvania, and the Common Firefly(Photuris pyralis) is that of Tennessee (the state with the greatest number of state insects: Firefly, European Honey Bee, and Ladybug. Often called "Lightning bugs", these insects are actually beetles. Over 2,000 species of firefly have been documented. The flashing light is a courting signal.
Four-spotted Skimmer Dragonfly(Libellula quadrimaculata) Alaska claims this prize. Also known as the Four-spotted Chaser, it is one of the most common species. Definitely voracious predators, these mini-helicopters feed mostly on mosquitoes, as well as gnats and midges. This insect lives near pools, slow-flowing rivers, and ponds, showing up in great numbers in June and July.
Green Darner Dragonfly(Anax junius) Washington state recognizes the benefits of this variety of dragonfly found from Alaska to Panama, Hawaii to Nova Scotia, and seen in the West Indies and Tahiti. It is a large dragonfly, measuring from 2-5/8 to 3-1/8 inches in length and 3-1/2 to 4-1/8 inches wingspan. Living near fresh water, the Green Darner can only survive where there are no predatory fish.
Seven-spotted Ladybug(Coccinella septempunctata) A true bug, this beneficial predator is honored in Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Ohio, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania. This species--the Seven Spotted Lady Beetle--is thought to have been accidentally introduced into North America, but has since been continuously reintroduced for aphid control. Detail that distinguishes this insect from the Asian Lady Beetle is a white spot on either side of the head.
Monarch Butterfly(Danaus plexippus) This beauty in the summer garden has been adopted by Alabama, Idaho, Illinois, Minnesota, Texas (state butterfly), and West Virginia (state butterfly). Renowned for its migratory habits, the Monarch is a large butterfly with a wingspan of 3-1/2 to 4 inches. Monarchs dine solely on Milkweed and are therefore poisonous or at least distasteful to birds and other predators.
Mosquito (Family: Culicidae with 41 genera) Texas adopted this one as state insect--do you suppose they are huge there? Everyone recognizes the mosquito, but few know that only the female draws blood and only the female survives the winter. Mosquitoes have been around for over 30 million years and are serious vectors for disease, most notably malaria (carried by the Anopheles genus), West Nile virus (carried by various genera), and equine encephalitis (carried by various genera).
Mourning Cloak(Nymphalis antiopa) Stunning and strictly regional, this butterfly is Montana's state insect. Found in woodlands and dry areas of the western portion of North America, this large 2-1/2 to 3 inch butterfly ranges from the northern tundra to central Mexico.
Oregon Swallowtail Butterfly(Papilio oregonius) No surprise that Oregon claims this beautiful variety of Swallowtail butterfly with a wingspan of 2-1/2 to 3 inches. Its distribution is from the southern parts of British Columbia, into eastern Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, as well as western Montana. Habitat includes hilltops, mountain meadows, and tundra.
Pink Spotted Ladybug(Coleomegilla maculata) New York is the only taker for this lovely member of the bug family. Dark pink with squarish black spots, these distinctively oblong bugs are voracious feeders on the eggs of other insects and have been found to be very effective against the Colorado Potato Beetle. They are attracted to Cilantro, Parsnips, Queen Anne's Lace, and other members of the carrot family.
Tarantula Hawk Wasp(Pepsis formosa) Nothing pretty about this critter, but New Mexico school children voted to make it the state insect in 1989. Up to 2 inches long, this insect is among the largest wasps. True to name, the wasp hunts for Tarantulas to use as food for the wasp larvae. The wasp is found worldwide and at least 250 species live in South America.
Two-tailed Swallowtail(Papilio multicaudata) One of the many varieties of Swallowtails, this one is the state choice for Arizona. Very similar to the Eastern and Western Tiger Swallowtail, it is distinguished by two tails on the hind wing and blue markings. This is a large butterfly (2-3/4 to 5-1/4 inches). Habitat is throughout Arizona, and in New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, and California.
Viceroy Butterfly(Limenitis archippus) This clever Monarch look-alike is Kentucky's state butterfly and insect. Features distinguishing it from the Monarch are a black line across the hindwing and a single line of white spots in the black edges of the wings. It prefers moist open areas, thickets, wet meadows, and roadsides. Range is the Northwest Territories south to central Mexico, and through all of the eastern U.S.
Zebra Longwing(Heliconius charithonia) This magnificent butterfly is named as Florida's official state insect. It ranges over North, South, and Central America, and parts of the West Indies. In the U.S., it is predominantly found in the southern states. These butterflies differ from most in that they roost in groups of about 70, and they not only sip nectar, but eat pollen.
If you were counting, yes--that was a list of 42 states. Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Nevada, North Dakota, Rhode Island, and Wyoming do not have a state insect. Michigan has unofficially adopted the Green Darner Dragonfly.
As promised, a few notes on the Chinese Praying Mantis.
Intentionally introduced into North America in 1895 as beneficial predators, these hungry insects are welcome in any garden. The Chinese Mantis is the largest species in North America, attaining lengths of up to 5 inches. The coloring is dull brown or tan with a green lateral stripe along the edge of the wings. One unsettling aspect of this creature's appetite is its non-selectivity--it will eat anything that moves, including its mate or hatchlings.
The 5 inch female in the photo produced several egg cases (oothecae) in my garden and I have a veritable army of bug-biters every spring. And, apparently, they make wonderful house pets--if you like that sort of thing!
About Toni Leland
Toni Leland has been writing for over 20 years. She has written a biweekly gardening newspaper column as a spokesman for the Ohio State University Master Gardener program, and writes for Grit magazine and Romance Writers Report. She has been a gardener all her life, working soil all over the world. In her day job, she scripts and produces educational DVDs about caring for Miniature Horses, as well as writing and editing books about this unique height breed.
Posted by Pegleg2X (from Lancaster, OH) on December 08, 2008 at 09:16 PM:
Thanks for the article. With all the unseasonably cold weather we've been having it sure was nice to see some of our summer and fall friends. I really appreciated the butterflies from around the country. Who in the world picked the Lady Bug for Ohio's state insect? I don't know if they were Lady Bugs or Japanese Beetles, but when I lived on my Southeast Fairfield county farm we were inundated with stinky little biting bugs. A friend of mine (Jack Cline) said they were beetles. I don't know if I've ever seen the Lady Bug. If we ever get a chance to vote on our state's insect I'll vote for the Chinese Praying Mantis! Now there's a gardener's friend! I feel blessed to have a few families of these insects in my evergreen shrubs. Thanks again for the fun article. Fred
...
Subject: What is Georgia's state insect?
Posted by jackieblue (from Vidalia, GA) on December 03, 2008 at 11:21 AM:
I felt very left out. Are we that much in the dark down here in the South.
...
Posted by tonileland (from Nashport, OH) on December 03, 2008 at 12:11 PM:
The European Honey Bee is Georgia's state insect. Don't be blue, we included you.
...
Subject: Chinese Praying Mantis
Posted by SaraW (from Mardela Springs, MD) on December 03, 2008 at 10:05 AM:
You mentioned in your article these insects make great housepets and I can agree with that. Each fall, before freezing temps, I bring in at least one, sometimes several. They like being put on curtain rods & high places & if I don't put them there, they will end up there themselves. Because of their large size they are easy to keep track of. I feed them crickets from outside and flies that are always showing up in the house. I have also purchased them crickets from the pet store. Once we have freezing temps for several days, the ones outside die so bringing them in extends their lifespan. The longest we have had one live in the house was after New Year's Day. They are extremely interesting creatures in the way they move their heads to look at you and wash themselves like cats.
...
Posted by tonileland (from Nashport, OH) on December 03, 2008 at 11:21 AM:
My cat would love this!!!
Thanks for the fun note!
...
Subject: Michigan's Unofficial State Insect
Posted by imaddicted (from Belmont, MI) on December 02, 2008 at 03:36 PM:
Can you provide an image of the green darner dragonfly? This was new info. to me. thanks!
...
Posted by tonileland (from Nashport, OH) on December 03, 2008 at 08:52 AM:
The Green Darner Dragonfly is the 10th image on the left of the article. It's quite a beauty!
...
Subject: Toni Leland's "State Insect" article
Posted by tamuento (from Cypress, TX) on December 02, 2008 at 10:47 AM:
Very interesting and educational article....regarding the mosquito as Texas's state insect, people do not seem to be aware how important the mosquito is in the food web....the larvae (wrigglers) and pupae (tumblers) are food for fish and amphibians, and the adults are food for birds and reptiles. Speaking strictly as an entomologist/biologist, mosquitoes are also important in "moderating" populations of mammals, as well, through their disease carrying ability....keeping in check population explosions and lowering peaks in population cycles....not that I'm excited about getting malaria or West Nile Virus from mosquito bites. We learn to regularly clean and empty containers of water (breeding sites), avoid being outside at dawn and dusk (their most active feeding times), wear protective clothing, and use mosquito repellents.
...
Posted by tonileland (from Nashport, OH) on December 03, 2008 at 08:50 AM:
Thanks so much for the interesting info on mosquitoes. When I'm researching these "factoid" articles, I'm so torn between keeping the article less than a gazillion words, and presenting all the facts about each subject. My research on mosquitoes was mind-boggling, to say the least! Perhaps a whole article devoted to these critters is a future project.
Thanks for commenting. :o)
...
Subject: florida...zebra longwing?
Posted by chubbydoll (from Jacksonville, FL) on December 02, 2008 at 12:39 AM:
wow, that comes as a surprising shocker considering our state "bird" is the mosquito! LOL
If you've ever been to Florida in the swampy, humid hot summers you would know exactly what I mean. I can go outside right now while it is 30 degres outside and find a mosquito. :P
...
Posted by tonileland (from Nashport, OH) on December 02, 2008 at 08:28 AM:
Years ago, I traveled by car to Florida with my two small daughters. As we proceeded farther south from New England, the insects got larger and larger. On an overnight stay somewhere in Georgia, I encountered first a moth that was the size of a sparrow, then later a 4-inch cockroach in the shower of the motel! Needless to say, I can imagine that mosquitoes absolutely love your humidity and warmth!
Glad you enjoyed the article..... Toni
...
Subject: STATE INSECT
Posted by SudieGoodman (from Broaddus, TX) on December 01, 2008 at 11:22 AM:
ZONE 8B, SAM RAYBURN LAKE, DEEP EAST, TX
Thanks Toni for a most informative and enjoyable article.
Keep up the great work.
...
Posted by Lily_love (from Central, AL) on December 01, 2008 at 04:57 PM:
Toni, thanks again for a fun article! I love it.
...
Posted by greenthumb_NC (from Charlotte, NC) on December 01, 2008 at 05:21 PM:
I loved the subject of your article and the facts that does entail.
Karin ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
...
Posted by roybird (from Santa Fe, NM) on December 01, 2008 at 06:26 PM:
Fun article!
...
Subject: Insects and Gardens
Posted by Noturf (from Marquesas Islands, Polynesia (French)) on December 01, 2008 at 07:22 AM:
I believe that a garden should attract insects, birds, lizards, spiders, when I plant.
They do their work, and offer their beauty. A great article. One seldom sees
articles about good/bad insects. Congratulations for the information and great pictures.
...
Posted by quiltygirl (from Wildomar, CA) on December 01, 2008 at 11:50 AM:
Great article. Funny that Texas would have a mosquito!
We occasionally have a praying mantis in our yard and they are tenacious. I see it literally stand up to our miniature pinscher. Fortunately the dog has not killed it. She has batted at it with her paw and the mantis fights back. Great fun to watch.
...
Posted by Joan (from Belfield, ND) on December 01, 2008 at 03:24 PM:
North Dakota doesn't have one huh? I've never thought about that, but if we did have one it would most likely be the common housefly, cabbage moth, grasshopper or yellow jacket! :)
Great article, thanks! I think I'll write to my legislators about the state bug, or lack thereof.
...
Posted by mwperry (from Brandon, MS) on December 01, 2008 at 06:53 PM:
Very interesting article, Toni. Quite bizzare of Texans to adopt a mosquito as their state insect. The pests are prolific in Mississippi, and the state does everything it can to reduce the mosquito population.
