Big red bugs crawl out of tiny blue/black bugs!
Location: Douglas, southeast Arizona
September 23, 2011 2:12 pm
Howdy, I’ve gotten lots of rolling eyes, and shouts of ”that’s impossible!” when I try to tell people about these bugs. Long story short: maybe 2 years ago, I was taking photos of this group of tiny, shiny-bodied blue/black bugs that had been crawling on my fence. I noticed they were slowing down and eventually came to a stop, in different places. Next thing I knew, this red head and body starting coming out of the body of one of the tiny bug!! Could not believe what I was seeing! The size difference, and the fact that the tiny bugs were mobile just a few minutes earlier, creeped me out. So, of course, I got off a few shots…have absolutely no idea why I didn’t take more. I know a couple came out blurry.
I’ve seen these tiny bugs this year in my garden, but they disappeared before I could collect some to see if they would pull an ”Alien” for me and my camera this time:)
I didn’t know what size the pics should be…they were sent in jpeg; let me know if that needs changing. I hope this is a really rare, but known, sight so I can know I was truly seeing what I thought I was seeing. Thanks! Love your site!
Signature: Lori – Arizona
Bordered Plant Bug Nymphs
Hi Lori,
What you witnessed is amazing, but not at all unusual or rare. You witnessed insect metamorphosis. We believe the blue-black bugs are immature Bordered Plant Bugs in the genus Largus, a conclusion we reached upon comparing your photo to this image on BugGuide. Often when a true bug molts, the newly emerged insect is a reddish color, but that will soon darken as the exoskeleton hardens.
Molting Bordered Plant Bug
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Bug I have never seen before
Location: Ohio
September 24, 2011 4:06 pm
I first found this bug last night when I got some bedding out of my daughter’s closet. Only saw one, but then I saw two more this afternoon in a laundry basket in the basement. Any idea what this is?
Signature: Megan
Bed Bug, Carpet Beetle Larva or other???
Hi Megan,
There is not enough detail in your photo for us to say with any certainty what the identity of your insect might be, but two possibilities are a Bed Bug or a Carpet Beetle Larva. A better photograph would help.
I know for a fact that it isn’t a bed bug. Have too much experience with those so I know exactly what those look like! I looked up carpet beetle larva and found this picture (attached). It looks like the bug on the left. Now to research these things and find out more about them. Thank you!
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Creepy Bug, Spider, Tick, Ant?
Location: Bethesda, MD
September 24, 2011 2:52 pm
Dear Bugman,
First of all, my fiancee makes fun of me for loving your website…silly him, when he sees what you can do!
We just bought a house in Maryland, and have been finding these bugs on our walls every few days. They are tiny, fast, and look like they would bite (humans, pets, plants?) I love bugs and took an entomology class in college, but am totally stumped. I can’t tell if it has 8 legs or if the front pair is something other than legs. I tried flushing one down the toilet and when I dumped it in, it was suddenly hanging from a string…so it seems probable that it is a spider (does that violate WTB rules?). I’m hoping you can help…
Signature: I love *most* bugs, but not this one!
Jumping Spider
Dear Ilmb,bnto,
This is some species of Jumping Spider, but there is not enough detail for us to discern with certainty the species. There are several possibilities in the subfamily Dendryphantinae that look similar based on photos posted to BugGuide. Jumping Spider are not harmful to humans. While we cannot force you to love things, we can encourage you to be more tolerant with these magnificent hunter that will keep flies and other unwanted insects from your house.
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Sceliphron caementarium in LA County – part 2
Location: E Los Angeles County
September 23, 2011 10:49 am
I sent pictures of the black and yellow mud dauber recently, and then discovered the mud daubed nest – mud huts? – for the larvae – at least I think so since these were on the inside of my garage door and the wasp was captured in my house. Now the connection is clear. I have never seen this carefully constructed wasp nest before so thought this might be a nice addition for identifying this wasp being in the vicinity. The nest was too high for me to put a comparison measure in the picture, but the tubes are about 1.5-2 inches in length and about 1/3-1/5 inch in diameter. The tubes are sealed in these pictures. About a week later, the doors were clearly open and tubes empty. When my gardener removed them, he broke open the mud and they were nearly hollow with only one dessimated carcass of a spider at the very end of one tube. Fascinating!
Signature: Fascinated in California
Mud Dauber Nest
Dear Fascinated in California,
Thank you for providing us with the image of the Mud Dauber Nest to accompany your previous posting of the adult wasp.
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mass of larvae
Location: suburbs of New York City
September 23, 2011 10:04 am
Hi,
What are these? Photo attached
Thanks
Signature: Jane
Fungus Gnat Larvae aggregation
Hi Jane,
You have an aggregation of Fungus Gnat Larvae. According to BugGuide, they migrate when there is a population explosion.
Fungus Gnat Larvae
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¶ Posted 24 September 2011 § Gnats ‡ ° moth
Location: colorado springs colorado
September 24, 2011 12:00 pm
i have to do a project with bugs and im having a hard time figuring out these bugs.
Signature: gigi mcoy
Girls Bug a Preying Mantis
Dear gigi,
Even though they might be bothering this Preying Mantis, it isn’t nice to call girls “bugs”.
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What’s this caterpiller?
Location: Ft. Smith, AR
September 23, 2011 5:43 pm
Found him on our outdoor carpet in a campground near Ft. Smith, AR.
Signature: sally01
Spicebush Swallowtail Caterpillar
Hi sally01,
This distinctive caterpillar with metamorphose into a Spicebush Swallowtail.
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Two Questions
Location: Long Beach
September 23, 2011 4:06 pm
Dear Daniel,
I love bugs and love this site so much. I find myself lost in the archives of such fascinating images and information often. I write for a collaborative blog called A COLLECTION OF (www.collectionof.org) I am going to be posting about an orb weaver (attached) and wondered if might be interested in doing an interview with us. (if you are I can send you the questions) We would be so thrilled to have you on the blog! Either way – if you can help in identifying this spider that would be great! I hope to be posting soon in conjunction with the spider pavilion exhibition.
Signature: All the best, Stefani
Western Spotted Orbweaver
Hi Stefani,
We sometimes have difficulty identifying the many different species of Orbweavers, but we believe this is the Western Spotted Orbweaver, Neoscona oaxacensis, which Charles Hogue, in Insects of the Los Angeles Basin, wrote is “our most common orbweaver; in late summer and fall, its moderate=sized webs adorn gardens everywhere in the basin.” Thanks for your compliment. Send your questions our way and we will try our best to answer them.
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