Bald Face Hornet Building New Home
April 15, 2010
Good morning! I discovered this nest being constructed last night on my deck. So far I only see one hornet. The bald face is competing with the introduced European Hornet (we are in pine tree/pulp tree area). In fact, I have video from last year where the bald face chases the european away. but I digress.
I don’t want to help the European hornet win, but I also don’t want the bald face to build so close to the house. I need to remove this nest before she lays eggs, etc. Any idea what we can do to encourage nest building out near the trees in my yard, and not on my deck!?
I know taking her nest down will not kill her, and that is what I will do, as soon as she heads out for more material. She buzzed my head this morning while I was taking the attached photos!
p.s. if resolution too high, let me know, and I will compress for you!
Kaye F
Cleveland, TN (near Chattanooga)
Bald Faced Hornet Queen builds nest
Dear Kaye,
This queen Bald Faced Hornet matured and mated last fall and then passed through the winter in hibernation. Now that spring has arrived, she is building her nest out of chewed wood pulp to start a new colony. Bald Faced Hornets are social wasps and the mature colony will contain hundreds of workers toward the end of summer. We agree that having this nest too close to the home may result in someone getting stung, and you are wise to remove this nest before it contains any workers.
Bald Faced Hornet queen builds nest
We applaud your thoughtfulness regarding the desire to preserve this noble species, albeit not in too close of a proximity to your home. We located a photo on BugGuide of a Bald Faced Hornet competing with a European Hornet for territory and food, and BugGuide is also a good place to learn about the Bald Faced Hornet.
Bald Faced Hornet Queen builds nest
What kind of moth is this?
April 15, 2010
I found this moth out at the barn this morning. I’ve never seem one like this and was hoping that you could help identify what we have.
Thank you
Milton, FL
Cecropia Moth
This is the third image of a Cecropia Moth we have received in the past week.
Rocket Bug
April 15, 2010
Photos are 2010-04-10
Three stages of the bug
Host plant is Ceanothus megacarpus
Santa Monica Mountains, CA
Bug oozes clear fluid
Bug length ~ .25 inch
Pinetar
Santa Monica Mountains, CA
Planthopper
Dear Pinetar,
This is a Planthopper in the superfamily Fulgoroidea, but we have not had much success identifying the species on BugGuide. Your photos are quite wonderful and comprehensive. They depict the winged adult as well as the nymphs, and the white individual is a newly metamorphosed adult.
newly metamorphosed Planthopper
We like when the host plant species is identified in the letter as that often helps in the identification, but in this case, our early attempts at species identification have drawn blanks. We are going to try to find some experts who can assist in this identification, but we have additional questions. Is the host plant in a garden or is it growing wild? We believe your individuals are in the family Issidae which is represented on BugGuide with this information: “Issidae usually have shorter wings than Flatidae, and lack the warty surface on the forewings where they meet over the back. Issid nymphs have straight, bundled wax filaments projecting from the rear, not bushy as in flatid nymphs.“
Immature Planthoppers
Daniel
Thank you for your speedy and accurate reply. I am impressed.
Your ID as Issid Neaethus (photo 64951) looks darn close.
My darling Rocket Bugs are from the wilds of the Santa Monica Mountains – on the Old Boney Trail at ~1,800ft.
I have attached 3 more frames that might help.
304 - rocket bug face-off
310 - another close-up of our plant hopper
299 - this frame has 2 interesting features
1 – 2 nymphs in an alternate phase, where the rocket exhaust is gone, the abdomen is greatly swollen, the eyes have darkened and the wings are enlarged and in permanent extension. Perhaps it is about to enter metamorphosis
2 – note the clear fluid on a twigglet near the bottom of the frame – this is from the plant hoppers. It caused the ground to look like it had rained and is what made me stop and investigate the source.
At first I thought the ‘rain’ was coming directly from the ceanothus – and without thinking I tasted it – now my wife says I’m beginning to resemble a rocket bug - I do have to admit that the little guys are starting to look darn right beautiful to me – and maybe I am developing a hankering for that big-pod buckbrush – so what. She hopes I enter metamorphosis and fly away.
Oh well – it’s all for science – there has to be some sacrifice.
Thanks for your continued interest in this bug.
Let me know what you scare up.
Planthopper Nymphs
Hi John,
Thanks so much for the follow up information. We will link to Neaethus on BugGuide. Many Aphids and Planhoppers exude honeydew which is sweet and sticky.
Issid Planthopper Colony
April 15, 2010
Great Job!
Wow guys! You have done an awesome job with the site! Can’t belive how much it has grown since you first started, and I asked for my first bug ID! I share this site with people who have kids interested in bugs, so they can learn more, and be less afraid of these critters.
Good job, keep it up!
Kaye
Oleander Hawk Moth in VA?
April 15, 2010
Here’s a photo of a little guy that spent the whole day hanging out on a brick wall at a job site in Lorton, VA with me. He certainly looks like a Oleander Hawk Moth, but seems to be way out of his range.
Curious in Baltimore
Lorton, VA
Pandora Sphinx
Dear Curious,
While the coloration of your moth is similar to that of the Oleander Hawkmoth, your specimen is a different species in the same family. Your Pandora Sphinx is a local species.
What type of bee?
April 13, 2010
We have three apple trees right next to our home and was outside looking for honey bees. I saw a few but mainly saw this type of bee. I have looked through some pics but can’t really determine which one it is. Any information would be appreciated.
Calvin
Salem, Indiana
Mining Bees
Hi Calvin,
We believe these are Mining Bees in the genus Andrena, but we would defer to an expert in this matter. According to BugGuide: “They have facial foveae. This describes the pale bands of hair along the inside margins of the eyes. Actually, the facial foveae are the ‘grooves’ in the face from which those hairs emanate.” BugGuide also indicates: “Considering the large number of similar-looking species, identification to species level usually requires an expert. Andrena are more active than Apis at lower temperatures. For this and other reasons Andrena (and Osmia…) can be, on a per bee basis, superior pollinators in cold weather. Some species such as Andrena clarkella are exceptionally cold tolerant.“
Mining Bee
¶ Posted 14 April 2010 § Bees ‡ ° Looks like a pill bug but doesn’t seem to be
April 13, 2010
Dear What’s That Bug!,
Today I found the bug in the attached photo when I was pulling a weed against my foundation. They seemed to be going into the brick wall, where my bedroom is. The bugs are about a quarter to a half inch long and very shy.
I wouldn’t normally be concerned, but a few days ago I found one dead in the other side of the house (not near a wall), on carpet that has only been installed for two weeks.
I thought it was a pill bug, but it doesn’t seem to match the pictures of other pill bugs very well.
The one picture shows some tiny ants just above it (going into my house too…) there may be a symbiosis there to help with identification.
Thanks very much!
WBTtheFROG (we eat what bugs us)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
European Sowbug
Dear WBTtheFROG,
We will attempt to go from general to specific with our response. In a most general sense, this is a Woodlouse in the suborder Oniscidea, of the Isopod order Isopoda, which is classified as the subphylum Crustacea in the phylum Arthropoda, which contains insects and their relatives. The suborder Oniscidea (which is represented on BugGuide) contains several families, including the Pillbugs in the family Armadillidiidae which can roll into balls. Also in that suborder are several other families with members that cannot roll into balls. BugGuide says this of the family Sowbug Oniscidae: “Sowbugs all have tails (uropods) that extend beyond their last abdominal segment. Most cannot roll into a ball. This family has three segments in the small, segmented end of the long antennae, while the Porcellionidae Family has only two segments.“ Your critter has uropods, and it appears to have three segments at the end of the antennae. The only member of the family illustrated on BugGuide is the European Sowbug, and it is reported to be: “Not harmful to humans, rather helpful in cleaning up plant waste etc. Occasionally reported to eat garden plants, but generally considered beneficial.”
Mating Crane Flies
April 13, 2010
Hi, WTB,
Congratulations on the progress of your book. Looking forward to it.
If you think that Crane Flies are ridiculously poor flyers at best, you should see them trying to aviate as a pair while locked in the embrace of bug love. Southern Arizona, attracted to a light in a community at the edge of the Sonoran Desert; about 2,900′. Mid-April.
Best,
Denny
Crane Flies Mating
Hi Denny,
In our opinion, you are being a tad harsh regarding the aerodynamic capabilities of Crane Flies. They are gangling and awkward, but they are not really seriously impacted by the fact that they will never win an air race. Your photo is lovely and your confidential comment about our hot button topic is appreciated.
I like This
