rss Unknown flying Australian Bug
Location: Australia
January 15, 2011 6:18 pm
Dead bug on car. Any idea what it is??
Signature: Ruth
Wasp Moth from Australia
Hi Ruth,
This is a Wasp Moth in the subtribe Euchromiina and it does not have a common name. We identified it as Euchromia creusa on the Australian Moths website.
Salt Marsh Moth
Location: Pflugerville, Texas
January 2, 2011 5:17 pm
I found a salt marsh moth in my bag of microbes that I use for my compost. It just hatched from its cocoon inside this moist, warm environment. They are not supposed to hatch until spring from what I understand. What should I do with it? Think it is a male. Put it outside last night. Found it this morning, hadn’t moved, thought it was dead. I brought it in, after an hour it started to walk around. Put it back outside and it did the same thing. It is now inside in a box. What should I do with it? Can it live in a cage until warmer months? Is it too cold to release it? Thank you very much. I do not have an image as of now, but it is white with black spots and a bit of yellow underneath leading me to believe it is a male.
Signature: Nicole
Salt Marsh Moth
Dear Nicole,
Despite years of study, we cannot claim to know more about what insects need to survive than they know about themselves. Our climate is changing and there is only so much we humans are able to do regarding our own contributions in the global changes that are already set into motion. If there is a freeze this moth may not survive, but since it was in a “moist, warm environment” it may have been able to survive, but since the Salt Marsh Moth does not eat as an adult, once it begins to fly, it expends its stored energy (fat accumulated as a caterpillar) and its life battery will dwindle. Built into their own instincts to survive, individuals of various insect species reach maturity at different times, and those that mature when the conditions are correct may find a mate and procreate. Adult Tiger Moths, though they fly, are not terribly active moths. Individuals of a related species, the Painted Tiger Moth, are attracted to our porch light each year and often remain without moving for a week or even more. Alas, we are unable to predict what the future holds for your Salt Marsh Moth.
We’ve so many bugs, so little knowldge
Location: Northeast Texas
December 13, 2010 8:26 pm
We’ve moved to the country, 60 miles east of Dallas Texas. We are finding soooo many bugs. Reckon we should buy a book?
Two pics of same ”spider” different angles.
The ”bug” didnt appear to have a ”light” on. ?? 
Signature: Marlin
Painted Lichen Moth
Dear Marlin,
The insect you believed to be a Firefly is actually a Painted Lichen Moth, Hypoprepia fucosa, which we identified on BugGuide. The spider is a Spiny Orbweaver. Anyone interested in insects should purchase a good identification guide and we strongly endorse Eric Eaton’s book, The Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America.
Painted Lichen Moth
Thanks for taking the time to ID our moth.
I forgot to mention we had found the orb spiders on “Whatsthatbug”. I was just sending ya the pics cause I thunk this guy wuz way cool. Thanks too for the “BugGuide” link.
Outside of the bug realm, the neatest “animal” we’ve spotted here is a pileated woodpecker. I had no eyedeer they got so big.
Have a very Merry Christmas
Marlin
Pink Moth
Location: Calf Creek Canyon, Utah
November 20, 2010 3:42 am
Found this moth in Utah.
Signature: Gini
Tiger Moth
Hi Gini,
We identified you Tiger Moth on BugGuide as Arachnis citra, a species with no common name. Interestingly, all the specimens posted to BugGuide were found in Utah. The Butterflies and Moths of North America website also indicates it it found in Nevada and Colorado.
insects
Location: Guinea, West Africa
November 18, 2010 4:13 pm
Photo 1. This is the funniest bug I’ve ever seen. It is NOT PHOTOSHOPPED. It couldn’t fly, but maybe because it was injured. We saw it during dry season.
Handmaiden Moth
Photos 2 and 3. This beetle was also seen during the dry season. Its head is like that of a locust and it had big pinchers. It was flightless.
Signature: Gabriel
Longicorn Beetle
Hi Gabriel,
We believe the moth is one of the Arctiid Moths. We will try to send the image to an expert in Arctiids named Julian Donahue in the hope that he can provide a species identification. The Beetle is a Longhorned Borer Beetle in the family Cerambycidae. They are commonly called Longicorns.
Longicorn Beetle
More identifications courtesy of Karl
Hi Daniel and Gabriel:
I believe the longicorn is probably Phryneta aurocincta (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Phrynetini). It is widely distributed through west and central Africa. The moth looks like it could be Amata (=Syntomis) alicia, an Arctiid in the subfamily Ctenuchiinae. It apparently occurs in north, east and south Africa, but I wasn’t able to confirm that west Africa is also in its range. It seems the Ctenuchiinae are known as handmaidens in Africa, and Amata alicia has the delightful common name Maid Alice (perhaps also Heady Maiden). Another possibility could be A. tomasina, which definitely occurs in West Africa and looks quite similar to the posted photo in some illustrations, but overall doesn’t appear to be as close a match. Anyway, I think that is probably the correct genus. Hopefully Julian Donahue can nail it down. Regards. Karl
Thanks Karl.
Julian Donahue confirms Karl’s identification
November 21, 2010
Daniel,
Appears to be in the genus Amata (placed in Syntomis by Hampson in 1898), close to alicia Butler, 1876–reported from Abyssinia, Somalia, and South Africa. I don’t have the resources at hand to do any better than this (need to see the underside coloration).
A search on Google Images of this name produces photos of similar moths (but beware of misidentifications!), which don’t show as much black at the base of the abdomen.
Julian P. Donahue
Danger?
Location: Polk County, Florida USA
November 12, 2010 2:31 pm
These bugs appear annually in the area of Polk County, FL, in mid-November and seem to feed on shrub flower nectar. Thanks for you help.
Signature: John in Central FL
Polka Dot Wasp Moth
Hi John,
Though it resembles and mimics a stinging wasp, the Polka Dot Wasp Moth is not a dangerous insect, except possibly if eaten. The caterpillars feed upon poisonous oleander leaves, and it is uncertain if they retain the poisons in their systems, providing a layer of defense based on inedibilty.
Is it a sallow moth?
Location: Los Angeles, CA
November 12, 2010 6:50 pm
I saw this moth on the wall of the library a short while ago. It’s not green at all, but the markings looked similar to the sallow moth, but probably it’s not. Can you help me identify it?
By the way, thanks so much for WTB and The Curious World of Bugs. Each time I start reading the book or the site, I learn something new and amazing.
Signature: Z.
Painted Tiger Moth
Hi Z.,
This little beauty is known as a Painted Tiger Moth, Arachnis picta, and it is a relatively common species in Southern California. Each year in the late fall and early winter, numerous individuals are attracted to the porch light at our Mt Washington, Los Angeles offices. We frequently see and photograph mating pairs and females laying eggs. The eggs hatch in about 10 days and after a first meal of the egg shell, the minuscule caterpillars disperse, becoming general feeders of the Woolly Bear type. We are happy to hear that you are enjoying and learning from both the website and Daniel’s book.
Thank you so much for replying me so soon.
All the best,
Z.
I have several photos
Location: Northern Idaho Panhandle
October 24, 2010 8:36 am
I am a hobby photographer, and I have several photos of creatures I am unable to identify.
I took this photo when I was living in Sandpoint, Idaho. It was sitting on a stack of firewood, but climbed onto my hand with no prompting.
Signature: Dee
Ranchman's Tiger Moth
Hi Dee,
We are so happy you have a lovely creature you would like identified as we have been fielding so many recent identification requests from folks who believe the Stink Bugs, Carpet Beetles and other creatures they have found in their homes might be Bed Bugs. We identified your Ranchman’s Tiger Moth, Platyprepia virginalis, by first going through the Arctiid Plates on the Moth PHotographers Group website. Then we searched BugGuide where we found a nice posting that includes the eggs, the caterpillars and the adults of this lovely allegedly diurnal Tiger Moth. Your letter did not indicate the month of the year for the sighting.
I shot the photo in mid-June of 2009, I was on Gold Cap Mountain, in Priest River, Idaho.
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