Fly Identification
Location: Greeneville, TN
September 18, 2010 12:41 pm
I encountered these in northeast TN (Greeneville) in the middle and end of August. The closest thing I can find to this bug online is a stiletto fly or a golden-haired robber fly. While visiting an area of predominantly farmland and woods, I found these everywhere. They were attracted to my bike as I rode through rural areas. The locals I stayed with didn’t recognize them either, so I’m not sure if they appear regularly or not. Thank you for your help!
Signature: Jennifer Grant
Red Footed Cannibalfly
Hi Jennifer,
You are correct about this being a Robber Fly, but you have the wrong species. We received so many identification requests for the Red Footed Cannibalfly, Promachus rufipes, in late July that we made it our Bug of the Month for August. We continued to get identification requests in August, so we suspect that the species was especially common this year. Insects often go through cycles when their numbers diminish and then surge.
No idea what this is!
Location: Yarmouth, Maine
September 18, 2010 4:01 pm
This bug landed on my neck while kayaking on a quiet river in southern Maine, September 18th. It didn’t appear to have wings, but maybe they’re just folded up close? I don’t know how else it could have landed on me, unless it was blown off a plant by the wind. (It WAS windy.) He was about 2.5-3” long. from tip to tip. Didn’t move around a whole lot, but was clearly alive. I didn’t see it depart, so don’t know if it blew off or flew off…
Signature: Louisa
Water Scorpion
Hi Louisa,
You had an encounter with a Water Scorpion in the genus Ranatra. Water Scorpions are aquatic insects that are also capable of flying. The bite is reported to be quite painful.
Thank you – I just figured it out myself, but glad to have it officially identified. (And glad it didn’t bite me.) Your website is awesome, and so helpful!
Unknown moths
Location: Massachusetts, USA
September 17, 2010 8:21 pm
What are these very interesting ”downy” moths? I think I know what they are doing. Each about 1 1/4 inch long. Color white and brown. Antenna, legs, (and maybe body) covered by very fine white hairs looking like tufts of down. Pair was perched close to an empty oval domed chrysalis shell on a fence post.
Signature: Flashfox
Mating Tolype Moths
Dear Flashfox,
We are very lucky to receive your beautiful image of Mating Moths in the genus Tolype. There are several very similar looking species in the genus. According to BugGuide, there are: “Two widespread eastern species are Small Tolype (T. notialis) and Large Tolype (T. velleda). The postmedian line on the forewing is more wavy in T. notialis, less wavy in T. velleda. Also, T. notialis is usually a darker gray, and T. velleda a paler gray. Compare T. velleda/T. notialis: However, there is considerable variation among individuals and between the sexes of all Tolype species, which complicates identification of species based on color.”
3
Atta laevigata
Location: Tampico, Tamaulipas, México
September 18, 2010 4:08 am
Hi!
I just wanted to share with you guys this pic of an edible leaf cutter ant, they’re called ’hormigss chicatanas’ in the eastern coast of Mexico. They’re considered a delicacy, although I haven’t tryed them yet, word has it that they’re quite tasty and even a bit aphrodisiac.
This was taken about three months ago. They’re quite numerous during the summer.
Signature: Rexnatus
Leafcutter Ant
Hi again Rexnatus,
We were lucky enough to see swarming Leafcutter Ants in Chiatla in the state of Puebla. They emerged in June shortly after a rain. We will be sure to tag them as Edible Insects on our site.
2
What the heck might this be
Location: Queensland. Au
September 18, 2010 12:11 am
Hi guys,
Thanks for the info on the lacewing nymph. Now to this one. It is only about 3mm body length, has antennae and legs like a moth but appears to only have two wings like a fly. Do you have any idea on what type of thing it may be?
The book is looking good, hope it sells really well.
Signature: aussietrev
Bathroom Fly
Hi Trevor,
This is a Bathroom Fly or Drain Fly, probably in the genus Clogmia in the Moth Fly family Psychodinae. According to BugGuide: “Adults often found around sewage installations, in public washrooms, and bathrooms in homes, and are attracted to light; larvae live in organic sludge that forms on inner surfaces of drains and sewage pipes; pupae occur on the surface of the organic film that the larvae have been living in.“
What kind of beetle is this?
Location: Western Washington State
September 16, 2010 3:17 am
I found this bug crawling on my kids trampoline. I do have a cedar tree by the trampoline. I believe it is a beetle but would like to know what kind and if it is trouble for my plants.
Signature: Tawny
Banded Alder Borer
Hi Tawny,
For some reason, many of the images we receive of the Banded Alder Borer, Rosalia funebris, are of very poor quality, either being blurry or of low resolution, so it is refreshing to have received your marvelous photograph of this stunning insect.
Stem damage by Cicada like bug
Location: Carefree, AZ
September 16, 2010 1:19 pm
Over the past two months I’ve noticed a white weblike substance deposited only on the stems of my Tomato, pepper and beans. Over time this has caused serious damage to the rest of the plant. Last week I noticed a tiny cicada like bug deposting this substance on one of the tomato plant stems.
Temp has been ~ 100-105 in the day, 75-85 at night.
Signature: Brian
I forgot to indicate that the bug is only about 1/8 – 3/16″ long
Unknown Cixiid Planthopper
Hi Brian,
We are quite puzzled by your situation. We found a photo posted to BugGuide that is identified as a Cixiid Planthopper in the genus Oecleus, and it was from Arizona, so we believe it is the same species as your critter, but alas, BugGuide has no relevant information posted on the genus, nor does BugGuide have any relevant information posted on the family Cixiidae.
Unknown Cixiid Planthopper
So though we feel we have identified the culprit to the genus level, we cannot provide a species and we are not sure how to advise you regarding dealing with the problem. Perhaps another pair of hours scouring the internet may turn up information we have missed. For now, we hope you accept the identification of Unknown Cixiid Planthopper.
Damage to Tomato Plant
Thank you for your quick reply. I’m a novice on this but the picture certainly looks very similar, if not the same. I did some more research on the web and located Tom Murray’s page http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/planthoppers_family_cixiidae that also has pictures of the Cixius nymphs. I’ve been seeing what i thought were white flies on the tomatoes but it seemed a bit late in the year for them. While it will be difficult for me to get a good picture of them, at this time i’m assuming they are the nymphs. Does anyone in your team know what the white substance might be that is being secreted?
Cheers,
Brian
Green Moth (for lack of a better name!)
Location: Indianapolis, IN
September 16, 2010 8:14 pm
I had this moth on my house last year and a friend of mine has the same moth in her yard. Can you please identify it? Hope the picture is clear enough. Thank you bugman!
Signature: Heidi
Pandora Sphinx
Hi Heidi,
We just discovered that BugGuide describes the Pandora Sphinx, Eumorpha pandorus, as: “An extra-spectacular sphinx moth.“ We agree that this is one of the most strikingly colored North American Hawkmoths.
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