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Monthly Archives August 2010

Hickory Tussock Moth Caterpillar

Fuzzy black and white caterpillar
Location:  Torrington, CT on August 29th 2010
August 29, 2010 9:26 am
I spotted this beautiful caterpillar on my side porch and would love to know more about it. Love your site. Keep up the good work!
Jennifer

hickory tussock cat jennifer 300x239 Hickory Tussock Moth Caterpillar

Hickory Tussock Moth Caterpillar

Hi Jennifer,
Your caterpillar sure looks like a Hickory Tussock Moth Caterpillar, Lophocampa caryae, to us.  You can compare your individual to images posted to BugGuide.

Thank you so much for your help. I’m always amazed by what is right in front of you if you just bother to look. Bugs rule!

Posted 29 August 2010 § Tussock Moth Caterpillars ‡ Comments (0) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Golden Orbweaver in Canada

Evil lerking in the fields of Ottawa
Location:  Ottawa, Ontario. In a field with no water nearby.
August 28, 2010 7:04 pm
Hey Bugman,
I was trying to take an interesting picture and to do so, it involved walking through this small field.
Upon tredging through this tall grass my friend and I noticed this huge horrid looking spider!
All it’s legs were black, and about half-way towards its body they seemed to be almost clear.
It was mainly black with a yellow sploch between where all its legs meet, near it’s ”head” on its underside, then also further up along its body.
On its top it seemed really almost soft to the touch (not that I touched it)but it looked almost like suede.
It was also mostly black with a yellow sort of design.
Lasltly, it seemed to have a small-ish flat, grey head.
After we saw one we started to notice them everywhere, so I snapped a few pictures and got out!
Thanks so much
Jessica

argiope aurantia canada jessica Golden Orbweaver in Canada

Golden Orbweaver

Hi Jessica,
Many people consider the Golden Orbweaver, Argiope aurantia, to be the most beautiful spider in North America.  They are not aggressive and rarely bite, and when they do bite, the reaction is mild and does not last long.

Posted 29 August 2010 § Orb Weavers ‡ Comments (0) °

Paederus Rove Beetle from Malaysia: Cari-Cari

Hi, in need of urgent identification
Location:  Penang, Malaysia
August 29, 2010 4:37 am
Hi, this bug has been causing havoc over here in the northern region of Malaysia, particularly in Perlis and Penang. Please help me identify it mr bugman icon smile Paederus Rove Beetle from Malaysia: Cari Cari
Kelvim, the pharmacist

cari cari malaysia kelvim 300x199 Paederus Rove Beetle from Malaysia: Cari Cari

Paederus Rove Beetle: Cari-Cari

Hi Kelvim,
Your insect is a Rove Beetle in the genus Paederus and merely handling it or having it walk across a person’s body is enough to result in a severe case of contact dermatitis.  Our first several letters regarding the Paederus Rove Beetles came from Africa where its warning coloration and unique defense system have earned it the local name of Creechie Bug. While doing additional research for our response to you, we found a website called DOCFILES with many photos of the Paederus Rove Beetle and the resulting contact dermatitis, and the page begins with this information:  “The Rove beetle that is increasingly common in Malaysia. Their bodies contain the toxin paederin (hence Paederous dermatitis) that causes burns on human skin whenever they are crushed. Interestingly the beetles were used to burn off warts in the past. It starts off with some erythema/redness and then with patches of ulceration where the beetle has been crushed.” There are numerous comments posted regarding remedies for the contact dermatitis posted to the site. It is quite interesting to us that the image you provided appears to be a very degraded version of the exact image on the DOCFILES page.  We are also intrigued by the title of the digital file you supplied for us to identify.  What is the origin of the name Cari-Cari?  Is that a local name for the Paederus Rove Beetle?

Dear Daniel,
I am delighted at the prompt response and information you have
given me. This will indeed aid me in treating and informing my
customers. The file name was typed in by myself, as the locals call it
“cari-cari” (in the malay dialect they like to repeat words as names
i.e. orang-orang, ubur-ubur).
Regarding the photo file of the rove beetle found in DOCFILES, it
IS extremely similar with the file I sent you. However, after close
examination using the superimpose technique in photoshop, i found that
they ARE different. Besides, the background is different too. This is
the add from where i got the photo
http://www.sileah.com/2009/07/31/hey-serangga-apa-kmu/
If you DO happen to come by any different treatment options or
ways to control the spread of this bug, please do let me know.
Thanks a million for what you have provided me! icon smile Paederus Rove Beetle from Malaysia: Cari Cari

Sorry for some “misinformation”
The word “cari-cari” is actually a malaysianised pronunciation of
“charlie”. Don’t ask me why charlie, but the locals also call it semut
kayap.
Source:
http://evolusimalaya.blogspot.com/2010_06_01_archive.html

Posted 29 August 2010 § Beetles ‡ Comments (0) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Fiery Searcher

Fiery Searcher
Location:  North Middle Tennessee
August 28, 2010 9:07 am
I owe this one to the kittens as they were the ones that found it. It was first at the tree line going into the woods. I tried taking a photo, however it was moving too fast. I ran inside for a container to catch it, but it was gone when I got back. A little later they had it surrounded in the yard. I captured it for a photo and then released it.
Richard

fiery searcher richard 300x294 Fiery Searcher

Fiery Searcher

Hi Richard,
Our readership will be happy that you have included a measuring tape to indicate the large size of the Caterpillar Hunter known as a Fiery Searcher.

Posted 28 August 2010 § Beetles ‡ Comments (0) °

Pigeon Horntail Ovipositing

bug
Location:  northern wisconsin
August 28, 2010 12:35 pm
just wanted to know what this is
clauson’s

pigeon horntail clausens 300x206 Pigeon Horntail Ovipositing

Pigeon Horntail

Dear Clauson’s,
This is a Pigeon Horntail, Tremex columba, one of the non-stinging Wood Wasps whose larvae bore in wood.  The female Pigeon Horntail in your photo is in the act of ovipositing.  She uses her stingerlike ovipositor to deposit her eggs in diseased wood where the larvae live and feed.  We have gotten some nice recent photos of Giant Ichneumons, which are the primary predator of the Pigeon Horntail.

Posted 28 August 2010 § Horntails, Wood Wasps and Sawflies ‡ Comments (2) °

Prominent Caterpillar

Bright Pink Caterpillar/Worm?
Location:  Caneyville KY
August 28, 2010 2:39 pm
This little guy was found in Caneyville Kentucky. He is approximately 1-2 inches long, bright pink in color, an orangish face with two little black eyes very close together. I cannot see any legs, so I suppose this could be some sort of grub worm? Any ideas?
Ashlee

heterocampa cat ashlee 291x300 Prominent Caterpillar

Prominent Caterpillar

Hi Ashlee,
We knew immediately that this was a Prominent Moth Caterpillar in the genus Heterocampa, but we needed to browse BugGuide to determine the species.  We are quite confident that this is the Caterpillar of the White Blotched Heterocampa, Heterocampa umbrata, and we even found an identical color match on BugGuide.  The normally green caterpillar changes color just prior to pupation.

Posted 28 August 2010 § Caterpillars and Pupa ‡ Comments (2) °

Twelve Spotted Tiger Beetle

Black yet colorful ground beetle?
Location:  Fairfield, Maine USA
August 28, 2010 10:33 am
Dear Bugman,
I think it’s a ground beetle, only because I found it crawling around on the ground. It looked sdull black at first but actually has iridescent/opalescent areas all over it. Do you know what this bug is?
Thanks,
James R

tiger beetle james 300x192 Twelve Spotted Tiger Beetle

Twelve Spotted Tiger Beetle

Hi James,
We really must abandon the computer this morning and go outside.  This is a Tiger Beetle in the subfamily Cicindelinae (see BugGuide) and most likely the genus Cicindela.  You may want to browse through BugGuide’s pages of species to try to identify your beetle.  Many Tiger Beetles look similar to one another, but they have very limited ranges which sometimes aids in the identification.
P.S.  Was this photographed today?  If you are searching through your archives of photographs to send, please include information on when the sighting occurred as some insects are very limited in their seasons.

tiger beetle james 2 300x253 Twelve Spotted Tiger Beetle

Twelve Spotted Tiger Beetle

Hi Daniel,
This was taken about one day ago…
Thanks,
James

Thanks James,
That might be very helpful information as certain species of Tiger Beetles only appear in the spring.

Update: August 31, 2010
James provided a comment after browsing through the Tiger Beetles on BugGuide and he properly identified his Twelve Spotted Tiger Beetle, Cicindela duodecimguttata.  The data page on BugGuide indicates many sightings in August.

Posted 28 August 2010 § Beetles ‡ Comments (2) °

Mystery Insect from Thailand: Beetle, Moth, Caddisfly or other????? Solved: A Fairy Moth

Funny Looking Bug or Beetle?
Location:  n.e. thailand
August 27, 2010 10:36 pm
this wonderful character was found in n.e. thailand. looks like 17th century french noble going to ball. im guessing it maybe a net wing beetle Lycidae if not that then im hoping if some recognizes this insect to help me ID it. the feathery antenna seem iridescent and the legs have feathered boots. THANK YOU, GARY HEIDEN
gary heiden

thai mystery gary 218x300 Mystery Insect from Thailand: Beetle, Moth, Caddisfly or other????? Solved: A Fairy Moth

Mystery Insect from Thailand

Hi Gary,
Our first thought is that this must be a Moth, though your photos do not really show the mouthparts well enough to be able to say for certain.  Fairy Moths in the family Adelidae (see BugGuide) often have weirdly exaggerated antennae.  We cannot really find a match on the Thai Microlepidoptera page.  Netwing Beetles mimic moths, and another possibility might be a Caddisfly or even a Hemipteran.  We hope one of our readers can supply an identification.  This Thai Bugs website seems like a good place to start, though we had no luck.

thai mystery gary 2 300x226 Mystery Insect from Thailand: Beetle, Moth, Caddisfly or other????? Solved: A Fairy Moth

Mystery Insect from Thailand is Fairy Moth

hi daniel,  thank you for the tip.   now that you mention it it does look like it could be very fancy moth.   I think I have seen those feathery legs on moths.   I will go thru the moths before I rule them out.   when I track it down I will send it in w proper ID.

Thanks Gary,
It would be awesome if you let us know in the event that you manage to identify this critter.  You might also want to provide a comment on the posting of your letter, because six months from now, someone might write in to us with an identification and then you will also be notified.

Update from Karl
September 8, 2010
Mystery Insect from Thailand
Hi Daniel and Gary:
I think your first hunch was the best, Daniel. The metallic sheen and position of the wings, and overall first impression do suggest a Fairy Moth in the family Adelidae. Those antennae are quite amazing and very similar looking ones appear in several species of the Old World genus Nemophora (compare to N. issikii and N. aurifera, for example). Although I couldn’t find any images that looked the same as this one, I did find an intriguing description in a report abstract titled “Nemophora maxine: a remarkable new species of Oriental fairy-moth (Lepidoptera, Adelidae)” by Kozlov and Gaden (1996; Malayan Nature Journal; v. 50(1) p. 21-25). Describing two specimens from Thailand and Brunei they state: “The species is distinctive, with plain, coppery-brown forewings; it is the only Old World tropical adelid with uniformly coloured forewings. The female antenna is remarkable, the proximal region resembling a bottle-brush, with whorls of erect scales.” Obviously I can’t make a definitive identification for this one, but I have a feeling this might be it. This may be a rare find, or at least a rare photo – microlepidoptera often go unnoticed. If you are really curious, Gary, you can download the report (for a fee) or try contacting the authors for a confirmation. Regards.  Karl

Posted 28 August 2010 § Fairy Moths ‡ Comments (0) °

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