rss
Identification?
I was wondering if you could identify this bug? I am guessing it is some type of wasp. I found it in the Summer while I was at a research center in the Mojave Desert. Also, the picture was also taken at night. Thanks for any help that you can give. Thank You,
Richard Coleman
Hi Richard,
This is an Antlion. They are often attracted to light. The larvae are known as Doodlebugs.
help
I don’t know how you are on French moths/burnets but we are struggling to identify the enclosed found in the Lot Valley, South-west France. Can you help or suggest somewhere that we might look?
Hilary Jones
Hi Hilary,
Back in June 2005, we received another image of this Owlfly, a Neuropteran in the family Ascalaphidae. It might be Ascalaphus libelluloides.
What’s this bug?
Would love to know what this bug is? Spotted on the coast in Sawtell, NSW. Looks like it’s mouth part is a giant sucker? Big thanks
Hazel Wallace
Uralla, NSW
Hi Hazel,
This is a Mantispid or Mantisfly, sometimes called a Mantid Lacewing. There is only one species pictured on the Geocities site, Ditaxis biseriata, and it looks very similar to the individual in your photo.
Need bug identification please
Hi, my husband and I discovered the weirdest, oddest bug we have ever seen in our lives tonight. See attached pics. At first we thought it was some sort of spider with a whole bunch of dead ants on it’s back, but then discovered that it has jaw-type pinchers. It’s like a moving junk bug with a mess of "stuff" on it’s back. I actually saw it take a part from a dead ant that fell off of it’s back and put it in it’s pinchers and reattached it to it’s back. It’s like it was camouflaging itself (?). The bottom of it looks grey and from what we can tell, there’s no tail – just "junk" and ant parts on it’s back. It seems to be able to crawl & attach to anything and crawl around. It’s pretty small, about the size of an eraser on the top of a pencil. Thanks in advance – we’re real curious to know what this is!
Angela
Dallas, Tx
Hi Angela,
This is a Debris Carrying Lacewing Larva. Not all Lacewing Larvae exhibit this characteristic. Some Green Lacewings in the Family Chrysopidae exhibit this behavior, and BugGuide has numerous images.
Smelly Green Fly
Hi,
I’m from Wisconsin and this fly landed on my desk out of nowhere. I squished it and it instantly released this smelly odor. I’ve never seen anything like this. It smells similar to a musty old basement (if not worse). Can you tell me what kind of bug this is? (Pictures are attached) Thanks!!
Maggie
Hi Maggie,
If you hadn’t squashed this beneficial Lacewing, your sensitive nose would not have been subjected to the offensive odor it emitted as a defense mechanism. Lacewings are important biological control agents for Aphids, which if their populations were left unchecked, just might overpopulate the planet. We are going to take the liberty and be blunt here. If someone squashed you, you probably woundn’t smell very good either.
Lacey-wing insect to be identified
I found this beauty (see pic below) clinging to my kitchen curtain, and have never seen one like this, in my 36 years of living in this location (northwest Mississippi ). It appears similar to some pictures of fishflies on your site, but not exactly. As shown by the picture, it has no mandibles so it is not a dobsonfly, either. It has been clinging there since early this morning, and it is now midnight . There was no reaction when I was taking pictures or when I moved the curtain slightly to hold a ruler within a couple of inches of its body. Perhaps it is waiting for a mate to come along? Our outside mid-day temperatures have been hovering on both sides of the 100 degree mark for the past couple of weeks. Perhaps it was attracted to the cooler air from inside the house, when we had the door open? Length of body & head is approximately one inch. Total length, antennae to tip of wings, approximately 11⁄2 inch – 1 3⁄4 inch. The thorax is very slender. Can you tell me “what’s that bug”? Thanks so much for a great website!
Pat G.
Byhalia , Mississippi
Hi Pat,
This is an Antlion, probably in the Spottedwinged Antlion, Dendroleon obsoletus.
Can you identify this "fly" ?
Please help if you know this one. Thanks so much,
Coco McCoy
Insect may been shot in Missouri
Hi Coco,
This is Glenurus gratus, a species of Antlion.
Please help me…
Hi, maybe somebody know what kind of insect -(.. wasp? preying mantis? has only 4 legs) – is this? Picture was taken in Wakefield area in Quebec, Canada.
Chris
Ottawa
Hi Chris,
Though your insect is called a Wasp Mantisfly, Climaciella brunnea, it is neither a wasp, a mantis, nor a fly. It is a Neuropteran and is related to Lacewings and Antlions. As a point of clarification, Mantisflies have six legs, and the front two are raptorial for catching prey.
Okay, what’s this one?
Thank you Daniel,
I was surprised and gratified to hear from you – and of course you’re very welcome to the photo! I have a few additional shots for you – and I don’t have any idea as to what this might be. This tiny critter had evidently glued a lot of other bug parts (even a few minuscule snail shells) onto its back and was waiting to ambush something even smaller when he first caught my eye. Any ideas?
Henry
Hi again Henry,
This is a Debris Carrying Lacewing Larva. Some Green Lacewings in the family Chrysopidae have larvae that camouflage themselves with debris, including the remains of their prey.
Location Request: (07/18/2007) Debris carrying lacewing larva
Hi Daniel,
I wanted to tell a malacologist friend about the neat larva that has some snailshells cemented on him. Did Henry tell you where it was from? The small white shell seems to be a Vallonia, I think maybe Vallonia eccentrica. Thanks,
Susan
Update: (07/18/2007) Lacewing location
Daniel,
I took those shots in Titusville, Florida, about six or seven years ago. I saw several at that time, but haven’t noticed any more since then, which is too bad, since I could probably take better photos now. Again, thanks in advance, – and keep up the good work! Henry
Found in Central Florida
Found this mantis in Central Florida. What kind is it? Thanks
Mr. Strong
Hi Mr. Strong,
What we can tell you for sure is that this is not a mantis. It is a totally unrelated insect known as a Mantidfly in the family Mantispidae. The genus and species are pure speculation. Your specimen resembles Dicromantispa sayi which is pictured on BugGuide.
new bugs
Hello,
Enclosed are a few things I thought you might like. The first is an interesting little grasshopper I found at work with very long back legs. The second is a TINY praying mantis nymph I found right outside my door. The third is something I’ve never seen before, and I have yet to locate one on your website. I have no idea what it is, but I would chance that it is female, as it has an enlarged abdomen and a possible ovipositor. I would love to know what this is. I really like it, and it’s one of the better pictures I’ve taken. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!
Cat
So I looked around some more, and I guess that it’s a snakefly. I had never heard of them before, but I finally came across it because I realized it reminded me of a lacewing. Oh well. In any case, I hope you like the picture! Thanks!
Hi Cat,
We are very happy to hear that our site enabled you to identify your own Snakefly. We love promoting research empowerment. Your photo is also a much welcomed addition to our site.
A wasp of sorts
I discovered this "wasp" on an apple tree in our family orchard. It resembles a cross between a Praying Mantis and a Wasp. Any help will be greatly appreciated. I am located in Flushing Twp. in Michigan.
This is a Wasp Mantidfly, Climaciella brunnea. Though the common name references three different groups of insects: Wasps, Mantids and Flies, this creature is none of the above. It is a Neuropteran, related to Antlions and Lacewings.
