What’s this bug?
Location: Lake Texoma, Oklahoma
June 28, 2011 10:41 pm
My son took this picture of this bug on the shores of Lake Texoma, on the Oklahoma side, the weekend of June 25 of this year.
It’s rather large, maybe 2in. long and flies.
I cannot find it in your extensive library, which is impressive and very helpful.I wasn’t even sure what ”type” of insect to start the search. Didn’t find it under ”wasps” or ”bees” or ”flies”.
Help!
Signature: A. Gordon
Mydas Fly
Dear A. Gordon,
We admit that our vast archive can be quite daunting if you don’t know where to start. This is a Mydas Fly, Mydas clavatus, and it is an excellent mimic of Spider Wasps in the family Pompilidae. Once we lightened your photo a bit, the detail in the head and body was really revealed.
ID Request
Location: Mysore, Karnataka, India
June 29, 2011 3:27 am
Hi Daniel,
I am writing from Mysore, India. I found a very tiny bug in our garden which I could not identify. This is very tiny – about 1mm. I also found a bug of the same species but with a tube-like extension at it’s hind quarters which looked like an egg sack. Please help me with the id of this bug from the images attached.
Thanks in advance 
Subharghya Das
http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_mask/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000180038520
Unknown Hemipterans
Dear Subharghya Das,
All we can say for certain is that your insects are in the order Hemiptera, but beyond that, we haven’t a clue. They are most likely a plant feeding species that uses piercing/sucking mouthparts to feed on plant fluids. The tubelike extension is most like a waxy filament that is produced by many insects in the order. We hope to be able to provide a species name in the near future.
Unknown Hemipteran
Dear Daniel … Thank you so much for such a prompt reply !! It will be really great if someday I can know the name of this beautiful looking tiny bug !! And of course Thanks for the Lead about Hemiptera !
With Warm Regards from India
Subharghya Das
Large beetle in NY
Location: Long Island, New York, USA
June 28, 2011 5:48 pm
I don’t think I’ve seen a bug this big in New York before. It’s slowly walking around my sidewalk and sticking its butt up in the air like this, with a yellow thing that is protruding and retracting.
Signature: J
Broad-Necked Root Borer
Hi J,
Your insect is a female Broad-Necked Root Borer, Prionus laticollis, and the yellow thing is her ovipositor which is used to lay eggs. According to BugGuide: “Eggs are inserted into ground (or under litter) in groups. Larvae tunnel downward to feed on living roots of a variety of trees and shrubs. At first they may feed on bark, but then proceed to hollow out small roots.”
Broad Necked Root Borer
Color Variation in Female Blue Dashers
Location: Ottawa Wetlands, N. Ohio
June 28, 2011 9:48 am
Dear Bugman:
Thought you might be able to use these Blue Dasher close-ups, which show color variation in the females.
While visiting the Ottawa wetlands in N.Ohio, I recently took many photos of Blue Dasher dragonflies. This species was very cooperative & calm and did not fly away the moment I approached; great photo subjects.
I noticed that while many females had the typical brown and yellow patterned abdomen, others had abdomens that were blue…like the males. At first I thought I was mistaken in the ID of the blue tailed Blue Dasher females. Just this morning, I read in an article online, that older females will take on a blue color as they age. Never knew this before, and that info. solved the mystery of why these females came in two color varieties. Anyway, just thought I’d share my latest ”discovery” with your wonderful and informative site.
Signature: Christine
Blue Dasher
Dear Christine,
Your photos are positively gorgeous, as are the Dragonflies you have photographed. We have a very difficult time identifying Dragonflies, and we are very appreciative that you took the initiative to identify your Blue Dashers.
Blue Dasher
Found in Atlanta
Location: American southeast, Atlanta Georgia
June 27, 2011 4:18 pm
Hi Bugman!
I found this beetle near Coca-Cola enterprise’s headquarters in Atlanta, and I have never seen such a bug! It has huge pincers, that come out from either side of its head, running parallel to the ground.
Signature: Thanks!!
Giant Stag Beetle
This is now the third photo of a dead Giant Stag Beetle we have received this year and we only received one submission of a living individual. We hate those odds. Your letter did not indicate if this beetle was alive when you found it. It is a magnificent creature and we can only hope it died of old age.
Giant Stag Beetle
1
what a strange bug!
Location: Brunswick, NY
June 27, 2011 5:47 pm
I was walking up the driveway at my fiance’s house in Brunswick, NY and I saw this strange bug walking up the pavement. I went to take a picture of the bug as he was walking away from me and he actually stopped, turned around and posed! I’ve never seen anything like it before…can you identify it?!?!
Signature: intrigued in brunswick
False Potato Beetle
Dear intrigued in brunswick,
This False Potato Beetle, Leptinotarsa juncta, is easily confused with the closely related Colorado Potato Beetle. According to BugGuide: “Similar to Colorado Potato Beetle (1), but elytral punctures are regular instead of irregular. Also, a brown stripe at the center of each elytron (wing cover) and on the inner edge of each elytron (where they meet down the middle) distinguish this species.”
Hello There
Location: Mediterranean border of France and Spane
June 27, 2011 9:52 pm
This bug was found on a road near the mediterranean border of Spain and France.
I’d be much pleased if you could identify it for me. Thank you!
Signature: Norman
Shieldback Katydid
Hi Norman,
This is a female (as evidenced by the swordlike ovipositor) Shieldback Katydid. Your photo is quite blurry, but we hope Katydid expert Piotr Naskrecki of Harvard is able to assist in a species identification.
Piotr Naskrecki provides some information
Hi Daniel,
I cannot ID the species, but this is almost certainly the genus Ephippiger.
Cheers,
Piotr
Unknown Korean insect
Location: Seoul, Korea
June 27, 2011 9:13 pm
These insects became a huge infestation about 4 years ago in Seoul. Since then they have had a large yearly population in the city. They became bright red as they mature and then also grown wings. As juveniles, they are wingless, but able to jump hundreds of times their body length.
Signature: DaveT383
White Cicada Nymph
Hi DaveT383,
This immature Fulgorid Planthopper goes by the deceptive common name of White Cicada. It is native to China, but in recent years it has invaded Korea where it has become established. Here is an early What’s That Bug? posting that has some informative links.
White Cicada Nymph
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