Solifugid
Location: Al Khafji, Saudi Arabia
May 23, 2011 10:07 am
Here is a photo of a Solifugid for your collection. Photo was taken this past week (May 2011) in Al Khafji, Saudi Arabia. The Solifugid was dead when we discovered it.
Signature: cashflyer
Camel Spider
Dear cashflyer,
Thank you for sending us your photo of a Solifugid or Camel Spider as they are known in the Middle East. Also the inclusion of the currency note for scale is very helpful.
large horn beetle
Location: gueydan louisiana
May 23, 2011 12:40 pm
found this bug in la. at a gas station, never seen one before.
Is it native to america , and where does it originate from, and what does it eat?
Thank you
brittany
Signature: brittany
Male Eastern Hercules Beetle
Dear Brittany,
This is a native male Eastern Hercules Beetle, and it is the heaviest North American beetle. According to BugGuide: “larvae feed on rotting wood, adults are frugivores (some have been observed eating tree sap)” and you can probably feed it ripe fruit in captivity.
May 22, 2011
In preparing for the PowerPoint lecture at Theodore Payne Foundation next weekend, we came to the realization that there are no generic Ground Beetle photos from Southern California on our site, hence there is no image to use in the presentation. We grabbed the digital camera and turned over some wood in the garden without any luck, but when we turned over a slab of concrete, about 15 ground beetles started to scurry about. We captured two in a container and took a few quick photos. We believe, according to Charles Hogue in Insects of the Los Angeles Basin, that these are Black Ground Beetles, Pristonychus complanatus. Hogue writes that they are “the largest of the ground beetles listed here (5/8 in or 10 mm), this species is all black and has a narrow prothorax, The front of the head is flat and protruding. The Black Ground Beetle was introduced into the basin, but coleopterists (beetle specialists) are not sure of its origins.”
Black Ground Beetles
Huge moth, calling
Location: Gyeonggi-do Province, Gwangju City, South Korea
May 22, 2011 8:55 am
Dear Whats that Bug,
I found this on a morning walk a while back. I just remembered your site. It seemed to be calling, but it also seemed tangled in some strings (outside a laundromat). Maybe both?
I came back later (was on my way to work) and untangled it as well as moving it to a more moth-friendly location. You can’t see this in the photo, but the underside of the moth seemed laden with either eggs, mites, or maybe just really good insulation.
Thanks.
Signature: Ben, South Korea
Unknown Sphinx Moth
Hi again Ben,
We believe this is some species of Sphinx Moth in the family Sphingidae, but we are not certain. We haven’t the time to devote to the extensive research that it might take to properly identify the species at this time. We may have time later and perhaps one of our dedicated readers will be able to supply a species identification.
Unknown Sphinx Moth
Identification courtesy of Karl
May 24, 2011
Hi Daniel and Ben:
It looks like a Zena Hawkmoth (Langia zenzeroides). There are several similar subspecies with limited ranges, but L. zenzeroides zenzeroides appears to have the appropriate distribution (northern India, eastern and southern China, South Korea, northern Thailand and northern Vietnam). Regards. Karl
Interesting, and scary, beetle.
Location: Gyeonggi-do Province, Gwangu City, South Korea
May 22, 2011 8:50 am
Dear Whats that Bug,
I stumbled on this ’little’ guy while I was testing an old lens near a large stream. It landed about 3 meters away.
Very very fast moving as well (it scurried a good 5 feet in less than a second). Also quite big. I think it measures to about the length of a 50 cent piece.
Anyways once I saw those mandibles I stayed my distance. I’m guessing it is a male by their size, but they just small enough to be functional. The white on red and black didn’t look particularly pleasant either.
Thanks!
Signature: Ben, South Korea
Japanese Tiger Beetle
Hi Ben,
This magnificent creature is a predatory Japanese Tiger Beetle, Cicindela japonica. We don’t believe you need to fear any bodily harm because of encountering this nor any other Tiger Beetle.
Japanese Tiger Beetle
Ed. Note: May 21, 2011
Now is one of those times that being more aware of insect anatomy and not making identifications based on superficial visual identifications would come in handy. We no longer believe this is a Leaf Cutter Bee. We don’t believe any Leaf Cutter Bees gather pollen on their legs. It looks like this native Bee is gathering pollen on its legs, or perhaps it just has long yellow hairs on its legs. We wish someone would write in and give us a clear cut explanation of what species of Bee this is. I am going to include more native Bees in my Theodore Payne Foundation talk on Saturday, 28 May, 2011 at 1:00 PM.
What's That Bee???
See the whole original posting HERE.
If you know your native Southern California Bees, please help with this identification. It would be wonderful to know what it is before Saturday.
Daniel Marlos lectures at Theodore Payne Foundation
The Curious World of Bugs with Daniel Marlos
Saturday, May 28, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
A special lecture on those wondrous creatures called bugs – including native
species that pollinate, predate and mate in the most curious ways, and
exotic species that can wreak havoc in our gardens. Daniel is an artist and
photographer and the author of The Curious World of Bugs: The Bugman’s Guide
to the Mysterious and Remarkable Lives of Things That Crawl. The program
includes an exploration of Daniel’s popular website, whatsthatbug.com, and
ends with a book-signing.
Register early as space is limited.
swallowtail and buckeye, paso robles
Pale Swallowtail
Ed. Note: Our dear friend Clare Marter Kenyon just sent these photos because she knew Daniel was preparing a powerpoint presentation for the Theodore Payne Foundation and he didn’t have many photos of the Western Tiger Swallowtail despite the countless individuals that flit around his Mt Washington garden in the summer.
Pale Swallowtail
Correction: January 15, 2012
Thanks to input from lepidopterist Julian Donahue and Clare Marter Kenyon who took the photo, we have corrected this identification as a Pale Swallowtail, Papilio eurymedon, which may also be viewed on BugGuide.
Papilio (Heraclides) thoas autocles ?
Location: Long Beach, California
May 20, 2011 6:51 pm
Hi.
This is little flew into my garden today, and I found him on the ground. I’m not sure if he is passing away or if he is injured. I’m also unsure if I should try to feed him or how to help him in anyway.
Signature: Sarah
Giant Swallowtail
Hi Sarah,
We actually believe this is the very similar looking Giant Swallowtail, Papilio cresphontes, which you may find on BugGuide. We wonder what calamity befell this lovely creature.
Giant Swallowtail
Do you know why he would be in my area? I live in Long Beach, California near Cypress or Seal Beach….. I’ve been checking on he religiously to see for any movement. He doesn’t move around or anything much but at times I will see one of his legs move, a little bit though. I know they need sunlight for energy, would it be better to keep him inside? Then tomorrow move into sun ? Is there anything I can do for him ? I put leaves and some dryer fluff in the container hoping to keep him warm. The problem is my mom is deathly afraid of butterflies, and moths……
Please any information given will help me. I am not sure if I should find someone who specializes in butterflies or ?!?!?
Sincerely,
Sarah
The Giant Swallowtail has naturalized in the Southern California area. Sorry, but we can’t offer any resuscitation advice. Butterflies are not especially long lived insects, though Swallowtails should survive several months. We suspect, as we mentioned earlier, that this individual met with some calamity. Its wings are in magnificent form to be an older individual.
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