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Mating Blister Beetles: Genus Lytta
(07/26/2007) Mating black blister beetles
Great website you have there - here's a contribution to your
bug love page: these lovely insects swarmed a bush in my back
yard in New Maryland, N.B. and proceeded to gorge on the blossoms
and have a huge orgy at the same time. The proceedings
went on for about 24 hours, after which all the blossoms were
gone and everyone went away satisfied! Good thing I
didn't handle any of them as I did not know what they were
at the time! Kathy Power
Hi Kathy,
Your wonderful photograph depicts Blister Beetles in the genus
Lytta, as evidenced by the bead-like antennae, but we are
not certain of the species. Perhaps Eric Eaton can provide
the exact species.
American Carrion Beetle
(07/25/2007) Black & Yellow beetle
Hello,
I discovered a dead mouse yesterday, the Bot flies were all
around it. Today this beetle was all around the dead
mouse. I live in Southwest Wisconsin. I am unable
to find any info on this beetle. Thank you,
Cindy Schriber
Hi Cindy,
Both the adult American Carrion Beetles and the larvae feed
on carrion and the maggots that are attracted to the carrion.
Borer
Beetle: Neoclytus mucronatus
(07/24/2007) Walking cricket wasp????
We found this bug in the Dallas, TX area on July 20, 2007
in the evening just before dusk. It was in the bed of
our pickup so it must be able to fly. We tried finding
pictures and using the guided identification links on the
web, but can't find anything. We left it in a bottle
overnight and were surprised to find it fine in the morning.
It has a hard exoskeleton, the markings of a wasp, and
the legs of a cricket. The black covering on the back
appears to be a set of wings, but we couldn't tell. It
did not act aggressive or defensive. We let it go after
we took the pictures, and it crawled away with the same movements
of a walking cricket. So what do you think? By
the way, we love your web site and use it for scouts and for
my 7 year old son, who claims to have a goal of moving to
Costa Rica and becoming an entomologist. Thanks,
Eddie Schutter
Dallas , TX
Hi Eddie,
This is a wasp mimic Borer Beetle in either the genus Clytus
or Neoclytus.
We are inclined to favor Clytus, but we will seek additional
assistance from Eric Eaton to try to get a proper identification.
Here is Eric's response: "Daniel: The beetle is a Neoclytus,
probably N. mucronatus, as those spines on the tip of the
hind tibia are, I think, peculiar to that species. I have
seen them swarming over branches broken off trees by storms.
Great job just getting the beetle down to two genera! Eric".
(07/25/2007) Cerambycid
Hi Guys:
The cerambycid from Dallas, TX is Neoclytus mucronatus. It
breeds in various species in the Elm family.
ian
Poplar
Borer
(07/23/2007) longhorn identification
We found this beautiful longhorn on a trip to Huron Lake up
here in Ontario...any clue as to what kind? thank you!
Michelle
Hi Michelle,
We are not quite sure that this is an Oak Sapling Borer, Goes
tesselatus, but that is our best guess at the moment. We found
an image on Cerambycids.com
that looks to match quite well. We will check with Eric Eaton
and we are fully confident he will provide a positive identification.
Correction: (07/24/2007) From Eric Eaton
Hi, Daniel:
The image is NOT of Goes tesselatus, but I can understand
the mistake. This one is in the genus Saperda, and 'may' be
the poplar borer, Saperda
calcarata. I'm not an expert on the genus, though, so
you might want to dig around a little bit more...there is
much individual variation, and aging of specimens causes them
to look 'different' as well.
Eric
Giant Longhorn from Bolivia
(07/23/2007) Can you identify this big?
I came across this bug while on a mission trip to Bolivia,
I cannot for the life of me remember what they called it.
Can you please Identify it? I have attached it to this
email
Laurne
Hi Lauren,
This is a Giant Longhorn Beetle, Macrodontia cervicornis.
We found information on Wikipedia
that states: "Macrodontia cervicornis is the largest and best-known
member of this genus of long-horned beetles, and this species
is sometimes considered the second longest among all beetles,
with known specimens exceeding 17 cm in length. A fair bit
of this length, however, is due to the enormous jaws, from
which it derives both of the names in its binomen; Macrodontia
means 'large tooth', and cervicornis means 'deer antler'.
For that reason, it is generally excluded from consideration
by purists who do not take the jaws, legs , or antennae of
a beetle into account when determining length. This species
is known from the rain forests of Colombia ,Peru ,Bolivia
, the Guianas, and Brazil , but there are an additional seven
described species in the genus, extending the overall range
of the genus from Guatemala to Argentina ."
Update: (07/24/2007) Macrodontia [the grubs]
are a delicacy
Hi Daniel,
Impressive images of that beetle. There's evidence that these
guys were once meals in the Amazonian rain forest; a desirable serving
not only of protein and vitamins but of pleasing and energy-giving
fats. While that still might be true, I have a feeling that
these days someone finding a grub in the jungle would be likelier
to raise it to adulthood and sell it as a specimen than eat
it. Which is kind of sad, really. Best,
Dave
www.slshrimp.com
Rosalia batesi from Japan; NOT Blue Rosalia
(07/22/2007) Blue Beetle with Black Spots
Hi there,
I've been looking for some sort of positive ID for this beetle
I found in my back garden here in Kyoto, Japan. I have seen
ones similar to it last summer, however this is the first
I have seen with distinctive black spots rather than solid
banding. I'm hoping it's not yet another Aldor Wood Borer...hehe!
Anyhow, after looking at the numerous Aldor Borer posts on
your site, I think this is possibly in the same family. Any
help would be great thanks! regards,
Marty
Hi Marty,
We really had fun researching this one. Not only is your specimen
in the same family as the Banded Alder Borer, it is in the
same genus. There is a species in Europe known as the Blue
Rosalia, Rosalia alpina, that is endangered and has been pictured
on several stamps. There was also a Japanese stamp with
Rosalia batesi pictured on the same page, so we continued
to research. Japan
issued its stamp in 1986. We got really excited when we
found the MicroNation
miniature model of Rosalia batesi. We also found a reference
to a article published in 1998 called A
Wooden House Damaged by Rosalia batesi, but we did not
locate a copy of the article that was printed in Japanese.
Six Spotted Tiger Beetle
(07/22/2007) What's this bug?
Yesterday, while walking along the forest road around the
bend from our house in the North Georgia mountains, I saw
the movement of this green fellow running across the road.
I just got my macro lens the day before and I'm not
yet practiced at snapping up close. What can
it be
Frank
Hi Frank,
This little beauty is a Six Spotted Tiger Beetle, both a quick
runner and a quick flier. You took a great photo despite not
having had time to practice with your new lens.
Blister
Beetle
(07/22/2007) bug in baja mexico
Found a couple of these. Suspect they are common but cant
find them in my books. Please enlighten me. Thanks
Lonny
Hi Lonny
This is some species of Blister Beetle from the family Meloidae.
It is not a perfect match to the Iron
Cross Blister Beetle, but it is probably the same genus,
Tegrodera.
Green
June Beetle
(07/21/2007) Seen Flying Low over fields in Northern Indiana
Hi there,
I’ve never noticed these guys in St. Louis or New York,
but near Culver, Indiana and there were many of these flying
around within about 8 feet of the ground. I could only grab
pictures of the ones that landed in a cut lawn area. I believe
they were mostly landing to mate, but that’s just a
guess. Thanks a bunch and what a GREAT website!!!
Christopher Granger
Hi Christopher,
We have gotten many reports of this swarming behavior in the
Green June Beetle, Cotinus nitida. You can find some great
images on BugGuide.
The eggs are laid in dirt with a high organic content and
the larvae feed on the roots of grasses and other plants.
Adults feed on fruit and are fond of peaches. They will also
eat pollen and leaves.
Lesser
Stag Beetle from England
(07/21/2007) Unknown black beetle
Dear Bugman,
Firstly, thanks for your excellent site! It helped me identify
a cockchafer that flew into my lounge a few months ago. Now
I'm hoping you can help me with a little black beetle I recently
found sitting in the middle of my kitchen. I've looked at
all the pictures on your site and can't find anything that
quite matches this guy. I thought he might be either a Bess
beetle or a bark-gnawing beetle, but he doesn't seem to quite
match closely enough. Maybe some kind of scarab? Can you help
please? (By the way, I live in London, England.) Many thanks,
Claire
Hi Claire,
We quickly identified your Lesser Stag Beetle, Dorcus parallelopipedus,
on an English
Nature website. Since they fly and are attracted to lights,
that would probably explain its presence in your kitchen.
Broad
Necked Root Borer
(07/21/2007)
Hi there…
I know the summer is really busy, but I was at a friend’s
farm, and we found this bug on a tree in her yard. If
you touch the white thing protruding from its abdomen, it
pulls it all the way back in. It didn’t seem aggressive,
but then she found another one and when she put them in a
jar together, they fought. Can you please tell me what
kind of bug this is?
Thank you,
Jonel M. Nightingale
Hi Jonel,
This is a female Broad Necked Root Borer, Prionus laticollis.
The ovipositor protruding from the abdomen is used to lay
eggs beneath the bark and the immature grubs feed on the wood.
California
Prionus
(07/21/2007) Big Beetle
This was on my AC unit at about 11pm in Klamath Falls Oregon.
I've never seen anything like it. I'm guessing it's some type
of borer from the huge antenna but if I was sure, I wouldn't
be asking the bugman. Hope you can, hell I know you can, let
me know what this monster is. Thanks
Dave
Hi Dave,
This is a male California Prionus, Prionus californicus. It
is one of the borer beetles in the family Cerambycidae.
Camel
Spider, Scorpion and Borer Beetle handled by Jesse in Iraq
(07/20/2007)
Hi...
 
Heres a few pics of my many legged friends from iraq….your
site rocks…thanks
Jesse Lopez
 |
 |
| scorpion |
Wood
Boring Beetle |
Hi
Jesse,
Thanks for sending us photos of the creatures you are handling
in Iraq. It is nice to see you don't believe the vicious rumors
regarding the Camel Spider or Solpugid. We don't know much
about the Scorpion you are holding, but scorpions are venomous.
Only a few species have potentially lethal venom and most
are like being stung by a wasp or bee. The large beetle is
a Metallic Wood Borer in the family Buprestidae. Stay safe.
Grapevine Beetle with Japanese Beetle for scale
(07/19/2007) unknown HUGE beetle
Hi there -- This beetle is HUGE! I thought it was a toy at
first - about 1 1/2 inches long! In the pool with it was a
couple of tiny beetles - (my children think they are the babies)..
I am sending a pic of one of them too.. I am wondering if
this is a pest beetle or should I put it back outside? It
was floating ina pool that I had just put SHOCK (chemicals)
in the night before - and although it looked dead - about
an hour after bringing it inside it started to move.. It keeps
trying to flip over and i would also like to know if that
means it is dying? I have him in a contained w holes - so
he is stuck w me until i decide wether to stick a pin thru
him, or release him.. I was surprised at how clear the photo
came out - if you guys want to keep the picture for your own
site - thats OK with me!!
Judy C
Hi Judy,
We especially like that you used a Japanese Beetle as a scale
indicator for your Grapevine Beetle, Pelidnota punctata.
Green
June Beetle
(07/19/2007) What kind of beetle is THIS?
I live in Philadelphia, in Center City, on a pier on the Delaware
that is concrete and steel and THIS was outside on the atrium
"floor." Any idea what it is? When it
was taken to the river, it did little but roll over on the
paper and play dead until dropped, then when it "realized"
it was falling toward water, it suddenly found flight! Thanks,
Beth Brennan
Hi Beth,
This is a Green June Beetle, Cotinis nitida.
Mating
Flower Longhorns
(07/19/2007) Unidentified borers mating: Hot hot clear tube
phallus action!
Hello! Your site is a magnificent, entertaining resource.
I spent hours poring through it's offerings. Try as I might,
though, I could not locate a matching picture of my beetles.
The female is about an inch and a quarter long, or 3 1/2 cm.
They generally resemble the borers and longhorns, but I can't
find a lookalike for the markings either on your site or the
internet at large. These were collected in Barton Flats, near
Big Bear Lake in California. They were clinging to a kitchen
windowscreen at night. The altitude was about 7000 feet, and
the cabin was set amongst Ponderosa Pines and Cedar.
I nabbed the suspects in a jar and brought them home.
The next day, I was amused to see that they were gettin' busy.
Life goes on. Note the long, squiggly, clear tube extending
from the male's butt to the female's. They mated for about
half an hour from when I first noticed, and then the male
withdrew, and they had some cuddling and pillow talk for another
half an hour. When my cat accidentally brushed the borers'
container off my desk, the annoyed borers filled the jar with
an undescribably unpleasant odor. Ugh! I had to smell it twice,
because I couldn't believe it was so repugnant. I never smelled
anything quite like it. Consider yourself fortunate that
one cannot yet attach a smell to emails. ... Happy Entymologing!
Amy in Camarillo, CA
Hi Amy,
At the moment, we cannot positively identify your mating beetles,
but we can narrow down the possibilities. These are Mating
Flower Longhorns in the subfamily Lepturinae. BugGuide
has many pages of individual specimens to sort through.
Update: From Eric Eaton
Hi, Daniel:
Spot on with all the latest identifications! Great job! I
am pretty sure that the mating flower longhorns are Ortholeptura
valida, which has no common name.... I have dropped the ball
on the fulgorid, but will pick it up again. Eric
Mr. Eaton, you beat me to the ID. Following your hint, I looked
again at BugGuide, focusing this time on the Flower Longhorns,
and found this
picture of Ortholeptura valida. I spotted it earlier today,
but hadn't gotten around to replying til now. I'm not perfectly
satisfied with the match on the markings, but there's no other
bug closer. Are they rare? I feel bad taking them away from
their home now. I felt ok with it when I thought they were
harmful borers. By the way, I'm sorry that you felt the
second picture was too explicit for some of your more, ahem,
sensitive readers. ; )
Amy
Brown Prionid
(07/18/2007) I know you are busy but please help me!!!!!
Good morning,
Let me first say that I love your site and use it often. You
recently saved the lives of the Golden Digger Wasps
that are busy working in our yard. Now our two year old can
play right next to there holes and we really don't worry all
that much. You have been very helpful to us and the little
critters that live with us. This morning though, I have become
VERY uptight about somebody that was sitting in an empty wineglass
on my counter. Please tell me this is NOT a roach, cause if
it is, I am abandoning my home immediately. He is huge, and
quite quiet, not at all what I would imagine a roach would
behave like.Can you ease my fears, please... Thanks so much,
Carla in Connecticut
Fear Not Carla,
This is not a roach. It is a Brown Prionid, Orthosoma brunneum.
The larvae are wood borers and are usually found in poles
and wood that is in contact with wet ground. We are also happy
to hear your Golden Digger Wasps are alive and well.
Metallic Wood Boring Beetle from Guatemala
(07/17/2007) Love your site!!!!!
I met this beetle in the western highland of Guatemala. Can
you tell me anything about him/her?
Deborah Fraize
Hi Deborah,
This is a Metallic Wood Boring Beetle in the family Buprestidae,
but we don't currently have the time to research the exact
species. Perhaps one of our enthusiastic readers can give
us something more exact.
Leaf Beetle: Calligrapha serpentina
(07/17/2007) pretty beetle
This little guy is one of the most beautiful bugs I have ever
seen. We found him on the 4th of July and thought he
matched quite well with the occasion. He posed for some
pictures and then we took him outside and he flew off into
the night. Any idea what kind of beetle it is? Thanks,
Suzanne
Hi Suzanne,
This is a Leaf Beetle in the genus Calligrapha. We believe
it to be Calligrapha serpentina based on a BugGuide
image.
Variegated June Beetle
(07/16/2007) What kinda bug is this?
Hi,
Curious to what this may be? I think it may be the Ten
Lined June Beetle but it doesn't look like it exactly. We
found this at Davy Crockett State Park in Limestone Tennessee
this past weekend 7/14/07. It makes a hissing noise when you
mess with it. Any info is greatly appreciated! And thank you
for your site, it is very interesting. Regards,
April
Hi April,
You are very perceptive. Though this is not a Ten Lined June
Beetle, it is in the same genus. This is a Variegated June
Beetle,
Polyphylla variolosa.
Ten
Lined June Beetle
(07/16/2007) Wondering what kind of Bug this is...
Hi,
Thanks for offering this service! We found this very
strange, cool, Beetle type insect which we've never seen before.
I haven't been able to identify him via photos on
the web. Do you know what he is? He made a hissing
or 'tsss'... 'tsssh' sound each time I disturbed him when
I was collecting him ( hoping it wasn't spraying poison or
something at me =) ). I've included a photo. It's
sitting on a 50 cent coin for scale. Hopefully he's
harmless as I've set him free.
Thanks, Leann
Seattle, WA
Hi Leann,
This is a Ten Lined June Beetle, and it is harmless. Gorgeous
image by the way.
Mating Eyed Elaters
(07/14/2007) More buggery
Also, just having ran across the adult side of your web site,
here's some more filthy porn for you.
Darren
Hi Darren,
We have a problem with calling your image "filthy porn" since
procreation is generally viewed as a redeeming and necessary
state of life. You on the other hand might be guilty of voyeurism.
At any rate, your image is stunning. We don't really think
of our Bug Love pages as containing adult content, though
in the insect and arthropod world, participants are all adults.
Please provide us with a location to assist in the identification
of your Hemipterans from a previous email.
California Prionus
(07/14/2007) yikes!
hi bugman,
i came across this fine creature late one evening in ahwahnee,
california (about 30 minutes southwest of yosemite). i
threw my keys in the photo for scale. the owners of
the b&b i was staying at where as clueless as i, they
had never seen one. i was about to put on my
overshirt when i noticed the bug - it looks like some kind
of beetle to me, but i am not versed in bugs at all. is
it possible for you to identify this & solve our collective
mystery? thank you,
barbara
Hi Barbara,
What a magnificent male California Prionus, Prionus californicus,
you encountered. He was probably attracted to the lights on
in your room at night.
Male
Eastern Hercules Beetle
(07/13/2007) Hercules Beetle in Alpharetta GA
Saw this Hercules Beetle on my front door step the other morning.
I have never seen one before and thought you might be able
to use a clear picture of his back. When I gently urged
him off the door step (so my wife and son would not accidentally
step on him) he was noticeably hard to move and had a great
grip on the door frame. Have no fear I got him to safety
and haven't seen him since. Great website.
Gabe Johnson, Alpharetta, GA
Hi Gabe,
Thanks for sending us your photograph of an Eastern Hercules
Beetle, Dynastes tityus, with the cellular phone for scale.
Mottled Tortoise Beetle
(07/13/2007) Identity, please.
Dear Bugman,
I found this beautiful little bug (slightly smaller than
a typical ladybug) in my garden in southern Louisiana.
Its gold color and transparent parts are very unusual to me.
I suspect it's a kind of beetle, perhaps even a ladybird but
am unsure. I would appreciate deeply your identification,
if possible. Many thanks,
Tom
Hi Tom,
This is a Mottled Tortoise Beetle, Deloyala guttata, which
we identified on BugGuide.
Tortoise Beetles are often called Gold Bugs.
Banded Alder Borer feeding on Daily Pollen: Creative
License
(07/13/2007) What is this
I photographed this flying insect the other day, can you tell
me what it is? Location: Boise, Idaho Thanks,
Mitch York
Hi Mitch,
Under normal circumstances, we would not take the time to
post an insect with two previous excellent postings within
24 hours, but your image is unique. Your photo shows the Banded
Alder Borer feeding on daily pollen, and in none of our research
could we locate information on the adult food choices. Though
we suspected pollen and nectar, this is the first photo documentation
we have received.
Confession: Photographer comes cleam
Daniel,
Thanks for the identification. I did not mean to mislead you
with my photo, I actually put the Banded Alder Borer on the
flower to be photographed. I am a Professional Photographer
and am always arranging my images for maximum effect. Best
regards,
Mitch York
Male
Eastern Hercules Beetle
(07/12/2007) Dynastes Tityus
Here is a photo of the amazing bug I saw in the far northwest
corner of Georgia. I believe it to be the Dynastes Tityus
I saw listed on your website. I thought you might want
to post this picture as it is a bit sharper than others I
saw there. What an amazing bug. I had no idea
and would never have guessed we had such a big beetle in this
area. I love your site. Thanks,
Keith Bien
Hi Keith,
Your identification of this male Eastern Hercules Beetle,
Dynastes tityus, is correct. Thanks for sending us your beautiful
image.
Banded Alder Borer
(07/12/2007)
Hi,
We had these all over our building yesterday, it was very
hot and they were only in the shade. Can you tell me what
it is?Thanks
Ian
Victoria BC, Canada
Hi Ian,
This is one of the most beautiful images we have ever received
of what is, in our opinion, North America's most beautiful
beetle, the Banded Alder Borer, Rosalia funebris. Here in
Southern California, this beetle is also known as the California
Laurel Borer.
Banded
Alder Borer
(07/12/2007) Beatle
Sid
I have livee in Albany, Oregon for 39 years. In the past 2
weeks we have found several of these beatles in our downtown
area. I have looked on the internet, and have been unable
to find out what kind of beatle it is. I have never seen this
type of beatle here.Could you indentify it, and tell what
it lives off of? Thanks,
Sid
Hi Sid,
This is a Banded Alder Borer, Rosalia funebris. The larvae
bore into and feed on the wood of alder, ash, laurel, and
willow trees, and occasionally live oak and eucalyptus. The
list of trees has been compiled from a variety of sources.
According to BugGuide:
"Larvae feed in dead hardwood trees - maple, alder, oak, willow
etc." We cannot find any information on adult food. We have
received numerous photos this year of this gorgeous beetle,
including many reports from the Pasadena California area where
it is known as the California Laurel Borer.
Update: (07/13/2007)
Daniel:
The person from Albany, Oregon who wrote about the unusual
number of banded alder borers might be interested to know
that this species is notorious for flocking to freshly-painted
buildings! I recall the same phenomenon in Portland one year.
Nobody knows for certain why they do this, but prevailing
theories suggest that paint fumes resemble the beetles' own
pheromones (sex attractant chemicals), or the scent produced
by weak or dying trees (where the females lay their eggs).
Eric
Ten Lined June Beetle
(07/12/2007) Is This A Ten Lined June Beetle?
I found it outside my Seattle-area home.
Thanks!
Matt
Hi Mattk,
Yes, and this is a very nice photo of a Ten Lined June Beetle.
Blister
Beetle: Megetra species
(07/11/2007) New Mexico beetle
On a trip from Oklahoma to the west coast, I came across dozens
if not a hundred or two of these beetles alongside I-40 in
mid-New Mexico. I have had no success online in finding the
ID. I will watch with interest for enlightenment. Thank you,
Betty LaRue
Oklahoma City, OK
Hi Betty,
Congratulations on recognizing this as a beetle. It is a Blister
Beetle in the genus Megetra.
Click Beetle
(07/11/2007)
Dear Bugman:
What is it? What does it do? Seen at ca. 6000 feet in central
Arizona on 7/10/07 It flies (rather spectacularly).
Paul Kinslow,
Scottsdale, AZ
Hi Paul,
This beauty is a Click Beetle in the genus Chalcolepidius.
Brown
Prionid
(07/10/2007) Some sort of beetle?
We just found your site...very cool! We are kind of
bug people so it's fun to see. I found this on the screen
of the kitchen window. The light in the kitchen was
on but I turned it off for the photo. It was around
10pm. Thanks,
Shadley
Hi Shadley,
This is a Brown Prionid, Orthosoma brunneum. This is one of
the Longhorned Borer Beetles and the grubs feed in poles and
roots that are in contact with wet ground.
Female
Hercules Beetle
(07/10/2007) Whats this bug...?
Thats a C battery for reference. I found it
on the side of my house.Looked online to find out what
it was and got nothing. So I took this picture and left it
in a bush outside.
This is a female Hercules Beetle.
Ivory
Marked Beetle
(07/10/2007) Photos from Bedford, VA
These photos were taken in Bedford, VA on Tuesday July 10,
2007 at roughly 7:20 AM. I have no clue what it is, as I have
never seen it around here before.
Bill Wo¯denhelm
(Just in case the vowel in my last name didn't show up properly,
it's the letter "O" with a macron (straight line))
Hi Bill,
This is a wonderful photograph of an Ivory Marked Beetle,
Eburia quadrigeminata. Adults are attracted to rotting fruit
and according to BugGuide:
"Larvae bore into heartwood of deciduous trees, esp. ash,
hickory. May emerge from finished lumber years after milling."
Sorry, our software added a space in your name that does not
exist to accomodate the macron.
Ten Lined June Beetle claims American Flag
(07/09/2007) Bug Photo
Mr. Bugman,
I'm curious about the identity of this bug. Primarily, is
it a threat to gardens? Thanks,
Pamela Thompson
 
Hi Pamela,
The Ten Lined June Beetle, Polyphylla species, feeds on the
needles of coniferous trees at night, and the immature beetle
grubs feed on the roots of a wide variety of plants. This
beetle is never plentiful enough to be considered a threat
to the garden, nor are they a threat to national security.
Palo Verde Root Borer
(07/09/2007) Unknown Bug
Hi,
A friend of mine told me that you could help tell what kind
of bug this is. I have found 3 of them so far in my backyard
and I have a dog that likes to chase and nip at bugs. I was
just wondering if this bug could hurt him or anyone eles that
it may get close to. They seem to be active only at night
and go dormant at night. And I have seen one fly when out
in the open but when confined they just seem to crawl around.
Thanks for any help that you could give.
Shasta
Las Vegas, Nv
Hi Shasta,
This is a Palo Verde Root Borer, Derobrachus geminates. They
have strong jaws and might draw blood, but they are not dangerous
to you or your pet, however, the beetle grubs will bore into
the roots of your Palo Verde and other nonnative trees and
shrubs.
Unknown
Darkling Beetle is Blue Death Feigning Beetle
(07/08/2007) Beautiful periwinkle-colored beetle
Hi there!
I was exploring herps at the Desert Studies Center in Zyzzyx,
CA, in the Mojave Desert, and we came across many of these
beautiful insects. They played dead (became stiff) when poked
at, and then when they thought the coast was clear, would
get up and start trucking around again. What are they? I'd
looked in many of the insect field guides at the center and
couldn't find anything remotely this color. Thanks for any
help! Sincerely,
Hannah
San Francisco, CA
We are relatively certain that this is a Darkling Beetle
in the family Tenebrionidae, but are unsure of the species.
We hope Eric Eaton can be more conclusive.
Thanks Daniel,
Sorry I sent the same email quite a few times from a couple
of addresses, I kept getting Undeliverable messages. I also
looked through all your beetle pages and see that it is in
fact a Blue Death-Feigning Beetle. Thanks for your help!
Hannah
Hi Hannah,
We are a tad bit embarrassed that we identified this beetle
over a year ago and you had to locate the previous listing
on our own site. The Death Feigning Beetle, Cryptoglossa verrucosa,
is sometimes called an Ironclad Beetle
Unknown Scarab from Ontario is Osmoderma species
(07/07/2007) Unknown Beetle
Hi Bugman...need some help on this one. This beetle was about
3/4" long and living in a large hole in the side of a
tree. My first impression was that it was a scarab beetle
but I'm not sure. Found it in Southern Ontario. Thanks
Tom Rook
Hi Tom,
We agree with Scarabaeidae for the family, but we need additional
time, and help from Eric Eaton, to go any further in the identification.
We will post your image and hopefully get you an answer. Here
is Eric's response: "Daniel: Good job just to recognize it
as a scarab! It is an odd one. The genus is Osmoderma, but
I can't make out the species. It would either be Osmoderma
eremicola, or Osmoderma scabra. The latter is smaller, with
textured wing covers. The former is larger, with smooth wing
covers. Eric"
Giant
Stag Beetle
(07/07/2007) Bug in Nashville Tennessee
The keys are there to show the scale. What bug is this?
Stacey
Hi Stacey,
We thought for a moment you were trying to teach this spectacular
Giant Stag Beetle, Lucanus elaphus, how to drive.
Hardwood Stump Borer
(07/07/2007) Please Identify
Hello,
A week ago this bug in the attached picture showed up in my
back yard in Allen, Texas just outside of Dallas. This
bug’s very presence terrifies my wife and she needs
to know what its call. It’s about two inches long
not including antennae and legs. If you would be so
kind as to identify my wife would appreciate it.
Thom
Hi Thom,
This is a Hardwood Stump Borer, Mallodon dasystomus. It is
not an aggressive species and it will not try to attack your
wife. She should, however, be aware that if she tries to pick
up the Hardwood Stump Borer, it has very powerful jaws and
can give a painful bite that might draw blood. Tell your wife
that if she tries to handle the next Hardwood Stump Borer
she encounters, she should use caution.
Long
Horned Borer Beetle: Stenelytrana emarginata
(07/07/2007) Beetle ID
We’re in upstate New York and moved to the country a
couple years ago. Although we’ve seen some odd bugs
this is the winner by far! It was beautiful and creepy
all at the same time. Quite large at about 2”
or more and a great flyer but it wouldn’t leave us alone
– not in a menacing way. We would catch it and
let it go on the other end of the deck but it would come right
back where we were sitting. We had no food out with
us but it certainly wanted to be near us. I really didn’t
want to kill it so we let it chase us inside. We would
love to know what it is. Seems to be a beetle of some
type but I couldn’t find anything similar on the internet.
Sorry for the poor photo quality – what do you expect
from picture phones… Thanks for the help…
Lisa in Staatsburg, NY
Hi Lisa,
A poor photo is generally better than no photo. We can tell
you for sure that this is a Long Horned Borer Beetle in the
family Cerambycidae. There are several species with this general
coloration, so exact species identification is not likely.
With that said, we are relatively sure this is Stenelytrana
emarginata thanks to an image posted on BugGuide.
California Prionus
(07/07/2007) California Prionus
We found this at night in El Cajon CA. It was about 2.5 inches
minus the antennae. Thanks to your site for helping us identify
it as a California Prionus. In the jar it made a squeaking
sound. We let it go the next day. The pictures are big but
they came out pretty nice. (We named it Cruliette. ) Thanks,
Kylie, David & Emily
Hi Kylie, David and Emily,
Thank you for sending in your wonderful image of a California
Prionus, Prionus californicus, also known as the California
Root Borer.
Mating Brown Prionids
(07/07/2007) a photo for bug love?
Bug man,
You have helped me on many a quandry as to what I have discovered
on porch screens late at night at my home. Recently
I believe I've found a bug that does not regularly end up
in Northeast Missouri. They looked like mating Palo
Verde Root Borers and were they ever big! I think the
only reason I was able to find them was that they had stopped
to get friendly in a lighted window. Sincerely,
Jessica Martin
Hi Jessica,
These look to us like mating Brown Prionids, Orthosoma brunneum.
There are photos on BugGuide
to match, and they are found in Missouri.
Swarming Behavior in the Green June Beetle
(07/06/2007) June bug in July?
Hello,
We just moved into our new house located in the middle of
Maryland, just west of Baltimore, in late May. In mid to late
June I saw some patches (5 to 10 bugs) of fairly large bugs
flying around in a section of the yard. As of yesterday, that
number has increased exponentially. There were easily several
hundred, if not a thousand or more of them flying around.
They don't seem to be eating anything and as the day wore
on and got hotter, they seemed to disappear, I assuming in
the grass. Looking through your beetle list, they come close
to the June Bug. Will they do any damage to my lawn and how
can I get rid of them? Any help? Thanks,
Dan
Hi Dan,
You have Green June Beetles, sometimes called Figeaters, Cotinis
(occasionally Cotinus) nitida. While researching this swarming
behavior, of which we have received other reports in the past,
we found that occasionally large numbers will swarm over grassy
areas on warm sunny days. The National
Parks Services Integrated Pest Management page has much
information on the Green Fruit Beetle including: " The green
June beetle ( Cotinus nitida ) adult is usually 3/4"-1" long,
and 1/2" wide. The top side is forest green, with or without
lengthwise tan stripes on the wings. The underside is a metallic
bright green or gold, bearing legs with stout spines to aid
in digging. In the mid-Atlantic region the names 'June bug'
and 'June beetle' are commonly used for this insect, while
they are called "fig eater" in the southern part of their
range. They should not be confused the familiar brown May
or June beetles that are seen flying to lights on summer nights.
The green June beetle adult flies only during the day. The
larvae are white grubs often called 'richworms' because they
prefer high levels of organic matter for food. With three
growth stages, the beetles develop similarly to the other
annual scarab species. Their body lengths reach 1/4", 3/4",
and 2" respectively. The larvae have stiff abdominal bristles,
short stubby legs, and wide bodies. One unique characteristic
of this grub is that it crawls on its back by undulating and
utilizing its dorsal bristles to gain traction. Other typical
white grubs, like the Japanese beetle grub, are narrower,
have longer legs, crawl right side up, and when at rest assume
a c-shaped posture. This species is native to the eastern
half of the United States and overlaps with Cotinis texana
Casey in Texas and the southwestern United States. The adults
generally do not feed but occasionally become pests of fruit.
Any thin- skinned fruit such as fig, peach, plum, blackberry,
grape, and apricot can be eaten. The principal attraction
is probably the moisture and the fermenting sugars of ripening
fruit. They occasionally feed on plant sap. In turf situations
egg-laying females are attracted to moist sandy soils with
high levels of organic matter. Turf areas treated repeatedly
with organic fertilizers, composts, or composted sewage sludge
become more attractive to the female. The grub feeds on dead,
decaying organic matter as well as plant roots. This species
is commonly associated with both agricultural crop and livestock
production areas as well as urban landscapes. Field-stored
hay bales, manure piles, grass clipping piles, bark mulches,
and other sources of plant material that come in contact with
moist soil provide prime microhabitats preferred by both the
female for egg-laying and the migrating third instar grubs.
The green June beetle completes one generation each year.
Adults begin flying in June and may continue sporadically
into September. On warm sunny days, adults may swarm over
open grassy areas. Their flight behavior and sounds reassembles
that of a bumble bee. At night they rest in trees or beneath
the thatch. After emerging, the adult females fly to the lower
limbs of trees and shrubs and release a pheromone that attracts
large numbers of males. Frequently, males repeatedly fly low
and erratically over the turf trying to locate emerging females.
After mating, females burrow 2"-8" into the soil to lay about
20 eggs at a time. The spherical eggs are white and almost
1/16" in diameter. Most eggs hatch in late July and August.
The first two grub stages feed at the soil thatch interface.
By the end of September, most are third instar larvae and
these large grubs tunnel into the thatch layer and construct
a deep vertical burrow. The grubs may remain active into November
in the mid-Atlantic region. In the more southern states grubs
may become active on warm nights throughout the winter. In
colder areas they overwinter in burrows 8"-30" deep. The grubs
resume feeding once the ground warms in the spring and then
pupate in late May or early June. The adults begin emerging
about three weeks later. "
Cottonwood
Borer
(07/05/2007) What is this bug???
This insect was found hanging out at our clinic's back door.
We are sure it didn't have an appointment. Can you tell me
what it is?
Michael J. Dolan
Junction City, KS
Hi Michael,
This is a Cottonwood Borer. Most of our reports come from
Texas and it is nice to have a sighting of this gorgeous beetle
from Kansas.
Burying
Beetle
(07/05/2007) hi
I was wondering what sort of insect this is. It landed on
our picnic table in Frankfort Indiana and had little red aphid-like
insects crawling on it's carapace and antenna. The insect
was having difficulty moving but did not seem to be fighting
the aphids other than to get them off its antennae. Can you
identify it? Thanks
Megan
Hi Megan,
This is a Burying Beetle or Sexton Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus.
They bury small animals and lay eggs since rotting flesh is
the larval food. The red crawlers you saw, but that your photograph
does not show very well, are maggot eating mites. The Burying
Beetle and the Mites have a symbiotic relationship. The Mites
hitch a ride on the Burying Beetle to be transported to a
new food source, since maggots also feed on rotting flesh.
This ride hitching is known as Phoresy. The Burying Beetle
benefits since the mites eat fly eggs and maggots leaving
more rotting flesh for the developing beetle larva. Nice tablecloth.
Banded Alder Borer
(Independence Day/2007) Black & white striped bu
My friends and I found this beautiful black and white bug
in the parking lot at Performance Bike on Arroyo Parkway,
Pasadena, CA, on a hot Independence Day morning. We'd
love to know what it is.
Clare Scott & friends
Hi Clare and friends,
We have posted several blurry Banded Alder Borer images in
recent weeks, including some from the Pasadena area. We are
happy to finally receive a high quality photograph of this
gorgeous insect.
Giant Root Borer in New Mexico
(Independence Day 2007) help!
We found this magnificent beetle on the house the other day.
Ran out and grabbed these only photos of it. It was huge.
Stayed quite still for it's photo session. There's a 5 gal
bucket in one photo, as sort of a field of reference for size.
The other is a closer view. We live in New Mexico in the foothills
and would love to know what this bug is and a little about
it if possible. Thank you so much for your help!
Lisa and Ty
Hi Lisa and Ty,
This is a male Giant Root Borer in the genus Prionus. The
males of the genus have the signature antennae. We tried to
figure out what species this might be on BugGuide's
map page, but they listed no specific species in New Mexico,
but reports of the genus in general. Then we found a New Mexico
State University arthropod page that lists the California
Prionus, Prionus californicus, as ranging in New Mexico. Prionus
pocularis is listed in Texas. Your image lacks the necessary
detail to make an exact species identification, but we would
venture one of the prior two species.
Bee Assassin eats Japanese Beetle
(07/02/2007) assassin but
Hi.
I live in Cleveland Georgia. My apple tree is being
eaten by Japanese Beetles. I read quite a bit about
them on the web and mostly learned there are no nature enemies
of them. BUT a couple of days ago when I was picking
them off my tree, I ran across this threesome. Only
2 of the bugs are clear - the dead/dying J/B and the bug on
the bug eating the J/B. I've been told it is an assassin
bug and after searching the web, I'm figuring it is the blood
sucking conenose. Is it? Since this pic, I have
found another one in a flowering bush that also is infested
with J/B's. They have not acted aggressive, even when
I have almost touched them. Because they like the beetles,
I don't want to run them off!!! Thanks,
Beth
Hi Beth,
We are guessing that you meant Assassin Bug and not "Assassin
But" in your subject line. This is not a Blood Sucking Conenose.
It is a Bee Assassin, Apiomerus crassipes and BugGuide
has a detailed photo for comparison. We doubt that there are
enough predators out there to significantly curb the Japanese
Beetle emergence each year, but it is nice to see the Assassin
Bugs are trying.
Metallic Wood Boring Beetle: Buprestis rufipes
(07/01/2007) Interesting Find
Here are a couple of bugs I found at work. I couldn't
ID them myself. I thought the one may be a Metallic
Wood Borer, but the markings didn't match up. HELP ME BUG
MAN! thanks
chad
Hi Chad,
There are many species of Metallic Wood Boring Beetles in
the family Buprestidae. Your specimen is Buprestis rufipes.
It is nice to get your living specimen photo since the last
one we received was dead. Your other insect, which we cannot
post due to time constraints, is a tree cricket.
Net-Winged
Beetle and Eastern Tailed Blue
(06/30/2007) Net-Winged Beetle and Unknown butterfly
Hi Bugman!
I spotted this Net-winged Beetle (Calopteron reticulatum)
in my yard today! Once again, I was able to identify
it using your site! I didn't, however, see any photos of my
Mystery Butterfly - thought maybe you could help to identify
it? I followed this spastic little thing in my yard
for an hour trying to get a good shot of it! I was lucky
enough to get this one before it took off again, but
was unsuccessful in getting a closed wing shot. The
underside of its wings are white, and seemed to have a small
black mark near the edge of the lower wing. We are in
Southwest Missouri. Thanks for your help!
Kris L.
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Net Winged Beetle |
Eastern Tailed Blue |
Hi Kris,
You did well on the Net-Winged Beetle identification. Few
people would have even guessed it was a beetle. The butterfly
is a female Eastern Tailed Blue, Everes comyntas. The Western
Tailed Blue would be our second guess as the two are difficult
to distinguish, but we don't believe the Western Tailed Blue
ranges as far east as Missouri. The caterpillars feed on leguninous
plants.
Banded Alder Borer
(06/30/2007 what's this bug?????
Dear Bug Man,
We found this at strip mall in Temple City,California. What
is it? Thank You,
Dominic Valenzuela, 41/2 yrs. Bye!
Jennifer M. Luna-Valenzuela
Hi Dominic and Jennifer,
This beauty is a Banded Alder Borer, Rosalia funebris.
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