WTB
Location: Israel
July 25, 2011 2:48 am
Hi,
Can you please tell what is this bug?
Signature: Ziv Peled
Mango Stem Borer
Hi Ziv,
This is not the first report we have received of a Mango Stem Borer, Batocera rufomaculata, that we have received from Israel. Here is a posting from 2009. The Mango Stem Borer is also known as the Fig Borer in Israel, and here is some information from the cabdirect website: “The fig borer, Batocera rufomaculata, was introduced into Israel, probably from Sri-Lanka, in the early 1950s. Within ten years much of the fig (Ficus carica) plantations had been destroyed by the borer. However, between the early 1960s and the 1980s the borer vanished completely from the scene. It reappeared in the early 1990s. Most reports on its occurrence date from 1997-98. At present, the borer is causing serious damage to fig plantations in the low areas of the north and central areas of Israel.“
¶ Posted 25 July 2011 § ‡ ° In The Sierra Foothills, A Bug.
Location: North Mariposa County, California
July 24, 2011 10:06 pm
I found two of these bugs in the past two days. One was floating in my teapot (which was full of water). The larger one’s body was about 4 inches long. They were both FULL of eggs. The eggs were the size of sesame seeds but looked like grains of rice. You can see them to the side of the squished bug. I have never seen anything like this before.
Signature: Squicked,
Ponderous Borer: Why was it squished???
Dear Squicked (does that rhyme with wicked?),
We run a free website and we reserve the right to exert our First Amendment right to free speech and voice our opinions when we feel justified. Anyone who has spent more than five minutes on our website knows that we do not give extermination advice and that we promote tolerance with regards to the lower beasts. We have a portion of our website that is devoted to Unnecessary Carnage, and we frequently come under attack because we believe that people do not need to kill things that they perceive might harm their children. We have been called bleeding-heart hippies because we feel that sparing the lives of insects, including wasps that might sting if provoked, does not necessarily endanger the lives of children. Everything that might sting, or might bite, or might scratch, or might annoy cannot be eliminated from our planet without drastically altering the world as we know it because there really wouldn’t be much left, including humans. Threats abound, and children should be taught while they are young that certain things might hurt them, and those things should be treated with respect. Now that we have made our position perfectly clear, we can address your question.
This is some species of Root Borer in the subfamily Prioninae, and we believe it is a Ponderous Borer, Trichocnemis spiculatus, which you may read about on BugGuide. We cannot fathom what provoked this senseless slaughter. All we have to base this feeling upon is the information you provided, and we suppose this Ponderous Borer might have been accidentally stepped on, but we somehow believe that there was intent behind the squishing. There was no mention of children being endangered, and we are left with the opinion that this is probably one of the most egregious cases of Unnecessary Carnage we have ever encountered. What we find especially troubling is the location you provided, the Sierra Foothills in Mendocino County. We wonder if this was a state park. State parks have rules and regulations about the preservation of natural resources, and that includes the lowly bugs. Generally people who spend time camping have an appreciation of the natural world. We sincerely hope we are wrong in our assumptions and that there is a justified reason behind this sad occurrence, but since your email indicates that two individuals “were both FULL of eggs” we can only surmise that the unfortunate creature that fell into your teapot met a similar end.
Readers, please provide comments. Are we being too sensitive and too judgmental?
12
Dasymutilla magnifica? and two more.
Location: Monument Rock, CO, 80132
July 22, 2011 8:01 pm
The was just a little gal, but bigger than an ant and scurrying all over. I had to take 6 pictures to get a good (enough) one. I was tempted to pick up to make her slow down, but given the cow killer post, I’m glad I didn’t!
The second is some mating damsel flies?
The third is a stag beetle? I have never seen such a large flying insect – at least 1.5” without the enormous feelers.
Signature: Dr Lazer – lucky in Colorado
Root Borer
Dear Dr. Lazer,
Your three photos each represent such diverse insect families that we want to deal with them separately. The beetle that you have mistaken for a Stag Beetle is actually a Prionid Root Borer. We wish we could make out some details a little better. At first we thought it might be a Palo Verde Root Borer (see BugGuide) but we have had second thoughts. We believe this may be Prionus heroicus, which we also found on BugGuide. The spines on the thorax and the legs both match, but even more importantly, we can only count ten antennae segments and that seems to agree with the image on bugguide. We researched your location and we know Monument Rock is in central Colorado, and BugGuide lists sightings of Prionus heroicus from Arizona and Utah, which is causing us some doubts. We will try to contact Eric Eaton to see if he can provide us with confirmation or a correction.
Eric Eaton confirms genus, but not species
Daniel:
There are several species of Prionus in Colorado and it would take too much time for me to go through the research on this. Some characters needed for ID might not even be visible in the image. Sorry.
Eric
Thank you so much for your time and effort. You guys obviously do a labor of love of insects and bugs.
I’m attaching a second picture that is head on for antennae detail but don’t feel compelled to spend too much time unless you want to 
This guy when he flies is slightly smaller than a hummingbird since he’s got carapace, wings, legs, and antennae all extended.
And, yes, monument rock is in scrub oak forest at the foot of the front range, 7000′ fasl, west of Monument, CO.
David
Genus Prionus, but what species???
1
¶ Posted 23 July 2011 § ‡ ° What the hell is this thing?
Location: Denver, Colorado
July 22, 2011 9:38 am
I live in Colorado and saw this thing on my driveway, when my dog was considering it for breakfast. Haven’t seen a bug this huge in 10 years. What the devil is it?
Signature: Grossed Out in Colorado
Ponderous Borer
Dear Grossed Out in Colorado,
Your large beetle is one of the Prionids, more specifically, the Ponderous Borer, Trichocnemis spiculatus.
¶ Posted 22 July 2011 § ‡ ° help, is this a roach???
Location: western pennsylvania
July 21, 2011 11:26 pm
Please let me know what kind of bug this is. It was in my bedroom. Ignore the light black spot between the the first two white dots(closest to the head) as my husband burned it. (Cruel I know)
I live in western Pennsylvania
Signature: Jamie
Ivory Marked Beetle
Hi Jamie,
This is an Ivory Marked Beetle, one of the Longhorned Borer Beetles. It will not infest your home, though there are reports of adults emerging after many years from furniture that was built from wood that contained boring larvae. According to BugGuide: “Notorious for emerging from furniture after as many as 10-40 yrs (1)(4) Delayed emergence of E. quadrigeminata was discovered from a birch bookcase 40 years old.” We feel that burning a living creature constitutes Unnecessary Carnage, however, roasted insects, which are high in protein, are consumed in many cultures. Since this Ivory Marked Beetle was photographed on a spoon, are you able to provide us with any information on how it tasted?
4
found this bug
Location: aberdeen, Mississippi
July 20, 2011 11:03 am
Hi there! I found tho bug on my moms farm in Aberdeen, Ms, on Monday. The ants were killing it at the time. I put it on a shelf outdoors for safe keeping…hope the ants didn’t find him! Do you have a four what this is. My cousin said it was a tick on steroids. Haha!
Signature: cindy christian
Head of a Male Tile Horned Prionus
Hi Cindy,
We frequently receive photos of the decapitated heads of large beetles. This is a Tile Horned Prionus, and he is a male judging by the antennae. Birds will eat the beetles, but discard the hard head that hasn’t much nutritional value. The fat body contains all the calories needed by the bird. Here is a link to a complete beetle from our archives.
¶ Posted 20 July 2011 § ‡ ° ID request #2
Location: near Lutsen, MN
July 20, 2011 7:30 am
Recently got back from a trip to the North Shore area of MN. We were hiking the SHT and found two insects that we weren’t able to ID on 6-25-11
The second is a long-horn beetle. He was the largest long-horn I’ve ever seen. Body about 2-3 inches in length. Each antenna about 6 inches.
Thanks again! I
Signature: Heather
White Spotted Sawyer
Hi again Heather,
The white triangular patch where the wings meet, known as the scutellum, is a distinctive marking of the White Spotted Sawyer, Monochamus scutellatus. Your individual is a male. Males have significantly longer antennae.
¶ Posted 20 July 2011 § ‡ ° Banded Alder Borer Beetle
Location: Whidbey Island Washington
July 19, 2011 1:06 am
I took this picture on Whidbey Island, WA. near the beach. I did some research and found the name, thought you would like this picture.
Signature: Christina
Banded Alder Borer
Hi Christina,
The last image we received of a Banded Alder Borer was not of the greatest resolution, and we are very happy that you have supplied us with a recent high quality image.
¶ Posted 19 July 2011 § ‡ ° 
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