Giant Water Bug
Location: Queensland, Australia
January 26, 2012 12:50 am
Hi guys,
Hope you like these shots of a giant water bug that was hanging around banging into a shiny piece of stainless steel in my carport. They will often mistake a reflective surface for water and attempt to drop into it.
The bug played dead when I got close to it and it allowed me to turn it over for a shot of its piercing mouthparts. It was determined not to give itself away until I picked it up and took it over to some long grass. When I dropped it on the grass it quickly righted itself and flew away.
Signature: aussietrev
Water Scorpion
Hi Trevor,
The very flattened body and extremely long, posterior breathing tube indicates that this is a Water Scorpion, and not a closely related Giant Water Bug. Interestingly, we found a photos of a Water Scorpion from Australia submitted by you in 2008 in our archive. We decided to do a bit more research and we found the AusEmade website that has a photo of an Australian Water Scorpion from Simpsons Gap that is identified as Laccotrephes tristis and contains this information: “One of the interesting looking insects found swimming in the pools is the Water Scorpion, whose other common name is Toe-biter. These strange looking creatures are carnivores, feeding on other aquatic organisms that they can capture including tadpoles, small frogs and small fish. They swim with the tip of their long needle like tail breaking the water surface, acting as a breathing siphon. With their large pincer-like forelegs used for seizing their prey, Water Scorpions can inflict a nasty nip, although they are also known to play dead when disturbed. Once they have grasped their prey, they inject a venom that liquefy the prey from the inside, which enables the Water Scorpion to suck out the prey’s body fluid.” The Identification and Ecology of Australian Freshwater Invertebrates website also has some good information. The Atlas of Living Australiahas a distribution map.
Water Scorpion
If you look closely at your close-up photos, you can see tiny red spots which we suspect are Mites. Several sources indicate a common name of Toe-Biter which is shared with the North American Giant Water Bugs.
Water Scorpion
metallic blue and black bug
Location: Rhide Island, USA
November 10, 2011 7:58 am
My kids found this in my backyard, in Rhode Island. It was taken with my android phone using it’s macro setting, if you look closely you can see a smaller orangish bug on its back, just behind his head. Could it be a baby or a little helper?
Signature: W Mcquade
Oil Beetle
Dear w Mcquade,
This is an Oil Beetle, a species of Blister Beetle. Blister Beetles can exude a compound known as cantharidin that is a blistering agent, so Blister Beetles should not be handled. We cannot make out the identity of the hitchhiker. It is not a baby blister Beetle. It may be a Phoretic Mite, but we have not heard of any Mites that use Blister Beetles for transportation.
Beetle with babies
Location: Hudson Valley NY
November 8, 2011 3:49 pm
Found this during the freak October snowstorm. This was during a power outage so I had to light it with a flashlight, otherwise I would have had better pictures.
What is it? Have never seen one before. It was a beautiful glossy black.
Signature: Bugged in NY
Clown Beetle with Mites
Dear Bugged in NY,
Your letter probably deserves much more research than we have the time for right now, so we will be brief. These are not baby beetles. They are Mites, and we suspect they are phoretic Mites that are using the beetle as a means of transportation to get from one food source to another. The beetle is a Clown Beetle in the genus Hololepta. You can view BugGuide for additional information on Clown Beetles. Earlier this year, we received another image of a Clown Beetle with Phoretic Mitesand the Mites were identified as “Neolobogynium americana (family Diplogyniidae). Adults are phoretic on Hololepta beetles.”
Clown Beetle with Phoretic Mites
unknown insects to identify
Location: Lemnos Island – Greece
October 26, 2011 4:55 am
hello, its been long time since i last took some micro photos in my free time.
now i started again and i took some nice pics i would be honored if you could help me find what these little things are. location is always Lemnos Island, Greece.
yesterday, i shot a weird furry bug or spider-like creature, and i wonder what it is to find some more info.
also, if we generally have to name this little insect, do we call it i.e. a spider ?
I rearely see such things. This is the second in 5 years time 
i attached a pic for you (zoomed from original file).
The other 2 photos are strange too.
No2 Looks like snakeshaped-eggs on wire ? Taken May 1st 2007. Same location.
No3 looks like a nest to me. Taken December 16th. Same location.
Signature: Vassilis Triantafyllidis
Velvet Mite
Dear Vassilis,
We are only going to address your red, furry, spiderlike creature at the moment. This is a Velvet Mite in the family Trombidiidae. Velvet Mites are relatively large. They are often found in arid environments immediately following rain, when they become quite conspicuous because of their bright coloration. Adult Velvet Mites feed on insect eggs and larvae are parasites on a variety of insects and and arachnids according to BugGuide. According to Charles Hogue in his book Insects of the Los Angeles Basin, Velvet Mites prey upon Grasshoppers.
1
¶ Posted 27 October 2011 § ‡ ° Flat Black Beetle and friends
Location: North East Illinois -Chicago area
July 25, 2011 6:13 pm
Hi Mr. Bugman,
I found this lovely little creature and some of his friends taking a nap with my 5 year old today. I was wondering if you could tell me what type of beetle he is and if I should have any concerns of infestation or disease. If you look at the picture closely you will see tiny little bugs (the size of a grain of sugar), one on the beetle’s back and one in the background. Are these babies or another type of bug? Upon initial examination of the beetle there were 6 or so of these little guys crawling on him. Any information or insight to what these are would be much appreciated. Thank you in advance!
Signature: concerned mom
Clown Beetle and Mite
Dear Concerned Mom,
We identified you beetle as a Clown Beetle in the genus Hololepta on BugGuide which indicates they are found “under bark of decaying hardwoods,” and “Adults and larvae eat other insects.“ We don’t think you have to worry about your five year old, but the real mystery is how a beetle that is found in rotting wood found its way into the nursery along with some of his friends. This image from Bugguide shows mites in association with the Clown Beetle, and the commentary indicates that Mites are frequently found with Clown Beetles. BugGuide indicates that two species are found in the Northeast, and here is the description for differentiating between the two: “In the northeastern U.S., and in Ontario and Quebec, the two species are H. lucida and H. aequalis. H. lucida has a long striation along the edge of each elytra. In H. aequalis this striation is abortive, starting at the base but extending only 1/4 the length of the elytra or less.“
Clown Beetle
Thank you so much for the response and your time! I appreciate the information.
Bright Red Furry Tiny (mite?)
Location: Sonoita Arizona
July 8, 2011 9:44 pm
Sonoita, Arizona, found on cow pie at Patagonia Lake. Really Tiny
Signature: ptosis
Velvet Mite
Dear ptosis,
Tiny, like huge, is a relative adjective. We believe this is a Velvet Mite in the family Trombidiidae, and as Mites go, Velvet Mites are relatively large. They are often found in arid environments immediately following rain, when they become quite conspicuous because of their bright coloration. Adult Velvet Mites feed on insect eggs and larvae are parasites on a variety of insects and and arachnids according to BugGuide. According to Charles Hogue in his book Insects of the Los Angeles Basin, Velvet Mites prey upon Grasshoppers. Why your Velvet Mite was on a cow pie is a mystery, unless it was feeding on eggs of flies or other insects that might be attracted to fecal matter.
Thank you very much for you informative answer. It has been very dry for months until recently. There was a downpour in this area a couple of days before this picture. The cattle here are all white and eat some cactus so it’s still brown – I heard from a friend near Tuscon where the only thing to eat is cactus and that the cow poop is a very bright green.
Thank you again!
¶ Posted 09 July 2011 § ‡ ° Biting us!!!!
Location: Sacramento, CA
June 17, 2011 6:31 pm
We live in Sacramento, CA. We have a 9 month old sweet boy. We have all been getting bitten at night for a couple of weeks. This morning, we noticed maybe 20 or 30 of these little bugs on a white pillow, and on us. Were positive these guys are biting us. Upon a thorough search of the bedroom, under bed, under and on mattress, we have found NOTHING??!!?
Signature: Please respond asap.
Biting MIte
You have some species of Biting Mites. Often Bird Mites and Rat Mites enter the home if they have been living in the nest of a host in the attic. Once the host leaves the nest, the Mites will enter the home to seek a blood meal. You may see additional information on our site at this posting from our archives. There is also a very informative dialog on this BugGuide posting.
Thank you so much!!! We have been in a “full blown, flipped out panic” all day, in fear of possible bedbugs. I tried to research rat mites, but found no similar photos. The photos you provided match exactly. Their size is about 1 mm. Certainly not the 2 to 5 mm that bedbugs are said to be. And ironically reassuring is the fact that last year, we discovered a roof rat infestation in our air conditioning ducts. I personally removed and replaced all the duct work, sealed up the attic, and hired a pest company to monitor the problem with traps. There has been no sign or the rats for 7 months, but I’m sure the mites can remain in nesting material for a while.
If you would, humor us with a reassurance that these aren’t bedbugs, and if you have any tips for repellent or eradication we welcome them.
Once again-THANK YOU
Dean, Naz, and Zande
Dear Dean, Naz and Zande,
Be reassured they are not Bed Bugs. Mites can be difficult to eradicate, but knowing that you had a rat problem that has been eliminated should eventually lead to the decline in the Mite population.
¶ Posted 17 June 2011 § ‡ ° please i.d. bug in photo
Location: Ohio
April 8, 2011 9:51 pm
I took this picture snowdrops (the flower) in Dayton, Ohio at a park. This red bug was crawling on the stem. Can you identify it?
Signature: Kathy Shafer
Velvet Mite
Hi Kathy,
This is a Velvet Mite in the family Trombidiidae. Though they have a wide distribution range, most of our identification requests for Velvet Mites come from arid regions. According to BugGuide: “Larvae are parasitic on insects. Adults eat insect eggs.”
¶ Posted 09 April 2011 § ‡ ° 
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