What in the world is this?
Location: Rancho Palos Verdes, southern California
February 20, 2011 6:39 pm
One morning my son wandered into our garage and uttered this blood-curdling screech. There on the floor was this guy. It was about 2 inches long (maybe even a big bigger) and resembled a giant wingless bee.
Being an intrepid scientist, as my 12 year old ran screaming back into the house, I dashed out to the garage with a bowl to trap the critter. I brought him/her into the house so we could all look at this baby a bit closer.
I’m hoping it’s not something that will munch on my house because I let it go in the field behind the house.
The picture is a bit blurry because my buggy friend is in a bowl with a very thick piece of glass on top. Any thoughts?
Signature: Jules
Potato Bug
I found the answer!
Location: Rancho Palos Verdes, southern California
February 20, 2011 7:19 pm
Well I looked back through your blog and found the answer to the question I had asked earlier. The little critter that was visiting my garage was a Jerusalem cricket.
Thanks for the great blog and the answer to my question.
Signature: Jules
Hi Jules,
We are pleased that our archive provided you with your answer. Potato Bug sightings are most common in the winter after rains.
More brazilian cicadas
Location: Campinas-SP, Brazil
February 22, 2011 1:04 pm
Hi Daniel! It’s me again (Franco), and i’m here to share with you some pictures of a Dorisiana viridis, a very common cicada in the late summer in Brazil. Here’s some features: their song is a succession of short calls (like kee-kee-kee-kee), they sing in synchrony (when there’s a lot of males together), and they have two-colored eyes!! Hope you enjoy it! Best wishes
Signature: Franco
Cicada
Hi Franco,
We must say that we are amazed that so many of your Brazilian Cicadas are so tiny. Australian Cicadas are gigantic by comparison.
Cicada
¶ Posted 23 February 2011 § Cicadas ‡ ° Whats this bug?
Location: Riverside CA
February 23, 2011 3:46 am
Does anyone outhere know what bug this is. There alot of them in my apartment.
Signature: What tha bug?
Silverfish
Dear What tha bug?,
You have an infestation of Silverfish, a type of primitive insect that commonly infests homes, feeding on a wide variety of stored foods and other organic materials including the starch used to hang wallpaper and to bind books. Silverfish are reported to be extremely difficult to eradicate.
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Is this a Cerambycid in the San Bernardino Mtns?
Location: San Bernardino Mountains near Lake Arrowhead approx.5800’ elevation
February 22, 2011 12:08 am
Hello, several of my neighbors have found this insect in their homes this winter. Since many residents are worried about another bark beetle outbreak, they would like to know if this beetle will damage their trees.
Signature: Gina Richmond
Cedar Tree Borer
Dear Gina,
You are correct. This is a Cerambycid or Longicorn beetle. We do not recognize the species and browsing through BugGuide did not prove fruitful. This photo taken from a screen shot is quite amusing to us, but we have no idea of scale. How large is this Longicorn? Hopefully, we will be able to provide you with a species identification. Longicorns do have larvae that are wood borers, but very few species do considerable damage to trees.
Identification courtesy of Karl
Hi Daniel and Gina:
Your longicorn looks like a Cedar Tree Borer (Semanotus ligneus ligneous). This beetle sparked a very length discussion when it was posted on WTB? by Kathie Jones on February 5, 2007. Based on that exchange, you may want to check your new cedar furniture if you have any. Regards. Karl
Thanks Karl,
This is most curious. Since the insect is being reported from several different homes, we wonder if there has been a range expansion, or if the Cedar Tree Borer may be a newly introduced species in California. It would also probably require an expert viewing the actual specimen to determine if this really is a Cedar Tree Borer or some look-alike.
Comment from Brian, an entomologist
Daniel
Make me wonder what is going on with this one???????
I agree it is most likely Semanotusbut to get it to species level by the photo would be hard to do. Better photo would be great.
Semanotus ligneus does occur in California but I have never seen one so red in color and the placement of the spots on the elytra does not seem just right.
This genus does include some exotics and it may be worthwhile for them to submit it to the state or an extension service. Better safe than sorry. Far as I know the USA only has two species for this genus.
I would not guess cedar furniture but firewood since it is found in more than one home. Most likely wood from the surrounding area. Juniperus maybe? but that not a common species used for firewood.
Well thanks for peaking my interest. Hope its a native and not an exotic
As always keep up the great work!
Brian
Thanks so much for the information! I will forward this to the neighbors who have encountered the Cedar Tree Borer in their homes. I will check back to this site often as I really enjoy learning more about insects- what a great website,
All the best,
Gina Richmond
Namibian Moth???
Location: Windhoek, Namibia
February 21, 2011 5:27 pm
Dear All,
I just found this insect and I have never seen anyting like it before – I don’t think its a butterfly but could it be a moth of some sort??
I found it during the day but we have had a very heavy rainy season (not sure if this is helpfull in any way)and its around 20mm in length and about 40mm wide.
Any advce in this regard ould be greatly appreciated.
Signature: Ernst A. Schnaitmann
Maid Alice Wasp Moth
Hi Ernst,
You are correct that this is a Moth. We believe it is a Wasp Moth in the subtribe Euchromiina, so named because the diurnal adults mimic wasps. We do not have time to try to identify the species at the moment, but perhaps on of our readers will have some success while we are at work.
Maid Alice Wasp Moth
Karl provides an identification
Hi Daniel and Ernst:
This looks like another ‘Handmaiden’ wasp moth, probably Amata alicia. Check out a previous WTB? post by Gabriel on November 18, 2010, or this excellent photo of a Maid Alice on the African Moths website. Regards. Karl
about those Google Ads…
Website: http://mycologista.blogspot.com/
February 21, 2011 12:55 pm
Hey, I love your site (although I haven’t visited for what seems like eons, since I haven’t been hikin or finding bugs because it’s WINTER).
I see those Google Ads, the big ones with your proviso above them saying you do not endorse extermination, and I’m wondering if you know about Amazon Associates.
I started my little mushroom blog, and got excited about Google Ads, and found what they posted to be entirely inappropriate–”Rid your house of mold!”, stuff about the heartache of nail fungus, etc. And of course no one who visited my blog was remotely interested in that. Amazon Associates has a much more specific way to define the ads (not that any of my 50 readers ever clicks on or buys anything. Well, okay, I’ve had 8 clicks. In a year. But, I have HOPE). I told it to post BOOKS, told it key words like “mushrooms”, “field guides”, etc., and I am pleased. And I could play around with the colors!
Do you get any response from the exterminator ads that show? If not, I’d tell Googls Ads to get lost. Actually, now that I think about it, you MIGHT actually get results from those, as people find your site while trying to ID bugs they think are a nuisance…it just seems like an awful lot of ads for something you don’t actually want to endorse!
I am in no way benefiting in any way from Amazon Associates, not employed by them, haven’t made a cent from my ads (but, like I said, I have a very tiny audience at this point), etc. Just passing along my blogger experiences. Google Ads frustrated me, and Amazon Associates satisfied.
Signature: lisa
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for your letter. As What’s That Bug? became more and more popular, we had to deal with the rising cost of site maintenance, hence the addition of the google ads several years back. We cannot control the traffic to the website, and many people who visit hate insects. We hope that we can share our enthusiasm for the lower beasts with the folks who stumble upon us while trying to find out about the creatures that have wandered into the home. We know that most household visitors do not do any damage, and while we do not endorse extermination, we realize that there are situations when the advice of a professional may be required. We will pass on your suggestion to our webmaster and he may be able to find a way to incorporate Amazon Associates into our advertising arsenal.
Please Tell me this isn’t a species of ROACH!
Location: San Diego, Ca ??
February 22, 2011 12:23 am
I’ve seen two of these bugs around my house. One was in the pantry and this one was crawling through the living room. I promise I put them outside! Thinking he just snuck in from outdoors. They don’t seem that fast.. So my questions
1. Is this the kind of bug that would be ’infesting’ my walls?
2. What kind of bug is this?
3. How do I get rid of these guys before my partner sees one?
Signature: Please don’t tell me this is a Roach!!
Silverfish
Dear Please don’t tell me this is a Roach!!,
We will not tell you this is a Roach because it is not. It is a Silverfish, a common household pest. Silverfish are generally found in damp dark locations. They will eat a variety of organic substances in the house including the starch used to hang wallpaper and in book bindings as well as typical food items. They are difficult to eradicate once they have become established. They may be in your walls. We do not offer extermination advice, however, some of our advertisers are in the exterminating business.
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