Effective Immediately: No Location means your letter will go directly to the Trash!!!!!!
Autumn is Approaching
(08/23/2008) ... and we are swamped. Our summer vacation is about to end and we will be heading back to the classroom and numerous time consuming responsibilities. This means we will not be able to answer or post as many letters. We are getting about 100 letters per day and can only post a few. We can email short answers to a few more. Getting our attention is the luck of the draw. Chances
are quite good that the insect you want identified might
already be in our archives. Please try our search engine
or click the links on the left side of the homepage.
Don't forget to scroll down to see our most recent postings
and you can see the alphabetized archive of links on
the lower left.
We
will be undergoing a Metamorphosis!!!
What's That Bug? will be changing our appearance and
format in the future. We hope you will find our transformation
easier to use and we hope it will make our lives easier.
Watch for the new and improved What's That Bug? in the
near future.
We got a great holiday present last year. One of our
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at bugs when she wanted wanted to. The whims of our
server got the best of her and so she put us in touch
with her husband who is WEB-SAVVY down in Florida. He
hooked us up with plenty of bandwidth, so there should
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browse the bugs whenever they feel the urge. THANK
YOU Lisa and Daniel of SHIRTSOFBAMBOO.COM.
PLEASE
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Recent
Letters to What's that Bug-
Before writing in, please
browse our recent letters, use our search engine, and take
a look at the list of bugs on the left side of the page
to see if your beast has already been identified!
There
are numerous other pages in the alphabatized list at the
left. Please check out those pages first before writing
to us to see if you can locate your mystery specimen. Then
if your photo is better than one we have, please send it
in with any relevant details. Because we are getting hundreds
of letters a week, we are only able to post four per day.
This is no indication of the quality or urgency of your
query as the letters are chosen at random. If you have a
question about a bug, please take the time to look at our
alphabetized list of bugs on the left column before writing
us. The most popular household intruders we get letters
about are HOUSE CENTIPEDES and PANTRY
BEETLES. Larger frightening creatures that are frequent
letter topics include POTATO BUGS,
DOBSONFLIES and TOE-BITERS.
So please check out those sections if you see something
creepy in your house or yard!
Not Much Help to the Helpless
(10/7/2003)
HELP!!!
Help I have a spider and i want to idenify it! i need to
know it's Family Scientfic name and its order!!
Please help1!!
helpless child
Dear
Helpless,
Give me something to go on. Please send a photo attachment
or a description and a location.
Editor's
Note: Here at What's That Bug? we make every attempt
to identify your mystery visitors, but we need information.
In the event that you don't have a photo, please try to
provide a description including where the creature was spotted,
when, if it was on a specific plant, and please include
your geographic location.
We
do not offer extermination advice.
Bug
of the Month: August 2008
Mating
Great Spangled Fritillaries
(07/29/2008) Attention ... Great Spangled Fritillaries mating
Hi Bugman:
Here are a few photos of mating Great Spangled Fritillaries
(Speyeria cybele) for your collection. They were taken on
a perfect sunny afternoon last weekend in southwest Manitoba,
along a forest trail in mature aspen parkland. The key identifying
features of this species are the reddish background color
on the underside of the wing, except for the relatively wide
and clear yellow/cream band between the last two rows of silver
spots on the underside, and the lack of any black spots or
dashes on the base (inside of the long squiggly black line)
on the upper side of the forewing. Apart from these features
most Greater Fritillaries (genus Speyeria) are very similar
and difficult to tell apart. I believe the curious intruder
was another female (males are generally paler than the females).
Keep up the great work! Regards.
Karl
Hi again Karl,
Thank you for your gorgeous photos and the concise species
identification information for the Great Spangled Fritillary.
Update: (07/30/2008) Speyeria cybele pictures
Hi,
I noticed the Speyeria Cybele pictures on your front page,
I think the identity of the male and female is mixed up. Speyeria
cybele females are generally paler than males, especially
westward and the color of the disc is a little richer brown.
More generally in the genus Speyeria males of most species
including cybele have darker scaling along the forewing veins,
so I think in the top picture the female is on top while the
male is on bottom and in the second picture both of the butterflies
showing their topsides are males.
Mike
Response: (07/31/2008)
Thanks Mike.
You were quite correct and I did have the sexes reversed.
I should have checked again. To add to your comments, many
references do say that the female of the species is darker
topside, but this is an overall visual effect caused by the
heavier black (or dark brown) markings on females relative
to males. The orange background color is always more vivid
in the male. This difference is only slight in Manitoba, but
increases as you go west, as you suggest (in Alberta the females
can be almost black and white). Good call, and thanks again.
Karl
Ed. Note: (08/01/2008)
Choosing our Bug of the Month each month is sometimes a difficult
decision, but we try to use a very recently submitted photo.
The photos that Karl sent of the mating Great Spangled Fritillaries
are positively gorgeous, and they brought back fond memories
of the Dog Days of Summer in Ohio, and the numerous Fritillaries that
would visit roadside wild flowers like milkweed and Joe Pye
weed among others. These beautiful and noble butterflies were
also among the favorites of Vladimir Nabokov, one of our favorite
authors.
Female
Carolina Mantis
(08/28/2008) Black and tan Praying Mantis from southwest Texas
Until yesterday, I didn't even know the Praying Mantis had
any other color than green. We were on a hilltop 15
miles north of Brackettville, Tx which is in the southwest
part of the state and I saw this little guy. His colors
made me think of desert camo. Then I find your site
and see all the many many varieties of Praying Mantis and
I'm amazed! I didn't see my guy on your site, although
the Carolina Mantid on your page was similar in coloring.
What's that bug?
Genie Robinson
Brackettville, TX
 
Hi Genie,
Based on BugGuide,
we believe this is a female Carolina Mantis, Stagmomantis
carolina. We don't believe your specimen is fully mature due
to the small size of her wings. The female Carolina Mantis
does not have fully developed, functional wings, but mature
specimens have more noticeable wings than are represented
in your photograph.
Dysdaemonia boreas from Mexico
(08/28/2008) Moth ID please
Hi Bug man.
My 7 year old son turned me on to your site. I've been a bug
collector all my life and it seems he's following in my footsteps.
I travel quite a bit and am required to pack a net. "Dad,
you've got a net, right?" Last month I was on a fishing
trip in Guerro Vincente Mexico. The fishing was on the slow
side so I started checking some lights in and around the village.
I found plenty of Satellite Sphinxes and some that appeared
to be Carolina Sphinx. This one however has me stumped. It
came to a light late at night at laundro mat. It is 5 3/8"
in wing span. Any ideas? Also, I missed a larger moth that
had "Atlas" type upper wings and was as flighty
as a Black Witch. I'm still bummed. Thanks a million for teaching
Josef so much in this field. Keep up the good work. I noticed
your site doesn't have: Elm, Waved, Abbots, Wild Cherry, Ash,
Pandora, Laurel, Blind Eye, Cersey's andTwin Spotted Sphinxes.
'Want' em?
Tim Borski
Hi Tim,
We quickly located your beautiful moth, Dysdaemonia boreas,
on the World's Largest Saturniidae Site, an amazing private
access website with a membership. Dysdaemonia boreas is found
in much of Mexico, Central America and South America. We located
another image on a public access website, the Moths
of Belize. We are going to copy Bill Oehlke on our reply
as he may want your location information to add to his comprehensive
sighting data. The other large Saturniid you describe may
be one of the Rothschildia species. Regarding the missing
Sphinx Moths you mentioned, we currently have 7 Sphinx Moth
pages, and some of the species you mention are represented
on our site. If you find any totally lacking, or underrepresented,
please send us photos and data, like time of year, location,
and anecdotal information our readership may find amusing.
Dead Leaf Butterfly
(08/28/2008) Butterfly ID
Dear Bugman,
I was trekking in Kasauli (lesser Himalayas) and came across
this large 4.5 – 5.5 inches across and was wondering
if you could id it for me. Thank you very much. Regards,
SAJNEET SODHI
Hi Sajneet,
This is one of the Dead Leaf Butterflies, perhaps Kallima
inachus or a closely related species. When the wings are
closed, the Dead Leaf Butterfly is very difficult to spot
because of its leaflike markings. There is even a false petiole
or leaf stalk formed by the tail of the lower wings.
Elm
Sawfly
(08/28/2008) Caterpillar @ Presque Isle River
Seen: Presque Isle River in MI's U.P. I did not see this
on your site.
You couldn't locate this "caterpillar" because it is not
a caterpillar. It is an Elm Sawfly Larva, Cimbex americana,
which can be found on Bugguide.
Cicada Killers
(08/27/2008) please identify
These seem to have moved into the base of my willow tree and
i am worried that they might be harming the tree. can you
tell me if i need to take measures to discurage them from
my tree.
Your wasps are Cicada Killers and there is no need to
worry about them harming your trees. Adult wasps feed on nectar
and pollen and the female stings and paralyzes cicadas to
provision a solitary underground nest for her young. Cicada
Killers help control the Cicada population, and Cicadas may
harm your trees by feeding on plant sap at the roots when
they are immature. Additionally, the female damages twigs
when laying eggs, so the presence of Cicada Killers may benefit
your tree. We have gotten reports of large colonies of Cicada
Killers frightening people, but they are rather benign insects,
though the occasional sting is reported to be painful. While
it is interesting that you have titled your photograph "Nasty
New Freeloaders" we feel the name is unjustified.
Butternut Woolly Worm
(08/27/2008) Need to know what this is
Photo taken in woods in northern Indiana. August 27, 2008
One inch or a little smaller in length. About ten on one plant.
Don't know what the plant is. Thanks Much,
John Hicks
Hi John,
Though it resembles a caterpillar, this is actually a Sawfly
Larva known as a Butternut Woolly Worm, Eriocampa juglandis.
According to BugGuide,
they: "feed on leaves of Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) and
Butternut (Juglans cinerea). Also reported on Carya spp. (Hickory)."
Imperial Moth Caterpillar
(08/27/2008) What's my bug (caterpillar)
Hello you intelligent bug lovers!
On behalf of Yulee Elementary School in Yulee, FL, thanks
for making this informative and colorful site. One of my co-workers
has asked me to identify this species. She has it co-inhabiting
a jar w/ oleander larvae. I have looked at all the submitted
photos but still can't decide what this is. Can you help?
If you respond you'll be informing almost 900 3rd-5th graders
and their teachers. You may inspire a new generation of bug
lovers. ps any hints on how we can feed it would also be appreciated.
Mary Austin-Harris,
Yulee, Florida
Hi Mary,
There was no way we were going to pass up the opportunity
to educate almost 900 elementary school students and their
teachers. This is an Imperial Moth Caterpillar, Eacles imperialis.
According to BugGuide,
they: "feed on leaves of Bald Cypress, basswood, birch, cedar,
elm, hickory, Honeylocust, maple, oak, pine, Sassafras (Sassafras
albidum ), Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), sycamore, walnut.
"
Cicada
Killers found Dead
(08/26/2008) Possible Cicada Killers and What's Happening
to Them?
My name is Lacie Blevins and I am from Mulvane, KS, just outside
of Wichita, KS. My children and I were outside playing
and noticed that we were able to find an usually large number
of Cicada shells in our backyard, at least in my opinion considering
we’d never seen quite that many in one area before.
While looking for more Cicada shells, we noticed three dead
insects, which my five-year-old daughter expertly [sarcasm]
believed to be a dead bumblebee, and I a hornet, all underneath
one of our trees; coincidentally, we found them under the
tree with the highest number of cicada shells on and around
it. After finding your website, I believe that they
are Cicada Killers, but the size being reported didn’t
seem to match what I found in my backyard. I have included
a picture of one of the insects that I picked up out of my
yard. Could you tell me if I have correctly identified
the insect and what could be happening to them? I understand
from your website that the Cicada Killer wasps are nothing
to be afraid of, but can you tell me if there is something
bigger and nastier out there that I should be worried about?
Thanks,
Lacie Blevins
Hi Lacie,
Late August is about the end of the time of year you will
be observing Cicada Killers, so it is possible they have just
died of old age. It is also possible they have been attacked
by some predator. Though we have never seen a photograph,
it is possible they were attacked by one of the larger Robber
Flies like a Bee Killer.
Six Banded Longhorn
(08/26/2008) WTB??
I live in northern KY. This bug was found on Northern KY University's
campus in May or June. He is probably about an inch long,
flies and his antennae are long and hairy. What is he???
Shannon
Hi Shannon,
But for the extreme hairiness of the antennae, your beetle
is a near perfect match to the Six Banded Longhorn, Dryobius
sexnotatus, pictured on BugGuide.
BugGuide also indicates it is "Uncommon (2)and listed as rare
and endangered on several websites."
Huntsman Spider
(08/26/2008) big spider
father found this in florida and we think its a large wolf
spider but not sure:
Your spider is a male Huntsman Spider, Heteropoda venatoria,
also called a Banana Spider because they arrive from the tropics
with banana shipments.
Unknown Caterpillar from Japan is a Fruit Piercing
Moth, Adris tyrannus amurensis
(08/26/2008) What is this big juicy brown, vivid green and
iridescent blue caterpillar?!
I live in Hokkaido in northern Japan, and yesterday I found
a bush that is absolutely COVERED with these caterpillars.
The leaves in the photo are about half my palm size and the
caterpillar is as long and as thick as my thumb.
They are fleshy, not hairy, with two bright yellow, black
and blue eye spots, and bright iridescent blue speckles all
over them. I think they are a moth of some kind but can't
get any closer than that. Help!
Vicky in Hokkaido
hi Vicky,
This is most certainly a Sphinx Caterpillar or Hawk Moth Caterpillar
in the family Sphingidae. We located a website
of Sphingidae from Japan, but it is difficult to search
and does not have caterpillar images. We have contacted Bill
Oehlke to see if he recognizes the species. This is a gorgeous
caterpillar.
Update: (08/27/2008)
Daniel,
Beautiful image, but I am not sure it is a Sphingid, as pose
with posterior end raised is not typical of any Sphingidae
as far as I know.
Bill Oehlke
Update: (08/27/2008)
Thank you for your very quick reply! You are right, it is
gorgeous, but I have a surfeit of them - they are DEVOURING
one of my bushes in my garden! My Japanese-reading son got
out some bug books and he found out that it is an "Akebi Konoha"
in Japanese, and its latin name is Adris tyrannus amurenseis,
which as far as I can tell doesn't have a common name. As
I am ignorant about moth varieties this could well be a sphynx
caterpillar...... On Googling a bit more and looking in the
dictionary, we found that Akebi is the name of the plant it
lives on, which is translated as a Chocolate Vine in English,
and yes, that is what they are chomping on! So it seems to
be a fairly specialised thing.... We found a Japanese site
here, with photos of more caterpillars and the adult moth
- DOES it have a common name? http://aoki2.si.gunma-u.ac.jp/youtyuu/HTMLs/akebikonoha020921.html
Thanks again for your help - I hate not knowing what things
are, yet living in Japan it's very hard for me to look stuff
up intelligently and often the western websites don't have
the exact same things on them. I'm glad too that you found
it interesting. They really are beautiful, if not a bit revolting
en masse!
Vicky in Hokkaido
Hi Vicky,
We were incorrect about this being a Sphinx Moth. It is a
Fruit Piercing Moth.
Monarch
Chrysalis Parasitized by Chalcid Wasps
(08/26/2008) Parasitic invasion of chrysalis
A friend gave me a beautiful chrysalis yesterday to watch
and photograph. This morning the container to swarming
with little flying insects. I moved it outside and found two
holes in the chrysalis that the bugs were emerging from. What
are the flying insects, and have they probably attacked whatever
moth or butterfly was forming in the coccoon? Thank
you very much for any information.
Cindy Donegan
Hi Cindy,
Your distinctive Monarch Butterfly Chrysalis has been parasitized
by minute Chalcid Wasps. According to BugGuide,
there are over 2200 North American species, but since you
did not provide us with a location, there may be more or less
where you made this observation. BugGuide also states: "They
are used as pest controls because they parasitize mainly the
orders that contain many common pests: Lepidoptera, Diptera,
Coleoptera and Homoptera."
European Hornet attacks Wheel Bug
(08/26/2008) Bug help....
Hello,
A few months ago by using your website I was able to identify
a mysterious bug I had never seen before sitting on my basil
planter outside as a nymph wheel bug. Well, here we
are a month or so later without having seen the wheel bug
and we walk outside and find the now "adult"
wheel bug sitting out on our deck right before we watched
it get attacked and killed by a (European hornet?). Please
identify the bug attacking the wheel bug in the attached picture.
Thanks for your help!!!
B&D
Sellersville, PA
Dear B & D,
Your identification of a European Hornet, Vespa crabro, attacking
a Wheel Bug is correct. According to BugGuide,
the European Hornet is : "Predatory on other insects, used
to feed young. ... The workers capture insects, bringing them
back to the nest to feed the brood. Workers need more high-energy
sugary foods such as sap and nectar, and hornet larvae are
able to exude a sugary liquid which the workers can feed on."
Jumping Spider patrols intimate apparel
(08/25/2008) spider in the underwear drawer
Hello Bugman,
We found this little beast peeking out of one of our dresser
drawers last night. It saw us coming a mile away, so
we failed to catch it. Presumably he makes his home
in the dresser. It's about 1" across (including
legs). From pictures I can find on the internet, I think
it looks a little like a red jumping spider, but the body
and legs are lighter in color and more variegated. What
do you think? We live in Los Angeles, CA. Thanks,
Malia
Hi Malia,
We think that thanks to this Jumping Spider, your drawers
are free from bugs. This is a Jumping Spider in the genus
Phidippus. It may be Phidippus
clarus which is highly variable, or perhaps Phidippus
johnsoni, another highly variable species, or it may be
another species in this highly variable genus.
Green Lynx Spider
(08/24/2008) green spider in roses
Hello again,
I have several beautiful spiders that are hanging out in my
roses. They catch unsuspecting bugs that go there to
eat the rose or fly by, no web. They are beautiful,
but I've never seen anything like them. I have three
living on my roses. The largest one is about 1 1/2 across
with prickly legs. I can take more pictures if you'd
like. They have all become larger over the past week
or so. I was able the feed one a small green grasshopper
by hand the other day. They are very fast when they
strike. Thanks!!
Evie
Hi Evie,
Despite you not providing our readership with a location for
your sighting, we are posting your marvelous image of a Green
Lynx Spider, Peucetia viridans. We find them in Los Angeles
in our vegetable and flower garden each year and we never
tire of observing their remarkable hunting skills. They are
found from coast to coast in the southern states.
Dock Spiders: Female with Spiderlings and probable
smaller Male
(08/24/2008) Dolomedes Spider
Hi Daniel!
On a recent getaway up in the Muskokas in Ontario I finally
found what I think is a dolomedes fishing spider. I’ve
seen and read about them on your website, and often heard
people talk about these “dock spiders”, but have
never seen one in real life. Needless to say, I was
quite excited when I found this spider and her spiderlings
hanging out on the shed down by the water on the Lake of Bays.
I’m guessing that her body was about an inch and a half
in length and that she was at least 3 1⁄2 inches including
leg span. I’m not sure if this is considered big
for this type of spider. I tried a couple of times to
get the nerve to put my hand or finger near her to give some
better perspective of her size, but I just couldn’t
do it. She was HUGE! There was an empty
egg sac near her and hundreds of little baby spiders all hanging
out in the same area. I’ll send a couple of shot
of these. I hope you enjoy them. I’m also
going to send a shot of a smaller dock spider that was found
on the side of the dock close to the shed. Would this be a
male? I ended up finding about 5 of these smaller spiders
on the dock, but only one shot turned out. They are
quite camera shy it seems. Thanks again for your great
website.
Yvonne
Barrie , Ontario
 
The smaller dock spider
Hi again Daniel,
Here is the shot of the smaller dock spider. I’m guessing
it’s male because it’s SO much smaller than the other spider
I sent to you. I think this one including leg span was no
more than 1 ? inch. Looks like I’m due for a manicure….
Yvonne
Barrie , Ontario
Hi Yvonne,
Thanks for your wonderful images and also for reminding us
that in some areas, Fishing Spiders are called Dock Spiders.
We believe your speculation that the smaller Dock Spider is
a male is correct. In many groups of spiders, including Orb Weavers and Comb Footed Spiders, the male is considerably smaller than the female.
Hickory Horned Devil
(08/21/2008) Hickory Horned Devil or Royal (or Regal) Walnut
Moth Caterpillar Photo
Hi – My 8-year-old twins found this caterpillar on the
street in front of our house (Aug. 21, 2008, Virginia Beach,
VA) – we’re not sure what happened to it…
Initially we thought he’d been run over (his mouthparts
seem a bit damaged and there was liquid surrounding him –
and very tiny ants were attacking him) but he didn’t
really appear squished. We brought him in, rinsed off
the ants and read a bit about him (which suggests that perhaps
he fell out of a tree preparing to pupate and fell a bit too
hard?) – and filled a jar with soft soil and what I
hope are walnut leaves. He’s got a broken horn
or two, and I’m not sure if he’ll make it (not
sure what damage he’s sustained), but he is still moving
around a little. Hopefully he’ll make it (we were
afraid to leave him outside because the ants find him too
attractive). Thanks for your site – my family
and I use it almost every day to identify all the cool bugs
in our yard!
Monica
Hi Monica,
Your Hickory Horned Devil would also be an attractive snack
for birds and other predators. There is no way of knowing
what caused the trauma. We received three images of Hickory
Horned Devils today, and expect to get many more in the next
month.
Yellow Garden Spider
(08/20/2008) To share
Hello there! Thanks for the website.. I was able to
figure out what we had! You have alot of these on your site,
but we capture this picture of the brand new egg sac!
Kevin D. Handley
Irving , TX
Hi Kevin,
Argiope aruantia has numerous common names. In addition to
Yellow Garden Spider, it is also called Golden Orb-weaver
(California), Yellow Garden Orbweaver, Writing Spider and
Black and Yellow Argiope. Now that the females are maturing,
reaching their maximum size and laying eggs, they are being
noticed, and we expect to be receiving numerous more identification
requests for spiders in the genera Argiope and Araneus, the
Orb Weavers.
Male and Female Black Witch Moths from Hawaii
(08/18/2008) Black Witch Moths - Male & Female
Both sexes on the same screen!
Enjoy Keep the Spirit of Aloha alive!
Michael F. O'Brien
Waikoloa, HI
Hi Michael,
We we first read your very short email, we thought you had
a photo of a pair of Black Witch Moths on the same window
screen. Upon opening the photo files, we realized the screen
you have in mind is the computer screen. We are also surprised
that you manage to meticulously lable the file names on your
digital photos with much information, yet your communication
to us is quite spare. We know that collected insects without
information regarding the circumstances of the capture are
relatively worthless, so in the interest of credibility, we
are including your label information here. The darker male
Black Witch has the label: "P1070967(72) Black Witch Moth
(male) - HALE o O' - WAIKOLOA VILLAGE - SOUTH KOHALA - BIG
ISLAND - 27 JULY 2007 1" and the female with her zigzag lighter
traverse stripe is labeled thus: "P1180580 Black Witch Moth
Female (Ascalapha odorata) - HALE o O' - LIVINGROOM CEILING
- WAIKOLOA VILLAGE -SOUTH KOHALA "
Fourth
Recipient: Nasty Reader Award
(08/15/2008)
Email
Why is it that it is near to IMPOSSIBLE to find your email
address CLEARLY displayed on your website? Are you guys COMPLETELY
DAFT???? Since when is this an email address: Email the bugman
AT Whatsthatbug.com ?????????????????????????????? ???????????
Are you truly dorks?
-----ja
jonathanayres@mac.com
Dear Jonathan Ayers (who can be reached at jonathanayres@mac.com),
While the majority of the emails we receive are complimentary,
occasionally we do get unsolicited derogatory and inflamatory
letters that trouble us deeply. In an effort to confront our
demons, we have created the Nasty Reader
page and we want to congratulate you on being awarded
the fourth installment of the award. Your prize include a
high profile posting on our homepage as well as a permanent
position in our archives. So that our readership will have
no problems locating your email address (jonathanayres@mac.com),
we will make sure we link to it several times. You must be
suffering from severe performance anxiety as well as personal
inadequacy since it is apparent that a large majority of the
web browsing public has no problem writing to us by simply
clicking the Ask WTB link prominently featured at the top
of each and every one of our individual pages. We do receive
over 100 emails a day. We strongly suggest you seek some rage
management treatment and perhaps our readership has additional
suggestions for you. Our readership can email you directly
at jonathanayres@mac.com,
and hopefully copy us on their letters so we can post their
views as well. Have a nice day.
Faithful Reader gets nasty with Jonathan (08/17/2008)
Dafty Dork Frustrations
Dear Jonathan,
Being that on a daily basis 100s of us are able to find the means to e-mail "What's That Bug", it leads me to the conclusion that it must be you who is the dork and a dafty dork at that!!
And ... when you apparently did locate the address, instead of feeling pride in your brilliant accomplishment, you didn't share your insect pics, but instead chose to chastise the wonderful folks who provide this amazing website.
This is what I envision occurred... it's the only explanation for such rage and frustration:
You wanted to share your bug pics, but said bug was up your arse. You set up a tripod, positioned your butt, attempted to get your camera in position. The lighting wasn't quite right, you're itchy and uncomfortable , what with the bug hopping around in there, just refusing to sit still for a photo.
Finally , after 10 minutes or so, poor bug settled down, the lighting adjusted, butt position at perfect angle to camera, you got it!
After all that work & discomfort, to not be able to find an e-mail address is certainly justification to spew venom at our Bug Folks friends.
I hope your bug has been released and you feel calmer. Although no photos were shared, I thank you for the entertainment.
Best wishes,
A very loyal "What's That Bug" fan
Overkill:
Sphinx Moth sprayed to death!!!
(08/15/2008) is it as dangerous as it looks?
Hi,
my little brother saw this bug upside down on our porch in
Italy. He killed it with wasp spray, so it's all wet, which
might make it a little harder to recognize. I hope you can
still get an idea of what it is... Thanks a lot!
Esther
Hi Ester,
If ever the word "overkill" could be used regarding the use
of pesticides, your photo ranks a close third after the global
use of DDT and the statewide spraying of Malathion against
the Med Fly in California in the 1980s. It appears your brother
used an entire spray can of foaming pesticide to dispatch
one harmless Sphinx Moth. This is textbook unnecessary
carnage.
House
Centipede from Fuerteventura, Africa
(08/12/2008) House centipede, close picture
Hi, think I have just found a House Centipede on the pool
cover outside our holiday villa in Fuerteventura, an Island
off the West coast of Africa. Saved him from drowning with
a piece of paper and a cup after I took that pic!
Rob
Hi Rob,
Though we have no dearth of House Centipede submissions from
around the world, we are thrilled to post your photo from
Fuerteventura, Africa, a first for our site.
Mating Boxelder Bugs
(07/05/2008) Boxelder bugs.
Hi folks!
Two pictures, one of Boxelder Bugs (Boisea trivittata)
mating for your Bug love page, and one of a box elder nymph.
Sending you the full sized pics so you may crop as needed.
They're also called Garage Bugs, and oddly enough, these bugs
were on my garage door!
Cheryl-Anne Miller
 
Hi Cheryl-Anne,
Thanks for contributing to our Boxelder Bug archive.
Comment: (07/02/2008) THANK YOU..
hahah im so glad you guys answered the boxelder bug question 9078787697867657956 times. i spent all day trying to figure out what they were to see if they were harmful and your site is the only one that helped me.
p.s. im also glad you don't offer extermination advice. i love bugs. keep up the good work guys.
Potato Bug
(04/15/2008) My first potatobug encounter
I encountered this critter the other day whilst digging in
my sorry excuse for a garden. It's the biggest bug I've
ever seen- even after spending my childhood chasing after
various bugs. The part I really wanted to mention though:
I've told more than a few people my favorite bug was the potatobug
because I thought they were cute and I always played with
them when I was little. This has never failed to illicit
looks of disgust and I never understood why. -Now- I
know why, thanks to your website... it was woodlice I liked.
Not potatobugs. I'm a city gal, can you blame me? Enjoy
the juicy pic. I swear it was probably a 5-pounder.
Angela
Hi Angela,
We are afraid to ask what the "wtf" title of your photo stands
for since we strive (sometimes unsucessfully) to be a G-rated
site. Thanks for your interesting Potato Bug anecdote.
(5/21/03)How
can one get rid of crickets that have found their way into
the house?
Catch
them and release them.
Check
out Eric Eaton's new Book!!!
Our Readership is constantly inquiring about
a great field guide for insect identification. Eric Eaton's
new book, Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America
is now in its second printing. Look for it at your local bookstore
or buy directly from Amazon.
Bug Love Poster
View
Poster
(09/12/2006) Ed. Note
Recently, Dave, who worked on the radio transmitter project
to track the migration of Anax
junius, the Green Darner Dragonfly, proposed selling his
awesome Retro posters of Bug Love on our site. A percentage
of the proceeds goes to insect conservation. What's That Bug?
fully endorses this ad and these beautiful posters and we
are not making any profit off of the sales. So, contact Dave
via his email... and tell him What's That
Bug? sent you.
Read Dave's entire letter on our Fanmail
2 page.
Help!
I have these bugs that are invading my home! My husband
and I find at LEAST 5 every morning. Eww! They are the "pincher
bugs". Something else we've discovered in our house
are these dark brown spiders that love to just hang out
on the top of our ceiling. Our newly purchased home in Southern
California is crawling with creatures who've roamed free
in the unattended soil for 50 years. What is the best way
to get rid of insects? We have some yellow jackets that
fly around along with mosquitoes. In our ground though we
have pincher bugs by the thousands and also pill bugs. We
are in the process of ripping out plants, trees and
shrubbery to replant the entire yard. How do we kill off
all the insects!?
Any suggestions would be MOST appreciated!
Thank you!
Rebecca
Dear Rebecca,
Nothing short of a nuclear bomb will rid your property of
all your dreaded insects, but considering the current political
climate, you just might get your wish. In the event that
that doesn't happen, you just might have to learn to live
together. We at What's that Bug? do not advocate getting
rid of all insects since we would be out of business.
(08/27/2005) Hi Daniel and Lisa Anne!
JAW DROP!!!!!
WOW!!!!!!!!!!
I just had to write you two, your site is the best bug site
I have ever seen! Your main page helped me identify a bug
that was posted at our forum, and I must admit that some
of the pictures submitted to your site are so absolutely
beautiful that I had to capture them for my screen saver!
In exchange I wish to offer some photos of my own, taken
in my yard in Santa Ana California. I have included 10 photos
that I took with my digital camera, you may use them as
you see fit I would also like to reply to Rebecca from Southern
California who wishes to know how to get rid of all of her
bugs, if a reply is allowed.
Hi Rebecca!
I live in Southern California too, and I have all the things
you described in my yard as well. If they are getting into
your house, then you probably have openings around windows
and doors that should be attended to. You do not want to
kill the bugs in your yard, they provide very necessary
functions to keep your yard healthy. Ants are your cleaning
crew, they dispose of dead things. Earthworms are what make
the earth that your garden grows in, and their castings
contain an enzyme that repels white flies. Wasps are your
predators, they eat the caterpillars that eat your plants.
Caterpillars are your butterflies and moths, and they pollinate
your flowers so they bloom again next year. Robber flies
are your wasp controllers, they keep wasp populations down.
Potato bugs, pill bugs, earwigs and click beetles are your
compost engineers, they recycle leaf litter and break it
down so the earthworms can turn it into healthy soil. Possums
are your snail controllers. Garden snails are not native
and have no other predator than possums here in California.
Spiders are your general insect controllers, you should
capture and take outside any that wander into your house.
There are many other insects that you will find in your
yard as well, but they are all pretty harmless and will
avoid you if you just give them time to move out of your
way. Your yard is its own ecosystem, with its own checks
and balances. Learn to love your bugs, explore them, research
them, discover the benefits they give to you and the beauty
of your yard. If you get stung by a wasp or bee, or bitten
by a mosquito, simply dissolve a real aspirin in your hand
with a few drops of water and apply directly to the site,
the pain and itch will be gone within a matter of seconds.
If you want to help control your mosquitoes, simply place
a container of water under a bush which is easily accessible
to you and leave it there, check it every day, when you
see the larvae swimming around just dump the entire container
of water on the ground. The larvae will die. Refill the
container. Insure that there is no other standing water
on your property. Keep an eye out for Black Widows, they
are the only bugs in your yard that can actually harm you.
Hope this helps :)
Sincerely,
Cathy :)
Thank you Daniel and Lisa, for such a wonderful site! I
have it bookmarked and will be back here often!
Letters
and images sent in to What's That Bug? may be published online
as well as in print in future What's That Bug? publications.
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