Caterpillar
Location: Honolulu Hawaii
January 21, 2011 7:04 pm
What’s the name of this caterpillar or the butterfly/moth that it will turn into? Never seen one like it in Hawaii. It was about 3inches long and cruising down a hiking road.
Signature: Dan
Unknown Hornworm from Hawaii
Hi Dan,
We actually thought this was going to be an easy identification because this caterpillar is so distinctive and because we know that it it a Hornworm in the family Sphingidae. The Sphingidae of the Americas website allows us to search by state, and we know Hawaii does not have many species, but alas, several of species and subspecies listed in Hawaii are without photos. Bill Oehlke who authors the website notes: “Manduca blackburni, Tinostoma smaragditis, Hyles calida calida, Hyles calida hawaiiensis, Hyles wilsoni perkinsi and Hyles wilsoni wilsoni are endemic species/subspecies (found only on Hawaii).” Your caterpillar reminds us of members of the the genus Hyles of which there are several species and subspecies in Hawaii, though we would not dismiss the possibility that it might be an unusual color variation of the caterpillar of the Pink Spotted Hawkmoth, Agrius cingulata, which is also found on Hawaii. You can note the similarities to the caterpillar of Hyles lineata on the Sphingidae of the Americas website. The more we ponder this, we are leaning toward this being an unusual color variation of the caterpillar of the Pink Spotted Hawkmoth, Agrius cingulata, because of the markings on the head. The examples of the Pink Spotted Hawkmoth Caterpillar on the Sphingidae of the Americas website have decidedly different colors and markings than your individual, but that is still our best guess. We are going to enlist the assistance of Bill Oehlke on this query by copying him on our reply. We suspect he may request permission to post your photo to his website as well.
confirmation from Bill Oehlke
Hi Daniel,
You are correct. It is the highly variable Agrius cingulata.
Bill Oehlke
Identification
Location: west coast Tampa Florida
January 21, 2011 8:52 pm
Hi
I find these in my bathroom only. The bathroom has a exhaust fan in the ceiling and a drain in the shower. The size is between an eighth and three sixteeths of an inch.
Richard
Signature: Thanks in advance
Bathroom Fly
Hi Richard,
Interestingly, you had all of your answers built into your submission. This is a Bathroom Fly in the Moth Fly (how you labeled your photo) family Psychodidae. They breed in the sludge that forms in pipes and the adults can become quite plentiful in rooms with plumbing that needs to be cleaned out.
Spider and Young
Location: Perth, Western Australia
January 22, 2011 5:09 am
Hi,
I found this spider and her young in a messy web in the branches of a small gum tree in my garden. I am curious to know what type they are. Photo taken 20/01/11.
Many thanks
Signature: Tanya Bennett
Cobweb Spider
Hi Tanya,
We really love your photograph, which we believe shows a Cobweb Spider or Comb Footed Spider in the family Theridiidae with her brood. The family includes the notoriously venomous Red Back Spider in Australia and Black Widow in North America, but most of the members in the family are quite benign. It appears that the Spiderlings in your photo are taking advantage of feeding off of a Fly that has become ensnared in their mother’s web. We were unable to conclusively match your Spider to any of the Comb Footed Spiders on the Brisbane Spider website.
Hi Daniel,
Many thanks for your quick response, very interesting to find out what the spider is, she is still in her curled up leaf with her babies today.
Kind regards
Tanya
1
The Grasshopper and the spider
Location: Healesville, Victoria Australia
January 21, 2011 3:55 pm
I had this cute little drama played out the other day and thought you might like to see. I tiny spider annoying a big grasshopper, I dont know what kind. Several times it swiped the spider off and each time the spider crawled back up by its web. Eventually the grasshopper lowered it down and they went their separate ways.
Signature: Linda in Healesville Australia
Unknown Grasshopper interacts with Spiderling
Hi Linda,
Your photo is quite amusing, however, we are having a difficult time trying to identify this somewhat distinctive Grasshopper. We cannot find a match on the Brisbane Insect website nor on the LifeUnseen website. The spider, which we believe may be a newly hatched spiderling, is well beyond our ability to identify, however, we do have a theory to explain the activity you witnessed. Newly hatched spiderlings often disperse by ballooning on the wind. They will climb to a high point and release a strand of silk that catches the wind and then carries the spiderling to a distant location, hopefully one that will result in a rich food supply. This will ensure that the young spiderling will not have to compete with siblings to survive. We believe the spiderling in your photo has mistaken the Grasshopper’s antenna for a twig and that is the highest elevation point it is able to reach at the moment the photo was taken. Perhaps one of our readers will be able to assist in the Grasshopper identification.
Unknown Grasshopper with Spiderling Hitchhiker
I need my bug identified
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
January 21, 2011 11:39 am
Dear Bugman
I found this bug today, the 21st of January, in my garden. I would like to know what bug this is and what it eats, please.
We are experiencing summer here in South Africa and I live on the highveld in Johannesburg.
I have included three of my best photos of my bug.
Thanks very much
Signature: MAP
Weevil
Dear MAP,
This is some species of Weevil, but we are uncertain of its exact identity. Weevils belong to a large family of Beetles and many of them are characterized by a long snout which gives them a comical appearance. Many Weevils are considered agricultural pests of various crops and other Weevils will infest stored foods. We will continue to try to identify this species.
Weevil
Ceanothus Silkmoth?
Location: Near Barona Indian Reservation, San Diego County
January 21, 2011 2:36 pm
We found this very cool looking creature perched outside our home’s front door in the early dawn yesterday morning. When we arrived home late evening, it was still in its same position. I thought it was a massive butterfly, while my boyfriend called it a pterodactyl. The wingspan must have been 6” – 8”! From pics on your site, I’m guessing it’s a ceanothus silkmoth?
Signature: Dana
Ceanothus Silkmoth
Hi Dana,
We love hearing from people who have no idea what they have seen, yet they are able to identify the mystery creature on our site. You are absolutely correct. This is a Ceanothus Silkmoth. It appears that your specimen is a male based on his feathery antennae.
Ceanothus Silkmoth
Large Green New Zealand Moth
Location: Waitakere Ranges, Auckland, New Zealand
January 21, 2011 4:56 am
Hi,
Just tonight two of these large green moths flew into my room, one after the other. I have never seen this type of moth before.
Each one was around 75-80mm in length and approximately 100-110mm in wingspan.
After finding this website, I am assuming they are Puriri Moths.
Could you please tell me if they definitely are Puriri Moths.
Thanks,
Signature: John
Puriri Moth
Hi John,
You are absolutely correct. This is a Puriri Moth or Ghost Moth in the family Hepialidae. You may read about it on the Insects and Spiders of New Zealand website which indicates the Maori names are: “pepe tuna; mokoroa, ngutara; pungoungou“. Though five or six years are spent as a caterpillar, the adult Puriri Moth only lives about two days and does not feed.
Puriri Moth
Huntsman got hunted
Location: North Burnett. Queensland. AU.
January 20, 2011 11:33 pm
Hi guys,
Here are some shots of a Huntsman that had the tables turned by a Spider Hunter Wasp. She has dragged it back to her burrow and is taking it inside for later.
Signature: aussietrev
Spider Wasp paralyzes Huntsman Spider
Hi Trevor,
Thanks so much for sending us this wonderful documentation of an Australia Spider Wasp paralyzing a large Huntsman Spider. We found some information on the Brisbane Insect Website indicating that this is a Spider Wasp in the genus Fabriogenia. It is also important to note that while this is being filed under Food Chain, the female Spider Wasp feeds on nectar and pollen and that the Huntsman Spider will provide nourishment for her brood.
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