Possibly Tent Caterpillar Nest

On · Category: Tent Caterpillars and Kin Tagged With: · Add Comment

Subject: Nest
Location: Southwestern Pennsylvania 18mi north of Pittsburgh
May 19, 2013 10:17 pm
Today I photographed and interesting cocoon like nest, with a bunch of something(maybe insects) inside.
I’ve never seen a nest like this in the trees. It may, for all I know, it may be a small, tent caterpillar’s nest.
But the ones I’ve always seen are much larger.
I didn’t dig into the nest to find out ’cause I didn’t want to intrude on the bugs. Any Ideas?
Signature: Rich

Nest might belong to Tent Caterpillars

Nest might belong to Tent Caterpillars

Dear Rich,
We agree with you that this might be the newly started nest of a recently hatched colony of Eastern Tent Caterpillars.  We will try to get a second opinion from Eric Eaton.  More information on the Eastern Tent Caterpillar can be found on BugGuide.  As an aside, we will be flying into Pittsburgh in a few weeks to visit family.

Possibly Tent Caterpillar Nest

Possibly Tent Caterpillar Nest

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Chrysanthemum Lace Bugs

On · Category: Lace Bugs · Add Comment

Subject: Bug on sunflowers
Location: Southern Nevada
May 19, 2013 10:19 pm
I have a bunch of these bugs showing up on my sunflowers in my garden. I live in Boulder City Nevada, which sits right on the border of Arizona and Nevada, about 30 miles south of Las Vegas. They appeared about a week ago, so the middle of May. I just want to know if they are harmful, helpful or neutral to my garden.
Signature: Rich

Chrysanthemum Lace Bugs

Chrysanthemum Lace Bugs

Hi Rich,
Your sunflower has Lace Bugs in the family Tingidae.  Lace Bugs are True Bugs and they do not bite nor chew leaves, but rather they use their piercing and sucking mouthparts to draw nourishment from the plant fluids.  Normally we don’t attempt to identify Lace Bugs to the species level, and your photo is lacking in the type of essential detail for such an identification, however, since you provided a food plant, we gave it a shot and we believe you have Chrysanthemum Lace Bugs, Corythucha marmorata, which according to BugGuide commenter L. T. Miller are:  “Common in many composite flowers.”  According to the University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) website:  “Chrysanthemum lace bugs feed on asters, sunflowers, and goldenrods, injuring the plant by their piercing and sucking. The excrement is strategically placed along the vein and secures the eggs to the leaf.  They prefer the underside of the leaf but will also colonize the upper side when the population is high. Nymphs are small and shiny brown, and they suck sap. Young nymphs congregate on the underside of the leaves. In dry weather, high populations can cause particularly severe damage.  Hover-fly larvae, lady beetles, and lace-wing larvae will prey on these garden pests. Daily water sprays can be highly effective at reducing the population. U of I Extension suggests treating plants with horticulture oil, insecticidal soap, neem oil, or imidacloprid.” 

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Giant Water Bug from Greece

On · Category: Toe Biters and other Aquatic True Bugs · Add Comment

Subject: beetle?
Location: thassos, greece
May 20, 2013 12:27 am
Hi, we found it on the beach , I ’ve never seen so big insect around, can you determine it?
Signature: george

Giant Water Bug

Hi George,
This is a Giant Water Bug in the family Belostomatidae.  They are predatory aquatic insects that are also capable of flight when their habitat dries up.  Giant Water Bugs are commonly called Toe-Biters in North America, because although they are not aggressive toward humans, they will give a painful bite if carelessly handled or accidentally encountered.

 

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Newly Hatched Wheel Bugs

On · Category: Assassin Bugs · Add Comment

Subject: bug
Location: maryland
May 18, 2013 7:37 pm
This Bug Is Black With A Red Butt, 6Legs, Its Antennas Looked Orange On The Tips No Wings Though. I’m Located In Westminster Maryland. I Found The Eggs UnderneatH My Porch Railing.
Signature: please help

Wheel Bug Hatchlings

Wheel Bug Hatchlings

These are newly hatched Wheel Bugs.  They will soon disperse and lead a solitary life, growing into winged adult Wheel Bugs, a species of Assassin Bug with a distinctive crest.

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Paper Wasp Nest from Costa Rica

On · Category: Paper Wasps · Add Comment

Subject: bees
Location: costa rica
May 19, 2013 2:07 pm
Hi!
we saw these nest of bees, in Costa Rica.
We saw very well the activity inside the nest!
Any idea about the species? Not easy, I can believe!
thanks
fred
Signature: fred from belgium

Paper Wasp Nest

Paper Wasp Nest

Hi Fred,
These are not bees.  They are Paper Wasps in the genus Polistes. 

Paper Wasp Nest

Paper Wasp Nest

We found a matching photo on Nature.Com on a page entitled An Introduction to Eusociality, but they are only identified to the genus level.

Paper Wasps: genus Polistes

Paper Wasps: genus Polistes

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Hickory Borers

On · Category: Longhorn Beetles · Add Comment

Subject: Yellow jacket looking bug cover a standing dead tree
Location: Indiana
May 19, 2013 4:16 pm
Hey good afternoon! We had a tree die over the winter and today 5-19-13 my son was playing basketball and noticed these bugs all over the tree. Can these sting and are they harmful? Thanks from Indiana!
Signature: Trevis

Hickory Borer

Hickory Borer

Dear Trevis,
Given the spring sighting, these are Hickory Borers, Megacyllene caryae, a species that spends its larval stage boring in the recently dead wood of hickory and other hardwood trees.  A closely related species, the Locust Borer, is active in the autumn months.  It is believed the Hickory and Locust Borers mimic stinging Yellow Jackets as a form of protective camouflage.  The beetles do not sting, however they have powerful jaws that might draw blood if a person is bitten.  They are not considered dangerous.

Great info! Thank you for the identification! Have a great week!
Trevis

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On · Category: Hummingbird Moths, Sphinx Moths or Hawk Moths · Add Comment

Subject: Fantastic hawkmoth(?)
Location: Murfreesboro, TN
May 18, 2013 7:56 pm
Hello bugfolk,
My coworker and I found this gorgeous mothy hiding out from the rain in a greenhouse just a few days past. We’re located in the middle Tennessee area. I was hoping to find out more about it–it looks like it’s in the Sphingidae family.
Thanks bunches!
Signature: Critter Crazy

Achemon Sphinx

Achemon Sphinx

Dear Critter Crazy,
This lovely moth is an Achemon Sphinx and we hope you had an opportunity to see its pretty pink underwings which are hidden while the moth is at rest.  You can read more about the Achemon Sphinx on the Sphingidae of the Americas website.

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Magnificent Click Beetle from the Philippines

On · Category: Click Beetles · Add Comment

Subject: Click Beetle (Philippines)
Location: Tagaytay City, Luzon, Philippines
May 18, 2013 8:00 pm
Hi Bugman,
As requested, sending you three pics of the click beetle that I saw 2 weekends ago.
Location is Tagaytay City, Luzon, Philippines. Just as an fyi, Tagaytay City is around 2,000 ft. above sea level and has a relatively cool climate.
Here is the video again as well. Hope you can see it this time. If not, I will try another way to send it to you.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=569120633133070&l=4035790639141631968 (select the link, right click on it and choose ” Go to https:\\ … ” .
rgds,
Noel
Signature: Noel Coronel

Click Beetle

Click Beetle

Dear Noel,
We are so happy you sent a comment to our Click Beetle from Thailand posting.  We will write more on this later.

Click Beetle

Click Beetle

In the original posting, we eventually learned this magnificent Click Beetle is Ocynopterus mucronatus and that Project Noah also places the species in the Philippines.

Click Beetle

Click Beetle

 

 

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