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Eggs in soil


Using eggs in the garden – 5 expert tips

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Whether dealing with weeds, pests, or just looking for an organic way to nourish your plants – using eggs in the garden is the perfect solution. 

While eggs are a popular staple in many of our diets, it is less common to consider what we do with waste, such as eggshells or out-of-date produce. However, experts are urging us to take them out of your kitchen trash and into the forefront of your garden ideas, where we can enjoy a host of benefits beyond their expiry. 

Using eggs in the garden – 5 ways to take their natural benefits outside

While we wouldn't suggest that you should expect miracles from your old eggshells, you can use them to deter pests and nourish your flower bed ideas.

'Eggs can be used in many ways in the garden. They can be added to compost bins to add nutrients,' says garden landscaper Melody Estes from The Project Girl . 'They can be used as organic fertilizer by mixing them with dirt or sand and adding them around your plants.' Plus, if you're wondering how to add calcium to soil, this staple experts suggest using crushed egg shells to balance your soil's pH and promote healthy plant growth. 

And, their benefits don't end there Here's everything you need to know about their organic power. 

1. Add crushed eggshells in your soil

(Image credit: GettyImages)

Perhaps the most common way to use eggs in your garden is through eggshells in your soil. These shells contain calcium, as well as traces of other elements, including magnesium and phosphorus – great for adding nutrients to your soil and compost. 

Having said that, most soil in North America is already rich in calcium, so you may not need to add any more. Also, if you add egg to acidic soil, then the calcium won't be absorbed by your plants. In fact, you may end up with excess nitrogen in your soil, which will do more harm than good. Therefore, it is worth doing a simple PH check of your soil to see whether you should be adding eggs.  

2. Using eggs to prevent blossom end rot

Some people recommend adding eggs to the base of plants prone to blossom end rot, especially tomatoes and zucchini. However, what people don't know is that blossom end rot mainly affects first-year blossoms. 

If you're still experiencing problems the second year in, then it's time to give eggshells a chance to do their calcium-enhancing magic. You can also try companion planting to reduce all kinds of problems with tomatoes and other plants.

3. Using eggshells as mulch

(Image credit: GettyImages)

Eggshells make for excellent mulch, helping plants retain moisture and repel weeds. You do need quite a lot of eggshells to make enough mulch, though, so you will need to get whipping up those cakes and omelets to build up a large enough store of shells.

4. Using eggs to deter pests

Opinion is divided on whether eggshells repel slugs, beetles, and other insects you don't want near your plants. The mechanism with repelling slugs is clear enough: the sharp edges of crushed eggshell cut slugs, so they avoid them. 

In reality, this only works if your eggshells stay dry. Watering and rain will both interfere with this hack from working – so it is one to try on dry days or try another method instead.

5. Using eggshells to feed wild birds

(Image credit: Photo by Rotem Vazan on Unsplash)

This is arguably the best use of eggs in the garden. Wild birds that visit our gardens are often calcium-deficient and will eat small bits of crushed eggshells as a supplement. For that reason alone, it's well worth scattering crushed eggshells in your garden. 

So, while you may already have the right plants for birds, it is also worth remembering them when getting rid of your egg shells post dinnertime. 

Can you put raw eggs in your garden? 

Yes, you can put raw eggs in your garden. As Melody Estes explains, raw eggs are high in protein and encourage your plants to grow stronger. 'They are also a good source of nitrogen, which helps break down organic matter and feed the soil,' the expert says.

However, she adds that it's important to note that you should never use raw meat or fish products in your garden, as these can attract pests to your plants. Though, if you are looking for another organic solution for your plants, experts recommend using orange peel to deter pests and regain control over your garden. 

What can you do with expired eggs? 

Expired eggs can be used in your garden as a natural fertilizer. To do so, the expert suggests breaking the eggs into small pieces before mixing them with soil. However, you should let the mixture sit for a few days before adding it to your garden.

'This will allow the egg white to break down and become part of the soil, which will help promote growth in your plants,' Melody says. 'You can also use expired eggs as mulch around your plants. This will help keep weeds from growing and also prevent them from being watered too much by rain or irrigation systems. '

(Image credit: GettyImages)

What happens when you put an egg in soil? 

When you put an egg in soil, it will be broken down by microbes, Melody explains.

'This decomposition process begins with anaerobic bacteria breaking down the egg white and albumen. The yolk is more resistant to decomposition, but if it is left in the soil for longer than two weeks, it will also begin to decompose.'

Should I use whole raw egg or crushed eggshells?

Using a whole raw egg in the garden is a bit of a waste of an egg – all the nutrients needed for plants and/or wildlife are in the eggshells. 

'Raw egg fertilizer may not be the best way to introduce calcium to your plants', writes Certified Urban Agriculturalist Bonnie L. Grant for Gardeningknowhow . Use the eggshells instead – and bake them to disinfect them if using to feed birds.

Anna Cottrell is Consumer Editor across Future Plc Home titles. She has a background in academic research and is the author of London Writing of the 1930s. She writes about interior design, property, and gardening .On H&G, she specializes in writing about property – buying, selling, renting, mortgages – sustainability and eco issues.

Insect Eggs in Garden Soil (Identification & Prevention) – Flourishing Plants

Insect eggs can be found in many different places. In soil, various species of beetles, bugs, and mites lay eggs there. Soil is a perfect breeding ground for insects since it is dark and food is abundant. 

Insects like Cutworms, Moths, Ants, Borers, and Beetles will lay eggs within the first 1 – 3 inches of soil. These eggs can be small and pale white or yellow and can cause devastating effects on plants when hatched. Early identification with the use of Neem oil, beneficial nematodes, and insecticides effectively protects garden plants and crops.

In addition to species that bury their eggs individually in the soil, other kinds lay their eggs in clumps or even in small, underground tunnels they create themselves.

These insects can be as tiny as a fly or as big as a grasshopper. In this article, we take a closer look at what insect lays these eggs, how to identify the eggs, and the preventative measures you can take.

Contents

What Insects Lay Eggs in The Soil?

Whether you are planting in a garden or in-house plant-pot, insect eggs are inevitable.  

In North America, there are around 65 species of June beetles, and they all lay their eggs on the soil surface. 

In addition, any species of non-stinging wasp that lay their eggs inside tree trunks or similar structures also do so by laying their eggs into the soil underneath trees.

A list of a few worst egg-laying insects are given below;

Ants:

One of the common insects you might find in the soil is ants. Ant eggs are small, white, and oval-shaped. They usually form in the spring when temperatures are warm enough for eggs to hatch.

Snails & Slugs:

Snails and slugs with other crawling insects prefer clean areas with a nearby water supply. They can get food and hatch quickly. They like to hide and breed in mulch, garden soil, or under rocks.

Aphids:

These multi-colored, pear-shaped, tinny creations cause a significant problem. Aphids make holes in plant leaves and stem and suck plant juices. Weak plants can not survive after their eggs are in the soil.

Black Turfgrass Ataenius:  

These are spring attackers of turfgrass. These are black tiny beetles. They give eggs, hatch into small white grubs, and feed there till mid-summer.

Borers:

Few beetles and larvae are borers. They make tunnels into canes, stems, and shrubs of various trees. In this way, they weakened the plant and caused ultimate death.

Flies:

There are a total of fifteen fly species known to lay eggs in the soil including fungus gnats. Eight of these families contain only one species each. Of the five remaining, two species in each family either have larvae that live in the soil or require pupation. 

Bagworm, Bean leaf beetles, Cabbage looper, Colorado potato beetle, and many more are examples of soil egg-laying insects.

Note: Depending on what you want to grow in your garden, it is essential to know which type of insect is laying the eggs. This way, you can avoid using harmful chemicals and make adjustments to your soil condition.

What is The Color of Insect Eggs in Soil?

It is challenging for an ordinary person to differentiate insects’ egg colors. Professionals opinion in some researchers gather the information given below;

InsectsEgg Characteristics
Female stink bugsLays darker eggs to avoid Ultraviolet rays. Their egg color varies from dark brown to black.
Beetle pestsCan produce a cluster of 100 or more yellow-colored eggs.
Moth Pest, (Corn Worms)Lays eggs in fresh corn farms as a light yellow spherical ball.
AntsPale white in a cluster form.
Cutworms and armywormsWhite to pale yellow fuzzy appearance
RootwormsEggs are pale yellow and elongated like a football.
Fungus GnatsLay yellowish-white eggs on the surface of moist soil.
Root weevilsLays Pale white elongated eggs in clusters
Bed bug eggs1mm in length. You can find a batch of 20-50 eggs in cluster form.
Stem borersLays eggs like a white fuzzy patch

See our Posts on Colored Balls in Soil:

How Do You Prevent Insects From Laying Eggs in The Soil?

It would be good to take proper precautionary measures to prevent future infestations when you successfully control eggs, larvae, and adult pests by eliminating methods.  

Using Neem Oil on the Soil for Insect Eggs

Neem oil comprises mainly triglycerides, steroids, and many triterpenoids, of which azadirachtin is the most well-known and studied.

Azadirachtin is very effective against soil-dwelling pests and pathogenic organisms, but it does not harm friendly fauna such as earthworms and microbes.

When used as a drench on the soil the plant can absorb the active ingredient, Azadirachtin, which is then transported throughout the plant via its vascular system.

Soil drenching is the process of adding diluted control products directly to the base of a plant.

The plant can now ward off pests both in and out of the soil.

Additionally, having the solution of neem oil directly in the soil would act as a first defense repellant for any laying insects venturing close to where it is applied.

Using Beneficial Nematodes on the Soil for Insect Eggs

Beneficial nematodes belong to one of two genera: Steinernema and Heterorhabditis. Four species of Steinernema and one species of Heterorhabditis are commercially available in the United States. 

Steinernema is the most widely studied beneficial nematode because it is easy to produce.

Beneficial nematodes are excellent biological pesticides because of their effectiveness and environmental safety.

They are 0.6 to 2 millimeters long and often hardly visible.

Beneficial nematodes move in water-filled spaces between particles of soil. They attack small insects and their eggs within the soil as they move around and search for food.

These help control many common garden pests, including armyworms, rootworms, fleas, fungus gnats, stem borers, root weevils, cutworms, and billbugs.

Nematodes do not do well in light therefore a crop cover, large plant foliage, or mulch can help prevent direct sunlight from reaching the soil.

Mechanical Methods of Control

Inspect your newly bought plant thoroughly before plantation.  

The plant container and foliage should wash adequately to remove possible insects. 

You can keep your plant separate from others until you are sure that no pest is coming out of the plant pot. Inspection can help in minimizing the pest population.

Some more valuable tips can help in preventing egg-laying in soil;

How To Remove Tiny Balls or Eggs From Soil?

Soil is an excellent environment for insects and other wildlife. Unfortunately, due to the invasive nature of some of these creatures, we must find ways of dealing with them.

Learning what they look like and where to find them can help keep your garden, warehouse, or greenhouse safe from pests. 

Washing WIth Water:

Some insects lay eggs in the ground, while a few lay eggs on leaves. For plant sand, you can use fertilizers. Leaves are washed with a stream of water to get rid of eggs.

Organic Fertilizers:

A few studies on synthetic and organic fertilizers have found that organic fertilizer produces better results for plant growth and egg demolishing.

Imidacloprid is widely used as an insecticide due to its persistence in soil. It can kill adult insects along with eggs.

Hydrogen Peroxide:

Hydrogen peroxide is a better option if you want to use a safer method, not a chemical insecticide.  

Many people keep this in plants’ first-aid box as it helps control fungus gnats eggs in the soil. 

The method for using hydrogen peroxide is to use 3% h3O2 in 4 parts of water. Then rinse the plant; eggs will be attacked by it. 

If you face difficulty, then nematodes are alternatives. The nematodes are predators. They prey on insects and also destroy tiny eggs. 

If you’re still not satisfied with the chemical or organic fertilizers, you can change the soil. Just discard the infested soil and get rid of eggs. 

Make sure there are no eggs or larvae attached to the plant roots.

Note: Some eggs are more resistant to insecticides than others because their shells can prevent the chemicals from reaching the larvae inside.

Can Insect Eggs Affect Plants?

Insect eggs on in the soil are common and can be harmful to plants if they are not correctly identified and removed. However, some plants can produce a hypersensitive response that protects the plants before the eggs hatch.

Bugs lay eggs in the soil or underside of the leaves. Larvae hatch from eggs and become adult caterpillars, maggots, or grubs.

The Larva stage of stink bugs is the most dangerous because they grow fast at this stage. They need more food for energy and, therefore, eat plants fast. This stage leads to massive destruction in a short period.

It is also observed that some harmful bug larvae can change their place. Flea beetles are examples. 

They cause massive destruction at one location and move to another place. Prevention for such reactions is mandatory.

Insects can also lay eggs on plant leaves that can result in infestation and eventually death of the plant if not removed on time.

Insects can also cause holes in Potatoes and Cucumbers.

Holes in potatoes are mainly caused by wireworms which are the larvae of click beetles. They tunnel into the potato tuber leaving a hole behind.

Holes in cucumbers are mainly caused by pickle worms which tend to burrow into the fruit leaving holes in their trail. Fungal or bacterial diseases often develop once entry has occurred.

The Hypersensitive Response in Plants for Defense

Most plants have a unique first line of defense that helps them protect themselves from enemies before becoming harmful. 

For example, some butterfly eggs can trigger a hypersensitive response in plants. 

This response is known for the death of cells and plant tissues around the egg and, thus, leads to desiccation or the dropping of the egg.

This is how plants protect themselves by preventing the eggs from hatching on the leaves.

In some other cases, plants make themselves more attractive to parasite wasps that help devour harmful eggs. 

The effects of eggs on plants are induced by changes in the photosynthetic activity of leaves and the plant’s secondary metabolism and growth. 

Examples of egg deposition effects can be the induction of hypersensitive-like plant response, formation of neoplasms, or production of ovicidal plant substances.

In addition, egg deposition can induce a change of the plant’s odor and leaf surface chemistry, which serve indirect plant defense with the help of antagonists of the insect eggs.

These egg-induced changes lead to the attraction of egg parasitoids and their assistance on a leaf, respectively. 

Thus egg-induced plant changes and address egg-induced effects on the plant’s transcriptional pattern.

Moreover, biological control through natural enemies of the harmful herbivores and exploitation of the genetic variation in resistance traits among wild relatives are two promising sustainable strategies to reduce pests. 

With this, such traits often allow the pest to continue feeding and act when damage already exists. 

Killing the insect egg before the pest can cause harm is, therefore, necessary in preventing any harm that the larvae may cause the plant or entire crop.

Insect Eggs on Plant Leaves

The yellow eggs found on plant leaves can be the eggs of moths, beetles, aphids, and stink bugs. Once laid, the eggs can be pale yellow which can change as it ages. If allowed to hatch, the larvae will feed on the plant leaves until maturity which will affect the overall health of the plant.

These insects lay their eggs there so that the larvae will have a source of food and protection when hatched. 

In addition, some larvae can also fall onto the soil when hatched and then attack the root system of the plant host.

Either way, whether it’s on the leaves or in the soil eggs should be properly identified and removed in their early stages before any harm is caused when they hatch.

The Takeaway

Insects’ eggs are slightly paler, e. g., Snails’ egg looks like yellow fertilizer balls or prills. Yellowish eggs can also belong to ants. Worm eggs are more spherical. 

It is best to eliminate these insects’ eggs from the soil long before they hatch for better plant growth.

Maintaining the water supply, mulch, compost, and hydrogen peroxide spray can help you kill eggs. Many preventive pest control centers are available for gardeners? help as well.

Using beneficial nematodes and drenching the soil with neem oil has also proven effective in fighting against and preventing insects and their eggs from killing plants and devastating entire garden crops.

That harmful soil fly! Kirov

In October we fight pests on indoor plants. The soil fly in this regard is one of the most common pests.

Probably every grower has noticed more than once how small flies fly around his indoor flowers. They do not bite and therefore do not pose a danger to humans, but they can harm house plants. The soil fly lays a huge number of eggs in the ground, from which larvae subsequently appear, eating the roots of flowers. As a result, the plants die! nine0005

Causes of fly in flowers:

- Infected soil. Soil from their garden plots contains soil fly eggs or larvae.

- New indoor plants. Unfortunately, not all specialized stores can create ideal conditions for keeping and storing flowers. High crowding, improper care, violations of agricultural technology and, as a result, contamination of the soil with a soil fly. nine0005

- Waterlogging of the soil. One of the main causes and the main mistake of flower growers. Waterlogged soil is an ideal place for the rapid development of soil fly larvae.

- Organic fertilizers. Any organic fertilizer from a garden or garden: compost, cow dung or horse dung, contain eggs and larvae of the soil fly, which develop excellently there and overwinter well.

- Crowding of plants. If the plants stand very tightly, if they are poorly ventilated, if sunlight does not penetrate through them, then a soil fly will start in such plants. In addition, with high crowding, infection of healthy plants occurs much faster.

- Flowers grew outside or on the balcony in summer. In the open air, the probability of getting a soil fly is very high. And it doesn’t matter whether it was a balcony in a city apartment or it is a summer cottage, the soil fly is distributed almost everywhere and flies everywhere. nine0005

How to get rid of the soil fly?

1. Buy flower soil only in specialized stores and only from trusted manufacturers.

2. Do not overwater the potting soil.

3. If the potting soil is already waterlogged, stop watering the plant. After the top of the soil in the pot is dry, water the plants through the pan. nine0005

4. Be sure to loosen the soil in flower pots to prevent waterlogging.

5. All new plants must be quarantined before being placed next to existing ones. If possible, leave them for a few days as far away from other plants as possible. Inspect them carefully for pests and diseases. If the land in the new plants was infected, then you will see the fly in 3-4 days.

6. If, despite all preventive measures, the soil fly has not disappeared, it will be necessary to turn to chemical methods of control.

7. To prevent the appearance in the autumn, you can stick a special drug in the form of sticks "Doctor 8 Arrows" or "Spark Golden Sticks" into flower pots. The solution with which these sticks are impregnated gradually penetrates the soil, destroys the eggs and larvae of the soil fly.

8. If there are a lot of flies, then you will have to use stronger means, such as: "Zemlin", "Initial", "Flycat". These drugs are applied to the soil and destroy eggs and larvae. Simultaneously with the destruction of the larvae, it is necessary to destroy the already flying fly. To do this, you can use the chemicals "Fitoverm", "Aktara", "Inta-Vir", "Inta-CM". Solutions of these drugs will need to process all indoor flowers. Carry out the processing with special care, and you will have to process both infected and healthy flowers. Do not forget that you need to use the listed drugs with extreme caution, observing safety measures. nine0005

Biological preparations, such as "Insectobacterin" or "BioExpert against pests", are no less effective means for combating the soil fly. These preparations are safe for people, children and pets.

Arthropod egg | directory Pesticides.ru

Egg in arthropods is a form of development in which the embryo develops under the protection of the egg membranes outside the mother's body. nine0005

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Contents:

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Structure of the egg

The egg is an embryo covered with egg membranes.

Egg shells

.

Dense, is a kind of "shell", performs a mechanical and protective function. Permeated with a system of air channels and cavities. Secreted by follicular cells, it usually has two poorly distinguishable layers: a loose endochorion and a denser exochorion located outside of it. nine0171 [3] (photo)

membrane (yolk, serous ). [6]

Thin, presented in the form of a film, permeable to gases and liquids. [3]

The structure of the chorion

The structure of the chorion

1 - air cavities, 2 - exochorion,

3 - endochorion

Image used: [7]

Some insects, such as the grasshopper Melanoplus, in addition to those listed, have a temporary outer additional shell located on top of the chorion. In addition, the serous membrane of the eggs of these insects secretes a secret under the chorion (that is, outside of itself), which forms another layer of cover - the chitinous membrane. The latter, in turn, is divided into an outer "yellow" and an inner "white" cuticle (it does not exist for long, it disappears over time). nine0171 [6]

Occasionally insects also have a soft shell of wax under the chorion. [3]

Along with complicated schemes of shell structure, there are, conversely, more primitive ones. For example, parasitoid ichneumons have very thin membranes, membranous, because their embryos do not need protection, because eggs are laid in the body of the host or in the cavity of another's egg. [6] Also, the absence of the chorion or its shedding in the early stages of development is characteristic of viviparous insects. nine0171 [3]

The shells of the egg are continuous and surround the embryo from all sides, but they may have tiny openings, pores, through which gas exchange occurs. In addition, on the inner shell of the posterior end of the egg there is a more permeable area called hydropyle; through it, as expected, the embryo can evaporate and accumulate fluid from the environment. [6]

The surface of the chorion also sometimes bears a micropyle, a small opening through which germ cells pass during external fertilization of eggs. nine0171 [1]

Embryo (embryo, egg)

The embryo is initially represented by one cell. The egg consists of three main components:

Sometimes symbiotic organisms are still found inside eggs, which enter there before the formation of egg shells from the mother's ovaries. Microbes either "behave" neutrally towards the embryo, or, as expected, contribute to the processes of its development. Probably, the transovarial transmission of these microorganisms is a variant of the formation of microflora in future larvae. In viviparous insects, the biological film on the body is mostly formed during passage through the female genital tract, and insects in which embryonic development occurs outside the mother's body may receive them even when laying the egg. nine0171 [1]

As a rule, the egg is very abundantly supplied with a reserve nutrient - the yolk, which the embryo uses until the exit from the shells. The yolk accumulates in the form of rounded droplets in the plasma, initially occupying most of the egg. Only two areas remain free from these inclusions: in the center of the cell (in the region of the nucleus), and under the surface of the egg. [6] The surface boundary layer of the cytoplasm, devoid of yolk, is called the periplasm. [5]

As development proceeds, fragmentation and formation of the multicellular body of the embryo. [6]

Egg of complex shape

Egg of complex shape

Egg of a complex shape in a pigeon butterfly

Image used: [12]

External characteristics of the egg

Form

Usually the egg of insects and mites has a round or oval shape (butterflies, beetles), in more rare cases it is very elongated in length (flies, grasshoppers). Sometimes eggs have more complex outlines and are bilaterally symmetrical. nine0171 [6] For example, in Scoops they are hemispherical, in diurnal butterflies they are bottle-shaped, in a number of bugs they look like a barrel, sometimes they can be equipped with a stem or stalk (chalcides, suckers). [1] In Hymenoptera and Diptera eggs are elongated, concave on one side and convex on the other, so that they have the shape of a "boomerang" or "banana". [3] (photo)

The variety of forms is due to the fact that the chorion (the outer shell of the egg) has its own unique sculpture in each species (its features are an important diagnostic feature in determining species). By the appearance of some eggs (usually elongated), it is possible to determine the location of the future larva inside them: the posterior and anterior ends, the dorsal and ventral sides of the embryo. nine0171[6][1]

Syrphid Egg

Syrphid Egg

Egg of a syrphid fly with uneven relief.

Image used: [10]

Surface

In aphids, locusts, most types of mites, the eggs have a smooth surface, but in others it is often uneven. Eggs may be ribbed, covered with punctures, thickenings, tubercles, etc., like cutworms, stick insects, and some others. Sometimes, mainly in Hemiptera, they are equipped with caps that open at the moment the mature larvae emerge from the membranes. More often, however, the membranes rupture along the pole of the egg or along the ribs on the cuticle of the chorion. nine0171 [1] In mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles, the eggs are equipped with additional sculptural formations - floats: lateral outgrowths, thanks to which they are kept on the surface of the water. [5] (photo)

white egg

white egg

Image used: [8]

Size

The size of the eggs can be very different, but in most cases it depends on two indicators: the length of the female's body and the number of eggs laid at a time. The larger the insect, the larger the eggs will be; the more eggs in the clutch, the smaller they are. nine0005

In any case, the fluctuations in magnitude are very significant. For example, the Phylloxera egg is only 0.02-0.03 mm in size, [6] in the Common Spider Mite it is even smaller, 0.14 mm. [2] The smallest insect eggs are 0.05 mm long. [3]

In addition, the Saga grasshopper has a large egg, 11 mm long, while the carpenter bee has a 15 mm egg. For comparison, in humans, up to the same 15 millimeters, the fetal egg grows at the 6th week of pregnancy. Most often, the size of the eggs is 1-2 mm, as, for example, in Butterflies from the white family. nine0171 [6] (photo)

The size of the eggs is usually, but not always, proportional to the length of the mother's body. For example, in some Ticks, one egg can reach 2/3 of an idiosome in diameter, and in a number of species, the eggs are so large that females cannot lay them. Because of this, the release of larvae from the egg membranes occurs after the death of the females; This phenomenon is called posthumous live birth. [6] Among insects, the largest eggs (up to 70% of the body length of the female) are found in wintering Aphids. nine0171 [3]

painted eggs

painted eggs

Painted cabbage bug eggs.

Image used: [13]

Color

The color of the eggs, as well as the color of the integument of adult insects and mites, is due to the peculiarities of the vital activity of these organisms. The more open and accessible conditions eggs are laid, the more important is the presence of a certain color in them (masking or scaring colors). In some cases, the egg membranes are transparent, and the body of the embryo shines through them. During development, the eggs often change their color. nine0171 [3] (photo)

Laying eggs in the body of the host

Laying eggs in the body of the host

The video demonstrates how the ichneumon bee develops: laying eggs in the body of a caterpillar with their further development

Egg and environment

Egg shells protect the embryo from negative environmental factors, but at the same time, they do not provide complete autonomy and isolation of the embryo . The shells are partially permeable, as a result of which many eggs have the ability to absorb liquid, thereby increasing their density and volume. For example, the eggs of the swimming beetles Dytiscus, when water is absorbed, become longer by 1.2-2.25 mm and become denser, and the mass of the migratory locust egg under similar conditions increases its weight by more than 2 times, and is saturated with water from 52% up to 82%. At the same time, in locusts, all egg shells remain unchanged, since they have the ability to stretch, while in swimmers, the chorion usually bursts and is shed, and the serous shell becomes outer. nine0171 [6]

The egg shells of wasps have the ability to absorb nutrients through themselves. The eggs of these insects have practically no spare nutrients of their own, as they are deposited in the body of other insects or their eggs. In order to "get" food for the embryo, the integument of the egg draws nutrients into itself, which ensures an increase in size and development of the embryo, leading to the death of the host. [6] (video)

Embryonic development

The embryonic development of all animals begins with the cleavage of the egg and is accompanied by the formation of many cells united in the blastula. Then gastrulation occurs, leading to the separation of the germ layers (ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm). After that, the emerging embryo begins to segment. Somewhat later, the rudiments of individual organs appear. Their development and differentiation (organogenesis) continues until the larva hatches from the egg. [4]

the formation of integument, limbs, wings, fore and hind intestine, malpighian vessels, tracheal system, external parts of the genital tract, sensory organs, nervous system takes place. nine0005

gives rise to the midgut, hemocytes.

serves as the basis for the development of a number of organs: the muscular system, heart and blood vessels, gonads, etc. [6]

Types of masonry

Types of masonry

1 - open; 2 - closed; 3 - protected

Image used: [11][14][9]

Oviposition

Insects and mites lay eggs both individually and in groups. For example, in Lepidoptera, laying occurs in groups, while the eggs are covered with a protective substrate. In Praying Mantis and Cockroaches, they are enclosed inside the ootheca - a special chamber formed by the hardened secretion of the glands of the genital chamber. As a rule, ootheca are shed, and the eggs mature to the end already outside the mother's body, however, in Madagascar cockroaches ootheca remain inside the body until larvae begin to emerge from them; on this basis, these insects are considered viviparous. [6]

Eggs may be laid openly or more or less deeply embedded in the substrate.

. The most common type of open laying consists in laying eggs on the surface of leaves and other plants, with their attachment secreted from the gonads of the female.

Clutch is characterized by the location of eggs inside the tissues of the plant (Gridflies, Bark beetles), in the tissues of the host animal (Gadflies, Trichogramma, Flies), in the soil (some Butterflies), etc. nine0005

laying eggs are additionally covered by the female with some kind of protective device. For example, Gypsy moth, laying eggs, mixes them with felt from hairs taken from the abdomen. Locusts that lay their eggs in the soil mix them with a special cementing substance that sticks together not only the eggs themselves, but also nearby particles of the earth, forming a masonry called a egg-pod. [1] (photo)

The article was compiled using the following materials:

Literary sources:

1.

Bei-Bienko G.Ya. General entomology. - 3rd edition., add. - M .: Higher school, 1980. - 416 p., ill.

2.

Vasiliev V.P., Livshits I.Z. Pests of fruit crops. - M.Kolos, 1984.- 399s.

3.

Zakhvatkin Yu.A., Course of General Entomology, Moscow, Kolos, 2001 - 376 p.

4.

Zakhvatkin Yu.A. Course of general entomology. - M.: Agropromizdat, 1986. - 320 p.: ill.

5.

Ross G., Ross C., Ross D. Entomology. - M., Mir, 1985. -572 p.

6.

Shvanvich B.N. General entomology course. — M.L. Soviet science. 1949.-900 p., ill.

Images (revised):

7.

Zakhvatkin Yu.A. General entomology course. - Moscow, "Kolos", 2001 - 376 p., Illustrations from the book. ©

8.

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