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Anchor Stink Bug eats Monarch Caterpillar

What is this pink and black beetle?
Location: Down East Maine – field
November 17, 2011 9:20 am
I have tried to find out – but not 100% sure – closest I could find was a Calligraphic Beetle? But the shape of his back-end is more pointed than the rounded Calligraphic Beetles I found images of on the Bug Guide website, and the black markings don’t fully match up. This beetle was definitely pink too. I would love your help:) It definitely was taking this monarch caterpillar with it!
Signature: Caroline

anchor stink bug eats monarch caroline 264x300 Anchor Stink Bug eats Monarch Caterpillar

Anchor Stink Bug eats Monarch Caterpillar

Dear Caroline,
The predator in this Food Chain drama is an Anchor Stink Bug, Stiretrus anchorago, and we identified it on BugGuide which notes:  “Adults feed on the larvae of beetles, butterflies, and moths. Stiretrus anchorago is considered an economically beneficial insect, feeding on the larvae of the Mexican Bean Beetle, among other pest species.”  It seems late in the season for this to occur.  When was this photo taken?

anchor stink bug eats monarch caroline 2 140x300 Anchor Stink Bug eats Monarch Caterpillar

Anchor Stink Bug eats Monarch Caterpillar

The photo was taken August 8th.  And thank you soooo much for getting back to me.  Very exciting to know who that was in my backyard!
-Best, Caroline

 

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Posted 19 November 2011 § Stink Bugs and Shield Bugs ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Queen Caterpillar

Mutant Monarch Caterpillar?
Location: West Los Angeles
November 14, 2011 12:06 pm
Hi Bugman,
We’ve had dozens of Monarch caterpillars this year (best year in a long time). Their colors varied somewhat, but all had rings of colors the length of their bodies.
The caterpillar pictured was found on a milkweed plant, but wasn’t interested in eating. It also did not appear large enough to begin chrysalizing (is this a word?).
As you can see, it does not have rings, but spots, and an additional set of ”false” antennae near the middle of its body.
So is this a Monarch caterpillar or something else?
Thx, Jeff
Signature: Jeff Bremer

queen cat jeff 2 300x203 Queen Caterpillar

Queen Caterpillar

Hi Jeff,
This is noteworthy for Los Angeles.  What exciting photographs to post, especially since they are from Los Angeles.  There are several other Milkweed Butterflies in the Monarch genus Danaus, and this is another member of the royal family.  We believe this is the Queen Caterpillar, a species reported from California according to BugGuide.  Your individual is darker than the images posted to BugGuide.  Queens are darker than Monarchs.

queen cat jeff 300x255 Queen Caterpillar

Queen Caterpillar

  On a side note, we are formulating written responses to interview questions for a Russian magazine, F5.  One of the questions we have been struggling with is 15.  After having studied bugs for so long, have you learned anything important from them?  And the answer is:  “Yes I have.  I have learned that we are all individuals.  Just as no two people look alike, no two insects look exactly alike, but some are very similar.  I learned this after seeing a photograph of a Queen Caterpillar that was much darker than photos of Queen Caterpillars I found on legitimate websites like BugGuide.  I have learned that even if I have difficulty telling two insect species apart, insects have no trouble recognizing their own species.  Species are just close to one another on the evolutionary scale, and they differentiated due to global distribution.  When you cut off a gene pool, it differentiates from disparate groups and eventually it forms a race, that if they cease to intermingle, might evolve to a point where they can no longer reproduce together.”

queen cat jeff 3 300x190 Queen Caterpillar

Queen Caterpillar

Hi Daniel,
Thanks for your reply – I’m hoping to see a Queen butterfly as well and was wondering of there is a way to tell the chrysalis from that of a Monarch.  The pictures in BugGuide don’t show any distinguishing features.  Do you know of any?
Thx,  Jeff

Alas, we don’t know how to distinguish the two chrysalides.  We will copy Keith Wolfe to see if he has any insight.

Keith Wolfe Responds
Jeff, please see this rather crude comparison using Internet photos . . .
http://home.comcast.net/~bflyearlystages/Differentiating-US-Danaus-immatures.doc
. . . which was quickly put together many years ago for a student I was mentoring.
Enjoy the wonder!
Keith

Had a stroke of luck yesterday when I spotted a Queen caterpillar starting to chrysalize.  Now I just need to be there when she emerges.
Jeff

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Posted 15 November 2011 § ‡ Comments (2) °

Monarch Butterfly Caterpillars

Caterpillars
Location: Charelston sc
November 10, 2011 9:22 pm
My friend, an elementary school teacher in Charleston, SC, took these photos on November 10.
Signature: The non-entomolgocial biologst, Alex Hartman (University of South Carolina)

monarch cats alex 300x203 Monarch Butterfly Caterpillars

Monarch Caterpillars

Dear Alex,
The plant in the photo appears to be an exotic milkweed, and they are usually promoted as butterfly plants.  The caterpillars in the photo are Monarch Caterpillars and they will metamorphose into Monarch Butterflies.  The caterpillars of Monarchs feed on milkweed.

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Posted 11 November 2011 § ‡ Comments (0) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Monarch Caterpillar

Monarch Caterpillar Success
Location: Hawthorne, CA
October 18, 2011 8:43 pm
Hello,
While watering out back today, I spied this beauty and thought I should share it with you. It’s common, but ”new to our yard” and I’m so glad to see that our efforts have yielded yet another gem. Don’t think I would have even looked for this had it not been for you!
Signature: Thanks, Anna Carreon

monarch cat anna 300x254 Monarch Caterpillar

Monarch Caterpillar

Hi Anna,
Thanks for sending us your lovely photos of a Monarch Caterpillar on Milkweed in your garden.  Do you know if this is a native milkweed?

monarch cat anna 2 300x244 Monarch Caterpillar

Monarch Caterpillar

Hi Daniel,
Thanks very much.  This is  Asclepias curassavica – Mexican Milkweed, a native of the American Tropics.  It was in a “Butterfly Mix” packet of seeds that we bought at a local nursery last year.  Should I discourage it from reseeding this year and try to get native milkweed started instead?
Anna

Hi Anna,
No, we would not recommend discouraging it.  We were simply curious.  You can try some native milkweed as well.  You have a cultivated garden and if something is happy with the habitat you are providing and that thing is attracting native species of insects, we can think of no reason to discourage it.

 

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Posted 19 October 2011 § ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:

Monarch Caterpillar transforms into Chrysalis

Detailed series of pics of monarch caterpillar to pupa
Location: Central Wisconsin
September 7, 2011 11:22 pm
Hi! First of all, I want to thank you for your time and devotion to this site. I’ve been lurking for a few years, and have identified a few critters with the help that you give others. From my own failed attempts to keep a site/blog going, I know how much work it is, and I’m so glad you don’t have the same problem I do of letting it slide into oblivion. icon smile Monarch Caterpillar transforms into Chrysalis
My new hobby lately is to collect caterpillars. Some of my first have been monarchs–they’ve been really active at the caterpillar stage around Central Wisconsin. This is actually the first year I’ve ever seen one, but that doesn’t mean much since my attention has been elsewhere. I’ve brought a total of 7 home over the last week and a half, and within the first 3 days, all of my original 5 turned into pupa, and the latest 2 additions from the last field search has one as a pupa and the other currently finding his spot for his J.

monarch metamorphosis scrib 300x225 Monarch Caterpillar transforms into Chrysalis

Monarch Caterpillar prepares for metamorphosis

I was amazed at how fast the transformation was, and was disappointed with the first 4 turning into their cocoons before I could capture them with the camera. Finally I noted the signs I’d read about in one of my J’s, and sat like a hawk for hours to capture the following series of photos and video. I thought you may be interested, but understand if this is a rather common submission.
Since there are multiple photos all in my album, I’ll give the main link of the album along with using the form fields below for a few of them.
Main/full album: http://photobucket.com/monarch_metamorphosis
Signature: ScribbleMuse

monarch metamorphosis scrib 2 132x300 Monarch Caterpillar transforms into Chrysalis

Monarch Caterpillar begins transformation

Dear ScribbleMuse,
Thanks for the lovely documentation.  Common insects are often quite new to our readers who have logged onto our site for the first few times, and we always try to post timely submissions that new readers might encounter.  Your series of photos is quite wonderful, and we hope our readers visit the link you have provided so they can view the entire transformation process.

monarch metamorphosis scrib 3 165x300 Monarch Caterpillar transforms into Chrysalis

Monarch Chrysalis

Thank you for the compliments!  I’ve been finding that common components of nature often have quite extraordinary details when I take the time to look at them, and have had quite a few rewarding experiences.  Usually I’m hoping to capture just a nice still shot of something and then find something fascinating in the actions (or sometimes inactions) of the subject.
Thanks again for your time not only to me, but in general to provide this helpful website!
Lisha/ScribbleMuse

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Posted 08 September 2011 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Weeding Party in Elyria Canyon Park Sunday 9:30 – 11:30 AM

August 23, 2011
Join us Sunday August 28 at 9:30 at the Red Barn in Elyria Canyon Park.
Read more about the Mt Washington Beautification Committee

Each month, on the fourth Sunday of the month, the Mt Washington Beautification Committee, co-hosted by Clare Marter Kenyon and Daniel Marlos, meets at 9:30 AM near the Red Barn in Elyria Canyon State Park.  Clare takes the lead with native plant germination in the nursery and Daniel goes out weeding in areas that need special attention.  This month the weeds that we will target are invasive Conyza and an unidentified yellow thistle type plant.  Daniel is especially concerned about invasive weeds crowding out the native milkweed.  Elizabeth is seen pulling weeds from around the milkweed. 

Elizabeth Weeds 20110731 web1 242x300 Weeding Party in Elyria Canyon Park Sunday 9:30 11:30 AM
                            CLICK TO ENLARGEElyria Canyon Work Party August 28, 2011

There is a wealth of insect life on the milkweed.  Daniel saw two Monarch caterpillars of approximately the same age.  They were on two different plants about ten feet apart.

monarch cat elyria 20110731 web 300x206 Weeding Party in Elyria Canyon Park Sunday 9:30 11:30 AM
Monarch Caterpillar 20110731 AM

Two different caterpillars were photographed in the morning, but in the afternoon, only the one feeding on the leaves was photographed.  The other Monarch Caterpillar was feeding on blossoms.  The detail that is missing from the live experience in the static photo is the twitching of the front fleshy pseudo-antennae.

monarch cat 20110731 pm 300x206 Weeding Party in Elyria Canyon Park Sunday 9:30 11:30 AM
Monarch Caterpillar 20110731 PM
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Posted 24 August 2011 § ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged: ,

Milkweed Meadow Continued: Which Bumble Bee is it?????

August 4, 2011
We walked back to the Milkweed Meadow in Elyria Canyon Park this morning to check on the status of the two Monarch Caterpillars, Danaus plexippus, thinking that they might have transformed into chrysalides, but I could only find one of the caterpillars.  Hopefully the other was just elsewhere, or perhaps it found a nice place to metamorphose into a chrysalis

monarch cat 20110804 300x206 Milkweed Meadow Continued: Which Bumble Bee is it?????

Monarch Caterpillar

A very wary Bumble Bee would not let me get close enough with the camera, and after several aborted attempts, we were lucky enough to get a few photos.  This is most definitely not a Yellow Faced Bumble Bee.  We were not able to get any photos of the abdominal markings until the last image.

california bumblebee 20110804 300x206 Milkweed Meadow Continued: Which Bumble Bee is it?????

Crotch's or California Bumble Bee???

Just as it was flying off it showed its signature markings, but interestingly, it doesn’t match any of the images on BugGuide for the four species that Charles Hogue, in his landmark book Insects of the Los Angeles Basis, indicates are found locally.  After a bit more searching, we determined it might be Crotch’s Bumble Bee, Bombus crotchii, based on the illustration on the North American Bumble Bees and confirmed on the third photo down on the Las Pilitas Nursery webpage, and that appears to agree with this BugGuide image as well.  The Discover Life website also has photos.  Continued research is filling us with doubts.  It seems to match what we identified as a California Bumble Bee when we found one napping on the wisteria this spring.

california bumblebee 20110804 2 300x206 Milkweed Meadow Continued: Which Bumble Bee is it?????

Crotch's or California Bumble Bee???

There appeared to be more Large Milkweed Bugs today than on Sunday, and there were several places where the Milkweed Aphids, AKA Oleander Aphids, Aphis nerii, were quite plentiful.  Read more about Milkweed Aphids on BugGuide.

milkweed aphids 20110804 300x206 Milkweed Meadow Continued: Which Bumble Bee is it?????

Milkweed Aphids

Before leaving, I made sure to pull some more Marestail or Horseweed, Conyza species (See Virginia Tech Weed Identification Guide or CalFlora) and more of that prickly yellow flower that is still not properly identified that might be a Spiny Sowthistle, Sonchus asper (See Virginia Tech Weed Identification Guide).

Update:  on the Bumble Bee identity
August 5, 2011
Now we aren’t certain if the Bumble Bee is a California Bumble Bee or a Crotch’s Bumble Bee.

Update:  August 7, 2011
I returned to the Milkweed Meadow in Elyria Canyon Park to search for the Monarch Chrysalis, but the only caterpillar I could find has still not metamorphosed. 

monarch cat 20110807 300x206 Milkweed Meadow Continued: Which Bumble Bee is it?????

Monarch Caterpillar in Elyria Canyon, August 7, 2011

I did get some additional photo of the Bumble Bee as well.  Here are the abdominal markings from a different angle.

bumblebee milkweed 20110807 300x206 Milkweed Meadow Continued: Which Bumble Bee is it?????

Which Bumble Bee is it? Crotch's or California???

Update:  August 11, 2011
I made a trip to the Milkweed Meadow in Elyria Canyon Park this evening about 6:30 and I was unable to find any Monarch Caterpillars.  I hope they wandered away from the milkweed to find a suitable location to transform into chrysalides.  I photographed a couple of Large Milkweed Bugs. 

large milkweed bugs 20110811 300x206 Milkweed Meadow Continued: Which Bumble Bee is it?????

Large Milkweed Bugs

The new addition to the insects that have become part of the milkweed ecosystem are Small Milkweed Bugs.  I found them  on two different milkweed plants. 

small milkweed bug 20110811 2 300x225 Milkweed Meadow Continued: Which Bumble Bee is it?????

Small Milkweed Bugs

The individual I photographed was a difficult subject, and it kept hiding among the blossoms of the milkweed inflorescence.  I needed to intervene by including my hand in the photo to get a nice angle on the unwilling subject.

small milkweed bug 20110811 300x206 Milkweed Meadow Continued: Which Bumble Bee is it?????

Small Milkweed Bug

 

 

 

 

 

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Posted 04 August 2011 § Aphids, Scale Insects, Leafhoppers, and Tree Hoppers § Bumble Bees § Mt Washington Blog ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged: ,

Elyria Canyon Work Party: Weeding in the Milkweed Meadow

July 31, 2011
Each month, on the fourth Sunday of the month, the Mt Washington Beautification Committee, co-hosted by Clare Marter Kenyon and Daniel Marlos, meets at 9:30 AM near the Red Barn in Elyria Canyon State Park.  Clare takes the lead with native plant germination in the nursery and Daniel goes out weeding in areas that need special attention.  This month the weeds that were targeted were invasive Conyza and an unidentified yellow thistle type plant.  Daniel is especially concerned about invasive weeds crowding out the native milkweed.  Elizabeth is seen pulling weeds from around the milkweed. 

Elizabeth Weeds 20110731 web1 242x300 Elyria Canyon Work Party: Weeding in the Milkweed Meadow

CLICK TO ENLARGE Elyria Canyon Work Party August 28, 2011

There is a wealth of insect life on the milkweed.  Daniel saw two Monarch caterpillars of approximately the same age.  They were on two different plants about ten feet apart.

monarch cat elyria 20110731 web 300x206 Elyria Canyon Work Party: Weeding in the Milkweed Meadow

Monarch Caterpillar 20110731 AM

Two different caterpillars were photographed in the morning, but in the afternoon, only the one feeding on the leaves was photographed.  The other Monarch Caterpillar was feeding on blossoms.  The detail that is missing from the live experience in the static photo is the twitching of the front fleshy pseudo-antennae.

monarch cat 20110731 pm 300x206 Elyria Canyon Work Party: Weeding in the Milkweed Meadow

Monarch Caterpillar 20110731 PM

While they were not plentiful, adult Large Milkweed Bugs, Oncopeltus fasciatus, were found singly or in pairs on the blossoms. 

milkweed bugs elyria 20110731 web 300x206 Elyria Canyon Work Party: Weeding in the Milkweed Meadow

Large Milkweed Bugs

One pair was caught In Flagrante Delicto.

milkweed bugs mating elyria 20110731 web 300x206 Elyria Canyon Work Party: Weeding in the Milkweed Meadow

Large Milkweed Bugs Mating

TO BE CONTINUED …

…  And the last of the insects found on the Indian Milkweed, Asclapias eriocarpa, were the yellow Milkweed Aphids.

milkweed aphids elyria 20110731 web 300x206 Elyria Canyon Work Party: Weeding in the Milkweed Meadow

Milkweed Aphids are tended by Argentine Sugar Ants

If you live in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Mt Washington, or nearby Highland Park, Glassell Park, Eagle Rock, South Pasadena, Atwater Villiage or Silverlake, and you want to volunteer some time on the fourth Sunday of August, come join us.  Most of our volunteers walk in from various entry points to Elyria Canyon Park, but there is one small parking lot at the end of Wollum Street near the intersection of Division Street.  Park in the lot and walk up the path.  When the path divides, take the right path and wind uphill through the trees.  When you get to the crest, you should be able to see the Red Barn down below.  Stay on the paths to avoid poison oak.  Take note that there is a gate on Bridgeport Drive, and we do not recommend parking there to drive to Elyria Canyon Park.  If you would like additional information, please leave a comment.

 

 

 

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Posted 31 July 2011 § Aphids, Scale Insects, Leafhoppers, and Tree Hoppers § Mt Washington Blog § Seed Bugs ‡ Comments (1) ° Tagged: ,

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