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
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.
Huge Mandibles!
July 20, 2009
This bug was found in my house on my tile floor. I did not want to kill it but was not sure if it was harmful. Its huge mandibles are very intimidating. Right now the temperature gets up to around 100 degrees during day and cools to about around 80 degrees. Weather has been mostly dry recently. I have never seen this type of insect in or around my home.
C.Z.
Odessa, Texas
Ground Beetle: genus Scarites
Dear C.Z.,
This is a Ground Beetle in the genus Scarites. According to BugGuide “adults are nocturnal predators on other insects.” Like other Ground Beetles, members of the genus Scarites are beneficial insects and should not be harmed if they are found indoors.
Flying Bug
July 19, 2009
I have recently been finding this bug in my house. Have found it in Bathrooms and bedroom, usually crawling but has wings and flies if you go to grab it.
Approx. .25-.50 inches long. It is just a bit bigger then a grain of rice. Light brown / tan in color.
Mike M.
Woodstown, NJ (Rural Area)
Tobacco Wireworm
Hi Mike,
This is a species of Click Beetle in the family Elateridae. It looks like a good match to the Tobacco Wireworm, Conoderus vespertinus, which we located on BugGuide. The North Carolina State University website has a page with information on the Tobacco Wireworm which also feeds on corn and potatoes and is considered an agricultural pest. The Organic Gardening Practices website has a photo of the larva which does the damage as well as listing susceptible plants as “Potato, strawberry, brassicas, beans, beets, carrot, lettuce, onion, and tomato, also ornamentals, including, anemone, carnation, dahlia, gladioli, and primula.”
large yellow bug with black spots and black feet it can fly.
July 19, 2009
I was outside on my balcony when I saw about eight of these things flying around then one landed on the building and I have no clue what it is.
cori
greapevine,Texas
Cottonwood Borer
Hi cori,
The Cottonwood Borer, Plectrodera scalator is usually described as white with black markings. It is a beetle in the family Cerambycidae. We really love the narrative mystery mood of your photo. It is quite cinematic.
What is this beetle?
July 19, 2009
Found in Moncks Corner, SC near Lake Moultrie, Took more pictures if you would like to see, let me know.
Collin Hodges
Moncks Corner, SC
Ox Beetle
Hi Collin,
We just posted a photo of a Triceratops Beetle, and your Ox Beetle, Strategus antaeus, is a relative in the same tribe, Oryctini. You can read about the Ox Beetle on BugGuide, which states it is found in the “Eastern United States: Connecticut south to Florida, west to Illinois, Oklahoma.”
What is this Beetle?
July 19, 2009
Found this beetle trying to burrow into the concrete under my front door, so we picked him up and had a good looksie at him. Can’t for the life of me figure out what kind he is. Thought he was a rhinocerous beetle, but can’t find a picture that looks like him. Help!
Jonathan C
Fort Pierce, FL USA
Triceratops Beetle
Dear Jonathan,
Though we often have people write in comparing insects to dinosaurs, like calling the Wheel Bug a Stegosaurus, to the best of our knowledge, this may be the only insect that actually is named for a dinosaur. Your Triceratops Beetle, Phileurus truncatus, is also called a Loving Beetle according to BugGuide which has this information: “Adults come to lights. Larvae feed in rotten logs, reported, in particular, from dead oaks. Presumably, males (?) use horns to defend breeding sites. Lifespan of adults is reported to be quite long (up to two years) in captivity. Reported to have structures for sound production (stridulation) (1). Stridulate softly when handled (P. Coin, Durham, NC 11 July 2007).” BugGuide also has this crazy statement: “Adults have been reported causing cabin fires by coming down chimneys, presumably attracted to fireplace smoke and spreading embers” which we find odd and potentially libelous. We surely hope that statement does not contribute to the unnecessary carnage of this magnificent creature.
Triceratops Beetle
Brown Beetle, 2″ in length, long antennae
July 18, 2009
Found two of them in the wood pile as we where splitting wood. they seem to have wings but did not fly. brown to light brown in color both top and bottom
Mike
Turner, Oregon
Ponderous Borer
Hi Mike,
Of the Ponderous Borer, Ergates spiculatus, BugGuide notes: “In a quick review of Google mentions this beetle has also been called a Pine Sawyer, Western Pine Sawyer, Spined Woodborer, and Ponderosa Pine Borer. The last name may be a conflation of Ponderous Borer and Pine Sawyer although it should be noted that ponderosa is Spanish for ponderous and would be a logical name for Spaniards in early California to give to both the huge pine trees of the high Sierras and the huge beetles that bored in them.“
2 Large Unidentified Bugs, Possibly Beetles, With Large “Feathery” Antenna
July 18, 2009
Hi there! We found these two bugs yesterday floating in our cat’s water dish on the back porch. They appear of the same type, I assume they are male and female, who were attempting an ill-fated waterside rendezvous.
We are in the middle of South Carolina and it is currently the middle of the summer here… bug season for sure!
In the photo, the smaller and slightly lighter colored bug was impossible to keep flipped over. However, its back looked just like the other bug. Both have longish, almost “feathery” looking antenna, which we found unusual.
We’ve seen lots of beetles before, but none like these (if that is what they are). We would appreciate your help in identifying these two bugs! Thanks!
Rinella Family, SC
Southeastern US, Pelion, SC
Tile Horned Prionids
Dear Rinella Family,
Each of your beetles is a male Tile Horned Prionus, Prionus imbricornis. There is a natural size range that has nothing to do with the sex of the beetles. The antennae distinguish the male from the female. We suspect your cat dish was near a light source since these beetles are often attracted to lights.
Some kind of longhorn beetle?
July 18, 2009
This insect had apparently been attracted to the yard light at the corner of our house. It’s July, in a woodsy area of the Sierra Foothills near Placerville, California. (Lots of ponderosa pine and black oaks, as well as manzanita shrubs.) In my I.D. search I keep coming across the Banded Alder Borer but this is something else. Can you help?
Karen Rathbun
Placerville, California
Acanthocinus principes
Hi Karen,
You are correct that this is not a Banded Alder Borer, but we have had no luck in securing an identification for you. We are nearly certain your beetle is in the subfamily Lamiinae which includes the genus Monochamus. We would seriously consider the White Spotted Sawyer, but the male of the subspecies found in California and Oregon has solid black antenna. We are going to contact Eric Eaton in the hopes that he can assist in an identification.
Acanthocinus principes
Comment from Eric Eaton
Daniel:
I recognize it, but never committed the name to memory because it is not seen that often. I’ll get more of my colleagues to take a look. Nice images that I hope will also get posted to Bugguide:-)
Eric
Okay, I’ve submitted it to BugGuide, and also added one more photo. I’m excited that this one is not common, and now I wish I had not been rushed when taking the photos and had done a proper job of it — including a size reference and finding better lighting and that sort of thing. Or that I had saved the beetle for a proper photo session later. Thanks for your help!
Karen
Update:
July 19,2009
Daniel, thanks for your help! I thought you would like to know that Eric has identified this beetle as Acanthocinus principes – http://bugguide.net/node/view/306477/tree
What fun to be able to provide photos that seem somewhat hard to come by! I just got lucky, as I know next to nothing about insects, though I do own a couple of field guides and like to learn the names of things that I find. I sure appreciate your service, and also Eric’s.
Karen
A friend of mine is inquiring …
July 5, 2009
A friend of mine is inquiring about the name and type of insect this is. After much searching on the internet and books of insects, I am still not able to identify it. Thank you in advance for your help.
Your letter to the bugman This picture was taken outside of a house in Jamaica, West Indies. The insect as unsual antenaes. They look like twigs and are longer in length then the body of the insect.
not sure
Jamaica, West Indies
Unidentified Cerambycid from Jamaica
Dear not sure,
This is some species of Longicorn in the family Cerambycidae. We will try to do additional research.
Update from Eric Eaton
July 20, 2009
Daniel:
The Jamaican longhorn is probably <i>Neoptychodes trilineatus</i>, or at least in that genus, eh? No problem, maan….:-)
Eric
Grapevine Beetle
July 18, 2009
Found this 3 cm-long beetle a few days ago in a patch of clover on my lawn. From your site I determined that it’s a Grapevine Beetle. I have no grapes, but some of the neighbours probably do.
Ray
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Grapevine Beetle
Hi Ray,
Your identification of the Grapevine Beetle, Pelidnota punctata. This species ranges in color from a very pale yellow to a rusty red, but the spots remain a consistent identification feature.
Large beetle in E. Washington state
July 18, 2009
We found this large black/brown/red beetle with reddish legs and a red underside on our driveway on July 18 in Spokane Valley, WA. It was discovered just after dusk. It is 3-4 inches in length. When touched on the back, it would raise it’s back legs to make a scraping/hissing sound. What is it? What does it eat? Are they common in this area (we’ve never seen one before)
Lobdells
Spokane Valley, WA
California Root Borer
Dear Lobdells,
This is a California Root Borer, Prionus californicus. It ranges from Canada to Mexico on the West Coast, as far inland as Nevada and Montana. According to Charles Hogue in Insect of the Los Angeles Basin, the larvae bore into roots of oaks, madrone, cottonwood, fruit trees and eucalyptus. Adults emerge and fly in early summer and are attracted to lights. The beetle is not considered rare, but populations may be very localized. Your specimen looks like a female as males are smaller and have more exaggerated antennae.
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