Hanging Thief Robberfly with Prey
Location: Cheney Kansas
September 23, 2011 4:09 pm
I’ve been trying to get a photo of this bug for about three weeks…It is normally very evasive and won’t land anywhere near my camera.
Today it landed in front of me and let me get a photo of it.
A few minutes later it caught a bee and hung from a small redbud tree ,not only letting me take photos but also touching it get a better pic.
From looking at a Bug site it appears to be a Hanging Thief Robberfly.
Signature: Chris Harris
Hanging Thief and Prey
Hi Chris,
Thanks so much for sending us your wonderful photos of a Hanging Thief with its prey. Though it is a member of the genus Diogmites, we are uncertain of the species.
Hanging Thief
1
mystery insect
Location: South of Ireland
September 23, 2011 7:16 pm
Could you please identify the insect in the attaced photo. There are many of them in a river near my home in Ireland.
Signature: David
Water Striders
Hi David,
Water Striders are such common insects on ponds, lakes, streams and slow moving rivers, that we cannot understand why they are so underrepresented on our site. Because the spread of their legs distributes their weight evenly across a greater surface area, Water Striders are able to skate across the water without breaking the surface. Water Striders feed on small insects that fall onto the water’s surface. One group of ocean dwelling Water Striders contains the only true pelagic insects that are found far out to sea on the open ocean.
Two differnt butterflies
Location: eastern, canada
September 24, 2011 8:26 am
There is two different type of butterflies and I don’t know what is type is.
Signature: M.o
Underwing
Dear M.o,
You have mistaken an Underwing Moth in the genus Catocala for a butterfly. Underwing Moths usually have forewings that are patterned like tree bark. When the Underwing Moth rests on the trunk of a tree, it is perfectly camouflaged, and when it flies, its brightly colored underwings present a flashy appearance. A predator will be fooled once a flying moth comes to rest hiding the brightly colored underwings. Your other butterfly is a Red Admiral.
1
Here’s a Mexican Robber Fly for your files
Location: Douglas, southeast Arizona
September 23, 2011 2:44 pm
Howdy…finally got this insect identified from your website. We live 8-9 miles from the Mexican border and have these visitors quite often. Surprised that just a couple years ago they were rare in the US. They’ve all been camping out here:) Used to confuse them with the Tarantula Hawk, but not anymore! They hang out around our many Jujube (Fig) Trees in the spring and summer. Don’t bother with us at all.
Signature: Lori – Arizona
Robber Fly
Dear Lori,
Archilestris magnificus is such a gorgeous Robber Fly. On the rare occasions we receive photos of them, we immediately post them. When we first posted a photo in 2007, it created quite a stir.
this creature on my lime tree
Location: india
September 23, 2011 2:55 am
Have found a few of these on my lime tree and i am told they chew up all the leaves. but since i dont know their name, i am unable to address the problem.
please help
Signature: Sukhie
Lime Butterfly Caterpillar
Dear Sukhie,
This is the caterpillar of a Swallowtail Butterfly, and unless the tree is totally defoliated, which we doubt will happen, the loss of a few leaves to feed this caterpillar is a small sacrifice to be able to enjoy the lovely adults flitting around the garden. The red structure is a defense organ known as an osmetrium, and in addition to resembling the tongue of a snake, the caterpillar is able to give off a strong scent that dissuades predators. We did a bit of research and we have learned that your caterpillar is Papilio demoleus malayanus, and it is commonly called the Lime Butterfly. We searched the internet and found many photos of the caterpillar, but your photo is probably one of the best. We are proud to include it on our website. You can see the entire life cycle of this lovely species on the Butterflies of Singapore website.
Thank you for your prompt reply, have plenty other pictures of this caterpillar as well. Have removed the from my young trees and placed them elsewhere. Love them butterflies.
regards
Sukhie
Make sure you place them on lime or other citrus if you want them to survive.
Correction Courtesy of Keith Wolfe
Hello Daniel and Sukhie,
Knowing that your time to do Internet searches is very limited, Daniel, please allow me to correct the caterpillar ID to that of the COMMON MORMON (Papilio polytes). I’ve seen hundreds of Lime Butterfly and Common Mormon larvae all across Asia, the two being easily separable by a coffee-colored band between the “eyes” (Lime Butterfly) and prominent blue spots on the head and body (Common Mormon). FYI on a simple comparative Word doc that I posted several years ago on an Indian forum — http://groups.google.com/group/butterfly_india/msg/405238f507d08e91.
Best wishes,
Keith
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Bee Killing Robber Fly
Location: San Antonio TX
September 22, 2011 7:59 pm
I saw this tonight on a Live Oak in San Antonio. A friend of mine already identified it as a Bee Killing Robber Fly, but I wondered, based on your August blog, what genus it is?
I had never seen one before, and it was pretty big – at least one inch in length. It has iridescent blue wings that extend past the abdomen.
Signature: Regards, Curious Cori
Belzebul Bee Eater
Dear Curious Cori,
Your Robber Fly is known by the diabolical common name Belzebul Bee Eater, though Black Bee Killer is another common name for Mallophora leschenaulti according to BugGuide.
1
Danger???
Location: 25km N/W Toronto, Ont., Canada
September 22, 2011 2:12 pm
I think maybe Mosquitoes are a little more advanced than we think and have developed a prototype of the ultimate Mosquito warrior in preparation for a D-Day attack on us helpless humans!!!
The strips on the tarp are 1/8th inch so this thing is just less than 1 inch long and stands about as tall. That’s likely about 100 times the size of your everyday non warrior killing machine mosquito.
Seen on a hiking trail Aug 13/2011, about 25km north/west of Toronto, Ontario. There have been no known attacks yet. Get ready….!!!
Signature: Dan
Scaly Bee Fly
Hi Dan,
While it might look like a mosquito on steroids, looks can often be deceptive in the insect world, and this Scaly Bee Fly, Lepidophora lepidocera, is perfectly harmless. According to BugGuide: “Adults are seen on flowers, presumably taking nectar. Insects of Cedar Creek reports they like to visit a Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum). Another reference from Minnesota lists Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) as a nectar source. Seen on goldenrod (Solidago spp.) and Bushy Aster (Symphyotrichum dumosum) in the Piedmont of North Carolina” BugGuide also notes: “Larvae of Lepidophora are parasites of solitary wasps (Vespidae and Sphecidae).”
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Rarest looking bug I’ve seen
Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
September 23, 2011 12:18 am
PLEASE help me identify this crazy looking bug. I have asked a lot of people and noone has ever seen it before we would all like to know what it is.
Signature: Britt
Trio of Wheel Bugs Mating
Hi Britt,
We aren’t sure if one or both of the male Wheel Bugswill seal the deal with this female, and we don’t believe trios are the norm for mating activity.
Three Wheel Bugs Mate
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