sexy bug spends the night
Location: Granite, MD
August 29, 2010 1:38 pm
Hi Bugman!
You’ll be pleased to know nothing was squashed in the making of this inquiry. We were painting the upstairs bedroom yesterday and opened the window to get some ventilation. We closed the door behind us and left the light on all night… but our window had no screen. (Oops!) We hosted quite the unintentional bug party last night, and this handsome fellow stuck around to check out what we were having for breakfast. So what is it?? Thanks!
hostess with the mostest
Ailanthus Webworm
Nevermind! Found it on the site. We cleared our property of lots of invasives (plants) last year and replaced them with natives so it’s good to meet a bug who is a kindred spirit! Thanks for your time :0)
Dear Hostess with the Mostest,
We are happy to hear that you identified this Ailanthus Webworm, and also that you are replacing invasive plants with native species. You will need to be very diligent to ensure that the Ailanthus does not return if that was one of the plants you removed. Ailanthus or Tree of Heaven might be the greatest threat to native habitat in North America right now. This large weed tree from China spreads by both roots and seeds, and a tree that is cut will just sprout back as a grove. It can survive in cold, hot, wet or dry climates.
¶ Posted 29 August 2010 § Moths ‡ ° What kind of bug is this?
Giant Ichnuemon
What kind of bug is this?
Location: Warwick, Rhode Island
August 29, 2010 4:17 pm
These bugs just showed up and crawl all over the dead tree on the side of my house the long antenna looking thing seems to maybe suck something out of the tree! I have never seen these before and they look like they could be 2inches long some shorter some longer! Its the end of August so we are slowly going into fall.
Thanks, Dawn Bergeron
Giant Ichnuemon ovipositing
Hi Dawn,
This insect is actually depositing eggs into the tree, not sucking something out as you thought. Several days ago we decided to make the Giant Ichneumon our Bug of the Month for September 2010 so we included information on how the female oviposits her eggs in the wood of dead and dying trees that contain the burrowing larvae of the Pigeon Horntail. The Giant Ichneumon is a parasitoid whose larvae feed solely on the larvae of the Pigeon Horntail. Coincidentally, yesterday we posted an image of a female Pigeon Horntail, another impressive non-stinging member of the order that includes wasps, in the act of oviposition. Though we wrote a lengthy response, we were not able to include images of the actual egg laying or oviposition process. Your photos clearly illustrate the process of a female Giant Ichneumon laying eggs, though your species is different from the species in the Bug of the Month posting, which is Megarhyssa atrata. We suspect your Giant Ichneumon is Megarhyssa macrurus. We are going to combine your letter and images with the previously selected letter to be a joint Bug of the Month posting for September 2010.
Giant Ichneumon Ovipositing
Back Porch Spider
August 29, 2010
Hi Daniel and Lisa,
This spider has been nothing but tenacious over the last week. It has taught me to look before I step out onto my back porch. Three webs in six days were constructed overnight to trip me, to brush my hair, or to keep me from using the back steps! Here, it lies in wait for breakfast!
Is it simply “an orb-weaving” spider or something more specific?
Thanx for your time,
R.G. Marion
Cosby, TN
Great Smoky Mountains
Orbweaver Web
Dear R.G.,
Thanks so much for sending us your photo of an Orbweaver Spider and its web and providing details of the spider’s nightly activities. Each year, as summer nears an end and the warm autumn days shorten, we get countless requests to identify Orbweaver Spiders and questions regarding the danger they might cause. Spiders with orb webs in the family Araneidae (see BugGuide) are not aggressive and they rarely bite. The bite, in the unlikely event that it occurs, is not serious and will cause minor local swelling and tenderness. Orbweavers do not pose a threat and they should be left to spin their webs and capture flying insects like flies and mosquitoes. Your photo illustrates the classic orb web. We suspect your spider is in the genus Araneus.
Orange-Striped Oakworns enjoying some sand
Location: Swanton, OH
August 29, 2010 12:43 pm
Went to the Sand Dunes today – Oakworms everywhere! They had decimated many of the baby oaktrees in the area, but my favorite part was the little tiny trails COVERING the sand.
Katy
Orange Striped Oakworm
Hi Katy,
Thanks for sending us your photos of Orange Striped Oakworms. They must be very plentiful if trees are being defoliated. The perspective of the trail photograph is a nice addition.
Orange Striped Oakworm leaving trail
Congregation of the Milkweed Bugs
Location: Swanton, OH
August 29, 2010 12:40 pm
I’m sure this is a pretty normal sight this time of year, but I was still pretty exciting to find this many buggers in one place!
Katy
Large Milkweed Bugs
Hi Katy,
Thanks for sending us your photo of Large Milkweed Bugs, Oncopeltus fasciatus. Because they are a relatively common sight at this time of year is a perfect reason to post your photograph.
Unusual Orthoptera?
Location: Lawrence County Ohio (far southern ohio)
August 29, 2010 10:08 am Dear Bugman,
I wonder if you can identify this odd insect that I found on my front porch light. I live in rural Southern Ohio and have never seen any insect like this. Hopefully you can tell by the photo, it appears to be wingless, has extremely long curling antennae, and a large stinger or ovipositor. I believe it is order Orthoptera, and looks similar to the shield back katydid, but not exactly. Any ideas? Thank you!
Hilary duDomaine
Photo is too small to make out any details
Unusual Orthoptera New Photo Attached
Thanks for writing back! Attached is a much better picture taken with a digital camera. Hope this helps!
Hilary
Carolina Leaf Roller
Hi again Hilary,
Thanks for sending a much better image. Even though some parts of the body are obscured, we cannot imagine that this could be anything other than a Raspy Cricket in the family Grillacridadae known as the Carolina Leaf-Roller, Camptonotus carolinensis. You can compare it to this photo on BugGuide. The information page on bugGuide indicates it: “Hunts aphids at night” and “Bites through leaf in order to form flap. Flap is folded over, edge is pulled down with legs, and then edges are glued together with silk from gland on mouth. Sometimes uses empty Bladdernut (Staphylea) pods in which to hide instead of leaves.“ BugGuide also notes: “Runs rapidly. Antennae very long, at least five times as long as body. (These do not stick out of leaf shelter.) Ovipositor is upturned and carried over back.”
Wow thank you! That is definitely it! I have never seen one of these around my home, so it was great to get info on this unusual cricket! Thanks for your help,
-Hilary
fly-like bug in Maine
Location: Maine
August 28, 2010 7:44 pm
I took this picture of a fly-like bug on an Asiatic Dayflower while hiking in Maine. Can you help me identify this bug?
Sally
Bee Fly
Hi Sally,
This really is a beautiful Bee Fly. Though we could not identify the exact species, we found a match on BugGuide that was identified to the genus level of Poecilognathus.
Haitian spider?
Location: Haiti
August 28, 2010 6:22 pm
While in Haiti I was amazed to see this lovely spider hanging out beside the path. I looke at your site and it seems that you do not have any from Haiti. Is this in fact a Golden silk spider? Or am I incorrect?
Lorraine
Golden Silk Spider
Hi Lorraine,
You are correct. This is Nephila clavipes, the Golden Silk Spider, and it is the only New World representative in the genus.
¶ Posted 29 August 2010 § Spiders ‡ ° 
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