Centipede Perhaps?
June 14, 2010
I am eight years old and I was at a lake and being the bug lover that I am I brought this home. I found this guy under a rock in the water at our town lake. Can anyone tell me what the heck it is? He is really neat. You can see him breathing and everything. He is quite amazing. He has little bushes between his legs that flare out when he breathes. I have tried to do some research on my bug but cant seem to find out much. One article I found was a bug dating back 2,000 years. So I am really interested in finding out what he is.
What to grow up to be a bug man!
Western Colorado
Hellgrammite
Dear future bug man,
This appears to be a Hellgrammite, the larval form of the fearsome Dobsonfly. Adults are harmless, though females may provide a painful pinch, like the larval Hellgrammites. Hellgrammites are a favored live bait for many freshwater anglers.
Update: September 2, 2010
Based on research for a new letter, we should indicate that the Hellgrammite in this photo is probably the Western Dobsonfly, Corydalus texana, a species that ranges west of the Rocky Mountains based on information posted to BugGuide.
‘Articulated” Rove Beetle?
June 13, 2010
Hi guys,
Here is an odd one. I believe it is a Rove Beetle but can’t find anything with the ‘articulated’ thorax. Have you got anything like it on your side of the world? About 20mm long and has 16 (or more, hard to count from the picture) antennae segments.
aussietrev
Queensland Australia
Rove Beetle
Hi Trevor,
We agree that this is some Rove Beetle. According to BugGuide: “In typical form, body appears to be divided into four parts when viewed from above” indicating that the articulation you describe is not limited to this species, but is a family characteristic that is more pronounced in your beetle. Perhaps someone will be able to identify your Rove Beetle.
Update
June 15, 2010
Hi guys,
Hope the fishing was good. Thanks to a comment posted by mardikavana I was able to track down this link
http://www.ento.csiro.au/education/insects/embioptera.html
which shows a shot of this as a Metoligotoma species in the family Embioptera
In reference to the stated areas where it is found, my place is inland by about 200kms, hardly coastal.
regards,
Trevor
Hi again Trevor,
We leave for the airport in a few hours. We will move your posting to the Webspinner category of Embioptera.
Enormous Flying Terror
June 14, 2010
I was outside my apartment in the wee hours of the morning, before sunrise, and as I returned I noticed this enormous eldritch insect god waiting patiently outside my neighbor’s place, possibly in preparation for harvesting my soul for the apocalypse. I am unsure of the dark intent that brings it here, but I am certain that I feel a heavy foreboding over me. It must have been, without exaggeration, no less than five inches in length. I did not kill it, partially out of a deep awe, and partially because I am fairly certain that, in a fair fight, it could take me. What sort of bug is this, and what brings it to this plane of being?
Owner of a Newly-Found Dread
Arlington, TX
Male Dobsonfly
Dear ONFD,
Despite his fearsome appearance, the male Dobsonfly is perfectly harmless. Females have less impressive but more utilitarian mandibles, and they are able to produce a nip that might draw blood. We have been getting numerous requests this spring to identify both the adult Dobsonflies and the equally frightening larvae which are known as Hellgrammites.
Strange bug on my window sill-
June 13, 2010
It is June in northern virginia. This bug we found in our living room window. It is a little under an inch long. has a large back section with wings and 2 sets of legs attached. Then a long “neck” like area and the head. Just under the head are 2 more legs that remind me of a praying mantis. It is brown/grey in color. What is that bug?
Morgen
woodbridge, VA
Mantisfly
Hi Morgen,
Thank you for submitting such well written letters and such beautiful photographs. Your letters are quite astute. You have compared this little Neuropteran to a Preying Mantis, and coincidentally, it is known as a Mantisfly or Mantispid. We have gotten letters in the past comparing it to a cross between a wasp and a preying mantis, though that tends to be the brown and yellow striped species. It should be easy to recognize a predator in this Mantisfly, since raptorial front legs are always, to the best of our knowledge, associated with predatory behavior. Based on photos posted to BugGuide, and to descriptions, we believe this to be Dicromantispa sayi.
Dark beetles on my tree
June 13, 2010
We live in Northern Virginia. We found these bugs on a tree in our front yard. Not sure the type of tree. They are in groups all over the tree. They remind me of herds of cattle. Each “herd” has 5-6 with wings. They are about 1/4 of an inch long, have dark greyish bodies and stripes. They look like they are snaking on the bark or on something on the bark. Please let me know if they are bad for my tree, thanks. Sorry for the bad pictures. Oh and it’s June.
Morgen
Woodbridge VA
Tree Cattle
Hi Morgen,
It is interesting that you compared these benign Barklice to herds of cattle because a common name for them is Tree Cattle. The species is Cerastipsocus venosus and your individuals are wingless nymphs. Adults have wings. Though they seem like they might be damaging the trees, the feed on lichen growing on the tree and they will not harm the trees.
Large Spider in vehicle
June 13, 2010
This was in my coffeee cup in the m oning in my Ford Ranger, apparently crawled in through the window.
Jon Carlson
Yucca Valley Calif.
Giant Crab Spider
Dear Jon,
Are you entirely sure you didn’t pick up this Giant Crab Spider at Mickey D’s as some unordered protein with your morning coffee? This Giant Crab Spider is probably in the genus Olios, and you can compare your image to photos posted to BugGuide. Giant Crab Spiders are harmless hunting spiders with nocturnal rambling habits.
Giant Crab Spider
Green bug
June 12, 2010
Green bug
Found this on my patio in Abilene Texas.
Michael
Abilene, Texas
Greater Arid Land Katydid
Hi Michael,
This is a predatory Katydid in the genus Neobarrettia. We believe it is the Greater Arid Land Katydid, Neobarrettia spinosa, sometimes called the Red Eyed Devil according to BugGuide. This is a gregarious omnivorous species that is found in Texas and a few neighboring states. We would not discount that it might be the smaller White Eyed Devil, Neobarrettia victoriae, which is also pictured on BugGuide. The individual in your photo is a female based on her long ovipositor that might be mistaken for a stinger. These aggressive Katydids are capable of biting and drawing blood.
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