Red Head Beattle or Roach?
Location: Phoenix, Arizona (U.S. Southwest)
April 9, 2011 9:46 am
What is it? and why did I see a lot of pairs joined at the rear?
Signature: Gary -Phoenix Az.
Master Blister Beetle
Hi Gary,
You have Master Blister Beetles, Lytta magister, in your area. Adults appear in the spring, and the reason so many of them are joined in pairs is that they are mating. Blister Beetles have complicated life cycles, and the larvae live in the nests of native bees. Blister Beetles should be handled with care as they are capable of exuding a compound that will cause blistering of the skin.
Mating Master Blister Beetles
What is this – Bug, Crayfish, ???
Location: Woodstock, NY
April 9, 2011 11:43 am
I live in Woodstock, NY on a lake with a stream. In pools around the stream there are 1000s of these of various sizes. They also seem to be undergoing a metamorphosis. Some are inside cocoons made of various elements. They are in the water, mostly, but seem to be able to survive on land.
Signature: Alan Cohen
Stonefly Naiad
Hi Alan,
This is the larva of a Stonefly, known as a Naiad. Their presence in large numbers is a good indication that the stream in which they were found has very low levels of pollution. You can find additional information on Stoneflies on BugGuide.
Permission to use images
Location: Santa Barbara CA
April 8, 2011 4:20 pm
Hi Bugman!
I am with the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. We are writing a kid’s guide to Santa Barbara ”bugs” that will be available from our website as a free pdf. This will never be sold. We are trying to encourage young kids to get outside, explore, and learn about the natural world. Several of our guides are already available at http://www.sbnature.org/exhibitions/556.html. You would be given credit for the images with links to your web site.
Thank you,
Elaine Gibson
Nature Education Specialist
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
Signature: Gratefully yours,
Painted Arachnis
Hi Elaine,
What’s That Bug? will gladly allow you to use images from our archives for your free instructional and educational brochure. Once you select the images you would like, please include a comment to the posting requesting permission. We ask this because though we copyright our website content, the copyright to the images themselves belong to the photographers. We reserve the right to post these submitted images on our website, in other What’s That Bug? publications, and to also authorize their use for educational and nonprofit projects. As a courtesy, we would like to inform the photographers that their images are being used for these purposes, hence our request that your post the comments.
Up from the rocks!
Location: Stone
April 8, 2011 12:13 pm
Hello Bugman,
It is the beginning of Spring here in Santa Fe, NM. We finally had some rain yesterday and I was sitting outside my place of work when all of a sudden tons of this little flying things seemed to hatch right out of a rock behind me. Any idea what they are?
Signature: Gallery Gal
Termite Alate
Dear Gallery Gal,
You witnessed swarming Termites.
please i.d. bug in photo
Location: Ohio
April 8, 2011 9:51 pm
I took this picture snowdrops (the flower) in Dayton, Ohio at a park. This red bug was crawling on the stem. Can you identify it?
Signature: Kathy Shafer
Velvet Mite
Hi Kathy,
This is a Velvet Mite in the family Trombidiidae. Though they have a wide distribution range, most of our identification requests for Velvet Mites come from arid regions. According to BugGuide: “Larvae are parasitic on insects. Adults eat insect eggs.”
¶ Posted 09 April 2011 § Mites ‡ ° Cure for Japanese beetles for small gardens!
April 8, 2011 11:07 pm
My name is Justin and I have a fairly large home garden in Michigan. Every year it seems like the Japanese Beetle population has been growing. We tried everything short of pesticides (I grow organically and I think with a little innovation nature has a cure for all). Recently I read that Japanese beetles rely on their very sensitive sense of smell to find food and each other. I heard that the traps become innefective once they have a fair amount of beetles in them because of the smell. This gave me an idea. My neighbor hung one of the traps. We sprinkled the dead beetles under the raspberries. We went from a heavy infestation to nonexistant. It smelled unpleasant to the human nose for a couple of days then the smell went away. We did this twice last summer and that protected the entire garden completely. There has been studies that show the beetles may be drawn to the traps but this method works if you are simply trying to protect a small area. Very effective nontoxic approach for the home gardener. Double positive traps some keeps others away. It may not drastically affect populations but it can keep them out of certain areas. Please pass this along before home gardeners use insecticides in their garden being this also kill our beloved beneficial insects.
Signature: Justin Brown
Japanese Beetle
Hi Justin,
Thanks so much for the tip. It is a few months before we expect to get reports of Japanese Beetles, but we will do our best to feature your tip beginning in June.
Caterpillar identification in Georgia
Location: Jackson, Georgia
April 8, 2011 9:01 am
Hi there, love your site!
I live in central Georgia, about midway between Atlanta and Macon. This little fella has been making his way across my deck for the past several days, and I’m fascinated (and becoming somewhat attached to it, I admit). I’ve searched your site pretty thoroughly, and can’t find anything resembling it. He’s very ”scaly” in appearance, about 2.5” long, and he moves so imperceptibly/slowly that I can’t really tell if you’d consider him an spanworm or not. Picture was taken by me this morning, April 8, 2011. Thanks so much!
Signature: Alex
Underwing Caterpillar
Hi Alex,
We believe this is the caterpillar of one of the Underwing Moths in the genus Catocala. Both the caterpillar and adult are masters of camouflage. The Caterpillars often resemble bark or lichens, and the adults have forewings that blend in with tree bark, but brightly colored underwings that show when the moth takes flight. A predator will try to find the brightly colored flying insect that blends into the bark when it comes to rest. We believe your specimen most closely resembles Catocala ilia which is pictured on BugGuide.
odd bug
Location: Central Arkansas
April 7, 2011 6:05 pm
I was sitting on my carport smoking a cigarette when I looked over at my wood pile and noticed a large number of bugs that I have never seen before crawling and mating all over the wood. I’ve been looking at different forums but I can’t find it. Your help would be greatly appreciated.
Signature: -Matt from Ar
Red Headed Ash Borer
Hi Matt,
This is either a Red Headed Ash Borer, Neoclytus acuminatus, or a very closely related species.
I do believe it is a Red Headed Ash Borer. I finally found one online last night. I very much appreciate your response though. Thank you.
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