Shell-less, slugs need moist soil to survive. Without legs, slugs leave a trail of slim behind them. They feed on decomposing leaf litter and animal carcasses.
The best-known soil animal, the segmented earthworm is an excellent burrower. They are able to contract and lenghten and are hermaphrodites (contain both male and female reproductive organs). Earthworms are found in soil usually under rocks or fallen logs.
May beetles are identifiable by their abdomen which has six visible segments. One example is June Bugs, they begin as white grubs and may do damage to plants. Other species are scavengers and do no harm.
A beetle favored by man, the lady beetle protects plants from destruction. Characterized by a bright orange red body and six black spots on either side of the abdomen. The heads of lady beetles are black marked with pale yellow.
A black and yellow banded abdomen is the identifiable feature of a yellowjacket. These wasps have two sets of wings and one set of antennae. Female yellowjackets inject a painful sting in those disturbing them.
With two sets of legs to every body segment, the Thousand Legged Worms are often mistaken for wire worms. Millipedes have one set of antennae and are usually round in cross section. They feed on plants and coil up when disturbed.
Similar to the Millipede, the Centipede have many legs. These worm-like organisms run rapidly when disturbed and their legs are more easily viewed.
Bulging eyes and large, clear wings are two distinguishing factors of the cicada. The periodical cicada spends 13 or 17 years under ground as grubs before emerging as adults synchronously. The shells of cicadas, or locusts, are shed a left behind on tree trunks or in grass or leaf debris.
Generally brownish, Harvestmen spiders are an order of their own for two reasons. The lack the powerful jaws and poison glands of spiders. Also appropriately referred to as Daddy-long-legs because of their four pairs of extremely four legs.
Quick, long-legged spiders, wolf spidres are generally found in fields and forests. Also called ground spiders, they are well camoflaged in the grass as well as on tree bark.
Long and slender, stilt bugs have weak legs and antennae which are longer than the body. Usually dull reddish or yellow brown, stilt bugs are often found on debris or vegetation.
A Large and widely distributed group, ants are abundant. Most species nest on the ground, but may nest in a fallen log as shown in the picture. Each colony consist of at least one queen, workers, and males. Some ants may sting or bite when disturbed and most are scavengers or plant feeders.
Snails need fresh water or moist soil to survive. They carry shells on their back and leave a trail of slime behind them as they move. Snails graze on decomposing leaf litter and animal carcasses.
Witmer Woods
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