Larry the Bug
Sat, May 2, 2009 at 2:37 PM
Found on my wall around the bathroom light. Yes, that is my wall, the wings are translucent. We named him/her Larry, but never seen before. Stayed there most of the night, but was gone in the morning.
Stan the man
West Texas
Antlions
Dear Stan the Man,
Larry the Bug is an Antlion. Antlions are Nerve Winged Insects in the family Myrmeleontidae. The larvae are also known as Doodle Bugs and they dig small pits in the sand to trap ants and other insects. The Doodle Bug lies at the bottom of the pit buried in the sand with just its jaws protruding.
What Type of Beetle is this
Thu, Apr 30, 2009 at 8:42 AM
This was found on my back decl in Northern Nevada a couple days ago. It has a hard body and looks like it walks high. The deck is open air but has a sun cover over it to block the sun and the bug was under the shaded part
Lisa
Yerrington, Nevada USA
Stink Beetle or Acrobat Beetle
Hi Lisa,
This lumbering beetle is a Darkling Beetle in the genus Eleodes. There are numerous species in the genus found in arid regions of the Southwest, and we are not skilled enough to differentiate the species from one another. These beetles are commonly called Stink Beetles because they emit an odor as a defense mechanism. Because of their habit of standing on their head with the rear end elevated when disturbed, they are also called Acrobat Beetles.
a weird Australian moth
Fri, May 1, 2009 at 9:13 PM
Hi guys,
This is one of our more unusual moths, Pingasa cinerea (GEOMETRINAE , GEOMETRIDAE) in that it rests with its forewings uncoupled and pointed forward. At least it makes the ID fairly simple. Taken on the fixed glass pane of my back door, a welcome distraction from the house work.
aussietrev
Capricornia region, Queensland
Geometrid Moth
Hi Trevor,
We can always count on you to send us fascinating images from Australia. In searching for a link with information on Pingasa, cinerea, we were pleased to see your photos posted on an Australian Lepidoptera website that mentions: “Its claim to fame is its extraordinary resting posture, with forewings dislocated to point forward.”
Geometrid Moth
Invasion of the Thunder Bugs
Thu, Apr 30, 2009 at 8:01 PM
My cousin and I were riding our bikes through our subdivision in Arizona when we noticed a huge congregation of these red, yellow, and black bugs on the sidewalk next to a construction sit. It was more toward the middle of August and about 98 degrees F*. They were pretty big, 1.3 – 2 inches long, and quite fierce looking (their coloring reminded us of a thunder/firestorm), although, even with the ultra efficient-looking wings, they didn’t fly when we came near and were actually a bit sluggish. We did want to touch them, but, quite content with our bite-free, scratch-free, sting-free hands, we ultimately settled for a photograph. So, to cut a long story in a concise little request: we were sort of hoping you could help us identify them?
Andy and Chipi
Arizona
Iron Cross Blister Beetles
Dear Andy and Chipi,
Every once in a while we receive a photo that we consider spectacular. We absolutely love your photo of Iron Cross Blister Beetles. These flashy beetles make appearances in Arizona and California in the spring. While handling Iron Cross Blister Beetles, or any other Blister Beetles for that matter, would probably not result in bites, scratches or stings, there is a very good chance it might result in blisters since the beetles secrete a substance known as cantharidin, the blistering agent. It is also the legendary Spanish Fly, the aphrodesiac made from ground Blister Beetles.
What type of moth is this?
Fri, May 1, 2009 at 5:23 PM
We found this moth on the wall on our porch. It is approximately 6 inches wide. I thought it was in the Polyphemus family.
Jesika
North Carolina
Polyphemus Moth
Hi Jesika,
This is most certainly a Polyphemus Moth.
Bug cult found dead on kitchen floor.
Thu, Apr 30, 2009 at 3:54 AM
I went into my kitchen earlier today and saw brown spots on my floor, I lean in to see what it was. Hundreds of dead bugs lay on my kitchen floor all dead like some kind of bug cult that just drank the cool aid.
I have no idea what kind of bugs these are, they kind of look like little roaches, maybe bed bugs, I dunno.
It was just after a pretty big storm, also I have a punching bag that I brought in before the storm and am hoping they didnt some how come from that…
Geoffrey
Houston, Texas
Lawn Shrimp
Hi Geoffrey,
We have decided that your highly entertaining and descriptive letter and photo of Lawn Shrimp will be our featured Bug of the Month for May. Lawn Shrimp are terrestrial amphipods, an order of Crustaceans. They live in ivy, shrubbery and fallen leaves and go virtually unnoticed until it rains, at which time they enter homes and die in great numbers. They are also called House Hoppers and are in the family Talitridae. According to Charles Hogue in his book Insects of the Los Angeles Basin, the species found in Los Angeles, and quite possibly Houston, is Talistroides sylvaticus. They are gray while alive and turn pink or orange after dying.
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