|
|
Banded Alder Borer
(07/25/2006) Can you identify this zebra bug for us?
Having trouble finding out what this but is from a internet
search. didn't know if you might have time to tell me what
it is. thanks in advance
Karen Hiller
Hi Karen,
The Banded Alder Borer is also called the Laurel Borer in
Southern California.
Reddish
Brown Stag Beetles Mating
(07/24/2006) whats that bug, and bug/love
found on my front porch wall, after midnight
This is the first photo we have ever received of Stag
Beetles mating. This is the Reddish Brown Stag Beetle, Lucanus
carpreolus.
Six Spotted Tiger
Beetle and Dog Day Harvestfly
(07/23/2006) Green beetle and cicada
Hello! I have two pictures for you, the first is a beetle
I was hoping you could help me identify. I have seen this
gorgeous metallic green beetle many times, but this time,
I thought to grab a Ziploc to stick him in so he would be
more cooperative while I tried to take his picture (he's very
fast for a beetle). Also, I thought I'd send you this cicada
who I found singing his heart out on my deck the other day.
He politely quieted down to pose for the picture. Do you know
what those little red dots between his eyes are for? Thank
you!
Gretchen Bertram, Iowa
 
Hi Gretchen,
What wonderful photos. The green beetle is a Tiger Beetle.
It might take some time to identify an exact species. The
Cicada is one of the Annual Cicadas known as Dog Day Harvestflies.
The red dots are simple eyes known as ocelli. Many insects
have ocelli as well as compound eyes.
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.
This is a specimen of Cicindela sexguttata. Although the name implies
that they have six-spots, they regularly do not in a significant part of
their range (especially in the midwest). They can have as many as 12
spots or often none at all. Nice find!
Hope that helps. I thought there would probably be a lot of sexguttata
photos, and it looks like there were. The name confuses so many people,
especially in the midwest where they are usually immaculate (I've got some
really weird variants as well, since I'm completing a revision of the
entire clade that that species falls within).
I'll bookmark your site and check it out when I'm having trouble sleeping
again!
Daniel P. Duran
Dept. of Biological Sciences
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN
Reddish Brown Stag Beetle
(07/22/2006) What in the heck IS this thing??!!
Hey folks!
Found 7/21/06 crawling on our sidewalk in Indianapolis, Indiana.
We're betting that you know what this thing is. This time
we've included the picture as an attachment. For some reason,
you are unable to get the picture included in an email. We
sincerely hope that you will not have opened this email without
being able to access a picture. Thanks again!
Ann Topmiller
Hi Ann,
Now we have your photo. It is a Reddish Brown Stag Beetle,
Lucanus capreolus, a male. Females have much smaller mandibles.
Striped
Blister Beetle
(07/21/2006) Yikes!
I certainly hope I am not becoming a pest. I walked out this
morning and found hundres of these bugs in groups all over
our yard. I have scoured your site and can't find anything
similar with the horizontal stripes. They weren't there yesterday,
but they are certainly there today! Thanks again,
Sandy, NE Arkanas
 
Hi Sandy,
You couldn't locate the Striped Blister Beetle, Epicauta vittata,
on our site, because until now, we didn't have one. It is
a great image. We are currently having difficulty posting
and are awaiting assistance from our web master, but we will
soon post your photo and letter.
Red Milkweed Beetles Mating
(07/20/2006) Some lovers for your bug love page
These beetles, not too sure what they are, we're gettin busy
on the underside of a leaf, amazing they didn't fall off.
Enjoy!
Becky
Hi Becky,
If photos we have seen are any indication, Red Milkweed Beetles
must spend their entire adult life mating.
Palo Verde Root Borer
(07/20/2006) AZ desert, large black bug?
Hi there, cleaning out my cement patio today we saw a 2 inch
black bug that we think is some kind of cockroach, but this
one looked like it had pinchers. Photo attached. Since we
move to the northwest AZ desert a few month ago we have seen
so many huge strange bugs here and many huge spiders. Can
you tell us what it is? Thanks!
Doris
Hi Doris,
The Palo Verde Root Borer is a common Arizona beetle that
makes its appearance in the summer.
Brown Prionid
(07/19/2007) Large Beetle found
Hi there, My wife found this beetle today (7/18/06) in the
basement bathroom of our home in Rockfall, CT. It is the largest
beetle (approximately 1 3⁄4” long) I have seen
in or around here before. We are just curious as to what it
is called. It looks similar to a Paulo (?) root beetle but
since we are in CT I’m not sure if it is. Well I hope
you like the pictures! Thanks!
Aaron
Hi Aaron,
We believe this to be a Brown Prionid, Orthosoma brunneum,
which has 11 antenna segments. It breeds in poles and roots
in contact with wet ground. It was probably attracted to lights
in your bathroom.
Water Tiger
(07/18/2006) What is this!
Hello Bugman,
I was at Lake Dorathy in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, swimming
with some friends when this bug floated by and we grabbed
it with the insect net. When I went touch it, it pinched me
with it's pincers, which are extremely sharp! It's got a stinger
like tail, and it resembles a shrimp in the body. I asked
the folks that have been there for over 20 years and they
had no idea. They think it may be some form of Larvae or nymph.
If you could let me know what this thing is that would be
wonderful. I've attached some pictures, hopefully they'll
help. Thanks!
Dan
Hi Dan,
This is a Water Tiger, the larva of the Predaceous Diving
Beetle. Looks like it caught a minnow.
Reddish
Brown Stag Beetle
(07/17/2006) NJ Beetle-ya wanna make something of it?
Your site is wonderful--I wish I was still teaching science,
my kids would visit every day! I wanted to send you this pic
of another NJ Reddish Brown Stag Beetle. (This one's alive,
yay!) Found in Princeton, NJ crawling out of a patch ground
cover ivy today, Monday July 17th. I was coming out of the
laundry and saw this guy crawling down the wall bold as brass.
The picture doesn't do his beautiful color justice. About
2 inches long.
Miriam
Princeton, NJ
Hi Miriam,
Thanks for the letter and photo of a Reddish Brown Stag Beetle.
Japanese
Beetles
(07/17/2006) what is this beetle?
Nice website! These guys are on a Virginia Creeper vine in
Southern Ontario, Canada. There are a whole bunch of them.
At dusk there are a lot flying around the tops of some of
the trees. I'm guessing they're responsible for all the holes
in the plant leaves. Any idea what they are? Thanks. Take
care,
Cory
Mississauga, Ontario.
Hi Cory,
Japanese Beetles were accidentally introduced to North America
in 1916. There are now a serious agricultural pest throughout
the east. They will eat many plants and are very fond of roses,
primroses, rose of sharon and grapes.
Reddish Brown Stag Beetle
(07/15/2006) Some kind of beetle? With pincers?
Hi and congrats on being featured in this month's Real Simple
magazine! We found this critter on our balcony today, he was
already dead. Eastern Central Jersey, right near the woods.
Thanks if you are able to get to this.
Barb
Hi Barb,
This is a Reddish Brown Stag Beetle, Lucanus capreolus. We
will have to check out the news stand today.
Ferocious
Water Bug and possibly Checkered Beetle
(07/15/2006) We're Stumped
Hi, Bug Man –
Last summer, we took a family vacation to Colorado. My daughter,
a budding entomologist through 4-H, was excited about looking
for any unusual insects that we don’t see in Indiana.
Low and behold, we found just that. After getting them home
in one piece, we are unable to identify either one. The first
photo is some kind of water bug we found in a fountain in
Boulder. We didn’t think it was a giant water bug nymph
because the wings look developed. It’s about an inch
an a quarter long. The second photo of the beetle has a story.
We found this guy on top of our car after lunch in Colorado
Springs. He went into a zip lock bag with another colorful
beetle find. An hour later, we checked on our catch, only
to find out that this beetle had eaten the other – so,
we know it’s predaceous. The photo isn’t great,
but the distinguishing features are the red abdomen with two
symmetrical black spots. It’s about 5/8 of an inch long.
Thanks!
Becky
 
Hi Becky,
Your Water Bug is in the genus Belostoma, and they are sometimes
called the Ferocious Water Bugs. The other photo is not detailed
enough to be able to quickly identify it. We suspect it might
be a species of Checkered Beetle in the family Cleridae, but
not one we recognize. Eric Eaton provided this information:
"The checkered beetle with the toe biter is indeed a checkered
beetle, family Cleridae. Many kinds of checkered beetles are
valuable predators of bark beetles."
Ash
Gray Blister Beetle
(07/14/2006) Ash Gray blister beetle
I took this picture of an ashgray blister beetle, they are
taking over my hostas. There are at least 100 of them in all
sizes. Thought you might like this picture
Shelly
Savannah, MO
Hi Shelly,
Thanks for sending your photo of an Ash Gray Blister Beetle.
We have found it listed online as Ash-Gray Blister Beetle
Epicauta fabricii. Bugguide
also has a nice photo of the species.
Ten-Lined
June Beetle
(07/13/2006) What is this?
Hello,
I was hoping you could Identify this beetle for us. It is
large about 1.25 inches long and I can not find an exact match
anywhere. My wife wants to know if this is what has been eating
her pepper plants! the closest I can find is this photo of
the anoxia orientalis but it's coloring and psuedo striping
are not like this beetle Im sending he pic of. We appreciate
any help you can provide!
Cameron in Colorado Springs, CO
Hi Cameron,
This is a Ten-Lined June Beetle, and it is not eating your
wife's peppers. They feed on the needles of conifer trees
at night.
Brown
Prionid
(07/13/2006) bug question, duh
What the heck is the big guy?
molly
Hi Molly,
Labeling your photo "wedding and grad party" isn't really
what we had in mind when we put a request on our homepage
for readers to provide us with location information on their
submissions. We prefer global location information since that
is much more useful considering letters come to us from all
over the world. The "duh" in your subject heading leads us
to believe there might have been some intoxication involved
at the wedding and graduation party, and we are thrilled there
is an auto focus feature on modern cameras allowing even operators
with a high blood alcohol level to take crisp clear photos
like yours. We hope the hangover has subsided. This is a Brown
Prionid, Orthosoma brunneum. They are attracted to lights,
which is probably the reason the small moth is hitch-hiking.
They are found in moist locations in eastern North America.
Eggs are laid in wood in contact with wet ground, including
poles.
Mating
Red Grapevine Beetles???
(07/12/2006) bugs
I live in the Central Northern part of Ontario near the shore
of Georgian Bay in a small town called Waubaushene. I found
these two beetles mating on my Sage plant this morning and
cannot identify them. I have never seen anything like these
before. I have included one picture of a ruler beside them
to show you the size, but the quality is not as good---it's
just too darn hard to hold a ruler in one hand while pulling
back the leaves with the same hand and hold a camera in the
other hand steady enough to take a good picture. I was wondering/hoping
you would know what they are. Thanks
Gloria Simpson
 
Hi Gloria,
Except for the coloration, these beetles look like Grapevine
Beetles, Pelidnota punctata. Grapevine Beetles are yellow
in color. We did some research, and the Audubon Guide lists
the coloration as "dull reddish brown to brownish yellow above
with 2 black dots on the sides of pronotum and 3 black dots
on side of each elytron. Top of head, scutellum, and underside
blackish, tinged with green. We are believe these are just
a red variation of the Grapevine Beetle. When Eric Eaton returns,
we will get his opinion. Watch the website for an update.
Tiger
Beetle
(07/11/2006) Shiny Metallic Beetle?
Lived all my life in/around Houston, Texas. Never seen this
bug till this year. They are everywhere. Outside on porches,
2-3 get inside every day. They are about 1/2"-3/4"
long and VERY fast. Do you have any idea what they are?
Thanks,
Eddie
Hi Eddie,
What a beautiful Tiger Beetle. It is a Carolina Tiger Beetle,
Megacephala carolina. There is also a nice photo on Bugguide.
If collectors catch wind that you have a population explosion,
they may decend upon you as Tiger Beetles are very popular
with collectors. This species is highly beneficial as it is
a predator. Thanks for sending your gorgeous photo of a gorgeous
insect.
Reddish
Brown Stag Beetle
(07/11/2006) Elephant stag beetle ?
This was on my door screen. Is it a Stag Beetle ?
Janet
Hi Janet,
Yes this is a Stag Beetle, but not the Elephant Stag Beetle.
It is the Reddish Brown Stag Beetle, Lucanus capreolus, formerly
Pseudolucanus capreolus.
Prionid
Beetle
(07/11/2006) Large Bug In My Kitchen
Hello,
I found this bug in my kitchen tonight and I was hoping you
could help me figure out what it is and give me some information
about it. I have never seen a bug like this before around
here. I live in Buena Vista, Colorado. It is rather large.
As you can see in the pictures, it is larger than the size
of a quarter. It is about 1 1⁄4 inches long and the
antennae are about another inch. The pictures don’t
show it very well, but the antennae and legs are very barbed
(10 barbs on each antenna, 4 barbs on the front and middle
legs, and 3 barbs on the back legs). Each of the legs ends
with a double hook. My puppy thought this was a new toy for
him which caught my attention. The bug was making a strange
clicking type noise. Not only when on its back but when it
was walking around as well. It is entirely black looking at
it from the top. Its belly is kind of a pale yellowish color.
It almost appears bee-like because its shell seems to grow
in an overlapping stripe-like pattern. When my husband tried
to pick it up to take it outside, its back split into wings
and tried to fly away. The mouth area looks like it has small
but sharp mandibles and four little finger-type things hanging
down. As it was walking around, it was dragging these four
fingers on the ground. I don’t know a whole lot about
bugs and I hope the information I have given you is helpful.
If you have questions or would like more information, please
let me know and I will do my best to provide some answers.
Thank you for your time,
Stephanie Bailey
Hi Stephanie,
This is one of the Prionid Beetles. There are several species
of Prionus listed in Colorado, but we are unsure which species
you have. We will see if Eric Eaton can give us a species
name when he returns. They are root and stump borers in the
larval stages.
Delta
Flower Scarab
(07/10/2006) beetle, true bug?
A friend in my garden forum found this bug on her roses in
Lafeyette, Louisiana. It was about an inch long and was square
bottomed. I looked in all your bugs but may have missed something.
My computer won't show me a few of the pics for my own good,
it says. Love your site and greatly appreciate the time and
effort you all spend educating the rest of us.
Beth from West Tennessee.
Hi Beth,
This is a Delta Flower Scarab, Trigonopeltastes delta. The
adults feed on pollen, but may also chew the blooms. The name
comes from the shape of the thoracic markings, thought to
resemble the Greek letter Delta.
Banded
Alder Borer
(07/10/2006) What is it?
Hi,
I stumbled across your site while trying to figure out what
this bug is. I've lived in Olympia, WA for 12 years and I've
never seen this bug before, then yesterday, there were 3 of
them on the wall outside my office. Can you tell me what it
is? Thanks.
Michael
Hi Michael,
This is the second Banded Alder Borer photo we posted this
week.
False
Potato Beetle
(07/09/2006) What the heck is this??!!
I've seen beetles before but what the heck is this? I got
a cool close up and you can see the little claws at the end
of his feet and his feelers are funky looking!!!
Michele from Kinnelon, NJ
Hi Michele,
What a beautifully detailed photo of a False Potato Beetle,
Leptinotarsa juncta.
Ten-Lined
June Beetle
(07/09/2006) Whispering Beetle?
Hi,
We live in Erickson BC and the other night this beetle appeared
in our home. The kitty was playing with it and it was making
sounds like Shoooosh, shooosh, shoooosh, the whole time. I
have never seen this type of beetle before with a wing like
front tentical or front fee, (cant make out for sure which
it is on that). Could you identify it for me please? Your
help would be appreciated. Any help sure would be appreciated.
Thanks
Caryle Schroeder
Hi Caryle,
Nice photo of a Ten-Lined June Beetle, Polyphylla decemlineata
or a closely related species. The adults do make loud squeeking
noises if handled. This species has impressive antennae and
it is attracted to lights.
Borer:
Clytus species
(07/09/2006) What's this Bug ?
Landed on my hat in Eastern Ontario , Canada . Thanks in advance
,
Mike.
Hi Mike,
This is one of the Cerambycid Borers in the genus Clytus.
There are two species, Clytus marginicollis and Clytus ruricola,
and they look very similar. If this was a Who Wants to be
a Millionaire question, we would gamble on Clytus
ruricola.
Grapevine
Beetle
(07/09/2006) Hi Bugman
I saw this in my hallway. I live in Southern New York State.
What is it? Thanks,
Bob Grant
Hi Bob,
This pretty scarab is a Grapevine Beetle.
Banded
Alder Borer
(07/09/2006) type of beetle
Please help me identify a type of beetle (?) about two inches
long with antennae about the same length, black & white
bands on body and antennae and spot of red on head and ends
of antennae. There were six of them on a garbage can in Pasadena,
CA. Have never seen them before. I have attached a photo taken
by my son on whose property the beetles were seen.
The Banded Alder Borer is a native of the Los Angeles
area. According to Charles Hogue: "Adults may be attracted
to the volatizing esters in fresh paint." Did someone throw
paint cans out in the garbage instead of taking them to a
hazardous waste depository?
Unknown
Flower Scarab
(07/08/2006) What's that (this) bug?
I've searched the Internet and have not been able to identify
this beetle. I would appreciate your assistance in correctly
identifying this insect. I found it in Tucson, Arizona early
in the morning on July 8, 2006 on its back struggling to right
itself. As my "fee" for rescuing it from death by
baking in the Arizona sunshine, I moved it to a shadier location
and took its picture.
Sam Rua
(I grant you permission to post this image on your web site)
Hi Sam,
A quick search of the Fruit and Flower Scarabs, Subfamily
Cetoniinae, on BugGuide did not produce a match. Since Eric
Eaton lives in Arizona, he will probably be able to identify
the species. Check back with the website where we will post
his answer. Here is what Eric wrote: "Daniel: You are right,
but I don't recognize it. I 'never' find the cool bugs here:-(
Please try: Carl Olson at the U of A. He may well know it:
Eric"
Broad
Necked Root Borer
(07/08/2006)
we found what I think is a type of beetle . . . but can't
find any information about what kind of beetle it is -- can
you help us? My wife found this beetle in her backyard when
she was planting flowers. Thanks,
Randy Chappell
Camdenton, MO
Hi Randy,
This is a female Broad Necked Root Borer, Prionus laticollis.
According to Bugguide:
"Eggs are inserted into ground (or under litter) in groups.
Larvae tunnel downward to feed on living roots of a variety
of trees and shrubs. At first they may feed on bark, but then
proceed to hollow out small roots. Pupation occurs in spring,
about 10 cm under the ground. Life cycle probably three years."
Female
Hercules Beetle
(07/08/2006) Interesting Beetle
We found a dead beetle today on the asphalt in our town square.
I've looked for an exact photo on the web with no luck But
I thought that it looked like a female Hercules Beetle, it
has no horn but is colored like the male Hercules Beetle I
found on your site. What's you thought?
Rita 'Dee' Roosa
Manchester, Tn
Hi Rita,
You are absolutely correct, a female Hercules Beetle.
Thick-Legged
Flower Beetle
(07/07/2006) Whats this green bug?
Whats this green bug? Found it last month in Bristol UK someone
suggested it's a "Green horned beetle" or a French
friend said a "mante religieuse" but I cannot find
it in my book
Thanks
K
Hi K,
We know of a site devoted to common UK
Beetles, and this beauty is identified as Oedemera nobilis,
the Thick-Legged Flower Beetle in the family Oedemeridae.
The site states: "This spectacular metallic-green beetle is
usually seen on flowers. Only the male seen here has the
characteristic thickened hind ‘thighs' (femora). This species
is common in gardens and grassland, and in open spaces in
woods, in the south, but is more often found in coastal areas
in the north of the country. The larvae feed and develop within
plant stems. "
Japanese
Beetles: Bumper Crop Year
(07/06/2006) japanese beetles
Last year I promised you a picture of a Japanese Beetle, as
they normally frequent my garden. Well, last year there were
none. This year I think I caught a Japanese Beetle family
reunion. The photos were taken in Northwest Ohio on 7/6/2006.
Enjoy
John
 
Hi John,
Thank you for sending in this wonderful photo of the scourge
of eastern gardeners. Mom currently has Japanese Beetle problems
with her roses and primroses near Youngstown Ohio.
Dogbane
Leaf Beetle
(07/05/2006) Red rover, red rover
You have a wonderful site. Can you tell me if this iridescent
red beetle is a rove beetle and if it can fly? I'm writing
a kids book and want to be sure to ID it correctly. Many thanks!
Claire Miller
Hi Claire,
In the interest of properly informing children, who are often
the victems of gross misinformation, this is a Dogbane Leaf
Beetle, Chrysochus auratus.
Red
Milkweed Beetle
(07/03/2006) Pleas help ID this beautiful bug
I love finding new specimens of anything living and would
love it if yo> could help me ID this one. We live in the South
East corner of Michigan and found him hanging out on the trash
can lid outside. What could he (or she) be?
Bekah
Hi Bekah,
This is a Red Milkweed Beetle or Milkweed Longhorn, Tetraopes
tetraophthalmus. They squeak by rubbing together rough areas
on their thorax when handled. Larvae bore into stems and roots
of milkweed.
Hercules
Beetle
(07/03/2006) cool pic of beetle
I am not sure what kind, but this picture was taken on the
Outer Banks of NC. Your site is fantastic! Thanks for your
insight into the bug world!
Danielle Jordan
Hi Danielle,
Though we already have two images of Hercules Beetles, Dynastes
tityus, on our homepage from July, we couldn't justify not
including your beautiful image as well. Thanks for sending
it to us.
Hercules
Beetle
(07/03/2006) Dynastes tityus
I absolutely love your website, it is very informative. While
surfing the site I discovered several people had asked questions
about Eastern Hercules beetles. I have included a picture
of my male beetle but I also have a female and am going to
breed them soon. They are very easy to keep, they just need
a large plastic container with air holes and some soil/bark
and you feed them banana chunks and watered down maple syrup.
However, unless you plan on breeding them and letting them
go I would say just let them stay outside and enjoy them there.
Thanks again,
Andy.
Hi Andy,
Thanks for sending in your photo and the advice to our readers.
Black
Burying Beetle
(07/03/2006)
My friend Joseph and I found this bug while chatting on the
photo drive at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA.
At first I thought it was a stinker bug and Joseph tried to
squish it to see if it would really stink, but in a lightig
quick move I stopped him just before his foot hit the ground.
Upon a second and closer inspection I found out it was not
a stinker bug. Since we are photo and film students, we decided
that we needed to have a picture taken of it, so we did. Now
I am sending it to you for your web site.
Thanks a bunch.
Bettina
Hi Bettina,
I am so happy to hear you and Joseph are having fun while
pursuing your studies. Like I told you in front of my class,
this is one of the Burying Beetles. Further research on BugGuide
leads me to believe it is Nicrophorus nigrita, the Black Burying
Beetle. Burying Beetles often work in as a pair when they
locate a small dead animal like a mouse or bird. The beetles
dig a pit under the corpse until it is below the surface.
Then they bury the critter and lay eggs. I also noticed some
mites on your beetle when you presented it to me in that American
Spirit cigarette pack. The mites hitch a ride on the beetle
and feed on maggots that are attracted to the rotting flesh.
Grapevine
Beetle
(07/02/2006) Grapevine beetle????
Its been storming on and off all day today and when I went
into my kitchen I looked on the screen and I seen this on
the window screen my kids wanted to see what it was so i went
out and got a bowl. I seen your pics and think its a Grapevine
beetle sorry about the pics quality its taken with a web cam.
We have no grapevines around here and it was the only one
people say they are usually in pairs and there quite large.
Kareen
Goshen, Indiana
Hi Kareen,
You are correct. This is a Grapevine Beetle, Pelidnota punctata.
We have gotten several letters recently, without photos, inquiring
about white June Bugs. We suspect either Grapevine Beetles
or Goldsmith Beetles in those cases.
Male
Elephant Stag Beetle
(07/01/2006) What's this??
I live in east Tennessee, near southwest Virginia and western
North Carolina. This bug has a hard shell, LARGE pinschers,
and it's feet seem to have hooks to hold on tight to most
any surface. It is about 1 1/2 inches long... What is it??
Thanks!
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
What an impressive photo of a male Elephant Stag Beetle, Lucanus
elephus. We are sure it will give some of our readers nightmares
even though it is harmless.
Hercules
Beetle
(07/01/2006) Hercules Beetle?
Hi!
We think this is a Hercules Beetle we found on our front porch
on 6/25/06, hanging on to a peice of wood that was used as
a shelf. Saw the other pictures on the site, thought you'd
enjoy the clarity in these. We are in Mineral, VA. Put the
critter and the shelf back where we found him, and a few days
later he was gone.
Enjoy!
L. Owen
Hi L. Owen,
Thanks so much for sending in your beautiful photo. We haven't
gotten any images of Hercules Beetles since last summer.
Eyed
Elater
(06/30/2006) In all my 50 years I have never seen a big eye
bug this big
Hi:
I was wondering if you knew what type of bug this was. It
was on my screen and when I got close to it it flew to the
ground. I live in Central Florida. Any help would be greatly
appreciated.
Sincerely,
Nan
Hi Nan,
This is an Eyed Elater, one of the Click Beetles. The "eyes"
are not real, but eyespots used to scare predators.
Banded
Alder Borer
(06/29/2006) Look at this!
I saw this bug flying outside my place of business and I had
never seen anything like it before. It is quite large for
a flying bug in my area. After some online research, I discovered
that it could be an Alder-Boring Longhorn Beetle. The related
info stated that it is native to the Northern Cascades. I
captured it in Los Angeles! If it is an Alder-Boring Longhorn
Beetle, what is it doing way down here?
Thanks Bugman!
Mike
Hi Mike,
This is indeed a Banded Alder Borer, Rosalia funebris. Here
is what Charles Hogue writes in his wonderful book Insects
of the Los Angeles Basin: "Although the species is also popularly
known as the California Laurel Borer, it does not use Caulifornia
Laurel (Umbellaria species) as a primary host. It is normally
noticed resting on the dead trunks of its host trees, which
are alder, ash and other hardwoods. In the basin it sometimes
infests Coast Live Oak and eucalyptus."
Golden
Netwing Beetle
(o6/29/2006) fire bug??
Bugman,
Found this beatle in the mountains of Idaho. Is this a fire
bug? I thought red was usually a warning so we didn't get
too acquainted. Can you help me identify it??
Thanks,
Allyson
Hi Allyson,
Despite being red, this is a Golden Netwing Beetle, Dictyopterus
aurora. It is found in much of North America, in woodlands
with decaying logs.
Thick
Legged Flower Beetle
(06/28/2006) British Flower beetle (very pretty)
Hi again, another picture that i took today whilst out and
about. Found this beetle on a Clematis plant which i believe
is "Oedemera Nobilis", this is a Male, as the female
lacks the swollen hind legs. Its one of the prettiest beetles
i have found in the UK in Hertfordshire.
regards
Ben
Hi Ben,
Please forgive our lengthy delay, but we have had technical
difficulties. We received another photo of the Thick Legged
Flower Beetle after yours. It is a lovely beetle.
Stag
Beetle and Firefly
(06/27/2006) Lucanus Capreolus sends his thanks! Also: Firefly
- Photinus
Hi Bugman --
The "Lucanus capreolus, Reddish-brown Stag Beetle"
in the attached photo would like to thank you for saving its
life! Normally, I'm a "Smash First, Ask Questions Later"
kind of person when it comes to bugs, and had it not been
for a recent visit to your website, where I happened upon
a picture of the Elephant Stag Beetle, "Smash First"
would definitely have been my reaction upon catching sight
of this monstrous *beast* hanging out near the garage door
on Sunday. (It was five inches long! I swear! Well... in my
head, anyway. In reality, it was probably about 1.5 inches
long.) Anyway, having learned from WTB that these are fairly
harmless to people, I let him be. Last I saw, he was headed
back to sit amongst the geraniums. (Where, unbeknownst to
me until I checked the photos later that evening, he had been
hiding out while I was taking some other flower pictures.
(Mental note to self: Always wear your Mud Gloves when poking
around in the flowers.)) Also attached are some pictures of
a Firefly (Lampyridae), Genus Photinus, crawling around on
the aforementioned geraniums. I couldn't find any of this
particular genus on your website already, and thought you
might like some. Thanks again for WTB!
Brenda
Sun Prairie, WI
 |
 |
| Stag
Beetle |
Firefly |
Hi Brenda,
Thanks for your nice letter and we are thrilled our humble
site helped to save your local Stag Beetle.
Cottonwood
Borer
(06/26/2006) Please identify!
Hello, Bugman ~ please tell me what the heck this is!!!
Thanks!
Backyard Bunny
Hi Bunny,
This is a Cottonwood Borer, one of our most striking native
Cerambycids.
Tortoise
Beetle, AKA Goldbug
(06/26/2006) tiny gold beetle
A patron brought this small beetle (approx. 2-3 mm) in for
some ID help and I can't find anything in any of our books
that fit. It flew into their car in a parking lot that's near
a small oak-hickory woodlot. The elytra are clear around the
margins. I really just want to narrow it down to Family -
any thoughts?
Michael
Hi Michael,
Beautiful photo of a Tortoise Beetle in the Leaf Beetle family
Chrysomellidae. They are sometimes called Goldbugs.
Palo
Verde Borer
(06/26/2006) first Palo Verde Beetles of summer
Hi there --
Thought you might like these photos of a Palo Verde Borer
Beetle, making his way along our driveway in Tucson. Cheryl
Kohler
Tucson AZ
Hi Cheryl,
Thank you for taking the excellent photo, with the bic lighter
for scale, of the Palo Verde Root Borer, Derobrachus geminatus.
Six
Spotted Tiger Beetle
(06/25/2006) Green metallic beetle
Hi again, We have these beetles all around this year again.
They run real fast and fly. Could not find in the beetle section,
can you help? Thanks again,
Art.
Hi Art,
We have several images of Six Spotted Tiger Beetles, Cicindela
sexguttata, that we have posted over the years. They are buried
in our nine beetle pages. Using our search engine and the
key words green metallic beetle should have taken you to the
correct pages.
Ironclad
Beetle
(06/24/2006) my very special spotted bug
I love your website and was just showing it to a friend (you
know, slow Friday afternoon at work) who said,"Your unknown
bug photo is better than any of these! Or at least as interesting
as!" So here I am. I live in central Texas. This is the
second consecutive year I've encountered this insect, but
have only ever seen these two, once each.
Update: *Wow!* Just after I wrote that Friday afternoon, when
I got home from work later, the very first thing I encountered
in my path from car to door was yet a third. Each one of them
has very interesting and unique variations on the zipper and
the spots. Do you know what he is? I understand you are swamped
but hope that you'll get to me one day, even if it's months
from now. Thank you!
Kaila
Dripping Springs, TX
Hi Kaila,
Something in the cosmos must have alligned causing you to
encounter another Ironclad Beetle the day you wanted an identification.
We loved your subject line, which is what caught our attention
among the myriad letters that arrived. The Ironclad Beetle,
Zopherus haldemani, got its common name from the nearly impenetrable
exoskeleton.
Dear Bug Man (person?),
Oh my, WOW, I can't believe my special spotted bug made it
onto your site! I feel incredibly honored, especially to have
such a speedy answer when you are so swamped. Now I have to
go email the link to my husband, and my mom, and my friend
who introduced me to your site (when she saw my photos of
the polyphemous moth that flew in my bedroom one night), and
the one who suggested that I email this bug to you. I hope
to have more fabulous and intriguing bugs for you to identify
one day. I've lived in Texas 35 years but have never seen
so many fascinating bugs as I have in the two years since
I moved to Dripping Springs. Thank you so much from your devoted
fan!
Kaila
Eyed
Elater
(06/24/2006) playing possum
This bug looks like my driveway. I knew it was dead, but the
kids insisted it moved. It played possum for over 30 minutes.
It rattled around the jar like a shell of a cicada. No sign
of life. Then it got busy and wanted out. Are those eyes on
it's back? Thanks so much--what a fabulous website. I had
nightmares, but my kids were thrilled!
Suzannah
Hi Suzannah,
Nice photo of an Eyed Elater, one of the Click Beetles. The
markings on the beetle are Ocelli, the plural of Ocellus,
a False Eye Spot. The true eyes are much smaller. This is
a form of protective mimicry, with the spots startling birds
and other predators.
False
Potato Beetle
(06/20/2006) colorado potato beetle
Hi!
You have such a GREAT site! I identified our friend here from
your website, but I wanted to send my photo anyway. It was
crawling through the weeds in our Long Island backyard. Keep
up the Great Work!
Amy and Chris
Hi Amy and Chris,
The Colorado Potato Beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, has
ten black stripes on a pale yellow ground on the wing covers,
or elytra. The False Potato Beetle, Leptinotarsa juncta, according
to Bugguide,
is "Similar to Colorado Potato Beetle (1), but elytral punctures
are regular instead of irregular. Also, a brown stripe at
the center of each elytron (wing cover) and on the inner edge
of each elytron (where they meet down the middle) distinguish
this species." Your photo is the False Potato Beetle, an easy
mistake to make. Thanks for sending in your photo.
Ironclad
Beetle
(06/18/2006) What is it?
I live in Round Rock, Texas and saw this bug crawling on the
window screen in my back yard. I've lived in Texas all my
life and have never seen one of these! What is it? My four
year-old daughter and I are curious, yet cautious.
Andrea Plowman
Hi Andrea,
Oddly, you are the second Andrea to request an identification
of the Ironclad Beetle, Zopherus haldemani. The common name
is derived from the extremely hard exoskeleton. The insect
is highly resistant to water loss. You have no reason to fear
this beautiful beetle.
Elephant
Stag Beetle
(06/17/2006) stag beetle
; Hello. I'm attaching a picture of an elephant stag beetle.
I thought you might like the picture. I live down here in
Northern Alabama. I saw the picture of the stag beetle that
had been needlessly killed and so I feel like I should send
you a good picture of a live happy one. This little guy has
been hanging around my rose bush for two days now and he's
still there. Well I hope you enjoy the picture. I love your
website. I visit it several times each day. Keep it going!
It's a really nice website! Oh and by the way you may have
to resize the picture. God bless!
Isaac
Hi Isaac,
What a beautiful photograph of a beautiful Elephant Stag Beetle.
Also, thanks for your touching letter.
Sawyer
perhaps
(06/16/2006)
This guy is about 1 1/4" long in the body about 10"
wide antennae span (right off the camera lens here. We live
in Northern New Mexico and found him in our door frame just
last week. He let me move him onto this leather and relocate
him without a fuss. WTB?
Kim
Hi Kim,
Wow!!! What antennae. We are relatively certain this is one
of the Sawyers in the genus Monochamus, but we would like
to check with Eric Eaton for confirmation.
Update from Eric Eaton (06/22/2006):
"Ok, the top longhorned beetle, with the REALLY long antennae,
is probably something in the genus Acanthocinus."
Cerambycid
from Japan: Benikamikiri
(06/16/2006) Red Mystery Beetle (Japan)
Hi,
I live in western Japan and recently found a red beetle on
my car. I have asked several people around here and nobody
knows what it is called. I have also been through your archives
and could not find a match. I have attached a photo of the
beetle in question. Could you please help me with an identification?
Thank you,
Justin Yoshida
Hi Justin,
We believe this beauty is one of the Cerambycid Longhorns,
though we are not positive, and we have no idea of the species.
The list of specimens that could use Eric Eaton's assistance
is growing and we are not sure when he will return from collecting
in West Virginia. How large was this beetle?
Hi, thanks for the quick reply. The beetle was approximately
one inch in length. I will continue to try and find additional
information here in Japan, and will update you if anything
comes to light, Thanks again,
Justin
Update: (06/18/2006)
Mystery solved! (I'm pretty sure , anyway) The longhorn beetle
I contacted you about yesterday is commonly known in Japan
as a "benikamikiri." Latin name: Purpuricenus (Sternoplistes)
temminckii. Sources: http://www2.gol.com/users/nanacorp/ZUKAN/beni.htm
http://naturaljapan.net/?pp_album=1&pp_image=benikamikiri01.jpg
Thanks for your help!
Justin
Hi again Justin,
Nice job of research. It looks like you have a positive identification.
Cerambycid
Beetle
(05/16/2006) longhorn beetle?
I found this little guy in the backyard at my parents place
in Maple Bay - SE Vancouver Island BC. Any idea what he is?
I searched around for images of longhorn beetles but didn't
find any that looked like this one. Maybe I'm wrong thinking
this is a longhorn.
Ian Mackenzie,
Victoria BC.
Hi Ian,
Yes, a Cerambycid, but we are unsure of the species. We will
post it and see if anyone can identify it and hope Eric Eaton
will assist us when he returns. How large was this specimen?
It was ~2.5 cm (+- .5 cm) in length, not including the antenna.
It was on the trunk of a bigleaf maple; in April. Thanks for
looking into this for me. I have several other images of unidentified
insect specimens to send your way but perhaps will try to
stagger when i send them so as not to flood you with too many
requests. All the best,
Ian
Update from Eric Eaton (06/22/2006)
"The longhorned beetle directly beneath it is, once again,
Synaphaeta guexi."
White
Spotted Sawyer
(06/15/2006) Bug ID question
Hi there!
I love your site! My daughter and I used it to identify a
couple of toe-biters that we saw at an auto race track in
Ottawa, Ontario last night. I thought they were really neat,
and managed to pick one up (very carefully) to look it over
closely, seeming to stun some of the little boys who'd been
throwing things at them. :-) However, look as I might on your
site, I couldn't find a beetle that we photographed out on
our back deck last week. It is approximately two inches long,
not counting the long antennae. Also, it had small red spheres
adhered behind its head, and we wondered if they were its
own eggs or some type of parasitic eggs. This is located south
of Ottawa about halfway to the New York state line. Thanks
for any information you can give us, and keep up your wonderful
work! Thanks,
Angie & Sarah
Kemptville, Ontario
Hi Angie,
We believe that somewhere in our 9 archived beetle pages,
there is a photo of the White Spotted Sawyer, Monochamus scutellatus.
This specimen is a female. Believe it or not, the antennae
of the male are twice as long. The White Spotted Sawyer can
be distinguished from the other members in the genus by the
white scutellum, the little triangle at the front of the elytra,
or wing covers.
Elephant
Stag Beetle
(06/15/2006)
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. Read this
about 3 hours before I found the same bug on my front porch.
Don't worry,it's still alive and well. Attached the picture,enjoy!
Desi
Hi Desi,
You have cheered us immensely whereas the last squashed photo
we received of this species was terribly depressing.
(06/17/2006)
I suppose it's stag beetle season.After my encounter with
the really large one the day before,I found this two inch
fellowon the back deck last night.It was friendly enough to
pose for me for a bit.After that he decided he liked my long
black hair,took me a while to get him out.I'm afraid I freaked
out my whole family,but hey,I got good shots ;-) We're in
Adairsville ,N W Georgia.
Desi
 
Hi Again Desi,
Wow, you do live in Stag Beetle Central.
Swamp
Milkweed Leaf Beetle
(06/15/2006) swamp milkweed leaf beetle
This large ladybug looking beetle is feeding on my butterfly
plant (Asciepias) here in south central Wisconsin (Dodge County).
I included a ruler (using metric) for reference in size in
the picture. Actually got 2--mating I imagine. From your page
and other websites it would certainly appear to be Labidomera
clivicollis or swamp milkweed leaf beetle. Feel free to use
the image if it is useful to you.
Anne Oelke
Sew Happy in Wisconsin
Hi Anne,
Your identification is correct, and we are thrilled to post
your photo of a Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetle.
Glowworm
(06/15/2006) Glow in the dark larvae?
My backyard is riddled with these.
Either the house is built on a superfund site or....?Notes:
Where found: Spring Green, WI Date: June 14th Heavily shaded
areas, rich soil. Thanks for the great website and your help!
Rob Greenleaf
 
Hi Rob,
What a wonderful photo of a glowing Glowworm, the larval form
of a beetle.
Cottonwood
Borer
(06/14/2006) what bug is this?
I found this bug dead next to my doormat last night and wondered
what on earth it could be? I live in Tulsa, OK near the Arkansas
River. We get weird bugs in this area, but I've never seen
horns like that. I'd be happy for a clue :) Thanks,
Ellen Schmieding
Hi Ellen,
The Cottonwood Borer is one of the most strikingly impressive
native Cerambycids.
Male
Firefly
(06/14/2006) Malibug
Greetings and heartfelt praise for your wonderful site. My
girlfriend and I found this lovely bug in our hotel room in
Malibu, CA and took some pics before we put it outside. Beautiful
antennae! Any ideas? I'm stumped. Thanks,
Ricardo de Laveaga
Hi Ricardo,
We wish your photo had more details, but we are very excited
about it nonetheless. We would also love to know how large
this specimen was. We believe it is a Western Banded Glowworm,
Zarhipis integripennis. When Eric Eaton returns, we will be
requesting his assistance. We did locate an image on BugGuide
that appears to match.
That's most definitely the one! Well done, I'm amazed. Here's
2 stills for size reference from some video I shot. I'd say
a little over an inch, minus antennae. Thanks SO Much!
Ricardo
 
Thanks for the new photos Ricardo.
Correction (06/23/2006)
Courtesy of Eric Eaton: "That beetle with the comb-like antennae
from Malibu is actually a male firefly, Pterotus obscuripennis.
Indeed, they are very similar to the glowworms. Female Pterotus
are larviform, too! Very easy mistake to make without prior
experience. A neat find."
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.
|
|
