Monster Beetle
Location: Western Pennsylvania
July 25, 2011 1:32 pm
I found this poor drownd beetle floatig in my swimming pool yesterday and I really want to know what it is because I have never seen anything like it before. It is huge, as you can see compared to the size of the fly. I have tried searching the internet, but couldnt find very much. Please note that I did not kill this bug. I was, in fact, trying to save its little life but it was dead when I found it.
Sorry 
Signature: LadyStardust
Male Broad Necked Root Borer
Dear LadyStardust,
We cannot get the picture out of our minds of you attempting CPR on this unfortunate male Broad Necked Root Borer, our Bug of the Month for July. The antennae of the male are much more developed than those of the female. The backyard swimming pool is one of the most deadly traps for insects and other arthropods, and you need not fear this posting getting tagged as Unnecessary Carnage. We understand that it was accidental drowning. It appears as though the Fly might be a Blow Fly in the genus Lucilia, which included the Green Bottle Fly (see BugGuide). Blow Flies are Stage One Colonizers of decomposing corpses in the increasingly popular field of forensic entomology thanks to all of the CSI style television shows (though Crossing Jordan may have set the stage for the field with “Bug” Ravi Kapoor) and high profile murder trials like that of Casey Anthony.
2
Big Beetle
Location: Clinton, Beaver County, Western PA
July 25, 2011 8:45 pm
I was driving home from my Mum’s place on the 4th of July and saw what I thought was a mouse or mole or even bat crossing the road ahead of me. I drove over/above them slowly and carefully, then stopped, parked and put on my flashers to go get a better look. What I found was a GIANT BUG! I’d never seen a beetle so big before!
Now, I love bugs, so I was too excited for words! I ran back to my car and got my phone and got the two photos below.
I posted these on Tumblr earlier this month and my bug friends there say I found a broad-necked root borer.
I’m mainly sharing these pictures here because I’ve read so many sad stories on your Unnecessary Carnage page that I wanted to give you a happy story to post.
Sorry for the not-too-great quality of my pictures.
Signature: Toby Oaden
Broad Necked Root Borer
Hi Toby,
Thanks so much for thinking to send in your photo of a Broad Necked Root Borer, our Bug of the Month, and also you kind gesture to give us a happy story to post.
Flat Black Beetle and friends
Location: North East Illinois -Chicago area
July 25, 2011 6:13 pm
Hi Mr. Bugman,
I found this lovely little creature and some of his friends taking a nap with my 5 year old today. I was wondering if you could tell me what type of beetle he is and if I should have any concerns of infestation or disease. If you look at the picture closely you will see tiny little bugs (the size of a grain of sugar), one on the beetle’s back and one in the background. Are these babies or another type of bug? Upon initial examination of the beetle there were 6 or so of these little guys crawling on him. Any information or insight to what these are would be much appreciated. Thank you in advance!
Signature: concerned mom
Clown Beetle and Mite
Dear Concerned Mom,
We identified you beetle as a Clown Beetle in the genus Hololepta on BugGuide which indicates they are found “under bark of decaying hardwoods,” and “Adults and larvae eat other insects.“ We don’t think you have to worry about your five year old, but the real mystery is how a beetle that is found in rotting wood found its way into the nursery along with some of his friends. This image from Bugguide shows mites in association with the Clown Beetle, and the commentary indicates that Mites are frequently found with Clown Beetles. BugGuide indicates that two species are found in the Northeast, and here is the description for differentiating between the two: “In the northeastern U.S., and in Ontario and Quebec, the two species are H. lucida and H. aequalis. H. lucida has a long striation along the edge of each elytra. In H. aequalis this striation is abortive, starting at the base but extending only 1/4 the length of the elytra or less.“
Clown Beetle
Thank you so much for the response and your time! I appreciate the information.
Mating Wasps
Location: Royal Oak, Michigan
July 25, 2011 6:19 pm
Dear Bugman,
Over the past couple of weeks (beginning mid-July) this guy has been seen flying around the yard and never let me approach closely enough for a photo. Until he became preoccupied… It becomes startled easily, but sits for long periods of time on the mulch in my garden, rarely landing on the plants. It’s about 1.5” long. It resembles some of the spider wasps or wood wasps, but I was a little overwhelmed trying to identify it myself. Thanks!
Signature: DaleShannon
Mating Mydas Flies
Hi Dale,
These mating Mydas Flies, Mydas clavatus, are excellent wasp mimics. You may read more about them on bugguide, where it is indicated: “Mating system in this species unknown. Different Mydas species apparently have different mating systems, including resource-defense polygyny and ‘hilltopping’.“ BugGuide does have at least one image of a mating pair.
Mydas Fly
WTB
Location: Israel
July 25, 2011 2:48 am
Hi,
Can you please tell what is this bug?
Signature: Ziv Peled
Mango Stem Borer
Hi Ziv,
This is not the first report we have received of a Mango Stem Borer, Batocera rufomaculata, that we have received from Israel. Here is a posting from 2009. The Mango Stem Borer is also known as the Fig Borer in Israel, and here is some information from the cabdirect website: “The fig borer, Batocera rufomaculata, was introduced into Israel, probably from Sri-Lanka, in the early 1950s. Within ten years much of the fig (Ficus carica) plantations had been destroyed by the borer. However, between the early 1960s and the 1980s the borer vanished completely from the scene. It reappeared in the early 1990s. Most reports on its occurrence date from 1997-98. At present, the borer is causing serious damage to fig plantations in the low areas of the north and central areas of Israel.“
Location: Applewood, Golden, Colorado
July 25, 2011
Daniel,
Thank you so much for the speedy reply. It really made Hannah’s day!
Here is the drawing that she made to save for her bug journal.
We catch, study and release a lot of Swallow Tail Butterflies in our back yard too (see second pic). Is there a similar trick to determining the sex of that species?
Thanks again,
Charley
Two Tailed Swallowtail
Hi again Charley and Hannah,
This is a male Two Tailed Swallowtail, Papilio multicaudata. According to bugGuide: “Upper surface of male forewing with narrow black stripes. Each hindwing has 2 tails.(1) If abdomen is visible, male claspers are obvious as a yellow segment at the tip, beyond the black stripe. Females often have broader black stripes, and more blue on the upperside.“ The narrower stripes and limited blue indicate that this is a male.
upstate ny, came out of dead rabbit
Location: Greene County, NY
July 24, 2011 4:44 pm
Have no clue.. it is alive and crawls around.. found it while cleaning a dead rabbit can you help
Signature: FoX83
Bot Fly Larva
Hi FoX83,
This is the larva of a Rodent Bot Fly in the genus Cuterebra. The larvae are endoparasites found on certain mammals. The Bot Fly larva forms a warble, generally on the neck of the infested host, and though they look quite nasty, they are alleged to not harm the host.
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