Giant Bugs in Indiana?
Location: Found dead in NW Indiana
March 20, 2011 9:53 pm
Greetings!
I work at a hotel in NW Indiana and happened across this guy in the parking lot. I’m thinking that maybe it hitchhiked on someones car (at least thats what I’m hoping) because I’ve NEVER seen a bug this big in Indiana before… Please help me identify this bug!!! My thinking is that it’s a beetle of some sort.. a few people suggested a cicada but its MUCH bigger then those guys :p
Signature: A little freaked out — Molly
Toe-Biter
Hi Molly,
The Giant Water Bug or Toe-Biter is a local insect for you. You have probably not seen them before as they are an aquatic species that inhabits still bodies of water like ponds, lakes and swamps. As adults, Giant Water Bugs fly quite well, and they are often attracted to brightly lit locations like parking lots, hence another common name, Electric Light Bug. The Giant Water Bug is the largest True Bug in North America, though it is dwarfed by closely related species in Southeast Asia which grows to about five inches in length.
What’s that bug?
Location: Gold Head State Park area, Florida
March 16, 2011 10:20 pm
Wondering if you can ID this well-camouflaged bug
Signature: Florida Trail Hiker
Southern Green-Striped Grasshopper
Hi Florida Trail Hiker,
After a brief search, we believe we have identified your grasshopper as a Southern Green-Striped Grasshopper, Chortophaga australior, based on images posted to BugGuide. BugGuide indicates: “There are two color forms present in this species, a green form: …and a brown form: …with intermediates found in both sexes. The principal difference between forms is found in the coloring of the head, thorax, and outer face of the hind femora. The median ridge on the pronotum is slightly elevated. An X-shaped mark is present on the dorsal surface of the pronotum in the brown forms. The leading edge of the forewings is marked with 2–3 large green or light brown spots, with the balance of the forewings colored dark brown. The most important distinguishing character of this species is the color of the hind wing. Unlike Florida’s other bandwinged species, southern greenstriped grasshopper lacks a bold, black, transverse band on the hind wing. The black band is present, but greatly muted, reduced to no more than a smoky area in many individuals. Similarly, the yellow in the basal area of the hind wing is muted to absent. The upper surface of the hind femora usually is marked with about 3 large dark spots; the central or largest spot is triangular when viewed from above. The hind tibiae are brown or bluish green.”
Southern Green-Striped Grasshopper
THANK YOU very much. I did my best to try to ID this creature, and erroneously came up with Obscure Bird Grasshopper. I sure appreciate your taking the time to give the pictures a look, and set me straight.
Sincerely,
Marilyn Beckley (Florida Trail Hiker)
What’s that butterfly?
March 20, 2011 12:04 pm
Hello
I found this beautiful butterfly resting on a cyclamen flower in a forest near Jerusalem.
Can you please help identify it?
Thank you.
Signature: Gal
White Butterfly
Hi Gal,
Your butterfly is one of the Whites in the family Pieridae. We located an Israeli Insect World website and we believe your butterfly is one of the members of the genus Euchloe, possibly Euchloe ausonia melisande or Euchloe aegyptiaca based on photos posted to the site.
bug
Location: North West Pa
March 19, 2011 8:08 pm
this was running across my sisters floor. what is it?
Signature: Tessa
What befell this House Centipede?
Hi Tessa,
It appears this harmless and beneficial House Centipede will never run again. House Centipedes are beneficial nocturnal predators that will help keep your home clear of unwanted pests like Cockroaches and Bed Bugs.
Bedbug?
Location: Upstate New York
March 20, 2011 7:55 am
My son found this on my chair. We searched high and low and found no others. Is this a bedbug? The pic is the best I could do since he is so small. For a size reference, the container he is in is a 2TBSP medicine cup.
Signature: AC
Bed Bug, possibly
Dear AC,
The photo you have submitted is entirely too blurry to make any definitive identification impossible, but it might be a Bed Bug. The general shape and markings appear to match those of a Bed Bug, as you can see from this photo on BugGuide. Most of the Bed Bug ID requests we receive are actually Carpet Beetles, but in your case, we believe you have the real thing. You should immediately seek professional assistance before you have an infestation, and since you have an actual specimen, you can verify the identity of this creature at your Natural History Museum or at a University before you spend the money on any eradication methods.
Is it possible to have one bedbug? I found one on my chair but I went through the entire living room (all furniture, behing furniture, crevices etc) and found nothing. I also checked all beds and mattresses and found no brown or red spots or shells or anything. Could one have gotten in without “infesting” me?
At this point, anything is speculation since the photo is not conclusive. We repeat: “since you have an actual specimen, you can verify the identity of this creature at your Natural History Museum or at a University before you spend the money on any eradication methods.”
1
Luna Moth in SC
Location: Lexington, SC
March 20, 2011 9:51 am
I saw this beautiful moth on a sidewalk while shopping on March 19. I took a photo and identified it on the Internet the next day. Imagine my surprise! It appears to be a male Luna Moth, seen here on a sidewalk in Lexington, SC (central SC, near the capital of Columbia). I wish I had ”rescued” it, although I don’t know what I would have done, except perhaps bring it to the woods right behind my house. I’m horrified to know that I left it there to probably be trampled.
Signature: Sad in SC
Luna Moth
Hi Sad in SC,
If it is any consolation, Luna Moths only live a few days as adults and they do not feed. Adults mate, the female lays eggs, and both quickly die. Luna Moths have many predators, and part of their function in the intricate and confusing web of life is to provide food to other creatures. We would like to think that this beauty lived to mate since he is such a handsome specimen. Your letter represents the first report we have received this year of a Luna Moth other than from Texas. As spring nears, sightings will move north, and by May we should be hearing from readers in Maine and Canada.
Little sucker, immature bug?
Location: Melbourne, Victoria. Australia
March 20, 2011 12:22 am
G’day bugman.
I felt something biting my ankle earlier today, so I had a look at found this little fella having a nibble. I thought it may be a springtail at first, but honestly I’m stumped.
He has interesting orange, yellow and black markings. I would say he’s about 4-5mm long, he has 6 legs that I can see, and pincers up the front.
He uses his rear end to help inch himself forward as well as stick to objects. He also appears to have some grey dust/lint attached to his back.
Unfortunately my camera isn’t suited for taking macro images but these are the best two I could get from above/below, and one included for scale.
Cheers, Erin.
Signature: EW
Lacewing Larva
Hi Erin,
You were bitten by a harmless Lacewing Larva. Larval Lacewings are important predators that help keep down the population of other insects, especially Aphids and related plant feeders that can do major damage in the garden. Some Lacewing Larvae adhere debris, including the remains of their prey, to their bodies as a form of camouflage, and that might explain the dust you mentioned. Thankfully, there is a significant scale difference between humans and Lacewing Larvae because otherwise we wouldn’t stand a chance against this fierce predator.
Lacewing Larva
Thanks for that, we actually have a pretty severe aphid problem in the garden right now, so I made sure to release him back outside where he can be of some benefit. I had heard lacewings were beneficial but had never seen one before, now I know what to look out for and I can make sure they don’t get squashed along with any nearby aphids. 
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