8 Common Bugs in the Philippines
The Philippines is well known for its lush, natural environment. Its tropical, middling climate is a great contributing factor towards the country’s biodiversity. Needless to say, it holds a huge multitude of unique species within its borders. In fact, out of the Philippines’ 21,000 recorded insect species, up to 70% are endemic to the country.
That’s not to say that the Philippines does not have its fair share of common insects, too. Some of which even need pest control in order to keep them in check. Take a look at some of the often seen ones:
Moths
Diamondback Moth
These are one of the most common moths found in the south eastern part of Asia, including the Philippines. The adult version of diamondback moths is around 6 millimeters long with colors of tan or brown on their back area. These types of moth eat usual vegetable crops like cabbage, brussels, and broccoli.
Helcystogramma Tristellum
Is a type of moth only found in the Philippines and on Java, an island in Indonesia. Helcystogramma tristellum is part of the Gelechiidae family of moths; they are described as tiny moths with fringed and narrow wings with a tan color overall.
Zythos Modesta
This is normally found in Bohol city, it belongs to the Geometridae family with a wingspan of about 32 millimeters.
Ants
Diacamma rugosum
The other term for this type of ant is the queen-less ponerine ant which is found on the ground forming small colonies of around 50 to 150 ants situated in the rainforest climates because of its classification as a hunter and gatherer specie, another characteristic of the diacamma rugosum is how they feed on sweet oozes from plants and dead insects
Weevil (Beetles)
Scotinophara coarctata
Are commonly known as “black rice bugs” in the country because these bugs feed off rice plants. They infest the base of the rice plant stem to drain the sap which causes the rice plants to die. This type of beetle is characterized by their 8-9 millimeter long length coupled with their shiny blackish-brown color.
Obenbergerula
Belongs to the family of Buprestidae, the family of jewel beetle insects which are generally found in the Philippines. It is dubbed as a jewel bug due to their bright colors, some of which include vibrant shades of green and large spots that shimmer like the item they’re named after.
Termites
Obenbergerula
Known as the Asian subterranean termite, it lives underground. This type of termite is harmful to the environment, and it’s commonly found in Asia. (That’s not to say other countries don’t have them either.) “Philippine milk termite” is also another term for this kind of termite. As their name implies, they are white, translucent, and tiny with two small pale spots. They tend tp consume fabric, wood, and paper, making it a harmful insect for the environment.
Spiders
Portia spider
Is a jumping type of spider that tricks its prey to capture and eat them. They are part of the Salticidae family and are commonly found all over the country.
That said, the Philippines’ strength in its biodiversity should be celebrated, not squashed. However, there are really those that require a sufficient amount of environmental control, so if you chance upon these creatures, don’t hesitate to contact pest control in order to keep your home safe.
