Beetle in Basement
Thu, Oct 16, 2008 at 6:10 PM
I am finding these beetles in my house. What are they? While I have found one on the main floor, most are appearing in my finished basement playroom. The living ones I have found seem to be trying to burrow in the carpet. In our utility room (unfinished basement space) I have found several carcases that spiders seem to have killed. Can you identify this bug from the attached image? Do I need to be concerned about finding these in my kids playroom?
Long Island, NY
Ground Beetle
Dear Long Island, NY,
This is a Ground Beetle in the genus Scarites. It will not harm you, your children, or your home. This Ground Beetle is a nocturnal predator that feeds on other insects. You can read more about them on BugGuide.
Found a cool looking insect
Mon, Oct 13, 2008 at 4:50 AM
This insect has 6 legs which are yellow in color. It is long compared to how wide it is. It is probably about a cm long or so and a quarter of that wide. The head and neck of it is blue as well as the tail on it. But the very center of it is a very bright yellow with blue in the center and then yellow and blue spikes. Up close the bug looks very hairy but i am not so sure. I found him on a 4×4 post on my fence line, it caught me off guard because of its amazing bright colors. Sorry i cant get a picture right now but i did draw a somewhat childish painting and is attached to image 1. Thank You
Dan Dan the bugman
North America, Michigan
Drawing of a Ladybird Larva
Hi Dan Dan the bugman,
In our ongoing efforts to distinguish ourselves from the plethora of more scientific insect websites in existance by trying to have a more pop culture appeal, we love getting letters like yours with drawings. We believe you have found an immature Ladybird Beetle, or Lady Bug. We have also had them described as looking like alligators. We find your amusing drawing to be a refreshing change from the many anatomically correct insect drawings found in texts.
zztop bug
Sun, Oct 12, 2008 at 3:16 PM
this bug on blazing star in pine wilderness area raised its legs when camera got too close. it is very strking design is it a stink bug?
Caroline
E. Central Florida
Delta Flower Scarab
Hi Caroline,
Because of the striking pattern that resembles the Greek letter Delta on the pronotum, which is only partially visible on your photo, this beetle is known as the Delta Flower Scarab, Trigonopeltastes delta. In addition to the blazing star, adult beetles feed on nectar and pollen from flowers like goldenrod and Echinacea to name a few. Your reference to ZZ Top is quite amusing.
irridescent beetle
Sun, Oct 12, 2008 at 11:57 AM
can you help me identify what type of beetle this is?
margie obrien
central ny
Dogband Beetle
Hi Again Margie,
This is a Dogbane Beetle, Chrysochus auratus. They eat the leaves of plants in the Dogbane family.
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Posted 13 October 2008
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Thu, Oct 9, 2008 at 4:18 AM
Hey Bugman, I love your site. It has been a favorite since we moved into our NJ home 4 yrs ago. I know you are quite busy, but I think this is a brown long horn beetle. Could you please tell me if is, and how menacing they are to our trees & gardens. I have noticed a number of giant stag horns also lately. Thank you in advance.
Cindy Lea
Plainfield, NJ
Brown Prionid
Hi Cindy,
You are correct, but more specifically, this is a Brown Prionid, Orthosoma brunneum. According to BugGuide, it “Breeds in poles, roots(?) in contact with wet ground. ” We would presume that the species is not a problem for healthy trees, but that it may become a problem if it breeds in support poles that are in contact with the ground. We doubt it is plentiful enough to cause you any concern.
Green Beetle Unknown?
Thu, Oct 9, 2008 at 4:39 AM
Found near Eunice New Mexico, close to the west border of Texas.
Kelvin
Eunice, New Mexico
Rainbow Scarab
Hi Kelvin,
What a positively gorgeous image of a positively gorgeous Rainbow Scarab, a Dung Beetle. Most of the images of Rainbow Scarabs we receive are of Phanaeus vindex, but your image is of Phanaeus difformis which has a much more limited range of Texas and surrounding states. BugGuide has an excellent image explaining how to differentiate the two species.
who knows bug
Tue, Oct 7, 2008 at 2:57 PM
These two have been hanging around for days. Wondering what they are. They look ancient. They are very small. Smaller than my little fingernail.
Christy
Southern New Mexico
Mating Broad-Nosed Weevils
Hi Christy,
These are mating Broad Nosed Weevils, most probably in the genus Ophryastes which are found in desert climates in the American Southwest. We located images of this genus on BugGuide.
Can you identify this grub?
Mon, Oct 6, 2008 at 2:53 PM
I found about 10 grubs at the bottom of my compost pile while turning it the other day. At first I thought I saw a shrimp and thought: “We don’t eat shrimp, how’d that get there?” Then I realized there were many more and they were all burrowing away from the light.
The largest was about as big as my thumb but I let it get away as I looked on in stunned amazement. This one pictured is about as thick as my index finger and an inch and a half or so long.
It was difficult to take a picture of the top of it because it wanted arch it’s back and burrow back down into the earth.
Can you help? I’d like to post your response on my blog www.ramshacklesolid.com
Ramshackle Eric
Los Angeles, CA
Crawly-Back
Hi Eric,
Congratulations. You have Crawly-Backs. Charles Hogue indicates in his wonderful book, Insects of the Los Angeles Basin, that the grubs of the Green Fruit Beetle or Figeater, are called Crawly-Backs. He writes: “The adults are active from late summer to early fall and, during this period, lay their eggs in compost piles and other accumulations of decomposing plant litter. The larvae are fairly large (2 in., or 50 mm, long) and C-shaped; the body is pale translucent white, and the head is dark brown. The first two molts are completed in the fall, the third the following spring. Larvae move forward on their backs with an undulating motion of the entire body. They obtain purchase on the substratum with transverse rows of stiff short stout bristles on the back of the thorax. Because of the peculiar manner of locomotion, they are known as ‘crawly-backs.’” The adults are beautiful metallic green beetles that have a loud buzzing flight.
Figeater Grub
What’s that blue beetle?
Mon, Oct 6, 2008 at 5:48 PM
Saw this great beetle with bright blue legs on 10/5/08 on the Crawford Trail at Dripping Springs just east of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Only saw the one specimen and have tried identification without success. Would love to know what this beautiful specimen is.
JC
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Drummond
Hi JC,
We quickly located your Metallic Wood Boring Beetle or Jewel Beetle on BugGuide. It is Drummond’s Blue-footed Bup, Lampetis drummondi. According to BugGuide: “Range
Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas” and
“Season May to November, but most specimens in the Texas A&M University Insect Collection (TAMUIC) from June through August.” The Texas Beetle Information page lists host plants as Mesquite, Guajillo, Pecan and Chinese elm.
Eyed Click Beetle, Red River Gorge, KY
I was able to identify this bug, but thought you might be interested in the photo. I found it while hiking in Red River Gorge in east-central KY.
Incidentally, I was using your site today to identify a big spider I found in my bedroom (and accidentally killed in the attempt to catch and release it- which is a big step for me as a recovering bugophobe). The spider turned out to be a brown recluse, so I feel less bad about its demise. But yall have definitely helped turn me from a indoor bug smusher (if they’re outside they’re okay) to a live-and-let-liver or a return-to-the-outdoors-er. So thank you!!
Carrie
Central Kentucky
Eyed Elater
Hi Carrie,
Thanks for sending in your photo of an Eyed Elater, one of the largest Click Beetles in the U.S. We are also quite pleased to hear that our site has contributed to your insect tolerance.
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Posted 05 October 2008
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Long antennae beetle found in So. California
Seems a lot smarter than cockroaches and a lot slower. Can fly very well and seemed to make a quiet hissing noise when we first moved the grass around him. After the pursuit began, he went silent and we almost lost him as a result. He was found on the grass near some wood from a eucalyptus we had just cut down.
Weerdbugs Findmi
Carlsbad California 3.5 miles East of the Ocean
Eucalyptus Borer
Dear Weerdbugs,
It has been many years since we have received an image of a Eucalyptus Borer, Phoracantha recurva or Phoracantha semipunctata. According to BugGuide, there are two species, both introduced from Australia. Our edition of Charles Hogue’s Insects of the Los Angeles Basin was printed in 1993 and only mentions Phoracantha semipunctata, and indicates it was introduced “to Southern California, probably in 1982.” Hogue also writes: “Until this borer came on the scene, its host, eucalyptus, had been virtually free of major pests since its own arrival here after the 1860s. It is uncertain, however, how serious a threat the Eucalyptus Long-horn Borer poses, because the beetles probably only attack trees weakened by lack of moisture, disease, or other stresses. they also infest freshly cut wood. Damage by larvae is characteristic and may be extensive because of their large size (length up to 1 1/2 in., or 40 mm). They form deep broad galleries under the bark and, as they reach maturity, they girdle the tree and may kill it.” Because it is an introduced species that has spread in California, we are going to include this Eucalyptus Borer in the Invasive Exotics section of our site, but since the beetle feeds on an introduced tree species, it really doesn’t pose as much of a threat to the native California ecosystem.
All black hard shelled with large mandables and stingers on tail.
We have been finding these bugs at my work for the last few weeks. I’ve lived here in Western Washington my entire life and never seen anything like this. It is a very aggresive bug, it has large mandables and its back end will curl up like a scorpion when aggrivated and it looks like two stingers potruding from its rear. It eats crickets with ease and also eats its own kind with out hesitation, but some good battles. Please let me know what it is. I don’t think its native, we receive alot of shipments from around the world.
Badest bug in the west
Northwest
Devil
Hi Badest,
Your beetle is known as a Devil’s Coach Horse, and it is an introduced species of Rove Beetle. Sometime in the 1930s, the species made its first appearance, expanding it original range from Europe. I cherish the Devil’s Coach Horse in my garden since they are one of the few predators that will eat snails and slugs. Despite the threat posture, there is no stinger and the Devil’s Coach Horse is not poisonous. The mandibles are strong, but will do little more than deliver a slight nip to a human. The Devil’s Coach Horse goes by the scientific name Ocypus olens.
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Posted 03 October 2008
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