6 legged fuzzy backed beetle
Wed, Jul 1, 2009 at 7:05 PM
I am in Bakersfield, California and was bitten while feeding my horses by this 6 legged fuzzy beetle. It crawled into my shoe and bit through my sock. Very painful like a wasp sting. The area is by a river that is dry and lots of empty scrubland.
Can you identify him from these scans of him? He was not very cooperative and was difficult to make him stand still. I will now extract my revenge and feed his happy little self to some chickens. Thanks for your time.
Michael Beilby
Bakersfiel, California
Velvet Ant
Hi Michael,
We just drove through Bakersfield on the way back from Mendocino, and it was a scorcher. This is a Velvet Ant, a flightless female wasp, which would explain why her “bite” felt like a wasp sting. It actually was a wasp sting. We believe this is Dasymutilla sackenii based on images posted to BugGuide. Non-stinging males of the species, indeed of the entire family Mutilidae, have wings and resemble other wasps.
Velvet Ant
Red Fuzzy Bug of Southern Arizona
Wed, Jul 1, 2009 at 11:06 AM
Dear WTB: I live in Cochise County of southern Arizona. We had our first real rain of the monsoon yesterday. This morning I went to feed my horses and found these little red bugs everywhere. They seem to be burrowing out of the ground. They are small, but some bigger than others. Some have white spots and some are all red. I watched one help another burrow out!!!! So what are they and do they bite!
Deni
Saint David, Arizona
Velvet Mite
Hi Deni,
These are Velvet Mites in the family Trombidiidae. According to BugGuide: “Larvae are parasitic on insects. Adults eat insect eggs.” BugGuide also indicates that there are thousands of species. The one with the white markings matches some images on BugGuide from the genus Dinothrombium which is reported from Texas and Arizona. According to Charles Hogue in his landmark book Insects of the Los Angeles Basis, our local representatives from the family are called Angelitos. Hogue writes: “There is probably more than one species of giant red velvet mite in the deserts of southern California. But at least one occasionally emerges in the dry eastern margins of the basin in large numbers, usually following a rain. These creatures never fail to attract attention because of their large size (the body length of adults is about 1/4 to 5/8 in., or 5 to 8 mm) and brilliant crimson furry bodies. The larvae are parasites of grasshoppers, and the adults are predators on subterranean termites. The adults remain in the soil most of the year and spend only a few hours above grouns, probably to feast on their prey, which also respond to rains by emerging in numbers. Little else is known of their biology.” From what Hogue writes, it would seem that the rain triggered the emergence in Arizona as well.
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Posted 02 July 2009
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Mites
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western manitoba – beetles mating on columbine
Wed, Jul 1, 2009 at 9:03 PM
Hello there. Could you help me identify these lovely bugs mating on some columbine in our Riding Mountain National Park official gardens. I took the photo just today – it’s July 1st.
Their lower backs seem to be silver or transparent.
Thank you so much for your time.
M.M.
Clear Lake, Manitoba – Riding Mountain National Park
Mating Twice Stabbed Stink Bugs
Dear M.M.,
These are not mating beetles, but mating Twice-Stabbed Stink Bugs, Cosmopepla lintneriana. According to BugGuide, it is “Formerly Cosmopepla bimaculata , and still listed that way by most guides.” BugGuide also indicates: “Adults suck plant juices from many different plants: thistles, mints, goldenrods, ragweeds, columbines.” The Columbine is our favorite flower, and we want to post your photo uncropped, but we are also cropping in closer to better showcase the Twice Stabbed Stink Bugs.
Twice Stabbed Stink Bugs Mating
Larger than normal for Berkeley
Wed, Jul 1, 2009 at 4:39 PM
I’ve found the insects here in Berkeley to be generally fewer and less varied than where I grew up in rural Wisconsin. But a few weeks before I move back to the midwest this one turned up on my bedroom ceiling two nights ago. I’ve never before seen one in Berkeley. The body is 1 inch long and 0.25″ inch wide, and each antenna is 1.25″. I kept her occupied with a raisin during the photoshoot, which she seemed to appreciate. What is it?
Finally something large and not a crane fly
Berkeley, CA
Eucalyptus Borer
Hi Finally,
This is a Eucalyptus Borer in the genus Phoracantha. There are two species with the same common name. Phoracantha recurva and Phoracantha semipunctata were both accidentally introduced from Australia. The two species are quite similar and we don’t feel qualified to determine which of the species you have found. The larvae bore in the wood of eucalyptus trees.
Update:
Thank you for the response! Between those two, it seems to be clearly a Phoracantha semipunctata, based on the description and P. semipunctata photo here…
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7425.html
…and the P. recurva photo here…
http://www.barkbeetles.org/browse/subject.cfm?SUB=12355
– Finally
unknown insect spotted in the flower bed
Wed, Jul 1, 2009 at 4:47 PM
I snapped this photo of a strange insect in my flower bed. I have no idea what it is. This was the one and only time I’ve seen it. The paddle like front legs are interesting. You may have to zoom in a bit on the photo.
Mr. Rob
Eastern NC nearFayetteville
Ambush Bug
Dear Mr. Rob,
You have photographed a Jagged Ambush Bug in the genus Phymata. Ambush Bugs were originally in their own family, but they have recently been reclassified as Assassin Bugs in the family Reduviidae, and the Ambush Bugs subfamily Phymatinae. Ambush Bugs often wait on flowers in order to ambush and eat pollinating insects.
Water Bug from Mendocino
Wed, Jul 1, 2009 at 8:09 AM
Hi WTB. I am easily freaked out by bugs but have a strange obsession with your site, as I came across it trying to identify a beetle. I live in Mendocino and was excited to see that you came here, I even joked to my boyfriend I was going to track you down and make you look at my pictures! Anyway the bug I want identified today was found in the Noyo River last week. I’ve posted two different pictures- It seemed to me it was the same bug, but at different stages in it’s life…? The first pic. is when we put it on land. It was narrow at the butt, wider at the head, with a big whole that it “went into” when it was bugged with. They both had little stones all over their body. The second picture looked the same, but it had things shooting from its backside. It loo ked like its defense would be to look like some kind of tree fallings. They were found in shallow water on the rocks and once we started looking for them they were everywhere!
P.S. I see easily 25 banana slugs a day if you decide that you would in fact like a pic. of one!
katebell
Northern California- on the Coast
Caddisfly Larva
Dear katebell,
These are Caddisfly Larvae. Caddisflies are in the order Trichoptera. Caddisfly Larvae create homes for themselves by cementing stones, twigs, shells and other debris. The larvae are called Caseworms. According to Charles Hogue in Insects of the Los Angeles Basin: “The shape and method of construction of the case is characteristic for a species or group of species, and the variety in these ‘mobile homes’ is extensive: they may be purse-shaped, tubular, curved, snail-shaped, or rectangular, and there are even types with sticks set in an ascending square framework that mimics a little log cabin.” There is a picture in Hogue’s book that looks very similar to your examples and it is listed as being in the genus Hesperophylax. We were in the Mendocino Woodlands campground near Fort Bragg and we are sad you did not try to find us. We would love a Banana Slug image. Please title the letter Banana Slug.
Caddisfly Larva
Lefty's hatchlings; 30 June 2009
Wednesday, 1 July 2009, 9:33AM
Upon returning from Mendocino Sunday night, I quickly noticed that Lefty and Digitalis had spawned in my absence and the eggs had hatched. The spawning was no surprise. Digitalis was filling with eggs and both fish had breeding tubes extended when I left on Friday morning. Wrigglers were attached to the Amazon Sword leaf near the window on the left side of the aquarium. The next day, the fry were moved across the aquarium and then back again. Tuesday morning, I shot some photos through the water surface and Tuesday evening, the fry were still on the leaf, though on both sides of the surface. This morning, at first light, the fry were still there, but now, three hours later, with camera in hand, I cannot find them. The parents have moved them again. I expect they will be free swimming in a day or two.
yellow striped long horned beetle
Tue, Jun 30, 2009 at 5:02 PM
i found this in Northern VT it is a long horned beetle of some kind, but its yellow striped pattern doesn’t look like any i know.
Ryan
Northern VT
Sugar Maple Borer
Dear Ryan,
We have countless chores to do today, like painting window frames and cleaning the garage, but we succumbed to the temptation to post just one more letter this morning. We are thrilled that we chose to open your letter as this is only the second image of a Sugar Maple Borer, Glycobius speciosus, we have posted in the 9 years we have been taking identification requests online. That image, submitted in July 2005 was of a smashed specimen. BugGuide has very little specific information other than: “Range Northeastern North America Habitat Deciduous forests with hostplant (sugar maples). Season June-August
Life Cycle Larvae mine under bark of Sugar Maple, Acer saccharum .” BugGuide also has six photos representing four different sightings. This would indicate that the Sugar Maple Borer is not a common insect. Because the host tree is of economic importance, the USDA has a web page devoted to the control of the Sugar Maple Borer. The USDA describes the life history of the Sugar Maple Borer as “The sugar maple borer has a two-year life cycle. Most eggs are laid in midsummer in roughened bark locations-in cracks, under bark scales, or around wounds. Upon hatching, the larva makes a meandering mine beneath the bark. Mining continues until early fall when it excavates a shallow cell in the sapwood. Here it spends the winter. The following spring, the larva resumes mining, etching a deep groove in the sapwood. The mine partially encircles the bole or branch as it spirals upward. With the coming of winter, the second-year larva bores a J-shaped tunnel deep into the wood (Figure 1). In the tunnel’s far end, the larva forms a chamber for overwintering. Before spring pupation, the larva chews a hole to the outside through which it will emerge as an adult in June or July. “ We are also quite happy that the website indicates that control has to do with eliminating unhealthy trees and proper tree pruning and watering when the trees are decorative and NOT pesticides. Kudos to the USDA on that. ForestPests.org indicates: “Eggs are deposited in bark crevices, under bark scales, or around wounds, usually during July and August. The larvae feed beneath the bark. The insect spends the winter as a larvae in a chamber formed in the sapwood. The following spring, it resumes feeding. As the second winter approaches, the mature larvae bores deep into the wood and constructs a pupal cell. Before entering the cell, the larvae cuts an exit hole through which it will emerge as an adult in the spring. The adult is a robust, velvety-black beetle about an inch long. Its head is covered with fine, yellow hairs. Its back is marked with several yellow bands, those near the front forming a characteristic w-shaped design. The life cycle requires 2 years. “ Here at What’s That Bug? we have major issues with the classification of “pest” when in fact this beautiful native insect has survived for 1000s of years, and it has an important niche in the health of a forest, which includes the necessary removal of old growth. Congratulations of your wonderful sighting and thanks so much for sending your photos to our humble website.
Sugar Maple Borer
Mating Damselflies
Tue, Jun 30, 2009 at 7:39 PM
Do you really need an explanation? 
ET
Columbia, MD
Ebony Jewelwings Mating
Dear ET,
Your photo of mating Ebony Jewelwings, Calopteryx maculata, is gorgeous, and we thought our readers would probably like additional information. The male has the darker wings and the female has the white spot on the wings. BugGuide has additional information on this eastern North American species, including “Not a strong flier: adults flutter, butterfly-like, a short distance when disturbed. They are easy to get close to as long as you approach slowly and don’t make any sudden movements. Ebony Jewelwings prefer sunny spots in the woods but usually perch only a minute or two before flitting to another nearby spot.” BugGuide has sadly shied away from discussing the sexual behavior of the species. We decided to try to include some of that and located a German site that explained “The male sex organ is located at the front part of the abdomen. Damselflies commonly fly in pairs during mating. Damselfly adults use their hind legs, which are covered with hairs to capture prey as they fly. They hold the prey in their legs and devour it by chewing. Adults are usually found flying near plants, usually in irrigated rice fields during the daytime throughout the year. The damselfly’s mating pattern is unusual. The male deposits sperm by bending the abdomen forward and then clasping the female behind the head with its claspers on the tip of his abdomen. The female then loops her abdomen forward and picks up the sperm from the male. The mating pairs are seen flying and clinging in tandem. “ And finally, just to shake things up a bit, we located a National Geographic online article entitled Damselfly Mating Game Turns Some Males Gay by James Owen. Owen writes: “Disguises used by female damselflies to avoid unwanted sexual advances can cause males to seek out their own sex, a new study suggests. Belgian researchers investigated why male damselflies often try to mate with each other. The scientists say the reason could lie with females that adopt a range of appearances to throw potential mates off their scent. In an evolutionary battle of the sexes, males become attracted to a range of different looks, with some actually preferring a more masculine appearance. “ Later in the article, this is nicely explained. Owen continues with the following conclusions of the Belgian team: “Van Gossum, the study author, says most researchers agree such polymorphism most likely results from sexual conflict, with females evolving traits to avoid excessive harassment. While plenty of sex might suit male damselflies, this isn’t the case for females. Joan Roughgarden is a professor of biological sciences at Stanford University in California. She writes, ‘Copulation ranges from over one hour to over six hours, averaging three hours. While a long copulation might seem like great fun, this can waste a whole day and be too much of a good thing, especially if carried out day after day over a life span that is only a few days long. Roughgarden adds that female damselflies collect all the sperm they need to reproduce from a single mating.” Some of our readers will be comforted to know that the image that you submitted depicts a traditional male/female coupling.
big green moth
Tue, Jun 30, 2009 at 7:01 AM
We’re in Petawawa, Onatario and recently have had several of these beautiful moths visit us. The smallest one we saw was bigger than any moth we’ve ever seen, and the largest spanned the palm of my hand.
Anderson Family
Petawawa, Ontario, Canada
Luna Moth
Dear Anderson Family,
Congratulations on your Luna Moth sightings. The Luna Moth, which is native to eastern North America from Florida to Canada, is probably the most distinctive North American Moth. It is unlikely that it could be confused with any other species. The Luna Moth is one of the Giant Silk Moths that only lives a few days as an adult, long enough to mate and lay eggs. It has no functional mouth parts and it cannot eat as an adult. Your sighting is our northernmost report this year. Florida sightings generally begin in February and as mild weather moves north, so do the Luna Moth emergences. The moth has spent its metamorphosis period in a pupa encased in a cocoon loosely spun around a leaf that falls to the ground and is buried in leaf litter.
Epicaerus Weevil on Milkweed???
Mon, Jun 29, 2009 at 11:21 AM
Hello Daniel,
I can’t be sure, even after an hour and a half of looking for this “bug,” if a weevil it is or not. The snout says it is… Yes? No…?
These two photos (lightened for assistance in identification) were taken in farm country in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.
The photo of the pair of red, black dotted, beetles (borer? blister?) was taken at the same time. I appreciate any assistance that you may be able give me.
Thank you so much for being there,
R.G. Marion
Bumble Flower Beetle
Hi R.G.,
Nice to hear from you again after so long. We actually believe the suspected weevil is a Bumble Flower Beetle, Euphoria inda, based on the appearance of its antennae. The photo is lacking details, but the basic outline of the form of the beetle and the antennae indicate that it is probably a Bumble Flower Beetle. There are clearer images on BugGuide which credits the following information to Blatchley: “Throughout the State (Indiana); frequent. March 20-August 17. On the first warm, sunny days of spring this “bumble flower-beetle” comes forth in numbers and flies close to the ground with a loud buzzing noise like that of a bumble-bee, for which it is often mistaken. When captured it defends itself by emitting a strong, pungent chlorine-like odor. A second brood is said to appear in September. The larva live in rotten wood, beneath chips and other woody debris. The adults are often found sucking the juices of roasting ears, peaches, grapes and apples, and sometimes do much damage. “
Red Milkweed Beetles Mating
We are quite certain your mating beetles are Red Milkweed Beetles or Milkweed Longhorns, Tetraopes tetrophthalmus. It is the first of the month now, and we always have problems with images posting at the beginning of the month. We will contact our web host and hopefully this will be corrected in the morning.
Beetle? Super long antennae and huge paws!
Mon, Jun 29, 2009 at 5:46 PM
Hi WTB! I’ve attached several photos of what I think may be a kind of Longhorn Beetle. We found it hanging out on our screenroom one very hot day. He was just as curious of us as we were of him, watching us and moving as we did. I have wetlands and woods behind my house.
Allyson in Florida
Pensacola, FL
Southern Pine Sawyer
Hi Allyson,
This is one of the Pine Sawyers in the genus Monochamus, most likely Monochamus titillator, the Southern Pine Sawyer based on photos and information posted to Bugguide which states: “larvae bore in sapwood of pine logs held in storage or pines killed by natural or manmade causes.”
Southern Pine Sawyer
Female Eastern Hercules Beetle
Tue, Jun 30, 2009 at 7:55 PM
It’s been a long time since I sent you any pictures, but I finally have a good one. Hubby heard a noise on the siding of the house this evening, and found the culprit. According to the pictures on WTB, it looks to be a Female Eastern Hercules Beetle. We took some pictures in the grass, but hubby offered to hold the girl, so I was able to get a good closeup. I’ve reduced the size, so as not to clog the website. If you need better quality, let me know.
Caron
Culpeper, Virginia
Eastern Hercules Beetle
Hi Caron,
We just finished posting two letters, one with photos of a male Eastern Hercules Beetle and one with photos of a female. Your letter is a wonderful addition to the two previous letters as it gives our readership an idea of the range as well as the timely appearance of these gorgeous beetles. We also now realize not making the Eastern Hercules Beetle the Bug of the Month for July was probably a big mistake.
Green Beetle with lots of Black Spots
Tue, Jun 30, 2009 at 10:02 AM
I found this in my room yesterday and took some pictures before I let it go. I live in Nashville, TN. I was surprised to see a beetle of this size, much less in my bedroom!
The picture I have of him are in a regular size drinking glass, so I would imagine the beetle is about 1.5″ in length. The tiles he’s sitting on are about 2×2 kitchen counter tiles.
Carson
Nashville, TN
Eastern Hercules Beetle
Hi Carson,
We will be posting your photos of a female Eastern Hercules Beetle, Dynastes tityus, along side a letter with images of a male. The male has spectacular horns. The Eastern Hercules Beetle is sometimes called a Rhinoceros Beetle.
Eastern Hercules Beetle
Yellowish/Black Huge Beetle with weird Pinchers in front
Tue, Jun 30, 2009 at 9:58 AM
What is this Bug??? I am from Michigan and visiting my mom in North Carolina and see some weird, ugly, creepy insects around here but this tops the cake. My son saw it flying around outside and told my brother in law to come see it. As soon as he opened the door to come outside it flew right inside towards his face. We were freaking out! I tried to do a search of what it was but can’t seem to find out. I hope you can identify it!
Tamara, E.L., MI
Warrior Mountain, Tryon, N.C.
Eastern Hercules Beetle
Hi Tamara,
We really wanted to make the Eastern Hercules Beetle, Dynastes tityus, the Bug of the Month for July, but when we posted this morning, we had not received any recent images. Your male beetle is quite spectacular, and we will be posting another letter with an image of a female Eastern Hercules Beetle which lacks the horns that also arrived today.
Eastern Hercules Beetle
Dobsonfly
Mon, Jun 29, 2009 at 9:06 PM
I’m pretty sure this is a female Dobsonfly. It’s not a bad photo, thought you might like to add it to your archives. She was in our kitchen this evening but is now safely back outside.
Ann R.
Auburn Area – California
California Dobsonfly
Hi Ann,
The California Dobsonfly, Neohermes californicus, is in the same family as the Dobsonfly, Corydalidae, but it is classified in a different genus. According to BugGuide, the California Dobsonfly is actually a Gray Fishfly, and its antennae are quite different from the eastern Dobsonfly.
Bugs mating
Mon, Jun 29, 2009 at 7:21 AM
Hi, photographed these bugs on a hike on June 28th near Tillman Ravine in the Stokes state forest, New Jersey. Not sure what they are, but they are definitely mating.
Thanks for your help, Steve
Stokes state forest, NJ.
Mating Flower Longhorns: Strangalia luteicornis
Hi Steve,
These are mating Flower Longhorns in the subfamily Lepturinae of the family Cerambycidae, the Longhorn Borer Beetles. We used BugGuide to identify them as Strangalia luteicornis, a species with no common name that is common and ranges in the Eastern North America. According to BugGuide: “Food Adults take nectar and/or pollen at flowers, are said to be especially fond of sumac.
Life Cycle Larvae feed on decaying wood of several deciduous trees and woody vines. Adults attracted to UV light. “
