Weird bug from Texas
September 14, 2009
First of all, it is a white bug – which I’ve never seen before, and I’ve lived in Texas more than 5 years, and this is the first time I’ve run across anything that looks remotely like it.
I know that everything is supposed to be bigger in Texas, but this is a rediculously large terminte-looking creature.
Um.. what is it?
BrightKite
Forth Worth, Texas
Ironclad Beetle
Hello BrightKite,
There should be no confusing the distinctive coloration and pattern of this Ironclad Beetle, Zopherus nodulosus, with any other species. The coloration of the Cottonwood Borer is similar, but the structural anatomy is strikingly different. According to BugGuide, this Ironclad Beetle is: “Endemic to East-Central Texas.“
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
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
frankenstein’s pet
September 12, 2009
I found this gal/fellow running in floppy circles around in a hole my turtle had dug days ago in the backyard, so it doesn’t seem likely that it can burrow or it would have done so to escape. It looks like it is a bad experiment in combining insect parts. It does not Look injured, but it Acts injured, or else just horribly, horribly clumsy. It keeps flopping over onto it’s back (a preferred position?) although it does not seem to be able to move around that way as some grubs do. It keeps assuming a posture with it’s rump raised, head bucked thorax up and head down, and little front four “arms” raised, hind legs down on the “knees” and the barbed feet raised. I guess this may be a defensive posture though it looks useless. It has very shiny black wi ngs (but doesn’t fly) and the rest is a somewhat velvety though not furry looking beige. Oh, and it is fairly aggressive as it ran at and bit a hapless worm sharing the container I first dumped it into… It made no attempt to cling on to or consume the worm so I think it was just acting out anger at being dumped into the pot. What is this critter?
ToadShade
Virginia, Prince William county
Rove Beetle
Dear ToadShade,
This is some species of Rove Beetle, possibly Platydracus maculosus. According to BugGuide, it feeds on carrion.
Borer?
September 12, 2009
Shortly after you identified my photos of the amorpha borer (or locust borer) I came across this one. It appears to be similar to the amorpha borer, but perhaps a different species. Can you identify it, please? Thanks!
Doug
near Omaha NE
Locust Borer
Hi Doug,
This time your insect is a Locust Borer. They appear in the autumn and they are often associated with goldenrod.
Imposter Yellow Jacket
September 11, 2009
I found this bug basking in the sun on my grape vine a few days ago. There has been a plague of yellow jackets this year eating my berries, so I assumed that this was one who had had his fill, but on closer examination, it doesn’t look like any sort of hymenopteran. It looks more like a beetle to me. Is it? Does it intentionally look like a bee/wasp/yellow jacket to ward off would-be predators?
Thanks!
Michael Gencarella
Post Falls, Idaho (Northern Idaho)
Locust Borer
Hi Michael,
Your observation that this Long Horned Borer Beetle, the Locust Borer, Megacyllene robiniae, is a Yellow Jacket mimic is quite astute. The mimicry is probably most effective when the Locust Borer is feeding on the pollen of goldenrod because predators would tend to avoid what looks like a stinging insect despite the Locust Borer being perfectly harmless.
Small rounded, bobbing head beetle
September 9, 2009
My dad found this bug in our garage and showed it to me because he knows i don’t condone the killing of bugs, i took a few pics and relocated it. he (or she) never flew, but looked like a beetle that was a quarter inch long and high. it bobbed it’s head down and up quite a bit.
Thanks, joe s.
Minnesota
Earth Boring Dung Beetle
Hi joe,
We see that by the time we had an opportunity to write back to you, you had already submitted your photo to BugGuide as well and your Earth Boring Dung Beetle has been identified as Bolbocerosoma bruneri.
Laughing Brown Beetle
September 8, 2009
This brown beetle is speckled white and makes a laughing sound while bobbing its head if provoked. All the images are of the same bug. IT doesn’t seem to move around much. I left it on my desk and it was still in the same spot when I came back about 45 minutes later. The antennae are about as long as the body and it rotates them in opposite circles from time to time. The legs end in hook-like “feet” and it is capable of clinging to things very well. Has no problem hanging upside down. Has two ant-like mandibles jutting downward from the base of the head. The white spots on the back appear to be arranged into loose chevrons pointing towards the posterior, there are three in all. There are two symmetric orange/tan spots on the back of the head. Antennae are ro ughly 1.5in in length. Body appox. 7/8th of an inch long 1/4in wide. Head is narrower then the body and about 1/3 of the total length.
Hissing Harry
Lexington, Virginia, USA
Possibly Southern Pine Sawyer
Dear Hissing Harry,
Your photos lack clarity, but we believe this is one of the Pine Sawyers in the genus Monochamus, possibly the Southern Pine Sawyer, Monochamus titillator. You can compare your individual to images posted to BugGuide.
Possibly Southern Pine Sawyer
Colorful Beetle
September 8, 2009
Can you identify this colorful beetle? I found it on goldenrod, along with goldenrod soldier beetles.
Doug
near Omaha NE
Amorpha Borer
Hi Doug,
This is an Amorpha Borer, Megacyllene decora, which we identified on BugGuide. It is in the same genus as the Locust Borer and Hickory Borer, both of which are well represented on our site, but if memory serves us correctly, this is the first submission we have received of the Amorpha Borer. It is a beautiful beetle.
Amorpha Borer
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