Dragonfly or Damselfly
May 21, 2010
I photographed this specimen on my deck railing today. He was very large, probably 4″, and has a very interesting black and white geometric pattern. Can you identify? Thanks.
Joe
North Georgia (Appalachian Mountains)
Gray Petaltail
Hi Joe,
Dragonfly identifications can be very challenging for us, but we quickly identified your Gray Petaltail, Tachopteryx thoreyi, on BugGuide which has this comment: “Rather elusive, but can be easy to find in the proper habitat. Often perches on odonate watchers.“
Scarab hunter wasp?
May 21, 2010
Never seen anything like this intimidating looking insect. Maybe close to two inches long? It looks similar to those published on your website….
Ben
Port Charlotte Florida
Mydas Fly
Hi Ben,
This is a Mydas Fly, Mydas clavatus, and you can read more about Mydas Flies on BugGuide. Your observations are astute. A Mydas Fly, according to BugGuide: “Resembles a wasp of the family Pompilidae, and is presumably a Batesian mimic.“ BugGuide also indicates: “Mydas larvae prey on beetle larvae, esp. those of June beetles.“
Large Mottled Insect
May 21, 2010
I found this insect outside an office building in the parking lot. It ws the most unusual insect I think I have ever seen. The bug was about 4 inches long and not the least bit shy. It walked towards me instead of away and tried to crawl up onto my shoe. I was just wondering what it is and a little more about it.
Leah
Cullman, Ala
Dobsonfly
Hi Leah,
We know that summer is coming when the Dobsonfly images start to arrive in our email box. This is a male Dobsonfly, which may be distinguished from the female by his trophy mandibles. The female’s less impressive mouthparts are actually much more utilitarian, and she is able to deliver a painful pinch if carelessly handled. We have read that the male uses his saber-like mandibles for mating and/or jousting with other males, and we long for a photo documentation that illustrates the behavior.
May 21, 2010
We are quite excited that we have been invited, as the recipient of the 2009 LACC Faculty Community Learning Award, to lecture before the Los Angeles City College Emeriti during the spring luncheon today. Dare we end the lecture with a look at Edible Insects right before lunch is served???
can anyone tell me what this is?
May 20, 2010
Hi, I found your site recently and have found it really interesting and informative. I live in Bulgaria and have become amazed by the amount of different bugs here. This could be the first of many insects that I need help identifying, it was in my garden today and is the first I have seen like this.
DJ
Bulgaria
Checkered Beetle
Dear DJ,
WE are quite certain that this is a Checkered Beetle in the family Cleridae, but we don’t know the species. BugGuide, one of our favorite sources of identification, has information on the family, including this description: “Body usually long and narrow, covered with bristly hairs and often marked with red, orange, yellow, or blue.“ We believe we have identified your Checkered Beetle as Clerus mutillarius on the BioLib website. According to the TrekNature website: “The beetle breeds under loose bark, mainly on conifer trees, where both adults and larvae feed on the grubs of other beetles, especially bark beetles.“ According to Wikipedia, Clerus mutillarius appeared on a postage stamp for the German Democratic Republic in 1968.
1
Could you please identify this insect for me?
May 21, 2010
Hi, I took this photo in the Big Cypress area of the Florida Everglades. It was feeding on a ladybug. I was hoping that maybe you could identify this insect as I am not having any luck! Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Alan Hochman
Big Cypress area of the Florida Everglades
Milkweed Assassin Bug eats Ladybug
Dear Alan,
This predator is an Assassin Bug, probably in the genus Zelus, but we don’t know the species. BugGuide indicates between 7 and 12 species in the genus Zelus in North America. Your individual resembles the Milkweed Assassin Bug, Zelus logipes, but the photos of that species on BugGuide do not have the striped legs and antennae that are so distinctive in your photo.
Karl finds a match
Hi Daniel. I did a quick search and couldn’t find any other species that matches this pattern. The Bugguide has many pictures of Zelus longipes and a few of them do have the striped legs and antennae. The link below has a photo of a specimen from the Everglades that looks pretty much identical (slightly different pattern on the head and thorax). It is identified as Z. longipes but there is also an interesting exchange of comments about whether it is a color variant or a separate species. K
http://bugguide.net/node/view/93032/bgimage
Eric Eaton cites same link
Daniel:
It *is* a milkweed assassin bug, Zelus longipes, though you are not alone in being confused. Check out this image and thread:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/93032/bgimage
I would not have known either, my friend.
Eric
May 20, 2010
When I took the last of the fledgling Angelfish to Tropical Imports last week, all I had left were three gold Angelfish and the runt of the year. Now they are living happily with their younger relatives. I want to save all the gold Angelfish until I have a nice school of Goldies to sell for a higher price toward credit for food.
Golden Angelfish
I don’t like naming the Fledglings since I am just getting rid of them, but I am thinking of naming one of these beauties Paris.
Golden Angelfish
15 + 45 = 60 Small Fry in the Grow Out Aquarium
May 21, 2010
I just moved 15 more fry from the birthsite aquarium to the grow-out aquarium.
15 + 60 = 75
May 22, 2010
I moved 15 additional small fry today to make a total of 75 small fry and 4 older relatives in the grow out aquarium. The largest of the small fry are just about ready to be taken to Tropical Imports at $1 credit each.
Tiger Beetle
May 20, 2010
Hi Daniel,
I ran across this beautiful fellow this morning. Had a long lens on the camera so I was able to circle it for photos. I went closer for a better look because I thought it had something in it’s mouth. Unable to get very close, it went from sitting to “warp” speed, in less then a blink it was out of sight. I have “fished” the larva from their holes in the ground and it is hard for me to even imagine such an ugly larva turning into one of these beautiful beetles. (color not his face) Never really looked at one of these before and had no idea what it was…Thanks to you and your website I took the time for a good look and was able to identify it. Thank you once again.
Richard
North Middle Tennessee
Six Spotted Tiger Beetle
Dear Richard,
Letters like yours are the reason we love working on What’s That Bug? so much. Your personal perspective, vivid descriptions and gorgeous photos are a marvelous addition to our website.
Six Spotted Tiger Beetle
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