Worms wanted
July 23, 2009
bhanelt@unm.edu
http://www.nematomorpha.net
Hi. I am studying hairworms, Gordian worms, or nematomorphs at the University of New Mexico. Several other biologists and I have started a study of the biodiversity and distribution of these critters in the New World. I noticed that some of your readers have noted Gordian worms, and I would very much appreciate if you would spread the word that we would love for people to collect and send us these worms. As you know, not much is known about this animal phylum, and we would like to change that with your help.
Thanks for your time, consideration, and great website!
Cheers…Ben
Ben Hanelt
Hi Ben,
Normally, we do not print email addresses, but in this case, we suspect you would like our readership to contact you directly.
Daniel:
Thanks for your quick reply, and thanks again for your awesome website. I think your site probably saves us biologists a lot of time identifying strange creatures- fantastic!
If you would put up a post of my e-mail or even just my website address, that would be great. I will also work on linking to your site from ours, as I think it will be very useful for people who end up at our site.
Thanks again, and feel free to pick my brain anytime you get a posting that leaves you puzzled (I get those once in a while, and I am still not sure about some: is it animal, plant, or alien?).
Cheers…Ben
¶ Posted 24 July 2009 § Worms ‡ ° Beetle like with big jaws red/copper color and 3-4 inches in size
July 23, 2009
Was camping in Northern california last weekend. Mendocino national forrest to be exact and we found this scurrying on the ground. It was huge and vicious. I would love to know what kind of bug this is? and how common these are? Thanks for your time.
Max Weisman
Mendocino county northern california
California Root Borer
Dear Max,
This is a female California Root Borer, Priunus californicus, and common is a relative term. The species is not uncommon, but populations may fluctuate from location to location. We just returned from camping in the Mendocino woodlands and we were not fortunate enough to see a California Root Borer.
More woolly aphids
July 23, 2009
Hello Daniel,
I thought you might be interested in seeing some more pics I have of the woolly aphid. I LOVE this creature! In one photo, she looks like a ballerina,
- Woolly Aphid
another, she looks like Yodo(sp?) from Star Wars and in the last, she looks like she may be some other stage (larval, pupa?) You can clearly see what appears to be where the “wool” is coming from. It looks like 2 jets streams. I didn’t know they could hop. These frequently hopped about 6 inches
around the cloth they were on. And their eyes! They look and act very similar to leafhoppers.
Thought you’d enjoy seeing them.
Hilma
Detroit, Michigan suburb
- Planthopper Nymph
Hi again Hilma,
The life cycles of Aphids can be quite elaborate and complicated with both sexual and asexual reproduction, winged and non-winged generations, and multiple host plants. The wool is actually a waxy substance that is produced by the aphid. We are going to contact Eric Eaton and hopefully he can provide some information on your various images. Here is what BugGuide has to say about one species of Woolly Aphid, the Woolly Apple Aphid: “Usually overwinter on elms and the first generation is spent on that host. In early summer winged forms appear, they migrate to apple, hawthorn and related trees. Later in the season some migrate to elms, where the bisexual generation is produced and over wintering eggs laid. Other individuals migrate from the branches of the apple trees to the roots, where they produce gall-like growths. The root-inhabiting forms may remain there for a year or more, passing through several generations.“ Your photos are really stunning. You should also post them to BugGuide.
- Planthopper Nymph
Daniel:
Sorry to be so late getting back to you….
Ok, the woolly aphid pictures. Actually, only the first image of the winged insect is a woolly aphid. The second picture is of a nymph of a planthopper in the family Acanaloniidae. The third (bottom) image depicts a nymph of a flatid planthopper, family Flatidae. That’s right, three different families of insects! Very nice photos, by the way. Most planthoppers in the Fulgoroidea sprout the waxy filaments and coatings seen in the images here. Obviously, woolly aphids secrete the same kind of waxy substance. It helps to keep the insects from drying out (dessicating), and makes them at least a little more unpalatable to predators.
Eric
3
Loud flying wasp-mosquito-spider
July 23, 2009
Can you tell me what this is? Because I’m convinced that there is a mad scientist somewhere missing this experiment!
While coming home from work four nights ago, my brother in law accidently let this bug in. It flew in and went up our stairs making a VERY loud buzzing sound. He initially thought it to be a common Mosquito Hawk because of it’s erratic flying pattern, but then it landed long enough for him to get a good look and he discovered it was not. Hopefully it’s not some kind of killer bug because it landed on his head at one point!. We live in South Texas so we’re pretty used to odd bugs, but this one was weird enough to warrent an ID request. He was able to capture in a Gatorade bottle and I got out my macro lens for some closeups.
II included the best of the photos that I was able to take in hopes of an ID. It looks like a GIANT mosquito to me! Sorry for the last picture being so unclear. There were water drops left in the bottom of the bottle and given the thickness of the plastic that was the best shot I could get of it’s face.
It is brownish red in color, has a 3 segmented body, and it appears that all 6 of it’s legs were attatched at the middle segment. As I said before, it made a VERY loud buzzing sound and didn’t seem very happy to be detained! His face looked like that of a mosquito in that he looked like he could either draw blood or nectar with it. His eyes are huge and black and protruded from the sides of his head. From above, I think he looks like a wasp because of the wing shape and segmented body but the design on his back is strange, similar to a house spider. He even had black back hairs that you can see in the side profile picture! Gross! And he was a “sturdy” bug as well. I could feel it everytime he hit the side of the container! I was a bit scared of him so it was hard to take the pictures! He was so big I was just sure he was going to burrow through the plastic and get me!
Please help me figure out what this unusual critter is!
Just Wondering
South East Texas
- Hanging Thief
Dear Just Wondering,
Your brother in law let a Hanging Thief in the house. A Hanging Thief is a Robber Fly in the genus Diogmites. All Robber Flies are predators and the Hanging Thief gets its common name from its habit of hanging from one or two legs while feeding. There is an awesome photo on BugGuide that illustrates the feeding habits of the Hanging Thief. Hanging Thieves do not bite people routinely, but that is not to say that they can’t bite people if carelessly handled. We believe they are capable of biting, but we have never gotten a report nor read any accounts of it actually happening.
Huge freaking beetle
July 23, 2009
Hi!
I was out late at night with my boyfriend when we came across this large creature in a parking lot. My boyfriend wanted to kill it, I suggested we take a picture instead. Since I helped spare the life of this bug I was wondering if you could help identify what exactly it is?? Thank you!
Sarah
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Reddish Brown Stag Beetle
Hi Sarah,
We are happy that you intervened in your boyfriend’s insecticidal tendencies since we would have been very sad to post your gorgeous Reddish Brown Stag Beetle, Lucanus capreolus, on our Unnecessary Carnage page.
bug that looks like a wasp
July 23, 2009
Hello Bugman,
This bug looks similar to some longhorn beetles I found on your site, but not exactly. I found it on a plant near my yard. Any info would be much appreciated. Thanks
Pam in Virginia
Cape Charles, VA
Neoclytus scutellaris
Hi Pam,
The reason your beetle doesn’t look exactly like anything on our site is that this is the first example we have ever posted of Neoclytus scutellaris, a Longhorned Borer Beetle with no common name. It is in the same genus as the Red Headed Ash Borer which is very well represented on our site. According to BugGuide it is found in “Eastern North America, apparently widespread. Reported from Oklahoma, North Carolina, Florida, and no doubt many other states.” and “Larvae feed in sapwood of (dead?) oaks, hickories, also grape.”
Bullseye caterpillar?
July 23, 2009
Hi Lisa Anne and Daniel, even with this caterpillar’s distinctive markings I am unable to identify it. It was found on the grass stem (cannot say it was feeding) on a prickly pear/sagebrush steppe but near a riparian area.
You are my last, best hope for an i.d. and I have unbounded faith in you!
Thanks in advance.
Dwaine
outskirts of Casper, WY
Juanita Sphinx Caterpillar
Hi Dwaine,
We are thrilled to be able to return a favor since you always send us such awesome butterfly images that are already identified. The markings on your caterpillar are absolutely gorgeous, much like the weaving of a Persian rug. We quickly identified this Juanita Sphinx Caterpillar, Proserpinus juanita, on Bill Oehlke’s awesome website. Most Sphinx Caterpillars are characterized by a caudal horn, giving them the name Hornworm, but this species loses its horn on the molt between the forth and fifth instar according to the images posted by Bill. We are going to copy Bill Oehlke on this reply since your gorgeous caterpillar differs slightly in coloration from the example he has posted. Bill is also compiling comprehensive data on species distribution.
Juanita Sphinx Caterpillar
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