Yellow Caterpillars in Outfits
October 1, 2009
Size: about 3/4″
When: Oct 1, 2009, 9:45AM
Where: Underside of native Jimsonweed leaves, on a large sunny meadow off Riverside Drive.
I’d been hoping to find Hawk Moth caterpillars since there was such a huge patch of Jimsonweed. Most of the plants had only tiny bites taken out of them. The plants that had the largest bites had these fat little caterpillars with what looks like bird excrement hanging off their backs. Great camouflage!
Also intersting – the chewed edges of the leaves are blackened, appearing as if they had been burned. (See photo) The plants with tiny bites had no black marks like these.
Diane Edwardson
Los Angeles, Elysian Park
Old Fashioned Potato Beetle Larvae
Hi Diane,
If it looks like a caterpillar and acts like a caterpillar, it is not necessarily a caterpillar. Many beetle larvae and sawfly larvae are confused with caterpillars. These are not caterpillars. They are beetle larvae, and more specifically, they are Old Fashioned Potato Beetle Larvae, Lema daturaphila, also called Three-Lined Potato Beetles. According to BugGuide, the scientific name “Means ‘Datura loving.’ Datura is a genus of plant in the Nightshade family. The potato is not in the genus Datura, but is in the Nightshade family. This beetle feeds on both potato plants and other members of the Nightshade family.” We noticed that you have the embedded location information as the 18 acre parcel on Riverside Drive. We know that land, but never knew it was part of Elysian Park. We have a certain fondness for Elysian Park. That is where we found our cat as a stray kitten 11 years ago, and he is just the sweetest cat ever.
Daniel,
Thank you! I’ll credit What’s that bug? (with a link) for the ID. I’ll be posting a similar photo on my blog http://redcarproperty.blogspot.com/ probably Monday. Feel free to use the photo I sent you as long as my photo credit is on it. No wonder I couldn’t find it under caterpillars.
By the way, that part of Elysian Park is undergoing environmental review for park improvements, see: http://www.theeastsiderla.com/2009/10/do-you-want-park-or-parking-lot.html
Diane Edwardson
http://redcarproperty.blogspot.com/
Brazilian Bug ID
October 1, 2009
Greetings Bugman,
Can you help me with the identification of this bug please. Found it on a leaf on the Island of Ilha Grande, south west of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The picture was taken at the end of August 2007.
Thanks, Steve
Ilha Grande, Brazil
Tortoise Beetle
Hi Steve,
This beauty is a Tortoise Beetle in the tribe Cassidini. We spent the day getting knee surgery and this is our first posting today. We don’t want to take the time right now for a species identification before trying to post a few additional letters. Perhaps our invaluable contributor Karl will be able to take a stab at this one. We just realized that it is the first of the month, and we have problems with new images posting live at the beginning of each month.
Update from Karl
Hi Daniel:
I believe this Tortoise Beetle is in the genus Stolas (Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae). The tribe is Stolaini, although in some references the tribe is given as Cassidini. Stolas is a rather large genus (170+ species) with considerable variety in size, shape and color, and a half a dozen or so species look similar to the one in Steve’s photo. The closest I could find was S. stevensi (how is that for coincidence?!). It’s not a perfect match but it is the only one I could find that has the yellow/gold markings on the pronotum. There is probably some variability within the species and that may account for the small differences; or it could be a case of sexual dimorphism. I could find little information about the species, but the southeast coast of Brazil is within its range. Regards.
Karl
black & yellow striped bug
September 29, 2009
Hi Bugman, I submitted this last week, but I think it might not have gone through. These black and white striped bugs are all over our Globe Locust trees, and I would love to know what they are, are they beneficial or something to be concerned about. Any danger in handling them?
Neal Schuster
Overland Park, KS (Kansas City area)
Locust Borer
Hi Neal,
It was observant of you to associate the Locust Borer with your Globe Locust Trees. The Locust Borer is a native insect. Here is what BugGuide has to say: “Life Cycle Eggs are laid in locust trees in the fall. Newly emerged larvae spend several months in tree trunks, first hibernating through the winter under the bark, then tunneling into trees in spring, eventually making tunnels about 4″ long and .25″ inch wide. They pupate late July/early August. Adult beetles emerge late August to September (click on the Data tab for a graphic confirmation of that fact). Remarks Considered a serious pest of Black Locust trees; previously weakened or damaged trees are often killed by an infestation of the larvae. Previously confined to the native range of Black Locust in the northeast, it has spread with the trees throughout the US. Unfortunately Black Locust is used for reclamation and similar projects where trees are likely to be stressed out and thus more vulnerable to insect damage.“ Adults feed on pollen and they are generally associated with Goldenrod.
Locust Borer
Biggest Bug I’ve EVER seen….
September 26, 2009
Seen in San Pancho, Nayarit, Mexico on 9/18/09 This monster FLEW onto a wall, crawled down and was attacked by a toad. The beetle clamped on to the toad’s head and the toad hopped around like crazy for a few seconds and released the bug. Markings on the back of the beetle were orange and brown. The bricks that the beetle was resting on were 4″x11″ so you can see how large this bug is. Can’t find it on any website…any idea what it is?
Joslin
Nayarit, Mexico
Harlequin Beetle from Mexico
Hi Joslin,
We post images of the Giant Harlequin Beetle, Acrocinus longimanus, whenever we have an opportunity. This tropical species ranges from Mexico south into Brazil. We wish the photo you sent with the toad had better resolution as we really can’t see much.
orange bug with blacks splotches and giant clampers
September 20, 2009
We walked outside and saw this on the ground. Please advise!
Jennifer
Sao jose dos campos, Brazil
Brazilian Blister Beetle
Hi Jennifer,
We vowed this would be our last posting for the moment since we need to go to the market. We anticipate that an exact identification may take us some time, so we are just posting your unidentified beetle in the hopes a reader can provide the answer before we return to attempt an identification. Though it resembles a Stag Beetle, the antennae are wrong. We also don’t believe this is a Longhorned Borer, since again the antennae seem wrong. We are hard pressed at the moment to even place this interesting specimen into a family classification. Our first guess is perhaps some species of Ground Beetle in the family Carabidae.
Eric Eaton provides identification
September 21, 2009
Hi, Daniel:
Yes, it is, believe it or not, a blister beetle, family Meloidae. More specifically, it is Cissites auriculata. Lots of images pop up in a Google search for that genus.
Eric
Thanks for the response Eric. A web search immediately brought up a posting on BugGuide from Texas with an comment that the common name is the Large Eared Blister Beetle. There is also a page on the Texas Beetle Information website.
Assassin bug dining on Japanese beetle
September 20, 2009
While out scouting for butterflies, I came upon this slightly grizzly scene of a wonderful assassin bug dining on a Japanese beetle. Glad it wasn’t me!
This was taken on June 30, 2009 in Orange County, VIRGINIA — the original OC 
Lynne from Virginia
Orange County, Virginia
Wheel Bug eats Japanese Beetle
Hi Lynne,
Thanks for sending your wonderful Food Chain documentation. More specifically, the Assassin Bug is a Wheel Bug. We are sure your photo will bring great joy to many gardeners who are plagued each year by the appearance of the scourge, the Japanese Beetle. The invasive exotic Japanese Beetle appears in great numbers each year and feeds on many ornamental and food plants, including roses. We have heard that this year in Ohio, the Japanese Beetles can still be found despite the late date.
Black and orange beetle
September 16, 2009
Found on the top of high grass in the summer on Croatia’s Mediterranean coast, these beautiful beetles seem to not be bothered by the hot midday sun. They can and will fly away if given the opportunity when captured (not the stuff seen in the first picture, those are remains of potato chips). They cannot bite, and often leave traces of a yellow substance similar to ear wax when captured. They are usually about 1-2 centimeters long.
ROX
Croatia, Mediterranean coast
Blister Beetle
Hi ROX,
We believe this is a Blister Beetle in the family Meloidae. We will try to get a second opinion.
Eric Eaton Confirms Identification
Right again! See how good you have gotten?:-) Have a great day….
Eric
Red Bug with red and blue wings
September 16, 2009
Red Bug with red and blue wings
I happened to see this bug in my backyard. I had never seen one of these before and its color caught my attention. I tried to identify this bug by searching through the internet but wasn’t succesful. Can you help?
Lorn
Aguadilla, Puerto RIco
Net Winged Beetle
Hi Lorn,
We believe this is a Net Winged Beetle in the family Lycidae. WE are hoping to get some expert opinion on this and we would advise you to check back on the posting for the next several days to see if there are any updates. Our professional obligations have greatly increased with the beginning of a new academic year and we might not be able to email you any updates directly.
Eric Eaton Agrees
Yes, I agree with the family identification.
Eric
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.
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