Green metallic beetle (?) love
Sat, May 30, 2009 at 4:40 PM
Hi Bugman, we found this handsome green couple on a sunny rock at Great Falls Park in MD (they were so preoccupied that they failed to even notice the garter snake we were watching mere inches away). I’m wondering if they’re borers of some kind since a large dead tree was nearby. Before they became engaged they moved very quickly and even ran over the snake’s back once or twice.Can you tell us what they are?–didn’t have any luck searching “iridescent green” and “metallic green” on the site. (Photo taken by Elizabeth Bouras)
Love the site and the new design. Thanks for your help!
Paula O’Keefe
Great Falls, MD, USA
Mating Six Spotted Tiger Beetles
Hi Paula,
This is a pair of Six Spotted Tiger Beetles, Cicindela sexguttata, a species with a relatively extensive range. According to BugGuide: “In the United States, found over much of the eastern and Great Plains states. Absent from the Gulf Coast area. Range continues into southeastern Canada.”
Is this a Six-spotted Tiger Beetle?
Mon, May 18, 2009 at 1:30 PM
Hello,
I was digging in by backyard today when I came across this beautiful beetle. After looking through some Field Guides I guess it may be a Six-spotted Tiger Beetle, but on of them said that they usually don’t occur in Michigan. I was hoping you could shed some light on what I found. It seemed to have been underground next to a nest of larvae feeding on a mouse or rat i dug out.
O. Keller
Port Sanilac, MI
Six Spotted Tiger Beetle
Dear O. Keller,
We believe you have correctly identified your Six Spotted Tiger Beetle. According to the data on BugGuide, Michigan is firmly part of the range of the species.
Tiger Beetles
Sun, May 17, 2009 at 4:32 AM
Hi Lisa Anne and Daniel, thank you for your generous remarks of 5/10. Central WY has been cool and uncharacteristically cloudy this spring, Lepidoptera seem less evident and other orders more so. These tiger beetles especially have stood out. Please correct my i.d.s where necessary.
Your site is still the best!
Dwaine
near Casper, WY
Green Claybank Tiger Beetle???
Hi Dwaine,
Either the Montana Field Guide website Tiger Beetle page has a dearth of photos, or there is something currently wrong with it. When we tried clicking Green Claybank Tiger Beetle, Cicindela denverensis, we get a message that indicates “No photos are currently available.” Upon turning to BugGuide, we see that your specimen appears to match the pictured specimen posted there. The Festive Tiger Beetle – Cicindela scutellaris scutellaris is also noticeably absent from the Montana Field Guide site, but is present on BugGuide, though the common name Festive Tiger Beetle is not indicated. The habitat is listed as “Commonly found in dry sandy habitats with sparse vegetation such as blowouts, dune swales, and roads.” Once again, your photo matches the subspecies of this species posted on BugGuide. The subspecies is found in Alberta, Canada which borders Montana.
Festive Tiger Beetle???
Finally, the specimen that you have identified as a Beautiful Tiger Beetle is not listed on the Montana site. It does not resemble the images posted to BugGuide. We would be more inclined to identify it as the Bronzed Tiger Beetle or Common Shore Tiger Beetle, Cicindela repanda, based on images posted to BugGuide. It is listed on the Montana Field Guide Tiger Beetle page, but once again, “No photos are currently available.” We really believe a true expert in the genus is needed for positive identifications of Tiger Beetles, but we will post our tentative identifications nonetheless. Thanks Dwaine for your wonderful photos. Posting this entry ate up our allotted web time today and we have chores to attend to now.
Bronzed Tiger Beetle???
Turquoise colored beetle
Mon, Apr 27, 2009 at 8:23 AM
On Saturday 4/25/09 at 11:30 A.M. while hiking in the decidious woods of the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois, I saw this pretty beetle sitting on a log by itself in the middle of an upland woods. It did exhibit any unusual behavior and it just sat there letting me take this picture.
Can you tell me what this is ?
The temp in the woods was 80 degrees and clear, with very little humidity
Kevin
Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois
Six Spotted Tiger Beetle
Hi Kevin,
This is a Tiger Beetle in the genus Cicindela. We believe it is a Six Spotted Tiger Beetle, Cicindela sexguttata, even though your photo reveals eight spots. This is a variable species and we did locate one image on BugGuide with markings nearly identical to your individual. Tiger Beetles are fierce predators. Several species of Tiger Beetles are endangered because of habitat loss.
Tue, Apr 28, 2009 at 5:17 AM
Hi Daniel,
Thanks very much for the identification….very interesting. It does seem
to me that I have seen a few of these before, and always in deep woods.
They must prefer deep woods. As far as habitat loss, at least the woods
where I saw this one is an 80-acre tract of woods that has been in my family
for 20 years and will probably remain in the family.
Thanks again.
Kevin
Is this a blister bug?
Fri, Apr 10, 2009 at 10:08 PM
Hello: I live in close proximity to the Chattahoochee river in NE Georgia. this is the second of these bugs that have made it into my house. I have not seen any in the yard, but I have not searched. 3/4 in. long, head to abdomen.
Michael
NE Georgia
False Bombardier Beetle
Hi Michael,
This is a False Bombardier Beetle, probably Galerita bicolor. You can compare your image to photos on BugGuide. False Bombardier Beetles are predatory ground beetles and they will not harm your home bug BugGuide indicates this “Caution: This genus has chemical defenses, see Defensive production of formic acid (80%) by a carabid beetle : Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1997 June 24; 94 (13): 6792–6797. “
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Posted 11 April 2009
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Hello Again ! Can You Help?
Thu, Oct 23, 2008 at 10:39 AM
I found this beetle walking along the wall around my porch lights. I discovered it in the spring at night time, where all sorts of insects appear! It is one of the weirdest beetles I have ever seen. (note the thorax). I’ve had quite a lot identified on your website, and hope you can continue to help the poor, helpless public. Thanks!
Luke
Murrayville, Georgia
Long Necked Ground Beetle
Hi Luke,
This is a Long Necked Ground Beetle, Colliuris pensylvanica. According to BugGuide, it is found : “In leaf litter and under logs and stones, and on vegetation in wet areas”
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Posted 24 October 2008
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Beetle in Basement
Thu, Oct 16, 2008 at 6:10 PM
I am finding these beetles in my house. What are they? While I have found one on the main floor, most are appearing in my finished basement playroom. The living ones I have found seem to be trying to burrow in the carpet. In our utility room (unfinished basement space) I have found several carcases that spiders seem to have killed. Can you identify this bug from the attached image? Do I need to be concerned about finding these in my kids playroom?
Long Island, NY
Ground Beetle
Dear Long Island, NY,
This is a Ground Beetle in the genus Scarites. It will not harm you, your children, or your home. This Ground Beetle is a nocturnal predator that feeds on other insects. You can read more about them on BugGuide.
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Posted 18 October 2008
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Hi
I am an American in Japan and thought you’d be interested in seeing what the tiger beetles here look like. They’re called hanmyou here.
I also included photos of a bagworm called a minomushi which means “straw raincoat”. They are a favorite of children here.
Melody McFarland
Yokosuka, Japan
Hi Melody,
Thank you for sending us your wonderful images as well as the language lesson. The jaws on that Hanmyou Tiger Beetle are quite formidable.
corn beetles
Hi,
I work for Northern Illinois University Residential Facilities and we have had serveral of students in the Residence Halls complaining of cockroaches. We found the bug which is not a cockroach but a corn beetle, according to our exterminator. What could you tell us about this bug? I know you are a busy bug group, but a quick response would be much appreciated. We are having a panic here, with many residents fearing cockroaches.
Tracey Ward
Northern Illinois University
Housing and Dining
DeKalb, IL
Hi Tracey,
Congratulations. You have successfully exterminated a harmless Ground Beetle in the Family Carabidae. These predators hunt many serious pests and reducing their numbers will help the other harmful creatures proliferate. Additionally, your extermination attempts have now exposed the students to some potentially harmful chemicals which will enable them to sign up for cancer and disease studies in the future.
PLEASE help! Please identify this bug.
Dear Bugman,
I found two of these so far. I think it is a beetle larva. Not sure if it is or not, and if so not sure what kind it is at all. They have six legs up front that seem short and it has VERY strong pincers up front/mouth area. The first one bit/pinched a plastic fork pretty good as I tried to pick it up to inspect, and the second one bit/pinched my dog on the tongue when he picked it up with his mouth. They are shiny black on the back and a grayish white color on the complete underside. PLEASE see attached photos. I am asking because I have disposed of both of them and do not want to kill a non destructive insect.
Thanks you for your time!!
Matt A.
Hi Matt,
Stop the Carnage. This is the larva of a Caterpillar Hunter, Calosoma scrutator, one of the larger Ground Beetles. Both the beautiful green adult and the larvae devour quantities of harmful insects, including the introduced pestilence, the Gypsy Moth.
Let’s I.D.this one that whines when picked up
Bugman,
I’ve got another one for you, I have looked all around your beetle pages and can’t seem to id this one. When It was picked up it may a noise like a crying baby and once again we need you assistance to identify it. I thought it may be some type of stag beetle because of the jaws, but it just isn’t the right color. Thanks again, Tiffany
Hi Tiffany,
We thought this looked like one of the ground beetles, but we checked with Eric Eaton for a second opinion. Here is his response: “Well, yes, this is a carabid….sort of:-) Depends on whether you still consider tiger beetles a separate family! This looks to be a specimen of Megacephala virginica. If it has ivory marks on the tips of the wing covers then it is M. carolina. Yes, they are cool!” Tiger Beetles belong to the Family Cicindelidae and they are voracious hunters that prey on many injurious insects.
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. In any case, I noticed that you are open to information from specialists, so I thought I’d give you a few ID’s of species that I came across on your pages. I was having trouble sleeping, so I went through all of the tiger beetles, scaratines, etc and checked them out. Here you go: I’ll bookmark your site and check it out when I’m having trouble sleeping again!
This is indeed a Megacephala (Tetracha) species, but actually M. carolina. You can most easily tell the two US species of Megacephala apart by coloration. M. carolina has a rainbow-colored back… red, green, and unpigmented cream-colored areas at the tip of the back (elytra). M. virginica is much bigger (17-22 mm) and is entirely dark metallic black-green on the back except for the cream-colored markings. It also has a noticeably rougher texture. Hope that helps! The whine is called “stridulation” and often occurs when some species of insects are picked up (a number of insects do this). And yes, the majority of professional insect systematists recognize tiger beetles as a subfamily/supertribe within the Carabidae. Nice photo!
Daniel P. Duran
Dept. of Biological Sciences
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN
What’s this Canadian bug?
Hi – my dog tripped over this bug sitting on the ground at my cottage near Algonquin Park, Ontario, Canada this past weekend. The bug was brilliant metallic-green/blue and did not fly or crawl away when the dog nudged it. About a thumbnail in length, quite spiney looking legs. Snow cover melted about 3 weeks ago. As you can see from picture, trees include; maples, birch, poplar, pine, spruce.
Do you know what it is? Is it a ‘good’ bug e.g. will not harm the trees?
Thanks, Susan.
Hi Susan,
Thank you for a beautiful photo of a Tiger Beetle, Family Cicindelidae. These are predatory beetles that definitely will not harm trees. They attack other insects. They are good fliers as well as great runners. Probably your guy was just lethargic because of the cold weather. They are also much prized by collectors. We are going to write Eric Eaton, a true expert, to see if we can get an exact species name for you.
Thanks so much for your reply. Since you identified it, I was able to search Internet to find information and articles – looks like different Canadian provinces have variety of different tiger beetles. Photos I saw close to my bug were from Ontario, however they had very distinct spots which I did not observe on my bug. Really interesting to read all about it. Lately I made a conscious decision to slow down and look and learn more about the wildlife who live where I live and visit. Just occurred to me this Spring how little I know about the bugs and other insects I frequently encounter in my wanderings – usually too distracted running from voracious hoards of black flies in Spring I guess!
Thanks, Susan.
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!
That species of tiger beetle is Cicindela sexguttata. In Ontario they are quite variable in markings, ranging from no spots to six spots or in rare cases more than six.
Daniel P. Duran
Dept. of Biological Sciences
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN
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