Mating Orange Beetles
Sun, Feb 8, 2009 at 12:17 AM
Many of these beetles were mating this fall amongst the wildflowers here in Colorado Springs.
Nick DeBarmore
Colorado Springs, CO
- Mating Soldier Beetles, possibly Colorado Soldier Beetles
Dear Nick,
These are some species of Soldier Beetle or Leatherwing from the genus Chauliognathus. There is a very common eastern species, Chauliognathus pensylvanicus, the Goldenrod Soldier Beetle, but according to BugGuide, there have been no reports from Colorado. There are several species that have been reported from Colorado, but exact species identification is difficult due to your camera angle. Were we to hazard a guess, we would say these are most likely Colorado Soldier Beetles, Chauliognathus basalis, but the distinguishing features according to BugGuide: “head, antennae, legs black; pronotum and elytra reddish-orange; pronotum with semicircular or U-shaped black mark on posterior half; elytra with triangular black patch at base and rectangular black patch at tip color of elytra is apparently variable (polymorphic) and is the subject of research papers ” are not visible in your image. As a general note on the excellent macro photographs you have sent to us for identification: images showing only the specimens’ heads makes identification very difficult for us. We would request that you only send images of the entire insect in question for identification purposes.
Update
August 10, 2009
This copulating pair of soldier beetles is most likely C. pennsylvanicus and not C. basalis. The color and elytral markings are much more consistent with that of C. pennsylvanicus and do not resemble those of C. basalis. See the image from the Mating Pennsylvania Leatherwings post of Dec. 16, 2006 and you will see that these two images represent the same beetle species. I grew up collecting copulating C. pennsulvanicus from wild sunflowers in SD and have seen thousands of them.
snethen
a moth
Sun, Feb 8, 2009 at 3:54 AM
i just saw a moth in our locality that needs to be identified please help me out with it the moth had green colouring with stripes of purple and light pink.
ketul.barot
mumbai,maharashtra,india
Oleander Hawk Moth
Dear Ketul.Barot,
Your moth is an Oleander Hawk Moth, Deilephila nerii or sometimes Daphnis nerii , according to Bill Oehlke’s wonderful web site which indicates the range as “the southern Mediterranean region, North Africa and the Middle East to Afghanistan.” The species has also been introduced to Hawaii and the use of the cultivated food plant oleander in many areas will no doubt result in additional range expansion beyond the current reports of Southeast Asia and the Philippines.
Yellow fly with a big red bottom
Sun, Feb 8, 2009 at 12:12 AM
This fly I found going between dandelions in Colorado Springs. It has big red eyes and a big red bottom with black hairs, and a more yellowish head. What is it?
Nick DeBarmore
Colorado
Tachinid Fly
Hi Nick,
This is a Tachinid Fly, probably in the genus Adejeania which can be substantiated on BugGuide. One on the submissions to BugGuide mentions the huge palps of the genus as being distinguishing features, and your photo illustrates this nicely. Tachinid Flies often visit flowers as adults, and the larvae are parasitic, often on caterpillars. Here is what BugGuide has to say about the parasitism of Tachinid Flies: “Larval stages are parasitoids of other insects. Almost every order of insects is attacked by tachinids, including a few types of non-insect arthropods. Some tachinids are very specific and others can parasitize a wide variety of hosts. The most common hosts are caterpillars.
Life Cycle
Most tachinids deposit their eggs directly on the body of their host, and it is not uncommon to see caterpillars with several tachinid eggs on them. Upon hatching the larva usually burrows into its host and feeds internally. When fully developed it leaves the host and pupates nearby. Some tachinids lay their eggs on foliage; the larvae are flattened and are called planidia; they remain on the foliage until they find a suitable host.”
what is this????
Wed, Feb 4, 2009 at 12:21 AM
We found this in our backyard this past summer, it makes a high pitched screech when you get near it, my family and I were wondering if you would know what it is…
sls
Northeast PA
True Katydid
Dear sls,
The reason your specimen, Pterophylla camellifolia, is known as the True Katydid is because it is the first species in the family to have its song transcribed into the familiar “katy-DID” and “katy-DIDN’T” according to our Audubon Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders. The True Katydid can be visually distinguished from other Katydids by the shape of its wings and the many conspicuous veins which truly give it the appearance of a leaf, aiding in its camouflage. The True Katydid is also somewhat unique in that both sexes call out, while in most Orthopterans, only the male sings. Your specimen is a female, as evidenced by the pointed ovipositor at the tip of her abdomen. The species is more often heard than seen, because of the camouflage as well as their preference for living it the tree canopy. Your specimen seems a bit traumatized, and we are guessing it was perhaps preyed upon by a bird or other predator, and eventually abandoned.
Sex Correction: From a Katydid Expert
Tuesday, February 15, 2009
This is indeed Pterophylla camellifolia, but this individual is a male, not a female. The long element at the end of the abdomen is the subgenital plate. Notice also the brown area at the base of the wings, a part of the stridulatory (sound producing) apparatus.
Piotr Naskrecki
¶ Posted 08 February 2009 § Katydids ‡ ° Beetle
Tue, Feb 3, 2009 at 4:51 AM
This rather large beetle / bug (while in flight) flew directly into my head, bounced off, and landed in the grass. Thankfully, neither of us suffered injury other than severe startle! I picked it up out of the grass, and after a few seconds rest on my palm, it flew off. What is the name of this beetle? Thanks.
Jay W
Eastern NC Pitt County
Eyed Elater
Dear Jay,
What a positively gorgeous photo of an Eyed Elater, Alaus oculatus, one of the Click Beetles, preparing to take flight. Your photo nicely depicts a defining characteristic of beetles which have two pairs of wings like most insects, but have the upper wings hardened into wing covers known as elytra. It is the soft under wings that are the flying wings. This is the second letter we have received with stunning images of an Eyed Elater this week and it makes us a bit sad we did not select it as the Bug of the Month. We are seriously considering making this strikingly attractive beetle the Bug of the Month for March. Thanks for you wonderful contribution.
Eyed Elater
1
Looks like yellowjacket or paper wasp but without wings…
Fri, Feb 6, 2009 at 10:39 AM
Hi. My mom mailed me these pictures of this insect. I am actually an entomologist, but I work with mosquitoes, bed bugs and other biting and stinging public health pests. So beetles are a bit beyond me. I can’t get a good look at it, because she can’t mail me the specimen. (she lives in Indianapolis, and I live in Honolulu) . All I have is a handful of out of focus pictures. I am 99% sure it is a beetle from cerambycidae, and leaning toward something similar to Megacyllene robiniae.
Since it is such a colorful fellow (and looks like a wasp to most people) I thought I’d send it to you.
Tory
Indianpolis, Indiana. Winter (with 12+ inches of snow on the ground!
Locust Borer
Hi Tory,
We believe this is either Megacyllene robiniae, the Locust Borer as you have surmised, or a closely related species, the Hickory Borer, Megacyllene caryae. We are curious about the sighting with 12 inches of snow on the ground, and are guessing that the insect in question may have emerged from some firewood that was stored indoors.
Update: From Eric Eaton
Monday, February 6, 2009
Daniel:
The “locust borer” from Indiana is almost certainly a hickory borer. It is not at all atypical to get them indoors at this time of year. The locust borer emerges in the fall. Period. There seems to be virtually no overlap in emergence times between the two species.
Eric
Unknown Assassin with unknown wasp while mites hitch a ride (aussietrev)
Mon, Feb 2, 2009 at 9:40 PM
Hi guys,
Found this tableau on a grass stem. The only thing I know ID for are the red mites on the assassin bug. Both the bug and the wasp are quite tiny. Any ideas anyone?
aussietrev
Queensland, Australia
Assassin Bug with prey and Mites
Hi Trevor,
Sorry for the delay, but we have had a crazy busy week. While we agree with the Assassin Bug and Mites, we are unable to identify the species. We are not convinced the prey is a Wasp. It almost looks like another Hemipteran. We will see if Eric Eaton thinks Hemipteran or Hymenopteran.
Confirmation:
I agree with you, Daniel, the victim here is another hemipteran, something in the family Rhyparochromidae most likely.
Eric
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