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Moth, beetle, & spawn in southern Ontario
Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 4:44 PM
I have three bugs I’d like identified. All photos were taken today in my backyard (date is on the photos). I live in Hamilton, Ontario (Canada).
… 2)Beetle.jpg – I found this one on my patio, it also chose not to fly, so I took photos of it then released it. Has orange and black stripes. … Help in identifying these 3 bugs would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you, Luke.
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Swamp Milkweed Beetle

Hi Luke,
Posting letters with multiple photos of unrelated species is something we frown upon because of all the extra labor involved and also because of the problems with our archiving and categorization process. Your beetle appears to be a Swamp Milkweed Beetle, Labidomera clivicollis, one of the Leaf Beetles. This is a beetle with much variation in the markings, but one photo on BugGuide looks nearly identical to your specimen. According to BugGuide: “Part of the orange and black milkweed mimicry complex, which inlcudes Monarch butterfly, Red Milkweed Beetle, Milkweed bugs, and at least one assassin bug. Both larvae and adults of this species cut several side-veins of a milkweed leaf prior to feeding, to reduce the sticky latex that would otherwise be produced at their feeding sites. ”
P.S. Your other requests are a Virginia Ctenuchid Moth and Spittlebug.

Update: from Eric Eaton
Daniel:
The swamp milkweed beetle ID is right on.  I don’t have the time at the moment to research the plant bug beyond family level, and that is also correct (Miridae).
Eric

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