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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Unknown Brazilian Tortoise Beetle

Brazilian Bug ID
October 1, 2009
Greetings Bugman,
Can you help me with the identification of this bug please. Found it on a leaf on the Island of Ilha Grande, south west of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The picture was taken at the end of August 2007.
Thanks, Steve
Ilha Grande, Brazil

Tortoise Beetle

Tortoise Beetle

Hi Steve,
This beauty is a Tortoise Beetle in the tribe Cassidini.  We spent the day getting knee surgery and this is our first posting today.  We don’t want to take the time right now for a species identification before trying to post a few additional letters.  Perhaps our invaluable contributor Karl will be able to take a stab at this one.  We just realized that it is the first of the month, and we have problems with new images posting live at the beginning of each month.

Update from Karl
Hi Daniel:
I believe this Tortoise Beetle is in the genus Stolas (Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae). The tribe is Stolaini, although in some references the tribe is given as Cassidini. Stolas is a rather large genus (170+ species) with considerable variety in size, shape and color, and a half a dozen or so species look similar to the one in Steve’s photo. The closest I could find was S. stevensi (how is that for coincidence?!). It’s not a perfect match but it is the only one I could find that has the yellow/gold markings on the pronotum. There is probably some variability within the species and that may account for the small differences; or it could be a case of sexual dimorphism. I could find little information about the species, but the southeast coast of Brazil is within its range. Regards.
Karl

Posted 02 October 2009 § ‡ Comments (2) °

Northern Corn Rootworm

Nasty lime green beetle turning a bit yellow now. They do fly and they don’t like it when I water.
September 12, 2009
Moved in, on the leaves of the pumpkin plants, now starting on the blossoms. Then some went to the sunflowers, too.
These are the BIG pumpkins, and don’t want them going to the pumpkins themselves.
Cathy
Extreme north central Iowa, close to the Minnesota border.

Northern Corn Rootworm Beetle

Northern Corn Rootworm Beetle

Hi Cathy,
We believe these are Northern Corn Rootworms, Diabrotica barberi, a species of Skeletonizing Leaf Beetle, based on images posted to BugGuide.

Northern Corn Rootworm

Northern Corn Rootworm

Posted 13 September 2009 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Swamp Milkweed Beetle

mystery beetle in Nashville, TN
September 5, 2009
Hi, I saw this beetle last week. Could it be a type of lady beetle or Harlequin beetle? Something else? Seemed larger than a typical ladybug. Did not get a chance to really measure though. It moved quickly. Any info appreciated. (Enjoying your site!)
Carrie Nunes
Nashville, TN

Swamp Milkweed Beetle

Swamp Milkweed Beetle

Hi Carrie,
Your beetle is a Leaf Beetle known as a Swamp Milkweed Beetle.  It is not related to the Ladybird Beetles.

Posted 06 September 2009 § ‡ Comments (0) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Potato Beetle Larva

Orange blk spotted soft body insect
August 24, 2009
Found on Corn flower plant. Has a soft shiny body
Gary
New York

Potato Beetle Larva

Potato Beetle Larva

Hi Gary,
This is the larva of a Potato Beetle in the genus Leptinotarsa.  BugGuide notes that though the genus is collectively known as Potato Beetles, “but note, not all spp. host on Solanaceous plants.“

Posted 25 August 2009 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Cobalt Milkweed Beetle

please verify
August 10, 2009
I found these beetles on milkweed and have tentatively identified them as Blue Milkweed Beetles. Is that your assessment too? And is that the beetles’ genitalia that I am seeing in the second photograph?
Tom
near Mt Shasta, Ca

Cobalt Milkweed Beetles Mating

Cobalt Milkweed Beetles Mating

Dear Tom,
BugGuide refers to Chrysochus cobaltinus as the Cobalt Milkweed Beetle.  Your photo of a couple in the process of mating is a nice addition to our Bug Love pages.  We will try to get an answer on the genitalia question for you.

Cobalt Milkweed Beetle

Cobalt Milkweed Beetle

Posted 10 August 2009 § ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:

Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetle

Giant Lady Beetle?
August 5, 2009
Is there such a thing as a Giant Lady Beetle? I found this beetle this morning on a milkweed plant (a typical lady beetle would be the size of the flower buds around this creature). The coloring didn’t seem right for a hercules or harlequin beetle.
Tim Doyle
Memphis, TN

Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetle

Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetle

Hi Tim,
Though it looks like a Ladybird Beetle, this is actually a Swamp Milkweed Beetle, Labidomera clivicollis.  They feed on the flowers and leaves of milkweed, and BugGuide has this interesting bit of information posted:  “Both larvae and adults of this species cut several side-veins of a milkweed leaf prior to feeding, to reduce the sticky latex that would otherwise be produced at their feeding sites.“

Posted 06 August 2009 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Three Lined Lema Beetle: imago, larva and eggs

yellow black striped bug
August 2, 2009
Hi,
I e-mailed you yesterday (August 1st) about a tiny yellow black striped bug I found on my plant. I found out it’s a striped cucumber beetle.
However, the tiny eggs and larvae I found on the same plant might not be from the cucumber beetle. Can you help me figuring out what the eggs/larvae are?
Thanks!
A. Smith
Sanford, NC

Striped Cucumber Beetle

Three Lined Lema Beetle

small yellow/black bug and larva
August 1, 2009
Hi Bugman!
August 1st, NC
I just found this tiny yellow/black striped bug (about 1/4 inch) on my plants (it can fly and two of them were mating) and also these tiny yellow eggs and little worms (larva?). They seem to have poop on their back. They are eating my plant. Can you tell me what bug and what kind of larva this is? Pest or not?
Thank you!
A. Smith
Sanford, NC

Striped Cucumber Beetle Larvae

Three Lined Lema Beetle Larvae

Dear A.,
We are very excited to get your photo documentation of the life stages of a Three Lined Lema Beetle, Lema trivittata.  BugGuide has numerous images of the adult, but no photos of a larva.  The larvae of the Skeletonizing Leaf Beetles have general similarities, and since the adults, eggs and larvae were all found on the same plant, circumstantial evidence indicates that they are all the same species.  Another species in the genus, Lema daturaphila, is called the Three Lined Potato Beetle, and it looks very similar.  Here is how BugGuide identifies the differences:  “Identification  Adults virtually of same appearance as L. daturaphila, but may be discriminated as follows (according to White&Day):
- median yellow band on elytra paler at sides in living specimens (of one colour in daturaphila; seems not to work with bugguide images);
- lateral black band covering 2 1/2 intervals at most (more than 2 1/2 in daturaphila);
(following characters of +/- gradual nature)
- tibiae usually yellow for more than half of their length (nearly always dark to more than 1/2 in daturaphila);
- femora often dark apically (rarely so in daturaphila)
- sternal pieces often broadly black (sometimes narrowly black in daturaphila)
The eggs of trivittata are said to have blackish tips, while those of daturaphila are dark yellow throughout.“ The fact that your eggs have black tips satisfies us that you have the Three Lined Lema Beetle, Lema trivittata, living on your plant.  We wish you had provided a name for the plant.

Three Lined Potato Beetle Eggs

Three Lined Lema Beetle Eggs

August 2, 2009
Thank you so much for identifying my mystery bug and pointing out the difference between the trivittata and daturaphila!
I guess I was wrong about the cucumber beetle :)
In my submission I actually wanted to tell you the name of the plant but I forgot what it’s called. I did a little bit of research and found the name: Iochroma cyanea ‘Purple Queen’
Unfortunately, the larvae is eating the leaves :( .
Thanks again!
Astrid Smith

Hi Again Astrid,
Iachroma cyanea is in the family Solanacea, which is consistent with the food source of the Three Lined Lema Beetle.

Posted 02 August 2009 § Eggs ‡ Comments (0) °

Unknown Tortoise Beetle from Nicaragua identified by Karl

Metallic Green Beetle with a really cool plastic coat
July 31, 2009
I found these beetles congregated in a wooden window frame in an abandoned building on the shoreline of the Pacific in Nicaragua. I was attracted by the bright green metallic color but then noticed the really cool “plastic coat” each was wearing. Looks like they’ve been recylcling the many discarded water bottles littering the shoreline. Any idea what this guy is?
Dean Campbell
Las Salinas Nicaragua

Unknown Tortoise Beetle from Nicaragua

Tortoise Beetle from Nicaragua

Hi Dean,
This is some species of Tortoise Beetle in the Leaf Beetle subfamily Cassidinae, but we haven’t the time to research the exact species just now.  Perhaps one of our readers can provide the answer.

Identification from Karl
August 4, 2009
Hi Daniel:
I am fairly certain that Dean’s tortoise beetles belong in the genus Physonota. Of the several species occurring in Nicaragua, Physonota attenuate appears to be the closest match. Unfortunately, all of the reference photos I could find of this species are of preserved museum specimens, and tortoise beetles don’t preserve their color or clarity when they are dried. A live specimen would look much like the related North American species, P. helianthi, which can be viewed at the Bugguide site. Regards.
Karl

Posted 31 July 2009 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Clavate Tortoise Beetle

Quarter inch diameter wierd bug
July 21, 2009
Hi,
The first time i saw one of these, i just thought it was a strange growth on the leaf. They always seem to be on tomato plants. I was looking closely at this one, and after touching it a few times, it moved. I touched it again and it flew to another plant. I went and got my camera and got this picture. The clear like ring around it is actually the wings, or wing covers, i’m not sure. The antennai are facing down in the picture.
packrat
central Pennsylvania

Clavate Tortoise Beetle

Clavate Tortoise Beetle

Dear packrat,
This is a Clavate Tortoise Beetle, Plagiometriona clavata.  We also just posted a photo of the larva which is a spiny green creature that never completely sheds its exoskeleton.  The dried remnants of the cast of skin stay attached to the spiny larva.  The Tortoise Beetles are a tribe of the Leaf Beetle family Chrysomelidae.  Beetles are characterized as having two different sets of wings.  The outer wings are usually hardened and are termed the elytra.  The soft flying wings are protected under the elytra and only exposed during flight.  The elytra on the Clavate Tortoise Beetle which forms a carapace does contain clear areas and BugGuide describes the markings as:  “most noticeable feature in adult, covering much of the carapace, is a dark brown irregular patch shaped like a teddy bear, with the front and back “legs” of the “bear” extending to the outer margins of the elytra, and the “head” of the “bear” extending onto the pronotum.”

Posted 21 July 2009 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Clavate Tortoise Beetle Larva

Green bug on tomato plant
July 20, 2009
My friend showed me her quite perforated tomato plants and I saw at least two similar forms of this bug. Size is max 5mm, (I wish I had macro.)
This bug looks like a green pillbug that carries a shield over his body like a scorpio carries his tail. He waves with the shield, moves it up and down, and can even lie it flat behind his body.
The shield looks like a fly or insect from the top, somewhat triangular (or like the little bits that fly out of a birches blossom.) On a tomato leaf the green body nicely blends in and all you see is the dark crumbly shield.
It might be a Psyllid stage? But that shield is interesting.
HI?
Westchester, NY

Clavate Tortoise Beetle Larva

Clavate Tortoise Beetle Larva

Hello HI?,
This is the larva of the Clavate Tortoise Beetle.  There is a confirmation photo on BugGuide. According to BugGuide, it “plants in the tomato family (Solanaceae) such as ground-cherries (Physalis spp.), Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium), Horse-nettle (Solanum carolinense), and nightshades (Solanum spp.)”  We also just received a photo of an adult and we will be posting that immediately after posting your letter. The dark crumbly shield is the remnants of the cast off exoskeleton from previous molts.  The adult is described on BugGuide as “most noticeable feature in adult, covering much of the carapace, is a dark brown irregular patch shaped like a teddy bear, with the front and back “legs” of the “bear” extending to the outer margins of the elytra, and the “head” of the “bear” extending onto the pronotum,” but, BugGuide does not mention that the rest of the carapace covering is transparent.

Posted 21 July 2009 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Twelve-Spotted Asparagus Beetle from Romania

Little red beetles
July 20, 2009
Hello,
I first noticed these fellows in our garden this June. An asparagus bush seems to be the only place they like to hang around and they’re about the size of lady bugs (seems they’re related too). They gave me the impression it’s completely under their dignity to be touched by humans – as I try to grab one it heroically throws itself of the plant and flies just before reaching the ground.
Could you tell me a few things about these bugs?
Thank you :)
Sonia
Romania

Twelve-Spotted Asparagus Beetle

Twelve-Spotted Asparagus Beetle

Hi Sonia,
The Twelve-Spotted Asparagus Beetle, Crioceris duodecimpunctata, is not closely related to the Lady Bug.  It is in the family Chrysomelidae, the Leaf Beetles.  The Twelve Spotted Asparagus Beetle is native to Europe, but it has been introduced to North America where it is considered an agricultural pest of the asparagus.

Posted 20 July 2009 § ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:

Leaf Beetle: Bassareus brunnipes perhaps

small black and yellow beetle
June 1, 2009
small black and yellow beetle
I took this on May 31 near Tampa FL on one of my yard patrols. I would say the body was approximately one cm in size. As southern transplants, we’re trying to figure out what all these strange, new bugs are that didn’t show their face in the midwest. I think it’s a beetle but?? it was in an oak tree that’s showing some damage and we’re trying to figure out whats killing/eating the leaves. It kept circling the leaf to avoid being photographed and the branch wouldn’t hold still so this is as clear as I could get it. Any help is appreciated. Thanks for such a great site.
Linda
Tampa, FL

Bassareus brunnipes we believe

Bassareus brunnipes we believe

Hi Linda,
With the speed of our new computer, we are trying to respond to some old mail that arrived when we were quite busy with the end of the semester and a pending trip to visit family.  Your letter was a pleasant surprise.  We have researched your Leaf Beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, and we are confident it is either Bassareus brunnipes or a very close relative.  BugGuide indicates it is widely distributed in the Eastern U.S., but all the submissions are from Florida and Louisiana.  This is a new species for our website.

Posted 13 July 2009 § ‡ Comments (0) °

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