moth
Location: NZ Taupo bush
October 18, 2011 1:56 pm
Hi Bugman,
I am in NZ and have never seen a moth this size before. I was Hunting out of taupo when this moth decided to land on the back of my neck. I thought the world was about to end….can you tell me what sort of moth it is?
Signature: stevo
Puriri Moth
Hi Stevo,
This is one of the Puriri Moths in the Ghost Moth family Hepialidae. You can compare your individual to this image on New Zealand Tramper. The Insects and Spiders of New Zealand website profiles the species Aenetus virescens and indicates that “is the largest moth in Aotearoa / New Zealand, and is found only on Te Ika a Māui / North Island.” There seems to be much variation in the coloration of Puriri Moths posted online, and we are not exactly certain if there are different species or just variation within a single species. The Insects and Spiders of New Zealand website also provides this information: “relatives live in Australia, New Caledonia, and Papua New Guinea; caterpillars start life living in a bracket fungus; older caterpillars make a refuge tunnel in the trunk of a large tree; caterpillars feed on the wound tissue of the tree around the tunnel entrance, which is concealed by a silken ‘tent’; pupation occurs in the tunnel; adult moths do not feed, and live only for a few days; moths are active at night.”
Creepy Bug
Location: Naples, FL
October 21, 2011 2:05 pm
We don’t know what this bug is and its freaking everyone out. Help us solve this mystery
Signature: Panicked
Conehead Katydid
Dear Panicked,
You had an encounter with one of the Conehead Katydids, and we believe this is one of members of the genus Belocephalus, based on photos posted to Bugguide. They are “Usually associated with small palms, including saw and cabbage palmettos” and “Has been observed eating palm fronds” according to Bugguide.
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What kind of moth is this?? VERY PRETTY!
Location: Ramona, CA
October 21, 2011 4:10 pm
This moth got into my house a few nights ago(10/17/2011) in Ramona, CA. I came inside and found it on my lamp shade. Took a picture and let him go. Could you tell me what it is? I’ve been looking for something like it online and haven’t had any luck. It’s a very beautiful creature!
Thanks!
Signature: ~Mrs. D
Painted Tiger Moth
Dear Mrs. D,
Your moth is Arachnis picta, commonly called a Painted Tiger Moth.
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Black butterfly with red necklace and stoplights
Location: Tampico, Tamaulipas, México
October 21, 2011 2:02 pm
Hi!
I recently took this outside of a classroom. This fellow (about 4 inches wingspan) was quietly showing off its colors. What struck me is that it looks like the x-ray of a butterly because of the iridiscent strays on the wings and body. I’ll bet this guy is very popular under an ultraviolet light. Any clue to this dark flier’s identity?
Signature: Rexnatus
Guava Skipper
Dear Rexnatus,
Before even beginning any research, we realized this was a Skipper, a group of butterflies in the family Hesperiidae that are typically classified as the link between butterflies and moths. Skippers are characterized by very rapid flight. Most North American species are small and drably colored, but often with metallic markings. Tropical Skippers are larger and more colorful. Our first attempt at identification quickly led us to a photo taken by Nelson Dobbs identified as the Red Collared Firetip, Elbella patarobasi. Searching that genus name, we then found the Red Collared Firetip identified as Elbella scylla on the Neotropical Butterflies website. Thumbnails of the entire Pyrrhopyginae subfamily, called Firetips probably because of the red tipped abdomen so many of them sport, led us to the closest match yet, the Pionia Firetip, Amenis pionia, and the specimen in the photograph was from Brazil. While we still do not believe we have a species identification, here is what we believe we have identified. We believe your Skipper is in the Firetip subfamily Pyrrhopyginae, and that is might be in the genus Amenis. We cannot say for certain if your species lacks the fiery tip on the abdomen, or if it is hidden by the wings, or if only males or only females sport the red abdominal Firetip.
Ed. Note: Neotropical Butterflies is our new favorite website.
Guava Skipper
Correction courtesy of Karl
Re: Firetip Skipper from Mexico – October 21, 2011
Hi Daniel:
In most respects it does look like a Firetip Skipper, but I believe this is actually a Guava Skipper (Phocides polybius [=palemon]), a remarkably similar Spread-winged Skipper (family Pyrginae). Here it is on the Neotropical Butterflies site and on Butterflies of America. It ranges from Southern Texas to Argentina.. Regards. Karl
Thanks so much for making this correction Karl.
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Beetles on oranges?
Location: North Cyprus
October 20, 2011 3:04 pm
I am trying to identify this to see if it is harmful to the oranges and other citrus trees around.
Signature: Richard
African Painted Bugs, we believe
Hi Richard,
We hope we are wrong on this identification. These sure look to us like African Painted Bugs, Bagrada hilaris, a tiny Stink Bug that was first reported in Southern California a few years ago. It is spreading fast. It is typically found in association with crops in the cabbage family. We tried a web search for citrus and found photos of an lemon tree infested with African Painted Bugs on an Arizona Education Extension website. We predicted several years ago that the African Painted Bug could become the most serious new agricultural pest in Southern California. Perhaps the African Painted Bug has also been accidentally introduced to Cyprus.
Thank you so much for your reply Daniel, I shall let you know what happens, I may need to report this to the Ministry of Agriculture here.
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Rain spider rescue
Location: Northern suburbs, Gauteng, South Africa
October 21, 2011 5:31 am
Hi WTB
We were helping clean out a house this weekend when someone spotted this beautiful lady… luckily I was able to rescue her and her nest before she was hurt.
From what I can tell, she’s a huntsman spider (called rain spiders here in South Africa), species Palystes Castaneus – would like to know if I’m right though?
Signature: Twistedlizzard
Rain Spider
Hi Twistedlizzard,
We agree that this is a Huntsman Spider, and though we were not familiar with the Rain Spider, Palystes castaneus, our research led us to the Biodiversity Explorerwebsite which tends to indicate you identification is correct. We also are amused with the common name of Lizard Eating Spider for this species. The website states: “These spiders were previously listed as potentially dangerous. After tests where they were induced into biting guinea-pigs it was established that although the guinea-pigs had died within 3 minutes, it had been from shock and not the effects of any venom. For humans, the venom is in fact no worse than a bee sting although the spider’s aggressive display, with its 2 front pairs of banded legs raised in warning, is enough to shrink the stoutest of hearts. They occur usually in vegetation but sometimes occur in the home.”
Rain Spider
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National Moth Week
Posted October 20, 2011
National Moth Week
National Moth Week (www.nationalmothweek.org) is a celebration of moths and biodiversity. It is being held July 23-29, 2012.
Why moths? With more than 10,000 species in North America alone, moths offer endless options for study, education, photography and fun. Moths can be found everywhere from inner cities, to suburban backyards and the most wild and remote places. The diversity of moths is simply astounding. Their colors and patterns are often dazzling or so cryptic that they define camoflauge. Shapes and sizes span the gamut with some as small as a pinhead and others as large as a hand. Most moths are nocturnal creatures of the night, and need to be sought to see – others fly like butterflies during the day. Finding moths is easy and can be as simple as leaving a porch light on and checking it after dark. Serious moth aficionados use special lights and baits to attract them. Moths are also featured widely in literature and art providing a different angle for enjoyment and study. Moth Nights are often held by nature groups and allow an easy opportunity for an introduction or for more serious pursuits. National Moth Week brings together everyone interested in moths to celebrate these amazing insects. It is hoped that groups and individuals from all the across the country will spend some time during National Moth Week looking for moths and sharing what they’ve found. During National Moth Week attend a Moth Night event, start one, get some friends and neighbors together and check the porch lights from time to time, set up a light and see what is in your own backyard, read literature about moths. But no matter what, participate; the richness of moths is sure to fascinate. National Moth Week: Exploring Nighttime Nature.
Unknown Borer Beetle
Location: Rocky Mountain House, AB, Canada
October 20, 2011 12:24 am
I saw this beetle at the front entrance to the Visitor Center at Rocky Mountain House National Park in Alberta in June. I took the picture and went inside and asked if anybody could tell me what it was. One person walked outside and said it was a June Bug and to be careful as it may bite, then stomped on it. It doesn’t look like a June Bug as I remember growing up in Colorado. It has very much the shape of a Banded Alder Borer. Maybe 40 mm including antenna. Also, if you look closely around the thorax, does it have an infestation of lice?
At the Canadian border this week, I picked a brochure titled ”DON’T MOVE FIREWOOD”. Prominently displayed on the front of the brochure is, I think, a picture of this beetle, implying that it is some kind of invasive species, but it doesn’t identify it. What is it?
Signature: R. Reed
White Spotted Sawyer with Phoretic Mites
Dear R. Reed,
Your beetle is one of the native Longhorned Borers, specifically Monochamus scutellatus, the White Spotted Sawyer which is named for the white scutellum, the triangular shaped marking at the base of the elytra or wing covers. According to BugGuide, other common names include Longicorne noir in French speaking Canada and the intriguing names Oil Sands Beetle and Tar Sands Beetle. Here is the BugGuide explanation for those names: “The local (to Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada) common names of Oil Sands Beetle and Tar Sands Beetle are due to the attraction of this insect to oil sands. Apparently the attraction is the scent of bitumen, chemically similar to compounds released by the diseased or damaged coniferous trees where they are attracted to lay their eggs.”
The infestation you mentioned are actually Mites, and we were at first uncertain if they were parasitic Mites or opportunistic Mites using the beetle for transportation purposes, a phenomenon known as phoresy. We found a photo on BugGuide of a White Spotted Sawyer with Mites, but no explanation. Additional research led us to an online article on the Canadian Entomologist website with the lengthy title: “REVIEW OF MITES OF THE GENUS MUCROSEIUS (ACARI: MESOSTIGMATA: ASCIDAE) ASSOCIATED WITH SAWYER BEETLES (CERAMBYCIDAE: MONOCHAMUS AND MECYNIPPUS) AND PINE WOOD NEMATODES [APHELENCHOIDIDAE: BURSAPHELENCHUS XYLOPHILUS (STEINER AND BUHRER) NICKLE], WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF SIX NEW SPECIES FROM JAPAN AND NORTH AMERICA, AND NOTES ON THEIR PREVIOUS MISIDENTIFICATION.” The article begins: “Six new species of Mucroseius having adult females phoretic on adult sawyer beetles of the genus Monochamus are described,” and that was sufficient to indicate that these mites are interested in the beetles for transportation purposes, though we are curious as to the intricacies of the relationship between these organisms. Alas, we have no time to delve deeper.
We are somewhat troubled by your experience at the Visitor Center at Rocky Mountain House National Park in Alberta in June. We can’t help but to wonder if the person who misidentified this Sawyer, mistaking it for a June Bug and promptly stomping on it was a park employee. That does not seem like appropriate behavior for a national park employee at a visitor center. We suspect it was more likely another tourist. The brochure on firewood is noteworthy. Even native species can have their range expanded through human actions.
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