Unknown insect
November 6, 2009
Insect found in the RPPN Rio das Lontras – In Brazil, the Private Natural Heritage Reserve (RPPN) is a private conservation area that is registered in perpetuity and protected by a federal law, with the aim of conserving biological diversity. The creation of a RPPN is a voluntary act by the owner, who decides to designate his property, or part there of, as an RPPN, without losing the right to tenure.
Fernando José Pimentel Teixeira
(UTM): 709.016,89 Norte e 6.942.224,05 Leste
Harlequin Beetle
Dear Fernando,
First we are very happy that you have provided us information on the RPPN which sounds like an excellent way to preserve open spaces that are protected against logging and other activities. We are very active in Land Use issues here in the Mount Washington neighborhood of Los Angeles, California where unchecked development is responsible for the loss of the endangered Black Walnut woodland community. Though our own tiny pockets of open space cannot compare with the grandeur of the Brazilian rain forests, we know how difficult it can be to try to preserve land. Your magnificent beetle is known as a Harlequin Beetle, Acrocinus longimanus. The males have forelegs that are nearly twice the length of the body. The Harlequin Beetle belongs to the Family Cerambycidae, the Longhorned Borer Beetles.
Black and White Beetle
November 4, 2009
I have been trying to identify this beetle. It is black and white (off white/beige), with 6 legs and 2 black antennae. It has wings, although I havent seen it attempt to fly. It also has a bronze metallic sheen to its underbelly. Any Ideas?
Thanks- Robin
Deland, Florida
Southern Sculptured Pine Borer
Hi Robin,
Your lovely beetle is a Southern Sculptured Pine Borer, Chalcophora georgiana. You can see images on BugGuide for comparison. It might also be a Sculptured Pine Borer, Chalcophora virginiensis, which is also pictured on BugGuide.
Iridescent Christmas Beetle from Australia
November 3, 2009
Hi, I’ve seen some recent posts about the brownish Christmas Beetles. Here are some photos of a gorgeous bright green beetle rescued from our swimming pool last summer. We always called these ones Christmas Beetles as kids (ignored the bworn ones), they were highly sought-after. The CSIRO site is fabulous if you know which bit of a beetle is which http://anic.ento.csiro.au/insectfamilies/, but I wouldn’t know a notoplural suture if it bit me (perhaps it has). Can you help? Thanks
Elizabeth
Melbourne, Australia (southeastern seaboard)
Golden Green Stag Beetle
Dear Elizabeth,
WE aren’t certain, but we don’t believe this is a Christmas Beetle. We don’t even think it is a Scarab Beetle. We actually believe it is a Stag Beetle. We found some matches on a BunyipCo Stag Beetle site. A Lamprima species looks very close, and there is another image entitled “minor” male King Stag Beetle that also looks close. Searching Lamprima brought us to the Brisbane Insect website, and a species called the Golden Green Stag Beetle, Lamprima latreillii, and we are happy with that as an identification. It is also depicted on the Csiro website.
Golden Green Stag Beetle
rhino or coleoptera type beetle.
November 2, 2009
found in october, flying around the light, middle of the Daintree rainforest. as you can see he/she was quite big.
emmitted a squeaking sound when provoked and sounded like a mini helicopter while flying haha.
i’ve named it george. and i’m of to the pub, it seems quite happy on my shoulder for now.
Matt
cape tribulation australia QLD
Female Rhinoceros Beetle
Hi Matt,
We would recommend changing George’s name to Georgina since we believe she is a female Rhinoceros Beetle, Xylotrupes gideon. You can view a pair on the Natural Worlds website. This common Southeast Asian species is also found in Northern Australia.
big shiny beetle
November 1, 2009
I found this guy wandering across my office floor this morning (November 1st). I live in Hampton Bays, NY (East End of Long Island). It’s been steadily cooler weather, but we haven’t seen a frost (or been close) yet. He’s about an inch & a half long – the nail in the photo is a good reference. I scooped him up and put him outside for the photo shoot. Thoughts?
Dawn L
Hampton Bays, NY
Forest Caterpillar Hunter
Hi Dawn,
What a positively gorgeous specimen of the Caterpillar Hunter commonly called a Fiery Searcher, Calosoma scrutator. The reds and golds on your specimen are much more pronounced than in most individuals. They are known to climb trees in search of caterpillars, and though the typical life cycle is one year, adults may overwinter and are reported to survive as long as three years. You may get additional information on BugGuide. The Fiery Searcher is one of the predators we plan to profile in the book we are attempting to complete.
Forest Caterpillar Hunter
How interesting!! Let me know if you want to use the photos for the book – I have others of her, as well as an AMAZING set of photos of a black widow with her egg sac! You have a wonderful website, and I rely on it all the time for bug id. It somehow makes them less scary when you know what they are and learn about them…
Thanks!
Dawn
Thanks for the offer Dawn, but since our book is not an identification guide, we will not be using photographs which will make the publication cost prohibitive. We will be using old entomological drawings as a more decorative means of illustrating the book.
Update
WE received a comment that corrected this identification as the imported Forest Caterpillar Hunter, Calosoma sycophanta.
Caterpillar Eater
October 29, 2009
We found these bugs all over the place. They seem to be foraging for caterpillars that are also very heavy this year. They look like caterpillars, but only have six legs. Also, they will dig a hole in the ground and leave their back end lying outside of the hole. Any ideas on what this is? We’ve lived here for four years and have never seen anything like it.
Shaune Martinez
Sandia, TX
Caterpillar Hunter Larva eats Cutworm
Hi Shaune,
This is a beetle larva in the genus Calosoma, commonly called Caterpillar Hunters. There are several species of Calosoma in Texas, and it is impossible for us to determine your exact species. The Fiery Searcher, Calosoma scrutator, is one possibility.
Not a lady bug
October 28, 2009
We have a bug SWARMING our house in Stillwater NJ. It kind of looks like a lady bug. They get through the smallest openings and there are thousands outside and hundreds getting inside. We have heard that they are everywhere in this area now (late October). Can you tell me what they are and how to keep them out of the house?
KayJayW
Northwest NJ
Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle
Dear KayJayW,
These are Multicolored Asian Lady Beetles, Harmonia axyridis, an invasive introduced species that often invades homes in multitudes to escape the cold weather. It is a beneficial species in its own environment in its native Asia, but as an introduced species, it has many problematic characteristics. If it was possible to overlook the home invasion, the Multicolored Asian Lady Beetles are considered largely responsible for the decline in numbers of native species of Lady Beetles, so they invasive species has a negative impact on the environment because of the loss of native diversity. You should be able to find plenty of information on this species online now that you know its name. Try the Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet among others.
Multicolored Asian Lady Beetles
larvae on dead mole
October 29, 2009
These larvae were found on a dead mole that had been under a wheelbarrow about a month (October 4-October 27, 2009 in rural Central Missouri). I have a group of children who routinely explore the woods in this area and when we find a dead creature we place it under the wheelbarrow to watch the decay process. We have not encountered these worm like creatures before.
Millersburg Preschool
Rural Central Missouri
Sexton Beetle Larvae eating a dead mole
Dear Millersburg Preschool,
Though we write about them often, this is the first photo we have ever received of the larvae of a Sexton Beetle, one of the Burying Beetles in the genus Nicrophorus. We found a photo on BugGuide of the larvae of the endangered American Burying Beetle that is very close to your image. We cannot say for certain exactly what species in the genus Nicrophorus your larvae will become, but we are somewhat certain they are not the rare American Burying Beetle. A pair of Sexton Beetles will work burying the corpse of a small rodent or bird and then lay eggs. The adults often stay with the developing larvae and care for them.
Thank you for your quick response! The children will be so excited to know this!
Beautiful Beetle
October 28, 2009
As we live in the southern hemisphere, we are currently in the midst of spring with summer close at hand. For us, this means we will be seeing more and more bugs (woo-hoo). That being said, my kids and I found this beautiful beetle early this morning on the sidewalk outside their school. We immediately rescued it so that it would not get stepped on by the students. I let it walk around the palm of my hand so that we could let my children’s classmates admire it as well. It is a beautiful shiny hard-shelled beetle. When walking, it does so quite quickly, but remains fairly still for the most part. It is about an inch and a half from the tip of it’s nose to the tip of its rear, and the antennas add about another half an inch to its overall length, with a thickness of abo ut a quarter of an inch. I have searched and searched but I cannot identify what type of beetle it is. Any ideas? Another interesting note: Shortly after I returned home and placed it on a branch to retrieve my camera, it slowly and deliberately excreted something onto the branch from the tip of it’s rear. It would slowly move forward bit by bit as it attached the excretion to the branch. The beetle then ‘patted’ it to be certain it was firmly attached to the branch. The excretion is tan in color, about a quarter by an eighth of an inch, and has an oval-rounded shape to it. It resembles a very flattened rolly polly with a clearish tan coating over it. Could this be a single larvae? Thanks for anything you might be able to tell us about this wonderful creature.
Todd Madsen
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Unidentified Beetle from Brazil
Hi Todd,
We are requesting assistance with your beetle. Our initial impression is that it is a Leaf Beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. We hope Eric Eaton can verify that.
Unidentified Beetle from Brazil
Daniel:
Right on! Yes, it is indeed a leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, subfamily Hispinae. Many are leaf miners, but I can’t imagine this large species being one of them:-)
Eric
Karl locates some images online
Hi Daniel:
Everyone is right! Following Eric’s lead, the genus is Coraliomela (Hispinae: Alurnini). But there are several species in that genus in Brazil and there is very little information to be found, so that is likely as close as we are going to get. Chances are that at least some look quite similar (e.g., C. tetramaculata). Regarding the behavior described by Todd, I would guess the beetle was laying eggs – I can’t think what else it may have been doing. From what I could gather, some and perhaps all Coraliomela species feed on palms; the larvae of C. brunnea (an entirely red species), for example, are considered one of Brazil’s most important pests on coconut seedlings. I can’t tell if the plant in Todd’s photo is a palm. Regards.
Karl
Lovely Bug
October 26, 2009
These guys show up every year when the figs are ripe (July-Aug). About an inch long and maybe 5/8 thick. They usually mass on one fig and leave it in tatters.
Kenneth Magnone
90066 (West Los Angeles)
Figeaters eating Figs
Hi Kenneth,
We are so excited that you have sent us a photo of Figeaters eating Figs. Figeaters are also known as Green Fruit Beetles.
What is this thing?
October 25, 2009
I found this bug on the edge of my fishtank. It is now October 25th.
Tree C.
Central Florida
Nut or Acorn Weevil, we believe
Hi Tree C.,
This is a Weevil, a member of the largest family of Beetles. Often exact identification from a photo is impossible. That said, we believe this is a Nut Weevil or Acorn Weevil in the Tribe Curculionini. There are several images that look similar on BugGuide, but they are not identified to the species level.
Nut Weevil or Acorn Weevil, probably
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Posted 25 October 2009
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Who is this death muncher?
October 24, 2009
I’ve seen these guys a couple of times, the first time I ever saw them was among other bugs voraciously consuming a mole corpse who’s death had been basking in the summer heat for at least two days. They were the dominant insect in and on that corpse. His thorax reminds me Roman muscle armor… What is this odd little guy?
Eric, The Wild Man
willamette valley, along the columbia river. Oregon
Sexton Beetle
Hi Eric,
This is one of the Burying Beetles in the genus Nicrophorus that are known as Sexton Beetles. We expect it is the highly variable Nicrophorus defodiens. BugGuide has a nice array of images with some individuals possessing bold spotting, and others with subtle spotting like your specimen. Burying Beetles often work in pairs, burying small dead creatures, laying eggs on the carcass.
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