What’s this fly?
December 27, 2009
Came across this handsome fella while staying at a chalet in the Taman Negara rainforest in Malaysia. It was hanging around some fruit I had on the table. Pix were shot yesterday. (Dec 27)
I’m pretty certain it is of genus Drosophila. Would you happen to know the species?
Chan Lee Meng
Kelantan, Malaysia
Unknown Fruit Fly
Dear Chan Lee Meng,
We disagree with your assessment that this handsome fly is in the genus Drosophila, but we do believe it is a Fruit Fly in the family Tephritidae. We do not feel qualified to take the identification any further than the family level, but perhaps one of our readers will be able to supply an answer.
Unknown Fruit Fly
next to Aphids
December 25, 2009
Hey, found these triangular green “leaf” bugs next to aphids. Are they good predators or bad adults? Thanks,
Kiloh
Southern California
Keeled Treehoppers
Dear Kiloh,
These are adult Keeled Treehoppers, Antianthe expansa, a common garden pest in California and Arizona. The adults and spiny nymphs, which we believe you may have mistaken for aphids, feed on tomato plants, pepper plants and other related solanaceous plants. They feed by sucking the juices from the plants. You can see some nice images on BugGuide. While looking for potential links, we stumbled upon Vanessa cardui’s wonderful blog, Am I Bugging You Yet? that features bug sightings in and around Tustin, California.
Thanks! Other than a soap wash (or removing the plant) are there any other organic approaches to treating the problem? PS you folks are great!!
Personally, we hand pick and squash them in our own garden, though they are a bit spiny. Soapy water should work fine.
Beetle,about 1 inch long, very dark with bright green markings
December 26, 2009
This eye-catching beetle crawled out of the mulch around a potted lime tree as I was watering the pot on Christmas day.
Irena
Sydney, Australia
Fiddler Beetle
Hi Irena,
We received so many images of Fiddler Beetles, Eupoecila australasiae, in early 2007 that we made it the Bug of the Month in February of that year. It really is a distinctive beetle that is unlikely to be confused with any other species.
Hi Daniel,
Thank you very much !
And thank you for the great site.
Best wishes for 2010
Irena
Very small bug found in my dog’s food hopper.
December 26, 2009
Dear Daniel and Lisa,
I went to feed my dog a few days ago and found many very small bugs in the food as well as larval stages and empty pupa casings. The larval stage are about 1/4 in. long. The bugs are a little larger than the dot pattern on a paper towel. That is what I photographed it on so that you could see the colors better. I am in central Florida. I do not think that the bugs came with the food as much as got into the hopper later ,which is in stored in the garage.
Mike Healy
Central Florida
Ornate Cabinet Beetle
Hi Mike,
We believe this is an Ornate Cabinet Beetle, Trogoderma ornatum, a species that frequently infests stored food. It is sometimes called a Warehouse Beetle and is a member of the family Dermestidae that includes many household pests including Carpet Beetles. These beetles can do great damage to museum collections including insect collections. BugGuide has some nice images, and the Terminex page has some good information, though we doubt that using their extermination services will help in ridding a home of Cabinet Beetles.
Daniel,
Thanks so much for getting back to me. I figured that it was some sort of beetle, judging by the hard body. I tossed the remaining food, washed the food hopper and thoroughly cleaned the area beneath it. hopefully that will keep them at bay, if not, I will have to find a different storage area for the food.
Have a happy new year and congratulations on the first step of the book.
Mike Healy
1
Weird fly from the Philippines (2)
December 27, 2009
Dear Bugman,
What’s this bug?
I saw this guy on the outer wall of our house. At first I though it was some kind of assassin bug, but then I realized it must be some strange kind of fly! I had never seen its kind before.
Could you let me know what it is?… Thanks!
Kulisap
Luzon, Philippines
Stilt Legged Fly
Dear Kulisap,
We do not recognize this fly and we will post its image in the hopes that one of our readers may be able to provide a response. If you post a comment to the posting, you will be informed automatically if someone writes to us in the distant future. Your photos are quite good, and we hope we get a proper identification, at least to the family level.
Stilt Legged Fly
Update: December 30, 2009
After some searching I think I was able to identify this critter… it seems to be a type of cactus fly (Neriidae).
I also found this link:
http://www.bonduriansky.net/neriidae.htm
Thanks again for the reply!
Kulisap
weird fly from the philippines (1)
December 27, 2009
Dear Bugman,
What is this bug?
It is very common in gardens. Its distinctive characteristic is that it constantly waves its two front legs around (white-tipped) as if engaging in semaphore.
It must be some kind of fly, but which one?
Thanks for the attention!
Kulisap
Luzon, Philippines
Stilt Legged Fly
Dear Kulisap,
We tried doing a web search of “fly waves front legs” and came up with a cirrusimage page on the Stilt Legged Fly family Micropezidae that states: “I would have called this the ‘semaphore’ fly, in that it constantly waves its front legs around as if signaling someone or something. Popular science has it they are mimicking ant or wasp antennae, but I’m not sold on that theory. Wasp antennae are jointed and “droop” and certainly don’t wave about like this fly does.“ According to BugGuide: “Odd little flies, known for their displaying (?) behavior of walking around and lifting their prominently marked front legs. Abdomen attached to thorax by “wasp-waist”. Likely ant or wasp mimics. The posture of the forelegs may imitate ant and/or wasp antennae and provide them with some protection from predators.“ It is interesting that both you and the person who wrote the cirrusimage posting likened the behavior of the fly to semaphore.
What is this bug? Is it harmful?
December 26, 2009
I found this bug inside the house on the window curtain. It can fly. I have found a couple of dead ones around the house recently. It is winter here but we have had some warm spells. This is the first year I have found this type of bug inside or outside.
George
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Assassin Bug
Hi George,
This is a species of Assassin Bug in the genus Pselliopus, most likely Pselliopus barberi. According to BugGuide, the adults overwinter and it might have sought shelter from the cold inside your home. Though they are not considered harmful, many Assassin Bugs will bite if carelessly handled, and Pselliopus barberi is no exception. Assassin Bugs are considered to be important predators in the control of other insects and their presence will help to ensure that problematic species do not become too plentiful.
Hi Dan
Thanks for the ID on the Assassin bug. I had put it outside so checked and it hadn’t moved since yesterday. Was into hibernation. When picked up (with a glove on) it began to move so I moved it to a safe place to overwinter. Certainly can use it to control unwanted bugs next spring and summer. Thanks, George
Bad colour choice
December 25, 2009
Bad colour choice on this page
that blue writing does not render very well against your background. It plays with my eyes. (Unless I have just discovered that I am colourblind to that particular combination).
Otherwise, I appreciate your contribution to both the web, and mankind as a whole.
this as an excellent resource for sharing such an outstanding knowledge with the rest of us!
thank you.
Carl
Hi Carl,
We checked and we are inclined to agree with you. We will contact our web host and recommend changing the color to a nice warm dark brown.
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