Is this a banana spider?
December 12, 2009
Hi! I found this big spider in my house, is the first time I see one of these kind, I saw one in these website named banana spider, but the tale looks different, is it poisonous?
luigitec
Mexico
Golden Silk Spider
Dear luigitec,
The common name Banana Spider is used for more than one species of spider. To be truly accurate, you should refer to the species in your photograph as a female Nephila clavipes. The most frequently used common name is Golden Silk Spider. It is also called a Banana Spider, but that name is shared with Heteropoda venatoria, a species of Hunstman Spider. It is unclear why Nephila clavipes is called a Banana Spider, though it may be because of the yellow banana-shaped abdomen. Heteropoda venatoria received its name because it was frequently found with shipments of bananas where it was mistaken for a Tarantula. Nephila clavipes, like all spiders, has venom, but it is not considered dangerous to humans. There are reports of small birds becoming entangled in the webs of Nephila clavipes, and becoming meals for the spiders. The golden silk of the web is extremely strong.
Bathroom Buddy!
December 6, 2009
This little critter has been hanging out in our apartment bathroom here in Lakewood, CO for quite a while…Since september of this year. He’s about 1cm long and faster than a speeding bullet when you go to squish him! He has white and black stripes and resembles an earwig. He hides underneath our radiator in the bathroom and I’m pretty sure he may be coming in through a crack in our floor. (However, we live on the top floor of our apartment building!)
I’m sure he’s not the only one of his kind, but we have only seen one or two at a time. I managed to catch this guy (affectionately named “dwight” by the roomies) a few hours ago. I stuck him in our freezer and took this picture afterwards.
I checked your website this morning and couldn’t find anything like it!
Can you ‘dentify Dwight for us?
Everli in Colorado
Lakewood, Colorado, USA
Firebrat
Hi Everli,
Dwight is a Firebrat, Thermobia domestica, a type of Silverfish that likes heat, which would explain Dwight’s fondness for the radiator. According to BugGuide: “nymphs and adults feed mostly at night on products rich in carbohydrates or protien; stored foods, glues, book bindings, and paper products may be attacked.”
Firebrat
1
Small spider with very big bulge?
December 7, 2009
Hi, This is a picture of a bug (spider?) that my mom’s dog brought home. It was in her fur, fell off, and as you can see, mom captured it in a glass. I presume to put it outside. Ever seen anything like it?
Buttongirl
Terrasse Vaudreuil, Quebec, CANADA
Tick
Dear Buttongirl,
This is a blood engorged Tick, not a spider. It probably fed off of your mother’s dog before falling to the ground.
¶ Posted 12 December 2009 § Ticks ‡ ° Mystery Spider
December 8, 2009
Hello WTB!
We came across a huge spider, approx 4 inches, on a huge spiderweb up in a tree. We were hoping you could help identify this arachnid and tell us if it is poisonous. Thanks!
Alex & Mom
South Florida
Golden Silk Spider
Dear Alex & Mom,
This beautiful spider is a Golden Silk Spider. It is a female and she is harmless. The male is a mere 2% of the female’s body mass. The strong golden silk of the web gives the spider its common name. In some areas, the Golden Silk Spider, Nephila clavipes, is known as a Banana Spider.
Thanks so much for your information! You guys are very helpful!
Some sort of assassin bug?
December 10, 2009
The other day my girlfriend ran into the room holding a bug that had been biting her arm. It was a tiny Hemiptera that, legs and all, would be only the size of someones fingernail. We examined it for a while then released it back out into the garden only to find dozens more. Despite the aggressive first encounter they proved to be very pretty, shy little things and proved to be rather difficult to photograph.
These pictures were taken in Taree NSW, Australia in early-mid summer.
My suspicion is that they are an assassin bug, or something similar. I hope you will be able to narrow it down for me.
-Jish
Taree, NSW, Australia
Common Assassin Bug
Dear Jish,
Nymphs are sometimes difficult to properly identify, but we believe this is an immature Common Assassin Bug, Pristhesancus plagipennis, which we identified on the Brisbane Insect website.
Red Insect with ‘shield’ markings
December 7, 2009
I saw these insects while on holiday. They stood out due to their impressive markings. I’d really like to know what they are.
Russell Brown
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands
Aggregation of St. Andrew's Cotton Stainers
Dear Russell,
These are Cotton Stainers, most likely St. Andrew’s Cotton Stainers, Dysdercus andreae. According to BugGuide, they are native to the West Indies. They are often found in large aggregations like this with winged adults and wingless nymphs. BugGuide also indicates: “The feeding activities of cotton stainers on cotton produce a stain on the lint which reduces its value. A few authorities have reported the stain comes from excrement of the bugs. However, most have stated that the stain primarily is a result of the bug puncturing the seeds in the developing bolls causing a juice to exude that leaves an indelible stain. Feeding by puncturing flower buds or young cotton bolls usually causes reduction in size, or the fruiting body may abort and drop to the ground.” – University of Florida.“
¶ Posted 12 December 2009 § Red Bugs ‡ ° Please Identify
December 11, 2009
I have been finding this insect near my kitchen and eating area over the past couple of months. The insect is less than 0.5cm and the pictures are taken with an optical microscope to provide as much detail as possible. Please help in ID this insect.
AD
Jacksonville, Florida
Cigarette Beetle, we think
Dear AD,
While the detail of your photos is excellent, sadly, the best identifying features like antennae are not well depicted. We believe these are Drugstore Beetles, Stegobium paniceum, we are not certain. Bugguide has some excellent images of Drugstore Beetles, and the description: “Adult: body cylindrical, uniformly brown to reddish-brown; each elytron with several longitudinal striations bearing short fine hairs; antennae with 3-segmented club (terminal 3 segments elongate and smooth, like “linked sausages”); pronotum widens posteriorly.“ Drugstore Beetles will infest stored foods.
Cigarette Beetle, we think
Eric Eaton makes a correction
Daniel:
You are correct about the images not showing the anatomical features needed to be conclusive, and the specimen looks like it has been partially squashed such that it looks flatter than it should and the elytra (wing covers) deformed a bit. All that said, I would say these are “cigarette beetles,” Lasioderma serricorne. They are nearly identical to drugstore beetles in their habits, infesting all kinds of dried organic matter.
Eric
Red eyed beetle
December 11, 2009
Hi, a friend sent this photo. The beetle was on his car in Florida, near Miami, in December.
Curious
Miami
Metallic Blue Lady Beetle
Dear Curious,
This is a Metallic Blue Lady Beetle, Curinus coeruleus, a species native to the Caribbean that was imported from Mexico into Florida in the 1950s for biological control purposes according to BugGuide. The orange spots are marking on the pronotum, not eyes.
¶ Posted 12 December 2009 § Lady Bug ‡ ° 
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