The OIF has a second contact in BC who collects for us and this individual is located in the drier interior. There the dominant habitat is arid scrubland and unsurprisingly a markedly different assembly of inverts is found there as well.
As before although many of the species received have been posted on FB and/or Instagram I wanted to have them concentrated in one or two posts which showcase them all again - once more the fascinating species of the west never fail to captivate and intrige.
As with last time we'll start with a favourite; the Jerusalem cricket. Two species of Jerusalem cricket can be found in Canada, this one is endemic only to BC. Dispite their name these insects are neither from Jerusalem and they're not true crickets. Although in the same Order as grasshoppers, true crickets, and katydids (Orthoptera) they are as closely related to these insects as horses are to tapirs and rhinos.
The explanation for the "Jerusalem" part of their name isn't entirely clear, but it is believed to stem from a confused translation of Navajo terminology by Franciscan missionaries in the western North American territories. Other names for this insect include; potato bug, skull insects, stone cricket, niño de la tierra (Spanish for "child of the earth"), qalatötö (Hopi for "shiny bug"), devil's baby, and Woh-tzi-Neh (Navajo for "old bald-headed man").
As several of their names suggest this species spends a lot of time below the surface of the earth, where it feeds on roots, tubers, dead and decayjng organjc matter, and sometimes other insects.
Unlike katydids and true crickets this species has no wings thus the "song" it produces for attracting mates is created by drumming its abdomen on the ground.
Another very cool species which came with this shipment were the boreal scorpions, also commonly known as northern scorpions (Pruroctonus boreus). The range of this small species goes from Arizona and the way up to BC, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, making it Canada's only native scorpion. This scorpion specializes in inhabiting regions and areas with temperatures too cold for other scorpion species and has been recorded as far north as Medicine Hat! In warmer regions they are found at higher elevations where its cold tolerance gives it the competitive advantage in the cool mountain ranges.
While all scorpions are venomous this species wields some that is not have medically significant should it tag you - no deaths have ever been attributed to it and the sting is reported to be less painful than that of a bee. Their shy and retiring nature means that generally they avoid people whenever possible. This also means that while they can be locally common in an area they are still not frequently encountered and so one should consider encountering a wild one lucky for the uncommon sighting.
The OIF has been sent several females and a good number of males so we will be attempting to propagate this species in captivity.
Next are a very unique species which the OIF is extremely proud to have in our collection: Solifugids. These arachnids are commonly called camel spiders, sun spiders, and wind scorpions, although they are neither spiders or scorpions but their own distinct group within arachnids (Solifugae).
What makes them unique is that while many macro arachnids are ambush predators that sit and wait for their prey Solifugids actively seek out and hunt their prey. This means they have a high metabolic rate for their size and ravenously attack anything they can overpower. Researchers have reportedly followed a solifugid for over an hour as it ran over the dunes hunting prey. Being so active and favouring remote desert tracts means they are not easily studied and there are a number of species which have little known about their biology and ecology. Canada has two species which can be found here - one species can be found in Alberta and BC, while the other is only present in BC (the specimens sent are of the latter kind).
While the OIF was sent a male and female pair the male died shortly after reaching us. Typically these inverts adapt poorly to captivity and usually don't last long for those who try to keep them. Thankfully the female has managed to do fairly well in her setup - they're a species that requires frequent feeding and a large amount of space for their size.
If this female can survive til next late spring next year then it may be worth trying to find her a mate to see if captive breeding can be accomplished.
Unlike the Solifugid discribed above this next species is a true spider, and probably one of the most readily recognized spiders in Canada, maybe even North America: the western black widow. The glossy jet black body highlights the bright red hourglass on the abdomen of the females, the dangerous sex, since males are a fraction of her size and pose no real threat.
Recent research has shown that the bite of this spider isn't as deadly as once believed for the average adult, although children, elderly, and sick individuals are still considered at serious risk. The bite, even if not deadly in most cases, causes extreme pain and nausea for those unfortunate enough to experience it.
There are a few more species which arrived from out west, but in the interest of time and providing at least semi-regular posts I'll end there for now and do another round in a part 3.
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