Black and orange beetle
September 16, 2009
Found on the top of high grass in the summer on Croatia’s Mediterranean coast, these beautiful beetles seem to not be bothered by the hot midday sun. They can and will fly away if given the opportunity when captured (not the stuff seen in the first picture, those are remains of potato chips). They cannot bite, and often leave traces of a yellow substance similar to ear wax when captured. They are usually about 1-2 centimeters long.
ROX
Croatia, Mediterranean coast
Blister Beetle
Hi ROX,
We believe this is a Blister Beetle in the family Meloidae. We will try to get a second opinion.
Eric Eaton Confirms Identification
Right again! See how good you have gotten?:-) Have a great day….
Eric
beautiful moth from southern Turkey
September 17, 2009
Hello! I took this picture of a moth on the hills above the southern coast of Turkey. I was told it was native to that part of Turkey and one island of Greece and nowhere else. I use it in the masthead of my blog, so would love to be able to name the species.
Hope you can help – thanks,
Cath
southern Turkey – near Eşen / Fethiye
Cream Spot Tiger Moth
Hi Cath,
This is a Tiger Moth in the family Arctiidae. We will contact Julian Donahue, a lepidopterist who specializes in the family, to see if he can provide a species identification.
Julian Donahue responds
It’s the Cream-spot Tiger (Arctia villica); widespread, from southern England through Europe and western Asia and North Africa.
Julian P. Donahue
Red Bug with red and blue wings
September 16, 2009
Red Bug with red and blue wings
I happened to see this bug in my backyard. I had never seen one of these before and its color caught my attention. I tried to identify this bug by searching through the internet but wasn’t succesful. Can you help?
Lorn
Aguadilla, Puerto RIco
Net Winged Beetle
Hi Lorn,
We believe this is a Net Winged Beetle in the family Lycidae. WE are hoping to get some expert opinion on this and we would advise you to check back on the posting for the next several days to see if there are any updates. Our professional obligations have greatly increased with the beginning of a new academic year and we might not be able to email you any updates directly.
Eric Eaton Agrees
Yes, I agree with the family identification.
Eric
September 16, 2009
Hi Daniel…It has been a very long time since we last chatted, so I hope all is well! I see you are still going crazy with WTB and writing a book as well (how the hell do you guys fit it all in with your other responsibilities????), so kudos for that!!
My son wound up at he Cleveland Institute of Art and is studying glass and is totally loving it. My other son, is heading to Drexel tomorrow to study film and video and hopefully to make movies! Maybe a documentary about glass blowing or bugs!!
I wanted to let you know that I developed a website and just put it up online. It is totally dedicated to those of us that are completely addicted to bugs and I hope it will become an outlet like your site for them to get a fix, when insect rehab is simply out of the questions or the perils of bug withdrawal (like winter in the northeast) are knocking on the door.
I thought you and your WTB aficionados might really enjoy it. It is called Bug Addiction: Confessions of a Bug Addict and is at www.bugaddiction.com
Look forward to hearing from you and your thoughts on the website….Dave
David Moskowitz
Hi David,
We are thrilled to promote your new website. We will take the time to peruse it this weekend.
help identify moth found in California desert
September 15, 2009
This moth was seen flying west on the morning of Sept. 15th, 2009 near Mission Creek on the desert slopes east of the San Bernardino Mtns in Southern California at about 1800′ elev. I captured the attached image after it landed on a shrub.
I looked for it on several sites, but haven’t found a good match. It was about three inches in length.
B. Stein
at = 33.999 + long = -116.609
Rustic Sphinx
Dear B.,
Your moth is a Rustic Sphinx, Manduca rustica, and you can see Bill Oehlke’s excellent website for additional information.
Please………What’s this bug?
September 15, 2009
Please………What’s this bug?
Your letter to the bugman Found these at a day care. Is this bug something to be worried about?
cstan — MN
St. Paul, MN
Giant Ichneumon
Dear cstan,
This is a harmless female Giant Ichneumon in the genus Megarhyssa. The long ovipositor cannot sting, and is used to lay eggs in wood infested by wood boring larvae of insects like the Pigeon Horntail. The Pigeon Horntail larvae are the prey of the larvae of the Giant Ichneumon.
Wasp or hornet? (or Queen ant disguised?)
September 15, 2009
Hi Bugman,
My mom and I came across this ENORMOUS and spectacular insect at the playground the other day (end of summer) Are we looking at a queen in training or a dying
cicada or sorts or WHAT????
Thanks. Leela (10 yrs old)
Montreal. Canada
Pigeon Horntail
Hi Leela,
This is a type of Wood Wasp known as a Pigeon Horntail. It is a female that lays her eggs under the bark of trees. The larvae are wood boring grubs. The larvae are the main food source of another spectacular insect, the Giant Ichneumon. Pigeon Horntails do not sting.
New Mexico Moths
September 15, 2009
Here are pictures of 2 moths that visited us the same night in August, up in the northern New Mexico mountains. I’ve been able to read some about them. Their size is noteable!
J. Ivy
Ute Park, New Mexico
Glover's Silk Moth
New Mexico Moths 2
I’m sorry, I doubled-up on one photo and left out the second moth.
J.Ivy
New Mexico mountains
Glover's Silk Moth
Hi J,
We are very happy you sent a second email with the other moth. Several of your photos of the Glover’s Silk Moth, Hyalophora comumbia gloveri, a subspecies of the Columbia Silk Moth, were incorrectly labeled Polyphemus Moth. Your second moth, though it looks like a Polyphemus Moth, is more likely the much rarer Oculea Moth, Antheraea oculea, which has a limited range in the mountains of Arizona and New Mexico, and possibly Texas. According to the World’s Largest Saturniidae Site: “Oculea is best distinguished from polyphemus by the orange ring around each eyespot and extensive blue and black scaling on all wings. Polyphemus has a yellow ring around each eyespot and black scaling is much less pronounced.”
Oculea Moth
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