Bugs with long tails are a fascinating part of the insect world. While most people are familiar with common bugs like flies ants, and beetles there are many bugs out there that have extra long appendages that can equal or exceed the length of their bodies. Let’s take a closer look at some of these intriguing insects.
What Are Considered Long Tails on Bugs?
When it comes to bugs with long tails, there are a few different structures that can give the appearance of a tail:
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Cerci – These are a pair of appendages at the rear of the abdomen. All insects have cerci but they are extra long in some species like earwigs and mayflies.
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Ovipositors – The egg-laying organs of some female insects like crickets and parasitic wasps are very long and look like tails.
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Pincers – Some insects like earwigs have a pair of pincers at their rear end that resembles tails.
So any insects with cerci, ovipositors, or pincers that are particularly elongated could be considered to have long tails The tails may be several times longer than the body itself!
Fascinating Bugs With Extra Long Tails
Here are some of the most notable bugs that are known for their exceptionally long tails:
Mayflies
These ancient insects have two or three long cerci tails that can be as long as their slender bodies. The tails don’t fold over the body and together with the upright wings give mayflies a very primitive look.
Silverfish
Often found in damp places in the home, these little insects have three long antennae-like cerci. The male vibrates these tails rapidly when courting females before mating.
Ichneumon Wasps
The long ovipositors of female ichneumon wasps look just like tails. They use them to lay eggs inside host caterpillars. Some species have ovipositors longer than their own bodies!
Moths
Many species of moths have long tails, with some of the most spectacular being the long-tailed burnet moths whose tails can exceed their forewing length. Giant silk moths also have prominent tails.
Butterflies
Butterflies in the swallowtail family are known for the twin tails on their hindwings. The tails may have yellow and black patterns to match the wings.
Katydids
Female katydids like the straight-lanced meadow katydid have an extremely long sword-like ovipositor that far exceeds their body size. They use it to deposit eggs deep into plant stems.
Earwigs
The pair of pincers on the tail end of earwigs gives them a distinctive look. The male’s curved pincers are used in mating displays, while the female’s straighter pincers help fold and protect eggs.
Crickets
Crickets have a pair of cerci tails and in females, a long retractable ovipositor tail that is used to deposit eggs inside vegetation. The ovipositor is a key way to distinguish females.
Bristletails
These primitive insects have either threadlike cerci or thick pincers at the tail end. Two-pronged bristletails in the family Campodeidae have extremely long segmented cerci.
As you can see, a diverse array of bugs have interesting adaptations that give them extra long tails. The tails serve important functions related to courtship, reproduction, defense and more.
Next time you see an insect with crazy long appendages, take a closer look as it just might be one of these fascinating bugs flaunting their tails! Watching for their unique behaviors can make any backyard bug hunt more engaging.
Why Do Bugs Have Long Tails?
Since long tails come at an energy cost, there must be advantages that make them worthwhile for certain bugs. Here are some of the potential benefits:
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Sensory organs – The tails have sensory receptors that help the bug pick up chemical signals, humidity, vibration, and other environmental cues.
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Balance and stability – For slender insects like mayflies, the tails act as rudders to steer and counterbalance the body in flight.
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Defense and offense – Pincer tails can be used to grab prey or fend off predators. Long ovipositors allow safer egg laying.
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Mating displays – Tails play a role in courtship rituals and reproductive behaviors for many species.
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Camouflage – Some butterflies have tail patterns that may distract predators from attacking vital body parts.
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Primitive heritage – Long tails harken back to ancient evolutionary lineages and are retained in primitive modern bugs.
So in different ways, long tails give certain insects a leg up in terms of survival, reproduction, and environmental interaction. Those that lose their tails likely experienced reduced selective pressures.
Tail Differences Between Male and Female Bugs
For some insects, there are clear distinctions between male and female tail structures:
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Male earwigs have curved pincers used in mating displays while female pincers are straight and mostly used in brooding eggs.
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Male mayflies have two cerci tails while females have an additional medial caudal filament.
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Female katydids, crickets, and parasitic wasps have long saber-like ovipositors that the males lack.
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Male silverfish use their tails in courtship vibrations which females do not exhibit.
So tail characteristics can be strongly influenced by sex-specific reproductive and lifestyle requirements. This sexual dimorphism may also reduce unnecessary tail length in males or females of a species.
Watching Bugs With Long Tails
Here are some tips if you want to try spotting and observing some of these cool insects flaunting their long tails:
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Inspect vegetation near water for mayflies emerging in spring and summer. Watch how they use their tails in flight.
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Check old sheds and basements for silverfish and bristletails skittering around using their antennae-tails.
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Listen for katydids producing mating calls and watch how the female positions her ovipositor.
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Examine logs and posts for female ichneumon wasps probing crevices with their exceedingly long ovipositors.
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Photograph swallowtail butterflies up close to see the wing tail details.
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Gently capture an earwig to get a close look at the pincers and how they are used.
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At night scan vegetation with a flashlight to spot moths with long graceful tails.
Take some time to appreciate the diversity of elongated tails sported by many remarkable bugs! Their extra appendages allow us a glimpse into the many survival adaptations, evolutionary quirks, and complex behaviors of insects. Any backyard can yield encounters with fabulous long-tailed bugs if you know where and how to look. Grab a magnifying glass and see what you can discover!
What do mayflies look like?
Mayflies are slender, elongated insects with antennae, two pairs of wings and six legs. Additionally, they can have two or three tails, which are usually longer than their body. There are many species, with some as small as 1 mm long while others are up to 30 mm long. Their color can vary, though they usually have dark, dull-colored bodies and pale wings, typically yellow, gray or even clear. These aquatic insects will hold their wings together above their body when resting. Common Mayfly Behavior
As mayflies are primarily an aquatic species, they spend most of their lives developing in the water. They are common around freshwater sources such as streams, lakes or ponds. Mayflies are often seen as a sign of healthy water ecosystems because they are very sensitive to pollutants. They have relatively short lifecycles. Females lay their eggs while flying low over the water or in the water directly, preferring clean, fresh water. Once the eggs hatch, these nymphs live near the bottom of the water, feeding on organic material. During this time as immature insects, fish and other insects will eat these nymphs. Once they mature, mayflies will leave the water, spending a day or two drying off and shedding their skin before flying away to mate. Males die after mating while females die after laying their eggs.
Mayflies are attracted to light and can become a nuisance when they gather at night near doorways or around lights, sometimes in large numbers. What Do Mayflies Eat?
Immature mayflies, also known as nymphs, feed on microscopic algae and organic matter in the water. Adults don’t have functioning mouthparts, and therefore do not eat. However, this isn’t an issue since mayflies only live as mature adults for a few days. Do Mayflies Bite or Sting?
Mayflies do not sting nor bite. Can Mayflies Harm You?
Mayflies are nuisance pests and cannot bite or sting. They are, however, very attracted to light, which can result in massive swarms around buildings at night and piles of dead flies below lights and windows in the morning. In areas that see large swarms, mayflies could affect driving conditions and visibility.
For allergy sufferers, mayflies could be a source of seasonal allergies. When they die, their molted skin and bodies break up and are easily carried by the wind. How to Get Rid of Mayflies
While there is little that can be done to prevent mayflies altogether, there are steps that can be taken to minimize the severity of the numbers around the home. Homeowners should replace mercury-vapor lamps with high-pressure sodium vapor lamps, while white incandescent fluorescent bulbs should be replaced with yellow bulbs. It’s also best to ensure all door and widows are properly screened and secured, and to seal holes and cracks that might permit mayfly entry into the home.
If high populations of mayflies are present around the property, homeowners should call a pest control professional to properly handle the infestation.
What is a mayfly?
Despite their name, mayflies are not actually flies. Sometimes called shadflies and lake flies, they are aquatic insects and are an important food source for fish and reptiles. These insects get their name from their typical emergence during the month of May, though they can emerge earlier or later depending on the species and environmental conditions. Mayflies are known for their two or three tails that are often longer than their bodies. If you need to get rid of mayflies on your property, it is recommended you hire a pest control professional.
These insects grew out of these eggs!
FAQ
What is the bug with a long tail?
Meet the Neighbors: Long-tailed Giant Ichneumonid Wasp
This is a rather scary looking insect. After all, look at that long appendage on its tail. You might think that is an enormous stinger! In reality, these wasps are harmless to humans.
Can a long-tailed wasp sting you?
The female long-tailed giant ichneumon wasp has a breathtakingly long ovipositor. It’s harmless to people. Invertebrates are animals without backbones, including earthworms, slugs, snails, and arthropods.
What are these long bugs in my house?
The house centipede has 15 pairs of long legs. The antennae and last pair of legs are longer than its body. The largest centipedes are in the genus Scolopendra and may grow to as much as 6” (15 cm) long. Their legs and antennae are shorter than those of the house centipede.
What is the bug that looks like a wasp with a long tail?
The long-tailed giant ichneumon wasp, Megarhyssa macrurus, belongs to a genus called the giant ichneumons. Using her 4-inch-long ovipositor, the female of this species drills through decaying wood to deposit eggs onto a larval pigeon tremex, a type of horntail wasp.