Grub Pics, Figeater Beetle
January 13, 2010
Thought I would pass on these pics of my grubs. Pulled up a piece of carpet that had grass growing thru it and there they were. They were twice as large as the pic but I’ve had in jar for a week already. I’m gonna let them go now that I know what they are…. and I thiought you might like the additional pics since your post mentioned not many pics found.
New to your site but liking it alot
Bakersfield California
May Beetle Grubs
Dear New,
Welcome to What’s That Bug? and we hope you have many hours of reading pleasure. Though your grubs are related to Crawlybacks, the larvae of Fig Eaters, you have dug up the grubs of May Beetles or June Bugs which are called White Grubs. The Brown adults are often attracted to porch lights in the spring, hence the name May Beetle. Your photo nicely illustrates the typical C-shape and bluish abdomen that is characteristic of these White Grubs that feed on subterranean roots and decaying vegetation in the soil. The typical White Grub is from 1 to 1 and 1/2 inches in length.
White Grub
3
What is this insect?
January 13, 2010
This bug (moth?) has been on the side of my friends house for a few days. She lives in San Diego County. It’s January.
She says the legs are crab like and it is about the size of her hand.
L
San Diego, California
Ceanothus Silkmoth
Dear L,
This is a Ceanothus Silkmoth. With more Southern California Landscaping being mindful of drought tolerant plants, especially native vegetation, we expect to be getting more reports of sightings of Ceanothus Silkmoths each year. Your letter does not indicate if your friend lives near any natural open space, as this native moth, which does not feed as an adult and only lives for a few days, long enough to mate. The Ceanothus Silkmoth develops from a large caterpillar that feed on the leaves of ceanothus, a plant sometimes marketed as California lilac. BugGuide reports California sightings from March through August, so this January appearance is uncharacteristically early, but it may also be a result of our unseasonal rains this past October.
Deaths head moth in Centurion, South Africa
January 13, 2010
Hi Bugman
My 14yr old son has found this huge moth
on the front wall of our house, he has now stayed in the same spot since the 11th of Jan and today is the 13th, without moving an inch!!! Comparing pics on the internet this looks like the deaths head moth, but which one?Is he dying, is there anything we can do?When I got close with the camera, it made a loud squeeking noise and squirted a brown liquid from its tail end (yuk!!)
Andrew and James Foxley
Centurion ( Pretoria) South Africa
Death's Head Hawkmoth
Dear Andrew and James,
We are thrilled to get your photograph of a Death’s Head Hawkmoth, Acherontia atropos, the species found in South Africa. We frequently receive photos of the caterpillars, but submissions of the imago are not as common to our site. The squeaking is a well documented defense mechanism. Often, Sphinx Moths are attracted to lights and rest several days before beginning to fly again.
Bugs in Melbourne, Australia
January 12, 2010
Dear Bugman,
I was wondering if you could please help me identify these bugs. We have had many, many of them flying around our home in the past few weeks, and many are dead on the window sills. I cannot work out where they are coming from and am worried they might be borers, however could they be some type of food weevil? (Some of the legs and antennas have fallen off these dead ones, when I moved them to photograph)
Sam
Melbourne, Australia
Drugstore Beetles
Hi Sam,
Your letter is the third we have posted in as many days from readers with infestations of tiny beetles found in the kitchen, and all three were different species. We believe your beetles are Drugstore Beetles, Stegobium paniceum, which according to BugGuide: “larvae feed on prescription drugs, flours, dry mixes, breads, cookies, spices, chocolates and other sweets, plus a variety of “non-food” items (see Remarks section below) adults do not feed. … Remarks … Larval non-food material includes wool, hair, leather, horn, and museum specimens. Larvae have been known to bore into books, wooden objects, and, in some cases, tin or aluminum foil and lead sheets.“
Drugstore Beetle
We hope one of our readers can confirm this identification.
Drugstore Beetles
Is this another Green Lynx Spider?
January 12, 2010
It sat on the inner car door on the Hermon Mountain area, Israël, last december. It was really small, as you maybe can see from part of my index finger in the corner.
Nike
Nimrod Castle, Israël
Green Huntsman Spider
Hi Nike,
This is a Green Huntsman Spider. We found a beautiful photo from France on TrekNature website, where it is identified as Micrommata virescens, a name also used on the Spiders of Slovakia website. We found other images of Green Huntsman Spiders identified as Micrommata rosea on the NaturePhoto CZ website. We still haven’t found much information on the range of the Green Huntsman Spider, though there are images online from France, Germany and Slovakia. Huntsman Spiders in the family Sparassidae often lose legs, much like your specimen.
I would love to know what this is !
January 13, 2010
I am sending a photo of a bug to be identified- and also a photo of my tattoo work.. I am a true bug lover– since birth. They rock my whole world everyday ! I hope you enjoy the ink !
Thanks, Cecelia Horstman
Southern Oregon- Medford to be exact…
Synaphaeta guexi
Hi Cecelia,
This is a Longhorned Borer Beetle in the family Cerambycidae. We believe it is Synaphaeta geuxi, an uncommon species found in Western North America. We posted an image in December 2009 and we received a few photos in 2005/2006 as well. Your tattoos are awesome and we are sure that our readership will agree. We will be posting your lovely photo, though we need to clarify that What’s That Bug? is not a dating service, but rather a network of bug enthusiasts who appreciate the beauty in all living creatures.
Cecelia's Tattoos
Wood Boring Larvae
January 12, 2010
Recently, while removing a mimosa tree
(beneath power lines), I discovered some wood boring larvae. The main body is about 3/4″ long, with a tail a bit longer than the body. One didn’t survive the chain saw.
Could this be a type of horntail wasp larva?
Larry Taylor
Central Oklahoma
Rat Tailed Maggots
Hi Larry,
We believe these are the larva of a Drone Fly, Eristalis tenas, which are called Rat Tailed Maggots. According to BugGuide: “The adults feed on nectar from flowers and are often seen hovering in front of flower blooms in gardens in both urban and rural areas. The larvae feed on rotting organic material in stagnant water in a variety of locations. Life Cycle The larva of the Drone-Fly feeds on decaying organic material in stagnant water in small ponds, ditches and drains. Such water usually contains little or no oxygen and the larva breathes through the long thin tube that extends from its rear end to the surface of the water and that gives it its common name of ‘rat-tailed maggot’.“ We have not heard of them boring in wood, though BugGuide has an image of one that was ” found in a trash can filled with water and old logs. Most seemed embedded in the log surface. “ Your letter did not indicate if the tree was decaying. We have not heard of Rat Tailed Maggots living other than an aquatic environment, but according to a University of Kentucky report, “The maggots can be a nuisance when they crawl away from their breeding site to find a dry place where they can transform to the adult stage.“ Your letter did not indicate if they were found deep inside the wood, or in the bark. We wish we had that information. We are going to check with Eric Eaton to get his opinion on this.
Confirmation from Eric Eaton
Hi, Daniel:
You are correct about the rat-tailed maggots. I wonder if there was a hole in the tree that had collected water and/or decaying leaves and other organic matter. That would explain things right there.
Eric
Daniel,
Thanks so much for identifing this unusual maggot. It makes sense, as the tree had a hollow. (But no water in the hollow at the time of cutting) They fell out when the tree was felled. There were burrows in the wood that hadn’t rotted and just assumed thats where they came from.
I’ve observed the drone flies but had no idea of their larval stage.
Thanks again! Larry
P.S. I would like to submit a query on the identification of a peculiar grasshopper that likes water. It will take some time to find the photo.
Bugs in my Kitchen
January 12, 2010
I’m noticing many of these bugs that are always showing up mostly in my Kitchen. They appear mostly during the colder months. They are 6 legged mottled brown in appearance with a light/dark rear edge that gives it a jagged look. Each bug always show up as roughly the same size each time – about 1/2″ long x 3/8″ wide. They are slow moving and I think they have wings.
Thanks for your help!
Gary Schneider
Central NJ
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
Hi Gary,
The reason you are finding Tree Stink Bugs in the genus Brochymena in your house is that they seek shelter indoors when the weather begins to cool. They hibernate and become active again in the spring. They will not harm your home, its furnishings, or its inhabitants.
Corrected by Eric Eaton
Hi, Daniel:
The “tree stink bug” is actually a “brown marmorated stink bug,” Halyomorpha halys, a fairly recently introduced species from Asia that is becoming widespread. Pennsylvania was the site of its introduction, so no doubt they are quite common there now. They are well known for congregating on, and sometimes inside, homes and buildings during the colder months. They are harmless, though don’t smell very good if you grab one.
Eric
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