@JustAnotherNakedApe

Fulbright Scholar Jessa Thurman loves insects. Possibly more than puppies. Probably more than people.

Her current research focusses on native biocontrol agents -- a method of controlling invasive pests through the use of parasitic or predatory organisms. In her free time, she explores the rainforests of sub-tropical Australia to find and document every kind of creepy-crawly imaginable, from glow-worms to mountain katydids. A wonder and deep appreciation for nature has nurtured in Jessa a contagious enthusiasm for entomology.

She shares her thoughts, feelings, knowledge, and footage of these awesome arthropods on her Instagram:

@JustAnother NakedApe

This is a new species of Anastatus wasp (family Eupelmidae), which parasitizes the eggs of other insects. This species is an Australian native and lays her eggs inside those of a major Aussie pest, the fruit-spotting bug.

My work here involves describing this wasp and understanding what’s happening when we release her on macadamia nut farms. It’s been great to work in the realm of taxonomy, while also working with farmers to study Anastatus in the field, which could later improve our use of it as a biocontrol agent.

Scientific research takes you on a long and interesting road. I’m happy to still be working with these tiny, amazing creatures!

Golden orbweaver (Nephila sp.) found in the agrarian dream that is this macadamia orchard. It’s great to see some spill-over from the surrounding natural vegetation. In talks with farmers, there’s a general consensus and worry for how few spiders have been seen in the crops over the past few years. My wasps are great to target the fruit-spotting bug, but we need generalist predators to keep the other pests at bay. At least here the spiders seem to be “spilling in.”

This limey katydid (Tettigoniidae) was found hiding in this lemon and lime orchard. Unlike other leaf-mimicking insects, like Phyllium spp., katydids are a mixed bag of herbivores and predators. Their strategy in life is more complex than just eating leaves and looking like leaves. Instead, they can be considered the deadly leaf for many insect pests. Overall, they cause no damage to orchards and are one of many insects that can provide farmers with some ecosystem services like reduced pest densities.

E N H A N C E D stacked image of the pest weevils (Leptopius sp.) found on young macadamia trees in Bundaberg. This image was created by going through several planes of focus on this weevil under a microscope and 179 photos later... you get a photoshopped beauty who’s had all its bits stitched together. ••• ID help thanks to @thefrogscientist !

I don’t care what you say, Jumping spiders (family Salticidae) are the cutest, cuddliest looking animals. They’re clever animals too, always sensitive to you getting near them and skittering away at first until they grow accustomed to you.

The Sigastus weevil, a terribly cute nugget of a bumpy beetle, but the worst macadamia pest for farmers in New South Wales. Sigastus chews into the nuts and lays an egg inside so its larva can grow fat and happy on the juicy macadamia nut. Two years ago, I met with organic farmers, all of whom are now forced to spray in order to control this pest. Hopefully a biocontrol program that can effectively control this pest will be developed soon. In the meantime it looks like organic macadamias will be non-existent.

The photo...and how you get it can often give very different impressions. You have to get really close and often pull out your best sneak or coaxing skills for macro shots, but they’re often worth it. This cheeky Longhorn beetle has apparently had an adventurous life so far. He seemed to be getting around alright with only one antenna thankfully!

The only response I need for people asking “why do you like wasps?” ••• This cuckoo wasp (family Chrysididae) was found in my friend’s garden just outside of Brisbane.

These wasps parasitize other wasp larvae like those of the large mud wasps who you may see building nests around your house. Like the cuckoo bird, this wasp parasitizes another’s nest with its own young.

Understandably, the other wasps are not happy to see this dazzling beauty and so the cuckoo can curl up into its armored body to protect itself from attack.

Cressida cressida, also known as the ‘Big Greasy’ is everywhere in Cairns at the moment. They’re almost constantly moving and only stop when you catch them. Don’t worry, this girl is just playing dead. It’s a trick that butterflies and possums play quite well.

I came across this Spiny Legged Rainforest Tree Katydid (Phricta spinosa) last night while hiking along a creek. She was perched on a leaf, almost waiting to be photographed. During the day, these katydids can be found flattened against tree trunks or branches, but spotting them is tricky with their spikes that disrupt their body shape and the lichencoloration that helps them blend in. This is a female and I didn’t hear any males singing last night, but perhaps she was waiting for a later serenade.

Net casting spider (Deinopis sp.) laying in wait on a crisp Australian night. You might notice the large, adorable eyes on this fella and suspect he has good eyesight, and if so, you yourself have some fine observation skills! These nocturnal hunters must have good vision to see and catch their prey with their net. Sometimes I feel like a net casting spider, but I cheat with contact lenses to spot my insects and doubt I’m as skilled as this guy is with a net.

One of the other students in my lab studies venoms and how we can develop novel cancer treatments from them. For this research, he needs to sample venom from scorpions and has had some trouble finding these stinging friends. We headed out with a UV torch and soon found several Hormurus waigiensis (seen here) and Lychas sp. scorpions. The forests are full of them and if you’re using the right eyes, you’ll spot dozens!

Those spikes are all show. Cairns birdwing (Ornithoptera euphorion) caterpillars are soft and velvety critters. But these chunkers are not too worried about predators because they eat a poisonous plant. Aristolochia has toxic compounds which the caterpillars can use to make themselves toxic. The vibrant green adults then don’t have to worry about everyone trying to grab a bite! Some of the red and yellow colors on the caterpillars may also hint at that toxicity. No snacks here!

Jessa Thurman | 2018 U.S. Postgraduate Scholar | Entomology Washington State University / James Cook University

Jessa aspires to improve our usage of biological control agents to regulate pest populations in crops by understanding how these insects and other arthropods interact with pests and the environment. These studies may also be based on insights from land managers. This combination of research interests should improve overall execution of biological control on farms globally. These interests will be pursued throughout the completion of her PhD in Entomology and possibly furthered as a professor.

You can follow all of Jessa's arthropod adventures on her Instagram.