"Stink Bug" (Pentatomidae) - showing its mouthparts
This is looking up at a "Stink Bug" in the family Pentatomidae of the Heteroptera, Hemiptera trying to suck a seed pod of the Late-flowered Mariposa Lily aka Weed's Mariposa Lily (Calochortus fimbriatus or Calochortus weedii, Liliaceae). There are still seeds in the dry pods. It's a chance to remember the rather complicated parts of the bug's mouthparts. Going from left to right,
* first there is the labrum, a small piece of skin that covers the exposed part of the stylets before they are surrounded by the labium;
* then there are the thin dark stylets which contain food and salivary channels, but need support; and
* finally there is the segmented labium which looks like a little leg, and supports the stylets.
Put them all together, and they become the beak of the bug. (San Marcos Pass, 26 September 2016)
It was another hot day, and curiously it might have been hotter in town again. Time to get to the debate, though I have been listening.
"Stink Bug" (Pentatomidae) - showing its mouthparts
This is looking up at a "Stink Bug" in the family Pentatomidae of the Heteroptera, Hemiptera trying to suck a seed pod of the Late-flowered Mariposa Lily aka Weed's Mariposa Lily (Calochortus fimbriatus or Calochortus weedii, Liliaceae). There are still seeds in the dry pods. It's a chance to remember the rather complicated parts of the bug's mouthparts. Going from left to right,
* first there is the labrum, a small piece of skin that covers the exposed part of the stylets before they are surrounded by the labium;
* then there are the thin dark stylets which contain food and salivary channels, but need support; and
* finally there is the segmented labium which looks like a little leg, and supports the stylets.
Put them all together, and they become the beak of the bug. (San Marcos Pass, 26 September 2016)
It was another hot day, and curiously it might have been hotter in town again. Time to get to the debate, though I have been listening.