What kind of beetle?
Location: Corrales, NM
June 13, 2011 12:17 pm
Hi,
These beetles were found in my office in Corrales, NM in June.
Can you help identify them?
Signature: Concerned
Ground Beetle
Dear Concerned,
You have no need to be concerned about this beautiful Ground Beetle in the genus Pasimachus, which is most probably Pasimachus californicus, based on the photos and range listed on bugGuide. Adults and larvae feed on caterpillars, so it probably just wandered into your office accidentally. The genus page on BugGuide indicates a common name Fierce Ground Beetle. If carelessly handled, they might pinch, but the bite has no venom. Your other smaller Ground Beetle is also of no concern. Since you submitted three different identification requests, the only species that you might have some concern about is the female Cockroach carrying an oothica or egg case. The Ground Beetles are considered beneficial, but again, there presence in your office is puzzling. Since this genus is incapable of flight, according to BugGuide which states: “Large, extra-robust, flightless ground beetles (elytra fused into rigid shell). Huge jaws, head, pronotum. Some have blue margins. Typically run about under or on leaf litter in forests”, we would eliminate the possibility that they were attracted to lights, which is often the reason large beetles enter homes.
Big Bug
Location: Eastern shore of Maryland
June 13, 2011 10:53 am
I live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, i found a big bug its Black headed, eyes and mouth under a fake set of eyes, with horns or pinchers one top and one bottom above its mouth area, it has a black head area, the body is tanish yellow with a wood gran finish like its been antiqued.Long spinny legs, and about 2and 3/4 inch long. Id like to no if you no what it mite be.and what they feed on.
Signature: does not matter
Eastern Hercules Beetle
Dear does not matter,
You can try feeding this magnificent Eastern Hercules Beetle, Dynastes tityus, some over ripe bananas or other fruit.
Thank you
June 13, 2011 7:17 am
Hi Bug Folks,
This morning when I went outside, we had two grapevine beetles on our screen door. I didn’t know that at the time, of course, but a quick search of What’s That Bug gave me the information I needed. I use your site several times a year, and I don’t think I’ve ever written to thank you for it.
I have three children, the oldest of whom is nine, and a brief search has rescued many a scary-looking bug from this paranoid mother. When my daughter was waking up with bites on her arms, you helped me identify the culprit (spider), and when I found small bugs on our comforter, you relieved my bedbug paranoia (carpet beetles).
When we find unknown bugs in the house, I use the site to determine how far away we take them when we show them out (just outside the door, way out in the back yard, or down the road?). I’ve even learned to tolerate the occasional house centipede.
I was a teacher/naturalist at a bird sanctuary for many years, so I’m a live-and-let-live person by nature and training, but being a mother has given me a twitchy stomping foot (That’s probably not a black widow in the corner of the bathroom, but what if it is? My babies!).
I appreciate your site and your attitude toward bugs, which helps temper those squash-and-ask-questions-later instincts.
I can tell that this site is a lot of work, and I just wanted you to know that our family appreciates it.
Yours,
Kara Laughlin
Grapevine Beetle from our archives
Dear Kara,
In our seemingly impossible task of trying to respond to the numerous emails we received during our week away from the office, the subject line generally influences which emails we read first. We never pass on the opportunity to read something that begins with a thank you and we were quite touched by your kind letter. We are happy to hear that our mission to spread appreciation and tolerance of the lower beasts has struck a harmonious chord with so many readers. We have dredged up a photo of a Grapevine Beetle from our archives to accompany this posting.
RED BUG
Location: Peabbody, Massachusetts.
June 15, 2011 8:00 am
This critter appears overnight and usually with allthe kin to start a hostile takeover.
The bug is normally solitary but will share an occassional leaf with another.
These bugs apparently hate direct light because I always find the bug under the leaf.
These bugs can destroy an entire Tiger Lilly in an hour. Then move onto the next plant.
What is it’s name; how do I control this plague?
Signature: Rod
Lily Leaf Beetle
Hi Rod,
The Lily Leaf Beetle, Lilioceris lilii, has been introduced from Europe and it has gained a major foothold in Canada and New England. As your letter indicates, it feeds on the leaves of domesticated lily plants. The best way to control them is to get the larvae. Once they are adults, they are reproducing and they can fly, making them more mobile. According to BugGuide: “The larvae are found beneath mounds of dark brown “crud” along the edges of leaves they are eating, literally a protective barrier of their own feces.” We would recommend that you target the larval stage in your attempts to eradicate the Lily Leaf Beetle from your garden.
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Annual bug ID needed.
Location: Philadelphia, PA, USA
June 16, 2011 8:27 am
Hello,
These little beetle-like bugs seem to appear annually in our urban Philadelphia home.
We often see them on their backs, seemingly unable to right themselves. They crawl around otherwise, and we’ve never seen them fly, so I don’t think their capable of flight.
They appear for a month or so, then we don’t see them again for a year.
Thanks for any info you can provide.
Signature: Phrantic in Philly
Maybe Black Carpet Beetle
Dear Phrantic in Philly,
These annual household intruders resemble Black Carpet Beetles, but the photo quality is not ideal. It seems there is some discrepancy with the shape of the prothorax and the antennae, but we are not certain. We have requested assistance from Eric Eaton. Meanwhile, you may read about Black Carpet Beetles on BugGuide. Black Carpet Beetles are sometimes called Fur Beetles because the larvae damage fur and hide objects, and they can do considerable damage to museum collections.
Beautiful tortoise beetles you might want to add.
Location: Malaysia
June 12, 2011 5:18 am
Found these in my backyard in Malaysia. You have a beautiful collection of tortoise beetles on your site and I thought perhaps you might like to add these.
Signature: AJ
Tortoise Beetle
Dear AJ,
Thanks for sending in photos of these two pretty Tortoise Beetles. We will try to get species identifications when we have a free moment.
Tortoise Beetle
Brown Gas Station Bug!
Location: North Hollywood, CA
June 10, 2011 2:46 pm
Hi Bugman (bugpeople?),
I found this bug at a gas station yesterday in North Hollywood, CA. It looks big in the photo, but I’d say it was the size of a large jellybean. It was alone, sitting on the ground, and just asking to have it’s picture taken! Someone suggested it might be a Christmas beetle, but I looked that up, and it seems shinier than the bug I found.
Thanks for your knowledge!
Signature: Jeffrey Mann
Dusty June Beetle
Hi Jeffrey,
Christmas Beetles are from Australia, and that is not to say that they might be introduced to southern California like many other other Australian insects, however, we believe this is another scarab known as a Dusty June Beetle in the genus Amblonoxia. According to Charles Hogue in his wonderful book, Insects of the Los Angeles Basin, the Dusty June Beetle can be recognized by its “heart-shaped scutellum” which is “noticeably paler than the rest of the back.” More photos are available on BugGuide.
Another Ham Beetle?
Location: Outside Anchorage, Alaska
June 10, 2011 7:40 pm
Hi WTB.
You might hear enough of this, but thank you as always for the friendly and open nature of this website and the easy search engine you have for the fans.
To the point, however; out at a cabin near Anchorage, Alaska, my parents discovered a few beetles on top of their bed and on the windowsill. As they shooed the ones they found outside, I caught one on a book I carry around just for moments like this. The attached photo shows the beetle crawling over the millimeter ruler on the back page, clearly defining its length and providing a fairly good backdrop for close-up examination.
This is where WTB comes in. I had been looking around in bug books for Alaska on just what this beetle might be, until I remember coming to What’s That Bug a while ago with a spider from Bavaria. Using your search engine and getting lucky with a very recent post, I spotted another Alaskan with a similar-looking beetle. I now presume that what I found was a Ham Beetle, and not the Spruce Bark Beetle we feared it was.
Yet again however, I leave the final judging to the friendly experts.
Have fun on your vacation
Signature: Zachary Boyden
Black Carpet Beetle
Dear Zachary,
Thanks for your confidence in us. We actually believe this is a Black Carpet Beetle, Attagenus unicolor, a common household pest. We are going to try to get a second opinion on this identification, meanwhile, you can compare your individual to this image on BugGuide.
Eric Eaton Confirms ID
Sure looks like it to me, Daniel. Welcome back!
Eric
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