MARCH 2015 • NEBRASKAland 19
NEBRASKAland
Visitor
and
Last issue's winner of
the Visitor drawing was
Jenny Deutsch of Omaha, who
found the bedbug on page 13.
Readers are encouraged to contact
NEBRASKAland within 10 days
after this issue's publication with
the correct page number and name
of this issue's "Visitor" – a critter
found in Nebraska. We will then
gather the correct entries and draw
one to win a NEBRASKAland
Magazine mug. To enter each
month, write:
NEBRASKAland Visitor
2200 North 33rd Street,
Lincoln, NE 68503.
Or e-mail:
Tim.Reigert@Nebraska.gov
with "Visitor" in the subject line of
the message.
HINT: This issue's visitor is not
on page 7, 12, 19, or 43.
Bedbug. Just hearing the name
makes most people's skin crawl.
Until recently, the bed bug (Cimex
lectularius) was just a reference in
a bedtime saying "… and don't let
the bed bugs bite." Unfortunately,
bed bug populations have risen
recently, spreading with our highly
mobile society. Bed bugs do feed
on humans, with bites causing skin
irritation and redness, but the bugs
do not transmit diseases. A bed
bug starts life as a small white egg,
about the size of a pinhead. After
hatching, nymphs go through five
instars before reaching adulthood.
Adults are about the size of an
apple seed (up to one-fourth inch
in length) and reddish brown.
Their body is oval and flat, unless
they have recently fed. Then they
look more elongate and
puffed up. Bed bugs are
not limited to "dirty"
locations; they
can live anywhere
humans live.
Bugguide.net is a good site for identification.
Special thanks to Julie
Van Meter, State Entomologist,
Nebraska Department of Agriculture.
perhaps 30 or fewer per hour are not likely to be as impressive and sometimes are
only apparent if you actually count the meteors. Others have a lot more so those
are the ones to go for. There are predictions each year of the strength of some of
the showers so it is a good idea to look for them to find a shower that is worth
getting up early, or staying up late to see. ■
Thanks to Edward Schmidt, University of Nebraska-Lincoln physics and
astronomy professor for the scientific information for this story.
Active Dates Meteor Shower Predicted mtrs/hr
Dec. 28-Jan. 12 Quadrantids 120
April 16-April 25 Lyrids 18
April 19-May 28 Aquariids 40
July 17-August 24 Perseids 100
Dec. 4-Dec. 17 Geminids 120
2015 Predicted Major Meteor Shower Calendar
PHOTO
BY
JUSTIN
HAAG
