Box Elder help
December 12, 2010 7:21 pm
First, I want to thank you for this site. I’m using it in a mental health capacity to help with my bug phobia. It’s really helpful to look at the pictures and descriptions and learn about individual insects and creatures. It helps to demystify them and I’m finding myself much less scared of harmless bugs I see now.
Secondly, I live in Wisconsin where it is bitter cold and blowing snow right now. I’ve noticed a box elder bug is taking refuge in my apartment. I know he or she is harmless, so am using this as an opportunity to calm my fears and let this creature exist in my home with me instead of forcing it outside where it will surely freeze to death.
What I’m wondering is if there is any reason I shouldn’t continue to let it hang out in my home, and also how long it might survive in here as opposed to outside. Thanks a lot!
Signature: Rosemary
Hi Rosemary,
Thanks so much for your kind letter. Our readers who are plagued by Boxelder Bug home invasions will be amused with your solitary visitor. Boxelder Bugs often seek shelter indoors in prodigious when cold weather arrives, and they will pass the winter in comfort while waiting for spring to arrive. The Boxelder Bug will not harm your home and there is no reason why you shouldn’t allow it to remain.
Boxelder Bugs
Scary River Centipede
Location: Cahaba River, AL
December 13, 2010 12:45 am
Dear Bugman,
I looked through many pictures, but because I am scared of things with so many legs I felt sick. All I can do is ask, what kind of bug is this? I found it while swimming in the Cahaba River by my Grandmothers house near Birmingham, Alabama in July.
It was found inside the river and swam kind of fast…well, it squirmed through the water fast. The creature is four or five inches long. I was wondering if it might be what bit my foot while I was swimming the week before? The picture is what I got when I scooped it up with my cousin’s swim mask.
Signature: Grossed out Nursing Student
Hellgrammite
Dear Grossed out Nursing Student,
Though it looks very much like a Centipede, this Hellgrammite is actually an insect larva. Imagine the winged adult male with saber-like mandibles an inch long, and you will have some idea of what the adult Dobsonfly looks like. Hellgrammites can bite, and the bite might even draw blood, but the fierce looking creature is actually harmless. Fishermen relish them as bait. When he was researching his book, Daniel tried unsuccessfully to uncover the origin of the word Hellgrammite, but even without an origin, the name seems appropriate for this fascinating insect.
Bee identification
Location: Tacoma, WA
December 12, 2010 4:01 pm
I had never seen a bee collect pollen like this before? Can you please help me identify what kind of bee it is?
Signature: T Drivas
Leaf Cutting Bee
Dear T Drivas,
Your bee is a Leaf Cutting Bee in the genus Megachile. BugGuide also has images of Leaf Cutting Bees gathering pollen in this manner. These wild bees are important pollinators.
Leaf Cutting Bee
¶ Posted 13 December 2010 § Bees ‡ ° Leafjumper?
Location: Tacoma, WA
December 12, 2010 4:23 pm
I found this beautiful creature on my rose bush.
Signature: T Drivas
Bluegreen Sharpshooter
Dear T Drivas,
This pretty Leafhopper is a Bluegreen Sharpshooter, Graphocephala atropunctata. It is a western species, and according to BugGuide, it feeds on willow and grape.
Bluegreen Sharpshooter
5
wild larva
Location: Davie, FL
December 12, 2010 2:21 pm
Bugman, I consider myself somewhat of a pro at south florida lepidoptera as i was a professional butterfly breeder for a few years, but I found a larva today that I’ve never seen. While I was excited at seeing something new in my own backyard, not knowing what it is frustrates me to no end! Please help. Found it on the ground under some sea grape and oak trees.
Signature: Brett
Asp
Dear Brent,
You have encountered the infamous Asp, the caterpillar of the Southern Flannel Moth, Megalopyge opercularis. It gets its common name as it is quite capable of delivering a painful sting.
Asp
Thanks very much for your confirmation. Shortly after emailing you I figured it out, but thanks very much for your help anyway! You provide a great service.
¶ Posted 12 December 2010 § Asps ‡ ° Beetle(?) Larva?
Location: Mims, Florida
December 10, 2010 7:56 pm
Found this little guy on my porch railing. Some eat color and some odd gyrations made him catch my eye. Question is…what the heck is he gonna be when he grows up? I put a dime in the corner of one of the images to give an idea of size…is he a baby cockroach?
PS Love the site…
Signature: Mark
Leafhopper Nymph
Dear Mark,
We were so puzzled by this guy, that at first we were not sure where to begin. It does appear to be an immature insect, and we do not believe it is a larva of an insect with complete metamorphosis, which would eliminate the beetles. Our gut instinct is that is looks like a member of the order Hemiptera, but the antennae seem wrong for that. They are much longer than most members of the order. Then we found an image on BugGuide of a Privet Leafhopper Nymph, Fieberiella florii, and it has enough similarities to your insect to embolden us that we are on the right track. Once we found an image on BugGuide of the nymph of a Leafhopper in the genus Gyponana, we felt we were close enough to the answer to post it and respond to you. Of the genus, BugGuide indicates: “Very few species are readily identifiable based on external characters“ and “Ponana and Gypona nymphs are very similar but have dark markings.”
Leafhopper Nymph
Tiny Bug
Location: New Jersey, USA
December 12, 2010 12:32 am
Can you tell me about this bug found in my house? It is very small, about the size of a sesame seed.
Signature: Sincerely
Buffalo Carpet Beetle
Dear Sincerely,
This is a Buffalo Carpet Beetle or Common Carpet Beetle, Anthrenus scrophulariae. Carpet Beetles in the genus Anthrenus are “An abundant household ‘stored product pest.’ In nature they inhabit the abandoned nests of birds and mammals, as well as old wasp nests where the larvae scavenge on accumulated fur, feathers, skin flakes, and dead insects” according to BugGuide. BugGuide gives this advice for Carpet Beetle control: “Controlling carpet beetles can be achieved by keeping your home free of accumulated hair and dust (dust is mostly shed skin flakes of people and pets), discarding infested items and properly storing vulnerable items. Store dry foods (including dry pet food) in glass or metal containers with tight-fitting lids. Store woolens, furs, silks in a cedar chest. Forget mothballs and moth crystals. They are ineffective and carcinogenic respectively.”
I Found the Lynx Spider
Location: South Pasadena, CA
December 12, 2010 10:37 am
I was very happy to spot this lynx spider mother. I’ll keep on eye on her and try to get some baby spider pictures.
Signature: Barbara
Green Lynx with Egg Sac
Dear Barbara,
We are happy that you have located your female Green Lynx Spider and that she has produced an Egg Sac. She will defend it against any potential predator, and the seemingly fearless mother does not even seem intimidated by a human thousands of times her size approaching her precious clutch. Luckily, Green Lynx Spiders are not harmful to humans.
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