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Cactus Coreid Bugs

Beatle type bug found on Prickly Pear Cactus – Dallas, Texas
Location:  Dallas, Texas
September 1, 2010 8:42 am
I found these bugs on my Prickly Pear Cactus in Dallas, Texas.
I have not seen them before and am curious what they are and what their purpose is. I.E. do they eat insects or my cactus?
My pictures are not very clear, but hopefully good enough for identification.
Sincerely, C

cactus coreids c 300x176 Cactus Coreid Bugs

Cactus Coreid Bugs

Hi Sincerely, C,
These are Leaf Footed Bugs in the family Coreidae, and the common name, which uses an individualized name based on the family name, is Cactus Coreid.  The species is Chelinidea vittiger, and according to BugGuide:  “In Australia, over 30,000,000 acres of pasture land were rendered useless because of dense stands of exotic prickly pear cacti. One of the native American cactus insects that showed early promise as a control agent was the coreid bug, Chelinidea vittiger Uhler. DeVol and Goeden (1973) discussed the value of this species in biological weed control and reported that it was ineffective in controlling prickly pears in Australia and Santa Cruz Island, California. In most areas of North America prickly pears are not a problem because a complex of insects keeps them under control. Chelinidea vittiger is considered a minor component of that complex. In Florida and the other southeastern states, the only Chelinidea present is C. vittiger aequoris McAtee.”  We can easily imagine a biological warfare experiment gone awry, that is not quite as horrific as one of our favorite movies by Guillermo del Toro called Mimic, where Cactus Coreid Bugs are infected with a virus (many Hemipterans carry viruses) to kill the cactus in Australia, and in a bizarre twist of alien exotic insects, the infected Cactus Coreids reenter the American West and threaten to wipe out the native population of cactus.  Your Cactus Coreids are immature nymphs without wings.  Adult Cactus Coreids, in addition to being pictured on BugGuide, are brown winged insects with white veins and an amber-orange abdomen that protrudes from the sides of the wings.  They have a white stripe down the center of the dorsal surface of the head.

Posted 01 September 2010 § Leaf Footed Bugs ‡ Comments (0) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Large Milkweed Bugs

Congregation of the Milkweed Bugs
Location:  Swanton, OH
August 29, 2010 12:40 pm
I’m sure this is a pretty normal sight this time of year, but I was still pretty exciting to find this many buggers in one place!
Katy

milkweedbugs katy 300x198 Large Milkweed Bugs

Large Milkweed Bugs

Hi Katy,
Thanks for sending us your photo of Large Milkweed Bugs, Oncopeltus fasciatus.  Because they are a relatively common sight at this time of year is a perfect reason to post your photograph.

Posted 29 August 2010 § Seed Bugs ‡ Comments (0) °

Jagged Ambush Bug

What kind of bug is this
Location:  western North Carolina–Jackson County–Appalachian Mountains
August 27, 2010 10:16 pm
Hi! I’m trying to identify this bug. Can you help? Someone suggested that it was a crab spider, but I do not think it is a spider at all b/c it doesn’t have eight legs. I saw it about a week ago–mid August–at a friend’s farm. I only saw one and it was tucked down inside the petals of this pink flower. It is quite small and appeared to have wings.
Thank you for help!
Rosemary Peek

ambush bug rosemary 300x206 Jagged Ambush Bug

Jagged Ambush Bug

Hi Rosemary,
The coloration on this Ambush Bug in the subfamily Phymatinae is much lighter than we generally see, however, there is a photo of a Jagged Ambush Bug in the genus Phymata that is posted to BugGuide that is a near identical match to your specimen.  Typically, the coloration of the Ambush Bugs is very close to that of the flowers upon which they wait so that they can ambush pollinating insects, which causes us to ponder if perhaps this may be a newly molted individual whose color will darken.

Posted 28 August 2010 § Ambush Bugs ‡ Comments (0) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Mating Wheel Bugs bite the Mrs.

this stung my wife
Location:  SE PA woods
August 27, 2010 5:08 pm
AND NOW LIVES UNDER A CUP IN THE BACKYARD
THANKS, JMR

wheel bugs mating jmr1 300x235 Mating Wheel Bugs bite the Mrs.

Mating Wheel Bugs

Hi JMR,
This is a they and they are mating Wheel Bugs.  Wheel Bugs do not sting, but rather, they bite, and the bite is reported to be quite painful, but not dangerous.  You should release them from their cup as they are important predators that will help keep the population of plant eating insects in check.

Posted 27 August 2010 § Assassin Bugs ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:

Black Assassin Bug: Black Corsair or Masked Hunter

If you’re there, What’s This Bug?! It just bit my son…
Location:  Seminole, Oklahoma
August 27, 2010 7:42 pm
He crawled into a hole my boxer had dug to get a toy that dropped into it. Apparently this beetle got into his shorts, and then bit him. It has a probe/proboscis mouth, not pincers. Just want to know if it’s anything I need to worry about. I’m searching Bugguide now. Thanks so much…
Amy Goodman

black assassin amy 300x232 Black Assassin Bug: Black Corsair or Masked Hunter

Black Assassin Bug

Hi Amy,
it is very difficult to see through the bag.  Might be a Black Corsair.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/7332

or maybe a Masked Hunter.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/11385

That is what I identified it as myself, though I’m the beginner of beginners in identifying bugs.  I found a photo, based on the shape of a wheel bug (minus the wheel) and knowing that the wheel bug was an assasin beetle.  I googled “black assasin beetle” and came up with a photo of a female black corsair with the same exact “vestigal wing pads” and body, down to the horizontal segmented look to the concave back.  Also, remembering what you said about the wheel bug using it’s mouth to pierce reminded me of this bug.  So I thank you very much.  I know she’s not dangerous, but all sites say the bite is “quite painful” or “nasty” and my five year old agrees!  He’s much better now, and I won’t let him crush the bug… I promise!

Posted 27 August 2010 § Assassin Bugs ‡ Comments (0) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Painted Bug

Garden bug infestation
Location:  Southern California
August 25, 2010 11:02 pm
Hello,
I recently discovered an infestation in my flower garden by an unknown critter. I was hoping you would be able to identify him and let me know if he is safe to have around pets. The bug has wings and is able to fly for short spurts, he does not appear to like water and retreats up the wall when the sprinklers come on. They do however reproduce quickly as the population exploded unannounced and they are the size of my smallest fingernail.
Nicole

painted bug nicole 270x300 Painted Bug

Painted Bug

Hi Nicole,
When the Painted Bug, Bagrada hilaris, first appeared in our own Southern California garden last year, we quickly identified it as one of the most recent invasive exotic species to become established in California.  The African Painted Bug feeds on plants in the cabbage family, and it proliferated on our kale and collard greens.  In the wild, it will survive on black mustard which is found growing in open spaces throughout Southern California, so it would seem this potentially serious agricultural pest is here to stay.  See BugGuide for more information.

Posted 26 August 2010 § Stink Bugs and Shield Bugs ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:

Leaf Footed Bug Hatchlings

Mass of bright orange bugs protecting something?
Location:  Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
August 18, 2010 1:41 pm
While having a smoke in my back yard i came across a brightly colored mass upon the white wall of my house. i realized it was a group of insects (six legs?) apparently protecting something. i have never seen anything like it before, they occasionally moved to rearrange their ”defensive”? structure other than that they just stay put. I live on a mountain and have tarantulas, black widows and scorpions. But the shape of these critters is quite strange i looked them up in all the bugs books i had and didn’t find anything like them wondering if you could help out, THanks a LOT!!!
David Chapa

leaf foot hatchlings 300x222 Leaf Footed Bug Hatchlings

Leaf Footed Bug Hatchlings

Dear David,
We found a match for these Leaf Footed Bug hatchlings on BugGuide, but the genus and species is not identified.  There is speculation they may be in the genus Leptoglossus.

leaffoot hatchlings spyglass david 300x206 Leaf Footed Bug Hatchlings

Leaf Footed Bug Hatchlings

Hello,
I think this the one…
Leptoglossus phyllopus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leptoglossus_phyllopus

Posted 19 August 2010 § Eggs § Leaf Footed Bugs ‡ Comments (0) °

MILKWEED MEADOW: Mating Walkingsticks and Mating Milkweed Beetles

Bug Love at Shenandoah
Location:  Shenandoah National Park, VA
August 17, 2010 9:43 pm
Hi, Daniel, My grandson and I just spent a long weekend camping at Shenandoah National Park in the Blue Ridge Mountains of west-central VA, a nice change from the heat and humidity of the VA Peninsula. We found tons of good bugs and are sending a sample. The first is of milkweed beetles mating on, what else?, milkweed growing right outside the visitor center at Big Meadow in the Park. The second is from the Meadow and was a great find – walking sticks!! We also found 2 rhinoceros beetles but couldn’t get in close enough for a good shot. Enjoy!
Kathy Haines

walkingsticks mating kathy 218x300 MILKWEED MEADOW: Mating Walkingsticks and Mating Milkweed Beetles

Mating Walkingsticks

Hi Kathy,
We just received your numerous emails with multiple attached photographs, and we want to post one image before hurrying out to work.  The Walkingsticks appear to be Northern Walkingsticks, Diapheromera femorata, which can be verified on BugGuide.  Please in the future do not send multiple unrelated species in a single email because it complicates our system of archiving letters.

Daniel, thanks, and I’m so sorry – I’m so impressed with the work you do on what we send in that the last thing I’d want to do is mess it up.  My apologies, and thanks for letting me know.
Kathy Haines

Kathy,
PLease don’t take our comment the wrong way.  It will just be so difficult for us to choose from among your other great photos.  We may just try posting one email with multiple categories.  Your Large Milkweed Bug photo of Oncopeltus fasciatus is a great continuation of the thriving ecosystem surrounding the Milkweed Meadow.  More information on the Large Milkweed Bug, which is not a beetle, may be located on BugGuide.

milkweed bugs kathy 300x210 MILKWEED MEADOW: Mating Walkingsticks and Mating Milkweed Beetles

Mating Large Milkweed Bugs

Shenandoah, Part II
Location:  Shenandoah National Park, VA
August 17, 2010 9:47 pm
Here are a couple more from the Shenandoah NP camping trip. I think we have milkweed tussock caterpillars, maybe a type of armyworm caterpillar?, and a daddy longlegs. We’re bypassing the many monarchs, eastern tiger swallowtails (our state insect), and what we think is a hickory tussock moth but will send one more with a gorgeous green sphinx (we think).
Kathy Haines

milkweed tussock cats kathy 300x200 MILKWEED MEADOW: Mating Walkingsticks and Mating Milkweed Beetles

Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillars

Hi again Kathy,
This photo of the Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillars or Milkweed Tiger Moth Caterpillars, Euchaetes egle, supports the description of the life cycle on BugGuide which states:  “Larvae feed on milkweed, Asclepias species. Adults sometimes found on hostplant during day (1). Females lay eggs in “rafts” and caterpillars are gregarious during instars 1-3, solitary in later instars, when marked with bright tufts. May defoliate patches of milkweed.”  We are adding this image to your previous letter and building the Milkweed Meadow feature.

!!!
Ethan (my grandson) and I are honored.  This is so cool!  I can’t wait for him to see the post – he’s going to love it.
Thanks, Daniel – I can’t stop smiling.
Kathy Haines

What’s That Bug on the Tomato PLant???
Could that be a new book title?  The Milkweed Meadow or Goldenrod Forest would be much more fascinating books.  Or, I could just stay close to home and write Black Mustard and the Camino Real and its thriving Spider and Insect population in Elyria Canyon.

Posted 18 August 2010 § Seed Bugs § Walkingsticks ‡ Comments (1) ° Tagged: ,

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