What is this? Please?..
Location: Pennsylvania, USA
March 19, 2011 8:31 pm
I’ve found these in my hair, even DIRECTLY AFTER washing it. It has wings, is VERY small, like a miniature lady bug.. When I try to take a picture of it, it’s so small any camera I’ve used will just make a blurry image of a black bug. When I hold it close though, I can see these tanish stripes going across its back. They’re going horizontally across, and there’s like MAYBE 4 or so stripes. I don’t have any bites or anything, but I do constantly feel itchy. Please help..
Signature: Shea
Unidentified
Dear Shea,
With all the photoshop skills of our staff, we are unable to improve this image. We are continuing to review the possibilities, but we hazard a guess that it might be a Carpet Beetle.
Carpet Beetle
Well it COULD be this, but I don’t think there were antennas on it’s head, and I also don’t see any white on it. It was just based black, and the stripes were orange/brown/tan going across in zig zags sort of similar to the carpet beetle below.
An Artful Presentation:
What's That Caterpillar???
Caterpillar, Unknown
Location: Hawk Point, Lincoln CO, MO
March 19, 2011 3:42 pm
Hello! I have been trying for the past 1 1/2 yrs. to get an ID on this beautiful caterpillar, but to no avail. It was in a field of dying wildflowers in Sept. I also found a tan/brown one, same markings. The last photo is to show how the colors of the indiv. matched it’s surroundings, and it’s posturing makes it almost invisible.
Hoping someone will know who he/she is.
Thank you for your valuable time.
Signature: Pat
What Caterpillar is That???
Hi Pat,
We don’t recognize this caterpillar, which means web research. It appears to be feeding on an aster, sunflower or other composite flower, which should aid the identification. We are posting your letter first and we welcome the assistance of our readership. We also hope your location in Missouri will be useful information, though it might also be a new recording.
What's That Caterpillar and Composite Flower???
Insect egg?
Location: Arkansas
March 19, 2011 9:01 pm
Bugman–we were hiking in west/central Arkansas in the Ouachita mountains and found this round orange ball with red spots on a leaf on the ground. It was about 3/4 of an inch in diameter. It was mid-March in a mixed deciduous/pine forest. What is it?
Signature: Joyce
Oak Leaf Gall
Dear Joyce,
This is theoretically not an insect egg, but it was produced because of the laying of an insect egg. This is a Gall. Galls are growths produced on plants, usually because of an insect or mite, though fungus and other causes may produce gall-like structures. This is probably the result of a Gall Wasp in the family Cynipidae. The Gall Wasp lays an egg, and when the egg hatches, the larva releases an enzyme that causes the Gall to grow. The Gall Wasp Larva then feeds on the tissue in the Gall. Galls do not harm the plants. Here is a similar photo on BugGuide, and one on Wikimedia.
¶ Posted 19 March 2011 § Galls ‡ ° what’s this bug?
Location: thumb of Michigan
March 19, 2011 2:46 pm
I found this bug on my beige carpet. I couldn’t tell it was a bug until it moved. It is almost like a white fruity pebble. It looks like the carpet. Doesn’t appear to fly.
Signature: Kim
Masked Hunter
Hi Kim,
This positively fascinating creature is called a Masked Hunter, and it is an immature Assassin Bug. The nymphs have a sticky surface that attracts lint and dust, masking the predator by making it blend into its surroundings. Several years ago we posted a photo of a Masked Hunter that was covered in blue fibers from a carpet, and now we have your beige carpet fiber individual as well. Nymphs lack wings, but the black adults are winged and capable of flight.
So this makes me worry that we have bedbugs??? If we found this one does this mean there is more? Thanks!
If you have more Masked Hunter, that would be a good thing. They are sometimes called Masked Bedbug Hunters, but we have started using the shortened name since Bedbug paranoia is sweeping the planet. Nearly every Bedbug identification request we receive is actually a Carpet Beetle. Masked Hunters are not species specific predators.
What’s this bug?
Location: El Cajon, Ca 92021
March 18, 2011 6:13 pm
Weirdest bug we’ve seen in our backyard.
Do you know what it is?
Blue eyed spider? (I totally made that up)
Your lucky reader.
Signature: Dana Law
Jumping Spider
Hi Dana,
This is a Jumping Spider in the family Salticidae. What you have mistaken for blue eyes are actually the chelicerae or mouth parts.
Big green bug
Location: Auburn, NJ
March 19, 2011 7:27 am
Hi,
I left a bucket by my flower garden overnight. It’s crocus blooming time here in Salem County, NJ This guy was in the bottom next day when I went out.
I’ve assumed itis a beetle, just by size. Though his head is so big, like a giant ant. Has a sort of metallic green/grey/blue color, though some ashes I’d hauled in same bucket gave him a dusting of white specks.
I have no clue. Have been browsing through guides all morning, but nothing quite matches up. And though I have lived here all my life, never saw one quite like him before.
Any ideas? Appreciate your help.
Signature: Val
Oil Beetle
Hi Val,
This is a Blister Beetle in the genus Meloe, a group collectively called Oil Beetles. They should be handled with caution as they might cause blistering to the skin.
Wow, that was fast! Thank you so much. No, I wasn’t going to dare touch it directly, not knowing what it was, regardless. I looked at the link you sent and see clearly what I’d missed in my browsing this morning. Wondering now if this population is part of the bee decline in recent years? I see more wild than honey bees now than previously, though they seem to be making a gradual comeback.
Pleased me to see Carolus Linneaus mentioned as being the first to describe it correctly back in 1758. His student, Peter Kalm actually lived nearby here, in Swedesboro for awhile, sent many native specimens over to Linnaeus in Sweden. I’ll pass this link along to my friends at the Swedish Colonial Society. Maybe they’d consider it as a mascot? Ok, just kidding, but still, very cool.
I also shared the link to your site on facebook . You’re providing a great service for those of us who may lack the scientific background, but with digital photography, and access to the web, coupled with plenty of curiosity ….could be I’ll be back again.
Thanks again,
Val
walking stick
Location: Patillas, Puerto Rico
March 19, 2011 7:43 am
Thanks for id help with this beautiful walking stick.
Patillas, Puerto Rico, elev 600m.
About 4 inches long and nearly half a cm wide.
Signature: 3t Vakil
Walkingstick
Hi again 3t Vakil,
We are not entirely convinced this is a distinct species from your previous submission. It may be an immature specimen, and often there is variability in coloration within a species. Hopefully we will be able to provide you with a species identification in the future.
Walkingstick
Incredible Walking Stick
Location: Patillas Puerto Rico
March 19, 2011 11:12 am
Hello,
Thanks for your response to pictures of this stickbug i sent in January.
Here are some better pix.
Thanks for helping ID this amazing creature. About 7 inches long, half an inch wide, bright yellow green, with reddish tinges,(pic taken at night under flourescent lights)
Signature: 3t Vakil
Walkingstick
Dear 3t Vakil,
Thanks for sending additional images of your Walkingstick. Hopefully in the future we may be able to provide a species identification for you. We tried to color correct your photos, but there is too much color pollution due to the poor lighting conditions.
Walkingstick
Update: March 20, 2011
Hello Daniel…FYI on that incredible walking stick,
“A rare endemic Puerto Rican female Phasmid called Diapherodes acalus.” From: Lic. Alfredo D. Colón Archilla. San Juan, Puerto Rico
I found a great site www.phasmatodea.org/species/achalus_diapherodes_72.html that confirmed it.
Many thanks to both of you.
High Regards, 3t
We love that the common name is Caballo de San Pedro.
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