locust borer
Location: NE Oregon
October 9, 2011 9:10 pm
I found this bug in my yard and found out it is a locust borer similar to the hickory borer but we do not have the trees i read that it lays its eggs in. I have all kinds of trees around us. but none like it said this thing likes. We are in the inland pacific northwest and even your report says they are not native to here. how do we protect our trees from them?
Signature: worried about this bug
Locust Borer
Dear worried about this bug,
As you letter indicates, the Locust Borer, Megacyllene robiniae, is native to the eastern portions of North America, however, with the cultivation of its larval food plant, the black locust, as well as the more decorative locust cultivars, the range of the Locust Borer has expanded to the Pacific Northwest. The BugGuide data map shows states that include sightings submitted to that website. You do not need to worry about other trees as the Locust Borer is host specific to Locust trees.
Unknown Beetle
Location: Big Bend National Park, Texas
October 8, 2011 12:22 pm
Hi!
Thanks for ID-ing those Bordered Plant Bug nymphs for me. Got another one for you…
I’m pretty sure this one is a beetle 
He was feeding on this Aster, not sure what species.
Signature: JB
Jewel Beetle
Hi JB,
This is one of the Metallic Borer Beetles in the family Buprestidae, a group commonly called Jewel Beetles because of the bright colors of the elytra. Jewel Beetles have been used in jewelry and in Victorian art. We believe we have narrowed your individual down to a member of the genus Acmaeodera which is represented on BugGuide by about 80 different species, many of which look very much like one another and like your individual. BugGuide also notes: “144 spp. in our area (4), great many more in the Old World.” We believe we have narrowed the possibilities down to two likely species, but we cannot be certain as we do not have the area of specificity nor do we have any entomological credentials. BugGuide has several photos of Acmaeodera amplicollis, including some with beetles feeding on very similar flowers, and they are reported from Arizona and New Mexico. Another possibility represented on BugGuide is Acmaeodera decipiens which is also reported from Arizona and New Mexico. The similar looking Acmaeodera diffusa is reported on BugGuide from Colorado and Utah.
Having trouble identifying this guy!
Location: Vancouver
October 8, 2011 7:35 pm
Hi! I found this bug on the forest floor. Consulted my Bland identification book but can’t determine what it is!
Signature: David
Caterpillar Hunter Larva
Hi David,
This is the larva of one of the Caterpillar Hunters in the genus Calosoma. The adults are large active Ground Beetles that often have metallic coloration. Both larvae and adults are ravenous feeders that consume caterpillars. We would much rather see living specimens than preserved specimens in bottles.
Thank you Daniel, I will try my best to snap pictures before preserving or pinning them next time.
Thanks David,
We realized your specimen was for a collection. Our real issue is with people who squash everything they see and then send us photos of mangled corpses for identification.
Brownish and black flying beetle?
Location: Tampa Florida
October 2, 2011 2:12 pm
Hello! I found this bug on my porch and managed to snap a picture before he flew away. I was hoping you could tell me what this bug is. The huge antennas and the bug itself really amazed me.
Signature: Thank you, Amy Ryan
Horse Bean Longhorn Beetle
Dear Amy,
We could have written you sooner with a general family identification since we were able to determine that this is a Longhorned Borer Beetle in the family Cerambycidae, but we thought your beetle was distinctive enough that we could easily identify it to the species level, however that proved to be more difficult than we anticipated. We eventually matched your individual to images of the Horse Bean Longhorn Beetle or Long Jawed Longhorn Beetle, Trachyderes mandibularis, based on photos posted to BugGuide. The wood boring larvae feed in hackberry, fig and citrus trees. We only have a few other images of the Horse Bean Longhorn Beetle in our archives.
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anyone know what this is???
Location: St.Lewis NL Canada
October 2, 2011 6:03 am
this summer we have been spotting some very strange bugs for around these parts of Labrador…but this one topped the cake yesterday when we saw it outside…
Signature: Cara
Whitespotted Sawyer
Dear Cara,
Your insect is one of the Longhorned Borer Beetles or Longicorns. The species is Monochamus scutellatus, and in French speaking Canada it goes by the common name Longicorne noir. For English speakers, it is commonly called the Whitespotted Sawyer, though BugGuide also lists Oil Sands Beetle and Tar Sands Beetle as common names and provides this explanation: “The local (to Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada) common names of Oil Sands Beetle and Tar Sands Beetle are due to the attraction of this insect to oil sands. Apparently the attraction is the scent of bitumen, chemically similar to compounds released by the diseased or damaged coniferous trees where they are attracted to lay their eggs.”
Bug I have never seen before
Location: Ohio
September 24, 2011 4:06 pm
I first found this bug last night when I got some bedding out of my daughter’s closet. Only saw one, but then I saw two more this afternoon in a laundry basket in the basement. Any idea what this is?
Signature: Megan
Bed Bug, Carpet Beetle Larva or other???
Hi Megan,
There is not enough detail in your photo for us to say with any certainty what the identity of your insect might be, but two possibilities are a Bed Bug or a Carpet Beetle Larva. A better photograph would help.
I know for a fact that it isn’t a bed bug. Have too much experience with those so I know exactly what those look like! I looked up carpet beetle larva and found this picture (attached). It looks like the bug on the left. Now to research these things and find out more about them. Thank you!
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Sagada Spotted Beetle
Location: Sagada, Mountain Province, Philippines
September 21, 2011 1:04 am
Dear Mr. Bugman sir,
I do not have even a passing familiarity with entomology and would very much like to ask your help in identifying the bug you see below.
A friend of mine got the shot in the northern Philippines, and this little fellow is perched on a bean leaf (if that helps any).
Local names for insects like abeb, lusingan, and salagubang aren’t much help. Hoping you can help solve the mystery of the Sagada bug
Signature: september
Weevil from the Philippines
Dear September,
This is some species of Weevil. It looks similar, but not exactly like the Weevils in this mounted collection pictured on Etsy. It also looks somewhat like this colorful Weevil we posted earlier in the month.
Thank you, Bugman! Such a prompt response as well. I was researching on my own and came to the conclusion that it was some sort of weevil as well.
I must admit that I am quite interested in learning more about entomology, and I owe that to you and your lovely website.
Much obliged,
September
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¶ Posted 21 September 2011 § Weevils ‡ ° costa rica beetle
Location: Garza, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
September 20, 2011 10:16 pm
Hi there,
my boyfriend lives in costa rica on the pacific coast, and knows how much I love insects, so he sent me this picture, taken 9/20/11. I think he said it was june beetle size. What is it? He also said that the photo didn’t quite catch the golden color of the back. Thanks!
Signature: liza constable
Shining Leaf Chafer
Dear liza,
This is a Scarab Beetle, and we believe it is a Shining Leaf Chafer in the subfamily Rutelinae, and probably the tribe Rutelini which you can see well represented on BugGuide, a website that covers North American insects north of Mexico.
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