Who is this death muncher?
October 24, 2009
I’ve seen these guys a couple of times, the first time I ever saw them was among other bugs voraciously consuming a mole corpse who’s death had been basking in the summer heat for at least two days. They were the dominant insect in and on that corpse. His thorax reminds me Roman muscle armor… What is this odd little guy?
Eric, The Wild Man
willamette valley, along the columbia river. Oregon
Sexton Beetle
Hi Eric,
This is one of the Burying Beetles in the genus Nicrophorus that are known as Sexton Beetles. We expect it is the highly variable Nicrophorus defodiens. BugGuide has a nice array of images with some individuals possessing bold spotting, and others with subtle spotting like your specimen. Burying Beetles often work in pairs, burying small dead creatures, laying eggs on the carcass.
Christmas Beetle
October 19, 2009
I found a group of christmas beetles in my garden and i want to feed them but i don’t know what! I tried feeding them leaves but they didn’t like them, what should i feed them?
Karmen xo
South Coast, Corrimal
Christmas Beetle
Dear Karmen xo,
Christmas Beetles are Scarab Beetles in the genus Anoplognathus as well as some other closely related genera. They are considered to be leaf or flower chafers. A Christmas Beetle website we located indicates “Christmas beetles are voracious eaters and are capable of attacking a wide range of eucalypts and other tree species” and “Christmas beetles often show a preference for particular species, even individual trees within a species.“ If you found the beetles on a particular plant, you should try feeding them from the leaves of that plant.
Orange Asturalian scarab
October 17, 2009
I have seen these beetles often when camping in Cobram, Victoria, Australia.
it didn’t move for at least an hour, i never actually saw it moving other than noticing that it had moved when i was gone. this happened a few times before it disappeared. It has a colour changing sheen (mainly blue and green) depending on the angle you look at it. The beetle itself is orange.
Matt Molloy
Victoria Australia
- Christmas Beetle
Hi Matt,
This is one of the Scarab Beetles known as Christmas Beetles in Australia because of their seasonal appearance. It appears as though it is either Anoplognathus parvulus or a closely related species.
Arizona bug
October 17, 2009
I found this bug on my front porch. Any ideas?
Matt
Sun City, Arizona
Acrobat Beetle
Hi Matt,
This is a species of Darkling Beetle in the genus Eleodes which are known as Stink Beetles or sometimes Acrobat Beetles because of their habit of sticking their hind ends in the air and releasing an odor meant to deter predators.
Mountain Bug love
October 16, 2009
Found these two love-bugs while hiking a mountain in the Hudson Valley region of New York state during late spring. I’m not sure what they are, but I think they’re in love 
.
Tori
Hudson Valley, New York
Mating Purple Tiger Beetles
Hi Tori,
These are mating Tiger Beetles in the genus Cicindela. There are numerous species illustrated on BugGuide. We believe they may be Purple Tiger Beetles, Cicindela purpurea, though we would prefer to have an actual expert confirm the species ID. You can check out the photos and description of the Purple Tiger Beetle on BugGuide.
Dave Gracer’s comment
What’s cool about this pic is that the female has got some food, most likely supplied by the male as a token. In other words, sex for food. Other kinds of animals do this — I don’t know how many, but I know that roadrunners to it. Pretty fascinating, when you consider the possibility that there are some vague analogies in our species.
Found in Prince Edward Island, Canada
October 14, 2009
Hello! I was happy to find your site today! What a lot of wonderful and informative information!
Last summer on vacation, I snapped a nice photo of a most interesting flying insect. I still have no idea what it is. It was June and we were on Prince Edward Island, Canada.
There were many of these harmless and beautiful creatures flying among the lupines along the edge of the roads.
We enjoyed their magnificent beauty! I was so happy my not-so-great camera allowed me this beautiful shot of this fellow (or lady, as the case may be). They were about 2 inches long or so. Not tiny!
I would love to know what it is and what its habits are.
Thank you for all you’re doing!
Linda
Prince Edward Island, Canada.
Blister Beetle
Hi Linda,
This is a Blister Beetle, probably Lytta sayi. You can find other photos and information on BugGuide. Also, the entire family of Blister Beetles, Meloidae, includes members that are characterized by the following BugGuide description: “Pressing, rubbing, or squashing adult blister beetles may cause them to exude their hemolymph (’blood’), which contains cantharidin. This compound causes blistering of the skin, thus the name blister beetle. Accidental or intentional ingestion of these insects can be fatal. There are documented incidents of horses dying after eating hay in which blister beetles were inadvertently baled with the forage. Watch that curious children do not attempt to put these beetles in their mouths. The external use of cantharidin, commercially known as ‘Spanish fly,’ the supposed aphrodisiac, is likewise discouraged.“
Big black beetle
October 13, 2009
Saw this big black beetle in September 2009 crawling in the leaf litter of the forest floor just north of Mendocino, California. It was approximately 1.75 inches long from the tip of its head to the rear of its carapace. When I discovered it and started taking photos, it didn’t scurry away; it slowly and methodically crawled away and hid under forest floor detritus.
Thanks for any help info you may have,
Mendocino California
Snail Eater
This is some species of Snail Eater, a Ground Beetle in the genus Scaphinotus. We don’t feel qualified to take the identification to the species level with the information provided on BugGuide, especially since some species are represented by a single photograph from California. We might suggest that you also submit your photo to bugGuide in the hopes that you can get a species identification.
Update from Eric Eaton
Daniel:
I’d need to see the specimen of the snail-eater to key it out to species….
Eric
Is it a jewel beetle
October 9, 2009
The Beetle Picture i took from SNGP Forest Area. First time i am saw the
beautiful insect. Pl. let me me know the id ?
Hari Iyer
Yeeor, Thane, Maharashtra, India.
Jewel Beetle from India
Hi Hari Iyer,
Yes, this is a Jewel Beetle, one of the common names for a Metallic Wood Boring Beetle in the family Buprestidae. We will see if one of our readers is able to find the exact species name for you.
Ed Note: Thanks to Karl for providing a comment identifying the genus as Sternocera, and providing several links with confirmation imagery.
Grapevine beetle?
October 9, 2009
This beauty was clinging to our screen door early one morning last June. I have been trying to identify, and Grapevine beetle seems a possibility (we have 17 acres of grapes), but there aren’t noticeable spots. What else could it be?
Charlee
4 miles east of Lawrence, KS
Goldsmith Beetle
Hi Charlee,
Your guess that this is a Grapevine Beetle is well founded, though incorrect. This is a Goldsmith Beetle, Cotalpa lanigera, which is in the same tribe, Rutelini, as the Grapevine Beetle, Pelidnota punctata. You can see additional images and read more about the Goldsmith Beetle on BugGuide. Our favorite bit of trivia about the Goldsmith Beetle, is that it is believed to be the Gold Bug in the famous Edgar Allen Poe story.
Thanks so much for the info! We have lots of unusual (for this area) bugs, birds, and varmints visiting our farm, and I was having trouble trying to identify this beetle. It certainly was beautiful– the same morning I photographed this guy, I also got great shots of a pair of Io moths. Living in the country certainly has its perks!
Thanks again,
Charlee
Charlee Glinka Davenport Orchards/Vineyards/Winery
Black beetle with large orange spots
October 9, 2009
Date: 8Oct09
Found beetle wandering around the lawn near cedar trees on damp dreary day. Took pictures and when sun warmed the bug, he flew away. Pictures show bug held by pine needle and with one wing unfolding.
Size: 2 cm long
Peter
46° 12.496′N; 79° 29.539′W
Sexton Beetle
Hi Peter,
This is a Sexton Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus, possibly Nicrophorus orbicollis. Sexton Beetles are sometimes called Burying Beetles.
Golden Beetle with Black Sanscript
October 3, 2009
Found in New England, near Boston MA: we saw one last year and this is the second one this year so far. Cannot find other pictures that look like it online. I realize it’s probably in the Eucalyptus family but no name that i could find.
Leisu Kirby
Hudson, MA
Dogwood Calligrapha
Hi Leisu,
This is a Leaf Beetle in the genus Calligrapha. We believe it is the Dogwood Calligrapha, Calligrapha philadelphica, though there are several other species in the genus that could possibly be your beetle. The eucalyptus family is a group of trees. The family in this case is Chrysomelidae, the Leaf Beetles. It is interesting that you noted the Sanscript since the genus name refers to the writing like markings on the elytra or wing covers. BugGuide indicates that this species: “Differs from C. multipunctata primarily in having the pronotum uniformly dark. Also, dark areas including spots are more likely to be dark metallic green in this species, in contrast with the black of C. multipunctata.“
Plastic Coated Beetle
October 2, 2009
I found this Beetle in August 2005 in Alamos Sonora, there are many unusual insects around at that time of the year because of the monsoon rains. This was the only time I ever saw this species. I’ve researched it a few times since but with no luck in finding out what it was.
Mark Nixon
Alamos, Sonora, Mexico
Mottled Tortoise Beetle
Dear Mark,
We matched your photo to that of the Mottled Tortoise Beetle, Deloyala guttata, which is pictured on BugGuide.
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