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Elephant
Stag Beetel: Unnecessary Carnage
(06/13/2006) Beetle
Woke up one morning and went out to get the paper, only to
find this sucker crawling on my front porch. Fearing for my
dog's life :-), I made a snap decision and swatted it. Took
these pictures when I got home. It's a pretty specimen, and
I'm dying to know what it is. Can you help?
-j
Hello J.,
We hope "When in doubt, Kill" is not a motto you live by.
In the interest of education, we feel compelled to lecture
you on this textbook Unnecessary Carnage. The Elephant Stag
Beetle is an elegant insect and not at all harmful despite
its fierce appearance. Your photo has saddened us.
Flea
Beetle: Disonycha c
(06/12/2006) Bug ID?
I found this little bug, looks like some kind of beetle, on
the fence at the pool today. Can't find anything that looks
like it. Any idea what it is. I live in the middle piedmont
section of North Carolina. It has beautiful orange, black
and white strips on it and is less than 1/2 inch long. Thanks,
L. Cline
Hi L.,
This Flea Beetle is identified on BugGuide
as Disonycha c.
Eyed
Elater
(06/12/2006)
I found this bug on the backdoor. I've never seen one before.
It moved very slowly and didn't seem bothered when I took
a picture. What could it be?
Brian Newbury
Center Ossipee, N.H.
Hi Brian,
This Click Beetle is commonly called the Eyed Elater. It is
a striking beetle.
Caterpillar
Hunter Larva
(06/12/2006) Unknown Black Killer Bug
Hello,
We have found several of these bugs in our yard. No one knows
what they are, and we can't find them on the internet. We
have witnessed one of these bugs bite a earthworm in half.
We see them chase the earthworms out of the ground, and attack
them. They are pretty fast. We live in Spokane, WA. We hope
you can tell us what it is. Thank you very much for your time.
Daniel
Hi Daniel,
This is a larva of a Ground Beetle in the family Carabidae.
We suspect it is a Caterpillar Hunter, Calosoma scrutator.
Harlequin
Scarab
(06/11/2006) Beetle photo I sent a few weeks ago.
What kind of beetle is this? It is about the size of a quarter.
I haven't found anyone that has ever seen one before. I'm
sorry this is the best picture I could get because it flew
at my camera flash and I didn't see where it went. I live
near Houston,Tx.
Linda Jones
 
Hi Linda,
Somehow, your earlier letter got lost in the quagmire that
is our mailbox. We surely would have posted your image of
a Harlequin Scarab, Harlequin Flower Beetle, or Arizona Jewel
Beetle, Gymnetis flavomarginata. This is the first photo of
this species we have received, and incidentally, we find your
photo quite quirky and charming. We located a site
with some information.
Tiger
Beetle
(06/11/2006) Metallic Green beetle in Central New Jersey near
Delaware River
I can't find an identity for this metallic green flying beetle
(about 1.5 cm long). It was photographed last week (early
June) on 480 foot high Baldpate Mountain overlooking the Delaware
River in central New Jersey (Hopewell Township in Mercer County).
I'vc seen others here, but not elsewhere.
James Goodman
Princeton, N.J.
Hi James,
What a beautiful photo of a beautiful Tiger Beetle. We believe
this might be a Six Spotted Tiger Beetle, Cicindela sexguttata.
Your specimen appears to have very faint markings quite different
from the average specimen, but BugGuide
shows a spotless Six Spotted Tiger Beetle.
Rove
Beetle
(06/11/2006) Dear 'Swamped-thing', er . . .Bugman:0)
I don't doubt that you're swamped as many of us are now addicted
to your terrific site. Went to a Baptism in Dayton Ohio and
this uninvited guest showed up on cup of beverage covered
with condensation. (We were in a downstairs room) On closer
look it seems the bug is interested in a drop of the beverage
that somehow made its way onto the outside of the cup. Any
thoughts? Thanks for your help.
Cathy Wilson
Sylvania, Ohio
Hi Cathy,
We are really bogged down for sure. We received over 60 letters
today and we will only be able to post two or three. That
said, choosing what to read is often very arbitrary. We just
loved your subject line, hence you caught our attention. This
is some species of Rove Beetle, but we don't even want to
attempt a species name as so many look nearly identical.
Iron
Cross Blister Beetles Mating Frenzy
(06/09/2006) Please Identify
I live in Central Arizona. I traveled to Lake Roosevelt to
put my boat in the lake and I found hundreds, if not thousands
of these crawling, climbing and flying around the storage
yard. It was horribly hot that day, roughly 105. these bugs
seemed to stay in the sun. some of the bugs were eating leaves
and the rest seemed interested in procreation only. The elevation
was roughly 1300' above sea level. The time of year was early
May. The terrain was desert. Surrounding vegetation is short
bushes and some mesquite trees, with little ground cover.
Thanks,
Jim Scott
Hi Jim,
Your Iron Cross Blister Beetle mating frenzy is a nice addition
to our Bug Love pages. These Blister Beetles are one of two
possible species in the genus Tegrodera. It is most likely
Tegrodera latecincta.
Metallic
Wood Boring Beetle: Sculptured Pine Borer
(06/09/2006) Could you identify me?
Bugman,
I found this on the floor of my parent's house in north-central
Wisconsin. My father works trimming trees all day so it's
very possible that it came in attached to his clothing. Otherwise,
I'd like to know what it is incase there may be a million
more of them hidden somewhere in the house. This picture really
doesn't do the coloration justice. The overall color of the
bug was much lighter than the overwhelming black shown here.
It was more of a metallic, shiny gold with very intricate
black flowing lines on it's back. Even the bottom side of
the bug was a shiny gold (not yellow gold, more like a metallic
gold). When I first picked it up I thought it was a cheap
piece of jewelry or a toy. When it started moving it's legs,
I realized that it obviously was not! It was about an inch-and-a-half
to two inches long, and pretty slender. I looked on the internet,
and especially your site (great site by the way) and could
not find a picture of this bug. I have a few more pictures
that I could forward if it would help in the ID.
Thanks!
Jason
Hi Jason,
This is a Metallic Wood Boring Beetle in the genus Chalcophora.
We believe this is the Sculptured Pine Borer, Chalcophora
virginiensis though it might be the Western Sculptured Pine
Borer, Chalcophora angulicollis. Your location is right at
the junction of the two species ranges. It could also be a
different species. Despite being wood borers, they will not
infest your home and most likely came in on your father's
clothing. Perhaps when Eric Eaton returns, he can give us
an exact species.
Update (06/21/2006) From Eric Eaton:
"Last I heard, Chalcophora angusticollis was lumped with C.
virginiensis. I may have the spellings wrong, forgive me if
I do, but you get the picture. They might still be considered
as separate by some authorities."
Elephant
Stag Beetle
(06/04/2006) What's That Bug
Bugman,
I found this bug in Tennessee on my back porch one night.
I did a search for beetles, insects, beetles with pinchers,
and never came up with much. Can you help?
Thanx,
Richard
Hi Richard,
What a wonderful image of the Elephant Stag Beetle, Lucanus
elaphus. Those are sure trophey "antlers".
Hardwood
Stump Borer
(06/01/2006) Pine Sawyer Longhorn beetle or neither?
My wife found this "little" friend of ours crawling
around our bedroom in Virginia Beach and trapped it for me
to see when I got home. I snapped a couple pictures and then
let it go out back and took a few more that better show off
the color. The first image I saw that was comparable looked
like it could have been a Pine Sawyer, but now I'm thinking
it's some kind of Longhorn. Which is it?
Thanks,
Doyne
 
Hi Doyne,
Your two possibilities are not mutually exclusive. Longhorn
Beetle is a general common name for the Family Cerambycidae.
Pine Sawyer is a common name for several different genuses
within that family. Your beetle is one of the subfamily Prioninae.
In our opinion, it is one of two species. More likely the
Hardwood
Stump Borer, Mallodon dasystomus, but another possibility
is the Live-oak
Root Borer, Archodontes melanopus.
Red
Headed Ash Borer
(06/01/2006) help identify please
Hi,
I live in southeast Pa. I'm moving a wood pile from a couple
of trees I had removed and these bugs are all in the pile.
Should I worry about getting stung or not and what the heck
is it. It looks lighting bug/weevle ish with stripes on the
wings and body.
Thanks
Matt McTague
Hi Matt,
The coloration, markings and movements of the Red Headed Ash
Borer, Neoclytus acuminatus, seem to mimic the coloration
and behavior of stinging wasps, hence your concerns. The beetles
will not harm you but the larvae do bore into felled trees
with the bark left on. More seriously, the larvae bore into
the sapwood of ash and other hardwood trees.
Tiger
Beetle Larva
(05/31/2006) odd creature
I have found 3 of these little holes in my backyard, within
6 inches of each other. There is a little creature inside
each one, but they are very cautious little things! I had
to sneak up to get this picture, and it took several tries.
They are usually hidden inside but occasionally they come
to the top of the hole and just sit there, like this one is
doing. They're very fast and duck back down into their holes
if you get too close too fast. I put little twigs into the
holes to see what they would do, and each one would push the
stick out. One of them pushed the twig out with so much force
that it flew a good 6 inches away from the hole! I dug away
at one of the holes, and the next morning this little guy
had reconstructed his tunnel and re-formed a very neat little
hole. I am very curious as to what these are! Wish I had a
better picture :-(
Thanks!
Amanda
Hi Amanda,
The larva of the Tiger Beetle is an expert in the ambush.
It waits in its hole until prey passes and then it lunges
and captures the unwary insect or arthropod.
Rosemary
Beetle: Introduced to UK
(05/30/2006) Rosemary Beetles
Hi Bugman
I emailed you a few days ago regarding the beetles feeding
on my rosemary plants, well ive done some research and ive
discovered they are Rosemary Beetles ! Apparently they are
new to the UK and are the Royal Horticultrual Society's NO.4
Pest ! they like rosemary, sage, thyme and lavender. They
are native to south Europe. A laboratory culture of the rosemary
beetle has been established in the entomology laboratory at
Wisley where its life cycle is under investigation. Preliminary
results of this research indicate that rosemary beetle adults
remain inactive on their host plants during the summer months
(June to August). In late August and September the beetles
resume feeding, mate and begin to lay eggs, which they continue
to do on warm winter days until spring. The eggs hatch within
two weeks and the larvae feed for approximately three weeks
before entering the soil to pupate. The pupal stage lasts
for a further two to three weeks before adults emerge.More
info available at
http://www.rhs.org.uk/research/projects/rosemary_beetle.asp
If you do find these on your plants its best to remove them
by hand, since you would most likely would use the herbs they
feed off.
Thank you so much for the information, photo and link.
Clavate
Tortoise Beetles
(05/29/2006) Tortoise Beetles on Tomato Seedlings
Hi!
Found these buggers on our tomato seedlings this morning,
munching away. We ordered the plants from California. I've
never seen them here in New York in all my 40 years of tomato
gardening. Are they native to CA? Did I do a bad thing by
ordering plants from there and potentially contaminating the
east coast? Thanks for your help :-((
Cheers!
Claudia Dunitz
Hi Claudia,
There are two subspecies of the Clavate Tortoise Beetle, Plagiometriona
clavata clavata and Plagiometriona clavata testudinaria. According
to their ranges are BugGuide:
"Plagiometriona c. clavata: Great Plains states east, plus
se Canada (NB QC ON) Plagiometriona clavata testudinaria:
AZ to LA, south to South America." and "in H. c. clavata,
the "legs" and "head" of the "bear" are as dark as its "body",
whereas in H. c. testudinaria, these extremities seem slightly
paler than the "body" but I'm not sure whether this is a reliable
difference." If that distinction is reliable, you have the
western subspecies and it can probably cross with the eastern
subspecies, which will only confuse future taxonomists.
Tiger
Beetle Larva
(05/29/2006) Strange Ground Dweller
Howdy,
This spring I noticed pencil-sized holes in the hard-packed
soil in our back-yard (compaction caused by construction a
couple of years ago). I never saw any animal activity associated
with the holes until just the past couple of weeks. I was
out walking our puppy one evening and I noticed something
quickly retreat down into one of these hole from just inside
the entrance. It had been sitting close to the opening, but
not quite at the top. I began to notice more and more of these,
and realized that pretty much all of the dozens and dozens
of these holes around the yard, they must all have been active.
While walking the puppy just before bedtime, and carrying
a flashlight, I discovered that I could "blind"
the animal by shining the light directly at it. This allowed
me to approach within a couple of feet of the hole to observe
the animal. But even that close I really couldn't tell what
I was seeing. It looked like some kind of strange spider to
me. I determined to get a photo of one of the beasties. So,
I set up a camera with a macro lens and waited. Attached is
the best shot I could grab of the critter in its burrow. I
also took a shovel and waited at one of the burrows until
it's occupant appeared. Then I quickly jabbed the shovel at
about a 30 degree angle into the soil a few inches from the
hole, hoping to get the shovel in underneath the bug. I did,
although I am not sure that the bug is intact-- in the attached
photo of the bug out of its lair, I think the dirt covered
rear is the result of cutting it in half. So, any help you
can give me in identifying this creature would be much appreciated.
Regards,
Bill Read
 
Hi Bill,
Thank you for your excellent letter and wonderful images.
This is a Tiger Beetle Larva, Family Cicindelidae. The larva
dig burrows and sieze prey that wanders by. They anchor themselves
in the hole with hooks on the fifth abdominal segment.
Trilobite
Beetle: Female Netwing Beetle from Thailand
(05/29/2006) This bug's identity is bugging us
Dear What's That Bug - I wonder if you can help me and my
daughter, Charlotte, identify the bug in the attached photographs.
We live in Phuket, Thailand and these pics were taken in the
slightly damp kitchen of my ground floor office building,
which backs tightly onto a large area of forested hills. Any
ideas? I look forward to your reply.
Simon J Hand
Phuket Post
 
Hi Simon,
Exotica can sometimes be very difficult. We believe this is
a Firefly Larva, or possibly a Netwing Beetle Larva. We will
contact Eric Eaton to see what his opinion is. Eric Eaton
wrote in: "The firefly larva from Thailand is actually an
ADULT female Demosis species of net-winged beetle (family
Lycidae). They are known commonly as trilobite beetles. Nice
work just getting in the neighborhood on that one!"
Cottonwood
Borer
(05/29/2006) elm beetle?
Hi.. wondered if you wanted these pics...they are some type
of elm beetle( sorry , in too big ahurry to look them up)
found in Maud,Ok,74854 yesterday , May 28 2006 Thanks for
your fabulous site..and have a safe Memorial Day.....
Debbi
I got some time to look on your site ..heres what you have
under the first beetle page: "8/13/2003) The COTTONWOOD BORER,
Plectrodera scalator, is a large black and white beetle that
is most likely your culprit. It is a member of the long horned
borer family. The grubs bore into the trees and can cause
considerable damage." Hi ...got wondering if those first pics
I sent were too big , so here they are resized...though ,
as dangerous looking as they are , a full size pic is much
more impressive,lol...Debbi in Maud,OK
Hi Debbi,
We see you already identified your Cottonwood Borer before
we had a chance to respond. We spent the whole day gardening,
stopping just long enough to bar-be-que.
Lace
Bugs and Ground Beetle
(05/29/2006) Two Unknown Bugs
Hi Bugman, I have two bugs that I have been trying to identify
but cannot. The little winged ones were found at the underside
of tree leaves and the beetle was found in our garden. We
live in British Columbia, Canada
Thanks!
Cheryl
 
Hi Cheryl,
Your small bugs are Lace Bugs in the Family Tingidae. This
is the first entry we have gotten for our site. We are seeking
an opinion from Eric Eaton on the beetle. Here is Eric's response:
"The lace bugs are almost certainly in the genus Corythucha.
Host plant information really helps in identifying them to
species. The beetle appears to be a species of Carabus, but
not one I'm familiar with. Definitely a ground beetle, and
in the same tribe with Carabus if that is NOT the genus. Eric"
Update: (05/19/2007) A further identification
for you
Hey there! Love the site. I noticed on your main page that
Cheryl from British Columbia sent you images of lace bugs
and a mystery ground beetle. Her beetle looks remarkably to
me like a specimen I snapped a shot of last week on the other
side of the country, just north of Toronto, Ontario. I think
her mystery beetle is Carabus granulatus, an introduced species
from Europe. Here's a link to my picture as posted on bugguide.net:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/109257
Dave Kleiman Thornhill, Ontario, Canada
Cochchafer
(05/27/2006) Please Help in IDing the Bug!
Would you be able to identify this bug for us? The bug is
on the blinds inside our friends house in England. Thanks
soooooo much.
Tyler Booth
Hi Tyler,
This is one of several species of European Scarabs known as
Cockchafers.
Male
Rainbow Scarab
(05/26/2006) Green horned june-bug
I've seen lots of june-bug type bugs, but never one like this!
Overall size is roughly 1/2 inch. I've lived in central Georgia
for roughly 30 years and know most of the crawlies, so I am
especially curious about this little guy. Thanks so much,
Vic R
Male dung beetle. My initial search for horn beetle didn't
get me there. Use the photos (sent earlier) if you wish! Thanks!
Vic R.
Hi Vic,
Nice job of identifying your male Rainbow Scarab, one of the
Dung Beetles..
Six
Spotted Tiger Beetle
(05/25/2006) WTB
This beautiful photo of a Six Spotted Tiger Beetle arrived
with no question or comment.
Sorry WTB = what's that bug. I see them lite around and chase
flies and go after ants. They are very aggressive towards
insects. But timid towards people. They have a beautiful metallic
green color! Very unique. Also I saw others on your Beatles
page 8. (but my picture is the best!) I live in Fairfax, Virginia.
Thank you I hope to go out and take a bunch of pictures of
bugs this summer and send them in. GREAT ONES I want to get
posted!
Anthony
Death
Feigning Beetle
(05/24/2006)
I don't think this went through the last time I sent it, if
it did, I apologize. Do you have any idea what this is? I
found it while wandering around Valley of Fire State Park,
near Las Vegas.
Thanks!
Donna
Hi Donna,
This is a Death Feigning Beetle, Cryptoglossa verrucosa, though
it is sometimes called an Ironclad Beetle.
Tiger
Beetle Larva and Katydid Nymph
(05/24/2006) immature insects
I've attached photos of an immature tiger beetle that was
found on the beach (Cumberland Island off the GA coast) and
one of an immature katydid. I was wondering if it is possible
to identify them to species just from the photos of the immatures.
Thanks,
Anthony
 
Hi Anthony,
Surely someone can answer your question, sadly, we cannot.
The Tiger Beetle Larva is a wonderful image.
Water
Tiger and Tadpole
(05/24/2006) Any ideas please ?
Hi Bugman,
I love the site, but I've not been able to find this in the
alphabetic list or with the search - can you help at all please
? When I saw them I assumed they were dragonfly larvae, but
now I've had a chance to look up the identification I don't
think they are - several points don't match. There were 3
of them, in a small seasonal pond in South-West Scotland this
morning - busily eating the tadpoles. I've not seen them before,
and unless they're something interesting I'm tempted to beat
them to death before they finish off the last of the taddies.
I was there about 4 weeks ago (and so were the tadpoles),
and I visited at least once a month all through last year,
plus I have a decent pond in my garden with frogs, toads,
several newts (endangered here), and plenty of insect life,
but I've never seen anything like these monsters. They were
about 30mm long when they straightened out, which was only
when they were swimming (they swim by moving their legs, rather
than "jet propulsion"). They sat still in the arched
pose in the photo's until a tadpole came past, then latched
onto it and killed it with their pincers. In the photo's the
pincers look a bit like feelers, but in reality they were
curved, hard and obviously sharp killing instruments. There
are all sorts of pond-skaters, water-boatmen, and general
creepy-crawlies in the pond, but these 3 were a lot bigger
than anything else, and only interested in killing tadpoles.
They seem to have 6 legs, which might be some help, and a
couple of small "spikes" on the tail (no gills).
The light was terrible for photography, but they were basically
green with slightly brown heads. We've had dragonfly, damsels,
cranes, midges, and just about everything else that flies
on the site (bats are my "thing", and we've got
those as well), and we've also got frogs, toads, a possible
newt, lizards, slow-worm, mice, owls, a fox, and deer (which
do a lot of damage to the trees if we don't keep on top of
them). We do like nature, in all it's forms, but the rate
these things were eating the tadpoles was quite alarming,
so unless they're something interesting I'll have to either
splat them or at least section off one part of the pond, or
we'll have no tadpoles left. Hope you can help.
Thanks,
Kev.
Hi Kev,
What a wonderful letter. We just posted another photo of a
Water Tiger from Northern California. These are the predatory
larvae of the Predaceous Diving Beetles in the genus Dytiscus,
and they have a voracious appetite. Eric Eaton wrote in with
this addition: "I agree the one with the tadpole is a dytiscid,
but I'd be hesitant to assign a genus to it. I really think
anyone is doing great just getting immatures (and usually
adults, too) to the family level! Nice work."
Water
Scavenger Larvae
(05/23/2006) Aquatic creature
Hi Bug People,
Last year about this time, I was trying to figure out what
this creature was, but eventually gave up to get the specimen
back to water. Well, here are several more... I am about 50
miles north of Sacramento, California. These were found (plentifully
enough) in a creek backwater. They have three pairs of forelegs,
mostly move in an inverted position (head down) and are extremely
active. I'm guessing it's the naiad of some insect but, beyond
that, I'm stuck. Thanks for your knowledge,
Margaret Stelmok
 
Hi Margaret,
You have sent in photographs of Water Tigers, the predatory
larvae of the Predaceous Diving Beetles in the genus Dytiscus.
These fierce predators use their jaws to capture prey, often
much larger than themselves, including small fish. Eric Eaton
added this correction: " I am fairly certain the OTHER larvae
(multiple, in the jar) are larvae of some kind of water scavenger
beetle, family Hydrophilidae. Despite the family name, many
are just as predatory as water tigers."
Australian
Rove Beetle
(05/23/2006) Hello
Since sending my request for help in identifying a black bodied
-orange headed beetle, I have found it as a "Rove beetle"
- As yet I have been unable to find the particular type but
at least now I have something to go on! Please ignore my request
of yesterday ... I'm sure you have plenty of things to do.
I came across this guy attached, in the garden next door (Toowoomba
Australia). it is about 15-18mm long - I have hunted around
the web trying to find it but so far with no joy:-( - Maybe
you know it? Most appreciative of any help.....
Keith Power
Toowoomba Q
Australia
Hi Keith,
You are correct that this is a Rove Beetle. It will take us
some research to give you a species, but there are so many
physically similar species that might be impossible.
Update (12/05/2007)
Australian Rove Beetle
Hi there,
the rove beetle you have an image of on your website, the
one with
the bright orange head, is Creophilus erythrocephalus (Fabricius).
I
am revising that genus of rove beetles.
Cheers,
Dave Clarke
PhD Candidate
University of Illinois at Chicago
Zoology, Division of Insects
The Field Museum
Feasting
Carrion Beetles
(05/23/2006) carrion beetles
Greetings from West Tennessee. Here is a pic of some carrion
beetles having a party on some rodent. They look like turtles
on a log. This was complete with aromatherapy-Yikes! Love
you site.
Rick and Beth
Hi Rick and Beth,
Thank you for the wonderful photo of nature's sanitary engineers
at work.
Ironclad
Beetle
(05/22/2006) Can you identify?
This is a bug I saw crossing our patio in SW Austin, Hill
Country. He was about an inch long. Do you know what it is?
Thanks,
Pam Morgan
Hi Pam,
This very distinctive looking beetle is an Ironclad Beetle.
Fire
Beetle
(05/21/2006) Glowing Click Beatle
I found this bug outside my front door, doing a little research,
I found they ar part of the click beetle family, I know they
are perdominatly from Peru, and the Costa Rica areas of the
world, but other info. is very limited, I cannot find much
else about it, much less why I found it in a bush here in
sunny South Florida. If you can enlighten me with a little
more information about this weird beetle, please do so.
Thanks,
Kevin
 
Hi Kevin,
Click Beetles in the genus Pyrophorus are known as Fire Beetles.
Most species are found in tropical America, but they are also
found in the U.S. Southwest and Florida. In Florida, they
fly in May, so your specimen is right on schedule. In Spanish,
according to the Audubon Guide, they "are known as Cucujos
and often caught and worn as a luminous decoration by partygoers."
Eric Eaton then sent in this information: "The Fire Beetles
have been split up into three genera, from the single Pyrophorus,
so I’m not sure which one is shown there, but I wouldn’t worry
about it. The ‘new’ classification may be unstable anyway."
Cockchafer
from U.K.
(05/19/2006) Furry Bug!
Hi there BugMan!!! I live in Nottinghamshire, Northern England
and I'm a landscape gardener. Whilst digging a hole in soft
sandy soil, I noticed this little fella near the end of my
spade - he doesn't move very fast at all, seems to have a
very firm grip with his legs, and his antennae are awesome
fan-like things! His back has wings underneath although he
just flexed them a bit, he didn't actually get them out. He
seems to have fur on his underside, and is altogether funny
lookin'! Oh, and when he tips onto his back you have to set
him right or he'll be there all day! I was thinking maybe
he's on his way to becoming a moth, but I'm not sure.....
Kindest regards,
Tony Walsh
 
Hi Tony,
Your critter is not becoming a moth. It is an adult scarab
beetle known as a Cockchafer.
Eyed
Elater
(05/16/2006) Bug ID Request
Hey, Bugman
Mini Binky found this on our deck and we were wondering what
kind of bug it is. We live in North East Pennsylvania, Regards,
Lucy
Hi Lucy,
While we have no idea who or what Mini Binky is, we do know
that this is an Eyed Elater.
Death
Feigning Beetle
(05/15/2006) Help with identification
My daughter Hanling took this photo of a beetle we saw while
camping along the Colorado River south of Hoover dam this
past April. We are hoping you would be able to help identify
it.
Thank you
Norm Petredean
Hi Norm,
We thought this might be one of the Ironclad Beetles in the
Darkling Family, but it didn't quite look correct. We searched
the Darkling Beetles on BugGuide
and came up with a match. This is a Death Feigning Beetle,
Cryptoglossa verrucosa, though it is sometimes called an Ironclad
Beetle. The mottled coloration seems a bit odd.
Update (05/19/2006)
Hi there, Just wanted to let you know that you are indeed
correct on the Cryptoglossa verrucosa picture posted on 5-15-06.
It is a death feigning beetle or blue death feigning beetle
but you mention that the mottled coloration is odd. I was
just going to add that this occurs when the beetle gets wet
in anyway. If they get a drop or dew or something of the sort,
that area will turn flat black in a blotch. Or, if it gets
totally wet via rain or a otherwise, the entire beetle will
change in color from that light blue/gray to pure black, and
stay this way for several hours to a few days. Just a FYI!
Adam
Carrion Beetle
(05/15/2006) Golden BC Beetle with Photo
Dear Bugman,
My 4 year old son found this beetle in the backyard, on the
patio. We live in Golden, BC Canada, and today is May 12 2006.
I've looked through the beetle pages on your site (which took
abut an hour, because my son kept saying "Whoa Mum! Look
at THAT one! What's that called?" for every beetle!)
I've included a picture (which was really hard by the way
- you have some amazing photos on your site - I really appreciate
the patience that went into those photos) and I hope you can
help me identify this beetle because my son is taking it to
school tomorrow, and I would like to be able to tell the class
what it is called, an keep it alive while it's in our captivity.
It is about 2-3 cm long, it's a matte black colour all over,
and it has an interesting textured pattern on its back. I
think it looks like it could fly, but I have seen no evidence
to support this. Thank you for your help! PS Another one of
your questioners reported using a "bug vacuum" my
son really wants to know what that is (presumably because
he wants one!) Can you tell me what this is? Thanks!
Dana
Hi Dana,
We believe this is one of the Darkling Beetles, but are waiting
for Eric Eaton to weigh in with a possible species identification.
Here is Eric's response: "The beetle from Golden, BC is actually
a Carrion Beetle, Heterosilpha ramosa. This specimen is stretched
out, which makes the ID more tricky. Normally, they have their
head nearly tucked under the thoracic shield. The reticulated
pattern of veins on the wing covers is not very evident in
the image, either, but the exposed end of the abdomen clinches
it. "
Six
Spotted Tiger Beetle
(05/14/2006) Cerambycid?
Once again your site helped with an identification (Beetles
page 4)! Over the past few weeks these have been numerous
in damp wooded areas of Columbia, MD. I do have a few questions
about them. Are these blister beetles? Are the wings clear?
Thank you,
Edwin Tullos
Hi Edwin,
Your beetle is Cicindela sexguttata, the Six-Spotted Tiger
Beetle. Beetles have two sets of wings. The elytra are metallic
green the the membraneous flying wings are hidden from view.
Goldsmith
Beetle: Edgar Allen Poe's Gold Bug!!!
(05/14/2006) GOLDEN BEETLE
We just found a beetle on our front porch in Flowood, MS that
looks a good bit like the Cotalpa Consobrina in your entry
of 6-9-04 from Diana Isham, Grantsburg Wisconsin. I've included
a picture of ours--sorry for the blurriness. Are we correct?
Gordon
Hi Gordon,
In our opinion, you have the correct genus but the wrong species.
Cotalpa consobrina is native to Arizona. The eastern species
is the Goldsmith Beetle, Cotalpa lanigera. Literary historians
are relatively certain this is the beetle imortalized in Edgar
Allen Poe's short story, The Gold Bug.
Valgus
Scarabs found in Termite Nests!!!!
(05/14/2006) I have no clue what these are
I live in Michigan, around the south east of Michigan. Burbs
about an hour out of Detroit, and I keep finding these little
beetle things in my room. My room's in the basement, so it's
not uncommon to find random little creatures roaming around,
but no one I know has ever seen these kind of bugs. At first,
I thought they were ticks my cat brought in, but they're kind
of big to be ticks, I think. And I haven't gotten any on my
skin, and my two dogs and cat are clean (but they have flea
and tick medication on now. They're about as long as the diameter
of a dime, and about as wide as half their length. My girlfriend
thinks they might be baby june bugs, but they don't look like
june bugs to me, and I haven't seen any of them fly. there's
not a ton of them, but I find one or two every couple days
or so. There's pics attached. If you could help me ID them
ASAP, that'd be awesome. I've been freaking out 'cause I don't
know if they're harmful or not. Thanks for your help,
Brittany.
Hi Brittany,
Due to the quality of your cellular phone image, it is difficult
to be certain, but we do know these are some species of Scarab.
Eric Eaton wrote to us: "The tiny scarab beetles are of the
genus Valgus. Since they are thought to develop in termite
nests, it might be a good idea for the person to have their
home inspected. "
Ironclad
Beetle
(05/12/2006) another Texas Ironclad
Hey Bugman!
Caught sight of this critter scrambling across the concrete
on my back porch, which faces the greenbelt here in Austin,
TX. Ran back in and was ecstatic to find a hit on Beetle Page
2. Thought I'd send this pic along... I managed to get pretty
close, so you can really see the body division and leg construction
:)
Andrea
Hi Andrea,
We always appreciate fine photographs of distinctive insects.
This Ironclad Beetle, Zopherus haldemani, is a nocturnal species
that hides by day.
Burying
Beetle covered in Phoretic Mites
(05/11/2006) beetle with offspring?
Hi There. We found this creature in our house one evening.
It had small, moving, red creatures(?) on it’s back
which I thought might be offspring or parasites. I’ve
never seen this type of bug before. Can you help? We live
in Santa Barbara, CA. Thanks for your help.
PW
Hi PW,
This is a Burying Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus. Here is
a quote from a posting Eric Eaton made to
Bugguide: "The mites are phoretic, meaning they are only
using the beetle as transportation. This is a carrion beetle
(Nicrophorus sp.), and once it arrives at a carcass, the mites
will disembark (de-beetle?), and go about feeding on the eggs
of blow flies, the beetle's major competition for the corpse.
So, the mites actually benefit the beetle."
Deathwatch
Beetle
(05/10/2006) Help with Bug ID
Great site! I went through about 400 bugs and didn't find
one that matched what is in my house in upstate NY lately.
I have a suspicion that they were in some logs I brought in
for firewood and have not used. On the first warm day this
Spring is when I first noticed these guys on the floor, walls,
window casing, etc. Mostly confined to one location...near
the fireplace. They are a bit over 1/8" long. Half of
them have the antennae similar to the picture, while the other
half seem to have just two thin antennae. Other than that,
they all look the same. They also all have tiny "graspers"
on their hind ends. Color is black. I'm sure this is not something
out of the ordinary, but I haven't seen any similar pictures
anywhere. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Todd
Hi Todd,
We are going to seek Eric Eaton's help with this identification.
Eric quickly wrote back: " Ha! Yes, those ARE distinctive
antennae:-) It is a male anobiid (Anobiidae) in the genus
Ptilinis. They are one of the Deathwatch Beetles. The larvae
are wood borers in dead, solid wood."
Iron
Cross Blister Beetle
(05/10/2006) Soldier Beetles
I recently visited your site to find out what kind of bug
was in my backyard. Today I have seen at least 30-40 soldier
beetles. ( I know what they are because of info and pictures
on your site.) I took some pictures of them, and have attached
one because they are large files. Wanted to contribute since
your site helped me figure it out. Do you know if they are
harmful to cats and dogs? Just concerned because my animals
play in the backyard.
Thanks,
Jo
Queen Creek, AZ
Hi Jo,
Somehow you have misidentified your beetle. This is not a
Soldier Beetle but an Iron Cross Blister Beetle, Tegrodera
latecincta. Blister Beetles contain a chemical, cantharidin,
which can cause blisters on human skin. It is more of an irritant
than a dangerous poison. If your cats and dogs try to eat
them, they will probably have a severely irritated mouth.
Diurnal
Firefly
(05/08/2006) Net-winged Beetle?
Hi,
We have encountered this bug (beetle?) several times over
the last few weeks. We have hunted on the internet and even
attended a "Bug Fair" this weekend. However, we can not seem
to find out what it is. We think we have narrowed it down
to maybe being a net-wing beetle. When it flies, you can see
it's abdomen, which is red like the stripes on it's head.
It is really beautiful, but we are stumped. Fos a sense of
size, that is a douglas fir pine needle it is sitting on.
Any idea?
Thanks,
Rowan and Alissa
Hi Rowan and Alissa,
We believe this is one of the Diurnal Fireflies in the genus
Ellychnia.
Bess
Bugs
(05/06/2006) Stump Borer?
My son unearthed a big pile of these large beetles and their
extra-large larvae near our woodpile. The closest I can come
is the hardwood stump beetle. Is that what these are? They
are about 1.5" long. The larvae is probably 2 inches
or more. Forgot to mention in my stump borer email that I
am in Maryland.
Laura Brader
 
Hi Laura,
We are so excited to get your photos. These are Bess Bugs,
beetles in the family Passalidae. They are also known as Bess
Beetles, Betsy Beetles and Patent Leather Beetles. The only
species in the U.S. is also called the Horned Passalid, Odontotaenius
disjunctus. Adults eat decaying wood and they care for the
grubs by feeding them pre-chewed wood. Both the adults and
grubs are capable of making squeeking noises. These are social
beetles, and they live in colonies with the adults caring
for the young.
Romanian
Blister Beetle
(05/06/2006) Curious about this "beast" :)
Hello!
I would appreciate if you could tell me what is this bug.
I took the pictures next to a hill, close to the river Danube's
delta, in Romania (Europe).
Best regards,
Natalia
Hi Natalia,
This is some species species of Blister Beetle in the family
Meloidae.
Carrion
Beetle in the Kitchen Sink
(05/05/2006) Please help
I found this little guy and couple other of the same kind
trying to keep hidden near a squirrel that I found dead next
to my house. Should I be concerned at all about him?
Kevin
 
Hi Kevin,
Carrion Beetles are harmless, and they do eat rotting flesh.
Our curiosity is "How did the Carrion Beetle get from the
dead squirrel to the garbage disposal?"
I was able to find it on your website after I had taken the
picture. There were only 2-3 on the squirrel and they ran
away at the sight of me, when I moved the squirrel there were
100's and maybe 1000's of little white bug directly under
him. I found a great website about this and realized that
it was the Carrion Beetle, after I had sent you the picture.
I remove the squirrel and placed him in some deep woods for
nature to finish what it had started, but 2-3 beetles remained
in the area. That is when I decided to catch one and take
a picture of it to send to you. My camera would not focus
enough on him in the cup that I had captured him in, so I
put him the sink to run around while I got a picture. I guess
my only other question was will they go away. I am assuming
that they are continually on the move looking for carrion,
but I still wanted to ask to make sure. Thank you so much
Cockchafer
(05/05/2006) so, what's this bug
Please identify this bug, found today, in Belgium.
Thank you.
Karen
Hi Karen,
The Cockchafer is a type of Scarab Beetle in the tribe Melolonthini.
They were once very common in Europe and periodically a population
explosion resulted in mass flights. Widespread use of pesticides
caused their numbers to diminish and they were eradicated
in some areas. With tighter controls on pesticides, their
numbers are once again increasing.l
Eyed
Elater
(05/04/2006) Eyed elater pics
Found this on the steps outside my apartment in Austin, TX.
Being 50, it's not often I see a critter I've never seen before.
Have a brand new 90mm macro lens for my digital Nikon, so
took the opportunity to snap these for sake of my young nephews.
Found the name on your site and thought you might have use
for a couple of nice photos of this beautiful creature.
F
Hi F,
One of the commonest compliments we receive is on the quality
of the photographs we post. We owe that all to our readership.
We are very happy to see that you have mastered that new lens
and are happy to post the Eyed Elater image.
Six
Spotted Tiger Beetle
(05/03/2006) Green Metalic Bug
Hello WTB,
We need help! Do you know what this bug is?
Sincerely,
Jill Novak
Hi Jill,
Nice photo of a Tiger Beetle. Eric Eaton has provided the
species: " The tiger beetle (the metallic green one, anyway),
is Cicindela sexguttata, the Six-Spotted Tiger Beetle."
Longhorn Beetle: Synaphaeta guexi
(05/03/2006) What's that Cerambycid?
Hi Bugman,
Thanks for being here. Talking to people about insects is
part of my job and I am spreading the word about your wonderful
site. I was asked to identify this long-horned beetle, but
I have only limited collection information. It was found at
a residence in a new subdivision north of Yuba City, California,
approximately 45 miles due north of Sacramento in the Central
Valley. I don't know if it was associated with hardwoods or
softwoods, but I do know that the neighborhood is a new subdivision
and most of the landscape trees in the area are young hardwoods
with stone fruit orchards within a mile. The body length is
1.5 centimeters. Thank you for your help,
Margaret Stelmok
Hi Margaret,
We are turning to Eric Eaton for help with your Cerambycid,
and await his reply. Here is his response: " The cerambycid
is another Synaphaeta guexi. Boy, this must be their year!"
Iron
Cross Blister Beetle
(05/03/2006) What is this bug?
This bug is just over an inch long, and I can't find it in
any of my or the library's insect ID books.
Thanks,
Nick Johnson
Hi Nick,
Your letter is the fourth this week requestion an identification
for the Iron Cross Blister Beetle.
Iron
Cross Blister Beetle
(05/02/2006) Blister Beetle
Hi bugman,
I found this guy swimming in my pool today with my kids. His
colors were so beautiful and vibrant that I had to figure
out what he was. I have been in Arizona my entire life and
have never seen a beetle like this. Of course the kids freaked
and demanded that I kill right away. I instead gently swept
the guy out the water and let him dry off. He was a very good
and let me snap more 20 pictures. I have attached the better
ones. I started googling for +beetle "red head"
"yellow wings" "black spots" and some
other variations and viola, I got to your site. However, I
scared to learn that this bug is actually poisonous. Can it
hurt my dog or cat? Thanks,
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
Thank you for sending in your great photos of an Iron Cross
Blister Beetle, Tegrodera latecincta. Blister Beetles contain
a chemical, cantharidin, which can cause blisters on human
skin. It is more of an irritant than a dangerous poison. In
Arizona, scorpions, black widows and rattlesnakes are a greater
threat to you and your pets. In the scheme of things, an unfortunate
encounter with a Blister Beetle would be an inconvenience.
Spanish
Blister Beetle
(05/01/2006) Hello there,
I found this bug in the southern part of the Sierra de Gredos
in Extremadura in Spain at about 600 m altitude. Do you know
what it is?
Regards,
Bodo
 
Hi Bodo,
This is a Blister Beetle in the family Meloidae. It closely
resembles an American species in the genus Megetra.
Netwing
Beetle
(05/01/2006) Red Beetle identification
Hi
I was teaching some orders of aquatic insects along Little
River in Van Damme state park (redwood forest; about 1 mile
inland from ocean ; Mendocino County) and we saw a red beetle?
The texture of the wings very unbeetle like. It was on a thimble
berry.
Teresa Sholars
Professor of Biological Sciences
Science Coordinator
Mendocino Coast Campus
College of the Redwoods
Hi Teresa,
This is one of the Netwing Beetles in the family Lycidae.
We believe it is the Golden Netwing Beetle, Dictyopterus aurora.
According to BugGuide,
it is found over much of North America in the spring. Eric
Eaton has added this qualification: " The golden netwing beetle
is definitely in the Dictyopterus genus, but there are several
species in the west, so I would hesitate to put a species
name to it. Probably not the same one as is found in the eastern
U.S. at any rate."
Soldier
Beetle and possibly Scale Insects
(04/29/2006) blister beetle and its lunch?
Hello!
The bugs: From looking at the beetle pages on your site, I'm
pretty sure this is a blister beetle. The photo was taken
on the University of Washington campus in Seattle, on 4/26.
Unfortunately I don't know what kind of plant this is. There
is something like an egg sac to the right of the beetle, and
little larvae are coming out of it. You can actually see one
emerging from a hole, and there are others climbing up the
stem. Is this beetle preying on them? Do you have any idea
what type of bugs are coming out of the egg case? a picture
of an intact egg case on the same plant: There were some Rosa
rugosa growing nearby that also had the same types of egg
cases, and many of them had a single drop of moisture hanging
from them, as if they were oozing. The cases all had different
black/brown/tan patterns and were very pretty.
Thanks!!
jess
 
Hi Jess,
We are not certain this is a Blister Beetle, and we cannot
find a species match on BugGuide. We will check with Eric
Eaton regarding the species and also see if he has any knowlege
of the cases. Here is Eric Eaton's response: " Hard to tell
from the image, but given the information provided, I don't
think it is a blister beetle. More likely it is a soldier
beetle, family Cantharidae. I never saw blister beetles in
the spring in Oregon, and cantharids are predatory on aphids
and such, and are abundant in the spring. The "egg case" looks
to be some kind of large scale insect. Could be that it is
a female, and her offspring are exiting from beneath her.
Scale insects disperse as tiny crawlers, so I imagine that
is what is going on here."
Irish
Rove Beetle: Possibly Endangered Species???
(04/28/2006) Insect Question
Hi,
I found this strange looking insect in the back garden. I
am living in Galway, Ireland. I was wondering if you might
be able to identify it ? I found it in the dogs food bowl.
When I lifted it out of the bowl its back end lifted up into
the air like a scorpion. Is it a harmful insect or is it a
friendly. From looking at other sites it seems to be of the
"Devils Coach Horse" family or could it be a Rove
Beetle "platydracus stercorarius". I looked at some
web site photo's but none of them would have the colours like
the one I found. Please find attached some photo's of this
insect. (note-I have cut the pictures from the original)
Thanking you in advance,
Jimmy Clancy
PS- What a great Site !!!
 
Hi Jimmy,
We agree that this is one of the Rove Beetles in the family
Staphylinidae. The Devil's Coach Horse, Ocypus olens (formerly
Staphylinus olens), is a species of Rove Beetle introduced
to the U.S. from Europe, but it is all black. In an effort
to locate your species we did a google search of Rove Beetle
Ireland and keep finding information about the endangered
and possibly extinct Stenus
palposus, but we cannot find a photo or description. If
you properly identify your Rove Beetle or find an image of
Stenus palposus, please provide us with a link.
Update: (04/29/2006)
Just to let you know I have spent the 12 hours or so trying
to get more information on this Rove Beetle. From browsing
all the different sites I now believe it is a STAPHYLINUS
CAESAREUS BEETLE. There is at least 3
beetles that look very alike but when you closely look
at the details they are all slightly different. The 3 different
beetles are the Staphylinus Caesareus, Staphylinus Dimididiaticornis
and the Staphylinus Erythropterus. I believe the match is
the Staphylinus Caesareus ??? I have found several web sites
with some very good photo's and to be honest they seem to
be very alike. I have also e-mailed some other government
nature web sites etc..In Ireland & the UK to see if they can
provide some information. I have also asked them if they can
provide a photo of a Stenus palposus. I will let you know
if they reply. If this is indeed a STAPHYLINUS
CAESAREUS BEETLE can you tell me if this is also an Endangered
Species ? From some of the UK web sites it classes it as a
RDBI class ..Meaning "Probably extinct in Britain". Please
find attached some of the links I have found. I would be grateful
if you might let me know what you think. Thanking you in advance
Jimmy Clancy
Hi Jimmy,
Wow, you did an amazing research job. Sadly, we aren't prepared
to give you a definitive answer, but we suspect your suspicion
that this is probably Staphylinus caesareus is probably correct.
Thank you for providing the site with common UK
beetles that is labled National Insect Week. Now we are
curious about the UK National Insect Week. Let us know what
you find out from the government agency.
Rainbow
Scarab
(04/27/2006) i love your site!
Last Saturday, I was working in the yard, and there was some
bug buzzing around overhead, as usual. This is Georgia, there
are bugs everywhere. I didn't pay it too much attention until
there was a loud crash - this beetle had charged full-tilt
into the aluminum garage door. He had landed on the driveway,
sort of stumbling and shaking his head - I might be anthropomorphising
a bit, but it really was comical. Of course, I ran to grab
the camera... The sun was bright, but just right to see the
wings. Thanks to your site, I know this is a scarab!
petey
Hi Petey,
What a beautiful photo of a beautiful male Rainbow Scarab.
Calligrapha
Leaf Beetle
(04/27/2006) can you help?
I'm wondering if you can help identify this beetle-type bug
I found nestled on a tree yesterday. Photo is greatly enlarged.
The bug is about the size or slightly larger than a common
ladybug. Attachment is of photo
Thanks.
K Nickodemus
South Windsor, CT
Hi K,
This is a Leaf Beetle in the genus Calligrapha.
Giant
Water Scavenger Beetle
(04/23/2006) black beetle
Found this beetle in our grass. We tried to identify it on
the internet, but no luck. We live in Boise, Idaho. Our son
loved watching it roam. We hope our trees aren't in danger.
Any guesses? Thanks-
Brandon
Hi Brandon,
Your trees are safe. This is a Giant Water Scavenger Beetle,
Hydrophilus ovatus. Though aquatic, they can fly.
Darkling
Beetle
(04/23/2006) Big Black Beetle
As a young boy I was quite the bug collector: everything I
ever caught I would study religiously until I knew the creature
inside and out. At the tender age of 10, I considered myself
an expert in the field of Centipedes and Earwigs. One insect
I occasionally came across in my little bug hunting adventures
as a kid was what I labeled the ''Big Black Beetle''. I become
quite fascinated with the beetle and wanted to know more,
but my search to find more answers about the bug proved to
be unsuccessful. And as time went on I, unfortunately, stopped
looking for bugs all together as other hobbies and interests
beckoned, and the mystery of the ''Big Black Beetle'' seemed
to be forgotten. Then last week at work (I work at a log home
construction site) I found it! I was lifting up some boards
and spotted the little guy. Maybe you guys can help me solve
this mystery once and for all!
Thanks,
Braden
Hi Braden,
We are fairly certain this is a Darkling Beetle, possibly
in the genus Eleodes, but we want to check with Eric Eaton
for substantiation and perhaps a species identification. A
location would be a tremendous help. Eric wrote: " LOOKS like
an Eleodes, but not knowing where exactly it was collected,
I won't say for certain. Other genera of Tenebrionidae can
look nearly identical. Eleodes are typical of true deserts.
Coelocnemis and Iphtheminus (spelling?) tend to replace Eleodes
at higher elevations, like in Ponderosa pine forest habitats."
Thanks for your help guys! I live in British Columbia, Canada.
For some reason I thought I included my location in my initial
e-mail, sorry about that!
Cicindela purpurea, NOT Barrens Tiger Beetle
(04/20/2006) Hard shell, shiny, six legs=Help, WTB!?!
The thing that threw me off about this one is the way it jumped
across the yard like a small grasshopper then coasted/flew
about a foot and a half before landing. I went after it to
catch the this 'grasshopper' for my cats who are indoors and
enjoy the occasional bug to play with. When I put my foot
on it and bent to pick it up, I saw the iridescent green and
turquoise beetle. I don't know where to look as I just moved
to Gillette, WY and am unfamiliar with the things in our unmowed
and unkempt yard. Oh, and it tried to bite. The closest I
can come is the Tiger Beatle. But what is with the gold lines
and spots? Very pretty bug, though. I just found the exact
replica of my beetle! I think. Is the information I found
true? It's a Cicindela patruela patruela,Patterned Green Tiger
Beetle? It gave me this picture and also says only once was
recorded in the 19th century in Burlington.
Rachel
 
Hi Rachel,
It is impossible to give an accurate identification of your
beetle based on the photo, but we do agree it is a Tiger Beetle.
We love your drawing so much we are inclined to agree this
is Cicindela patruela, the Barrens Tiger Beetle according
to BugGuide.
Update (08/22/2006)
Hello Lisa Anne and Daniel, I recently came across your website
and I was pleased to see such a vibrant (and well-done) site.
I'm an entomologist and evolutionary biologist (specializing
on the systematics, taxonomy and evolution of tiger beetles
and their close relatives) and I have to say that I'm impressed
with your accuracy rate! It's much, much better than other
comparable sites I've come across over the years. The two
of you must really love insects. I'll bookmark your site and
check it out when I'm having trouble sleeping again!
Even from the blurry photograph, it can be unequivocally identified
as Cicindela purpurea (don't let the name fool you, out west
they are mostly green!). This is a very common species in
WY and most of the continent (although most abundant in the
western shortgrass prairie). It's impressive that you caught
it without a net!
Daniel P. Duran
Dept. of Biological Sciences
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN |
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