UFB (unidentified flying bug)
February 16, 2010
We saw this beautiful bug on a couple of cool mornings in a driveway near where we live and cannot find it listed on your website. Can you help us?
Jack and Diane Bresser
Hobe Sound, Fl 33455
Polkadot Wasp Moth
Hi Jack and Diane,
This is a Polkadot Wasp Moth, and it is a common species in Florida. We have numerous images on our Tiger Moth page. The caterpillars feed on oleander.
Thank you so much, I went to that picture and that was it !!!
Requesting the correct name for this insect.
February 16, 2010
This insect that I would like a name for is seen in the summer months. I have heard that they either eat flies, mosquitoes, or bees? I have seen this insect in South Eastern North Carolina
A.G.
South East North Carolina
Hanging Thief
Dear A.G.,
This is a Hanging Thief, a species of Robber Fly in the genus Diogmites. They are predators, and they will eat flies, mosquitos and bees.
Awesome !!! Thanks for the quick response !
Unidentified Bathroom Bug
February 16, 2010
I found this critter in my second floor bathroom. It has what I thought was a distinctive white-brown-white, H shaped marking on its backside that I thought would make it easy for me to identify. I have searched but I still have no idea what it is. I tried to get better photos, but the ones I have are a bit blurry because he kept trying to escape. Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks
Bob in HI
Oahu, Hawaii
Immature Cockroach
Hi Bob,
This is an immature Cockroach, though we are not certain if it is a species that infests homes.
Immature Cockroach
Karl may have found the answer
Hi Daniel and Bob:
It looks like Balta notulata (Blattodea: Blattellidae), although there appears to be more extensive black on the pronotum. This is a very wide ranging cockroach, found throughout Asia and the Pacific Islands. I suspect it is not native to Hawaii but I was unable to find out where it originally comes from. There is one other species of Balta in Hawaii, the Wood Cockroach (B. similis) that may be a native species, but I couldn’t find any nymph photos. The Wood Cockroach is an outdoor cockroach that occasionally finds its way indoors, while B. notulata is considered an indoor species. I would say it is one of the two. Regards.
Karl
Eric Eaton disagrees
Daniel:
I’m about 99% positive this is a nymph of the Brown-banded cockroach, Supella longipalpa. They like to live inside electrical appliances because of the warmth. They are definitely a global domestic pest species. No exterminators may be necessary, though. Do-it-yourself, non-toxic bait recipes can be found online, especially at various “.edu” websites that discuss cockroach control.
Eric
Identify a beetle that climbed up my boxers
February 15, 2010
Hello, i recently moved into an apartment in kamloops british columbia, canada. Its a pretty mild climate categorized as a semi-arid steppe climate.
Its winter, though there’s no snow on the ground in town. Just to give you an idea on what its like here.
Ive seen a few dead beetles (like 4) in my living room window (which is big!) and infront of my patio door (which is small)
Though the other day i discovered on climbing up my boxer shorts. It was not dead.
Elm Leaf Beetle
Anyway i have a couple pictures of it and also a youtube clip (watch at 720p).
Maybe you can identify it for me. Ive been told it might be a cucumber beetle, though it looks darker than the one’s ive seen in google image searches. It was also suggested the darker color might be due to age or climate (it is still winter here after all)
Anyway heres the youtube link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y91Zq8vVPjk
I dont know where he went after filming.
Thanks for the help
signed? which ever way floats your boat i guess.
Kamloops, BC, Canada
Elm Leaf Beetle
Dear which ever way …,
The person that identified this as a Cucumber Beetle had the correct family, since your Elm Leaf Beetle is a Leaf Beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. BugGuide indicates that it can be identified by “Adults are yellow to olive green, with a spot on the head, an hourglass mark and two spots on the pronotum, and a broad, dark stripe along the edge of each elytron” which is obvious on your photographs. The Elm Leaf Beetle was introduced from Europe and is considered a pest on elms.
Elm Leaf Beetle
Thanks for the speedy reply.
I’m just happy it wasn’t trying to eat me when it climbed up my underwear.
aussietrev Black Velvet Ant
February 16, 2010
Hi guys,
Congratulations on being near the end with the book project. It has been hot and very wet around this way and over the last couple of days I have come across several of these male wasps hunting around in the sandy soil. There has been some females too but they don’t like the camera getting close.
As an aside, I noticed the letter about the light and the funnel. One method of trapping insects is to bury a bottle with a funnel so that the lip of the funnel is at ground level. A light is suspended above it and ground dwellers walk to the light and fall into the funnel. Hope that sheds some light on it 
aussietrev
Burnett region. Queensland. Australia
Velvet Ant
Hi Trevor,
Welcome back. We have missed getting submissions from you. Your letter is a tad bit confusing. You talk about the male wasps hunting, and the females not letting the camera get close, yet you have submitted an image of a female. The female Velvet Ants are wingless and the males have wings. The Brisbane Insect website has photos posted that look very similar to your image, but alas, they have only identified it to the family level of Mutillidae. Another page on the Brisbane Insect website indicates that most species in Australia are in the genus Ephutomorpha, but that same page labels some wingless individuals as being male. The What Bug Is That? guide to Australian insects has a nice description of Velvet Ants.
Kids science book
February 15, 2010
Hello, I’m writing a couple of science books for children but the publishers want them to be international. One of the experiments is about garden science and looking at what bugs you can find in your soil, through a funnel shining a light on top. I need to come up with a list of international bugs and wondered if you could help? Many thanks indeed,
Lisa
International!
Hi Lisa,
Please describe the experiment more thoroughly as it doesn’t make sense to us how the funnel and light are used. One international subterranean dweller is a Mole Cricket, but we are uncertain how your trap would work in finding the mole cricket. It would be much easier if we just provided you with a list of potential soil dwellers.
Daniel
Thanks so much for getting back to me! It’s like a Berlese funnel experiment. A list of potential soil dwellers would be absolutely perfect! And if you happened to know which were most widespread, all the better, but I realise that is very hard to ascertain sometimes,
All my very best wishes,
Lisa
Comment from Australia
Hi guys,
Congratulations on being near the end with the book project. … As an aside, I noticed the letter about the light and the funnel. One method of trapping insects is to bury a bottle with a funnel so that the lip of the funnel is at ground level. A light is suspended above it and ground dwellers walk to the light and fall into the funnel. Hope that sheds some light on it
aussietrev
Moving Moss…Can you identify this Bug?
February 15, 2010
My son and I found two of these bugs in our back yard in Central Florida. At first they appeared to be small patches of moss, but then they started moving. When touched they would ball up. They have multiple legs with two pincher looking arms at the head. I do have some video of the two if you would like. They really are greyish looking with some brown spots that look like very much like sand or bark.
Todd Bost
Winter Park, FL
Debris Carrying Green Lacewing Larva
Hi Todd,
We received two letters today, both from Florida, requesting that we identify this Debris Carrying Green Lacewing Larva. The larva carries debris as both camouflage and protection. You can see a photo on BugGuide with the larva showing.
wierd bug
February 15, 2010
i was sitting on my steps and what looked like a piece of cat food i flicked with my finger and then it started to move on the carpet outside its red with geen spot
robert r
thonotosassa,florida
Debris Carrying Green Lacewing Larva
Hi Robert,
We received two letters today requesting that we identify this Debris Carrying Green Lacewing Larva. The larva carries debris as both camouflage and protection. You can see a photo on BugGuide with the larva showing.
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