What insect is this?
Location: Toowoomba Queensland Australia
January 20, 2011 3:47 am
Hi I was outside about to hang the clothes when I saw this strange peculiar insect on the line? I never seen such a funny looking insect with these big antennas. I thought it was such a wonderful looking thing that I had to grab the camera to get this on film. Lucky it was still there when I returned I was so delighted to see such an insect I have been so curious to find out what it was? Could you possibly know what it is? This was outside in Toowoomba Queensland Australia. Thank you.
Signature: Dazed and Amazed
Feather Horned Beetle
Dear Dazed and Amazed,
Those are some impressive antennae on this aptly named Feather Horned Beetle, Rhipicera femoralis, in the family Rhipiceridae. This is a new species, new family and new category for our website. We identified your Feather Horned Beetle on the Life Unseen website which has some nice photos, but no information. According to the Ausscape International Photo Library website, the Feather Horned Beetle is also called the Fan Horned Beetle. One of the nicest images of the Feather Horned Beetle is on the Patti Flynn Soapmaker blog. Csiro Entomology has the most information available to the general web browsing public, including: “This small family has not been well studied in Australia and as a result little is known of their biology and ecology. There are only 6 species of Rhipiceridae in Australia and all belong to the genus Rhipicera. Adults range in size from 10 to 25 millimetres in length and can be recognised by their large fan-like antennae. The antennae of males are unusual in that they have more than 20 segments and arise from small knob-like prominences. Most species are grey-black in colour with white spots on the elytra and pronotum, formed by patches of hair. The larvae of Australian species is unknown and in North America Sandalus niger is the only known rhipicerid larva. This larval species is grub-like and lightly sclerotised, with conical shaped antennae consisting of just one segment. The first instar are triungulin-like, meaning they appear similar to the larvae of blister beetles (Meloidae) which are long-legged and parasitic. The later instars are ectoparasitic on the nymphs of cicadas. It is thought the first instars of Sandalus niger attach themselves to the cicada nymphs before they enter the soil.“ If the closest relatives found in North America (see BugGuide) are known as Cicada Parasite Beetles, it might be deduced that the same might be true of the Australian members of the family since Australia has such a robust population of Cicadas.
Feather Horned Beetle
8
Black-and-Yellow (St. Andrews Cross) spider egg sacs
Location: San Antonio, TX
January 19, 2011 3:38 pm
No ID needed. I know what these are, thanks to your site a few years back, but I had to attach a photo to get the query to SEND. I am requesting some info, now, though. — I collected several ”jar” egg sacs which were made by some very big and beautiful Black-and-Yellow spiders. The exterminator was gong to blast them (the sacs; the mothers have already passed on with the weather). They were in Floresville, TX, and are now clothes-pinned to my patio plants here in San Antonio. I’d really like to know how to protect them and keep the babies inside safe over winter and have them come out in the Spring and populate my yard. What will they need to survive? I understand the babies hang around the ”jar” for the first few days, then disperse. Would it be good to house them in some kind of spider nursery (if so, please could you suggest something)? Is dangling and moving in the wind going to disturb the babies? The ”jars” w ere securely stitched into immobility under the eaves at the ranchhouse where the mother spiders put them. Would very much appreciate any and all info you can offer. — LOVE your site. Thank you for all the good you do for insects, bugs, and all.
Signature: sooz in San Antonio
Golden Orbweaver
Dear sooz,
We are very happy you attached an image. First, we would much rather post a letter with an image than without one, and second, you have misidentified your spider. The St. Andrew’s Cross Spider, Argiope keyserlingii, to the best of our knowledge, has not been found in North America. It is an Australian species that has a unique X shaped stabilimentum, the zigzag pattern that is woven into the web. You can see images of the spider and its stabilimentum on the Brisbane Insect website. Your spider is in the same genus, so the mistake is understandable. Your spider is a Golden Orbweaver, Argiope aurantia, and its stabilimentum is different. You can see images in our archives and on BugGuide. You should keep the eggsacs in a protected location away from the wind and predators like birds, but make sure that they are kept at approximately the outside temperature. Perhaps a paper bag or a cardboard box left open in a sheltered area of the patio or unheated garage would suffice.
THANK YOU! And I’m glad to have their correct name. One last question (OK, two): What can I expect when the babies emerge? And when should I expect them? — Thanks again!
When the spiderlings emerge in the spring, you can expect a crawling mass that will soon seek higher ground. The spiderlings will then each release a strand of silk to catch the wind and they will begin to balloon away. This is how they disperse, ensuring that the entire brood does not remain in a single location competing with one another for the food supply. The wind is actually capable of carrying the young spiderlings a considerable distance.
huge green cattepillar
Location: Hazyview, Mpumalanga, South Africa
January 19, 2011 8:22 am
I found this green catterpillar on a tree on our farm in Hazyview South Africa. I only found this one. It was about 10cm long and easily 1.5cm in diameter. It had yellow spikes along its body with a few blue spikes on its head. It looks very similar (except for the colours) to like a catterpilar of some kind of emperor moth? do you have a clue?
Signature: Leonie
White Ringed Atlas Moth Caterpillar
Dear Leonie,
This was one of the quickest identifications we have ever made of an unknown species that was emailed to us. We immediately recognized your caterpillar as a member of the family Saturniidae, the Giant Silkmoths, and we tried the World’s Largest Saturniidae website that we have a membership to. Going to South African species, the first try struck the jackpot with Epiphora mythimnia, but since we cannot link to the World’s Largest Saturniidae website, we needed to find corroboration elsewhere. WLSS states: “The White-ringed Atlas, Epiphora mythimnia (wingspan: 105-130mm), is one of the few Attacini in Southern Africa. It flies in South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe.“ There is a photo of the caterpillar and the moth on the Lepidoptera Breeders Association website. The adult moth is pictured on the African Moths website and we have an example in our archives as well.
White Ringed Atlas Moth Caterpillar
Dear Daniel
Thank you very much for your quick response. I have seen the moths around twice only. They are beautiful you must admit!
God Bless
Leonie
small bug infestation
Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
January 18, 2011 8:55 pm
Over the last 2 months, we’v e been finding these little critters dead on our floors. Looks like they’re getting in via cracks under door, or through flyscreens, etc.
We’ve never seen a living one – they’re always dead (we get the house sprayed every year) – but we can find up to a hundred dead on the floor every few days. (more close to a door, thinning out futher into a room). They are up to a centimetre in length. What are they ??
Hope you can shed some light.
Cheers,
Andrew.
Signature: Curious.
Lawn Shrimp
Dear Andrew,
These are known Lawn Shrimp or Househoppers, Arcitalitrus sylvaticus, a terrestrial Amphipod that is native to Australia. They are not usually noticed until they enter homes in large numbers and promptly die. According to BugGuide, the natural habitat is: “Moist soil and organic matter within 13 mm of the surface, often among ivy or other ground covers, mostly eucalyptus. Their exoskelton has no waxy coating to keep moisture in, so they can’t survive dryness. They drown in water, though, so they need continuously moist, but not waterlogged conditions.“ The torrential rains and flooding in Australia we are reading about is causing the Lawn Shrimp to flee the landscaping around your home. They are just coming in out of the rain. BugGuide explains: “These are rarely seen except when flooding or lack of moisture forces them to abandon their home in the soil in search for suitable conditions. At such times they often end up dieing on pavement or in homes and become a nuisance. Once they start appearing, there’s not much that can be done except to sweep them up- pesticides are pointless, bcause by then they’re already dieing or dead. The best solution is to keep the numbers down the rest of the year by keeping the soil from staying too moist- in California, especially, they’re a sign of overwatering. Physical barriers like weather-stripping can also help to keep them out of homes, but their bodies are flat and narrow, allowing them to slip through surprisingly narrow cracks.“ Interestingly, we found more written about Lawn Shrimp on North American websites than on Australian websites. You can read more about them on the Museum Victoria website where they are called Land Hoppers.
Lawn Shrimp
wow – thats fantastic. Thanks very much for tracking that down.
Now that I know what they are, it all makes sense and I know what we’ll need to do to help reduce their numbers.
Much appreciated, and many thanks Daniel.
cheers,
Andrew.
Critters
Location: Southern Tip of Texas – 8 miles from border. McAllen
January 18, 2011 5:36 pm
Found this guy in a huge nest in an oak tree in deep south Texas. Not much bigger than a housefly.
Signature: Bob G
Mexican Honey Wasp
Hi Bob,
This is a very exciting posting for us as it represents a new species for our site. This is a Mexican Honey Wasp, Brachygastra mellifica, and according to BugGuide: “Larvae feed on honey (3), and probably also pollen; this is unusual for vespids.“ BugGuide also indicates the Mexican Honey Wasp is: “Eusocial, that is, highly social, with worker and reproductive castes. More than one queen per hive, and there are females present with ovaries intermediate in size between workers and queens. Form large colonies by swarming (coordinated groups of queens and workers). Store honey, but do not cap cells, as do bees. Nests are perennial, built in low trees, with as many as 50,000 cells.“ BugGuide also states: “One of the very few insects other than bees to produce and store honey. Comment from Dr. Joan Strassmann, “They are docile a lot, but then they can explode, attacking en masse.“
Mexican Honey Wasp
My neighbor has small kids and called a bug company that came and removed the nest. It was huge. Two-three feet tall and about a foot wide.
Thanks so much for the info!!
Thanks,
Bob Geissler
Quarter size black spider that looks like a Tarantula
Location: Kasane, Botswana
January 14, 2011 6:10 pm
I found a Quarter size black spider that looks like a Tarantula. My issue is that it is right by my potted plants and I don’t know if it is venomous. I love spiders but I live in the middle of know where and would not be able to seek medical attention if neccessary. Thank you.
Signature: Laura Marchitto Massie
Unknown Spider
Hi Laura,
This is a True Spider in the infraorder Araneomorphae rather than a Tarantula in the infraorder Mygalomorphae, but we do not recognize it. Those appendages at the tip of the abdomen are quite unusual and they should aid in the identification. We are posting your email and images and we hope to be able to provide you with an ID in the near future.
Unknown Spider
What is this bug?
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
January 17, 2011 3:06 am
Hi, I found a few hundred in my basement fairly near each other. They are small about 3-8 millimeters each, under a loop they have a rounded body, but the curious thing is the ”tube” coming from the head. They also have wings. Any help on what it is and how to prevent more from appearing besides cleaning very frequently. Thanks for any help.
Signature: Outrunner
Grain Weevil
Dear Outrunner,
You have an infestation of Grain Weevils. You should check stored grain products in your basement, like bargain quantities of bird seed, pet food or rice to track down the source of the infestation.
Bug
Location: Windhoek, Namibia
January 18, 2011 4:54 am
Need to know what the name is of this bug
Signature: ?
Root Borer
Dear ?,
This is a Root Borer in the Longhorned Borer Beetle subfamily Prioninae. They are also known as Prionids. We are uncertain of the species.
Root Borer
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