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Red Spot Assassin Bug from Tanzania

Mystery Tanzanian bug
Sun, Jan 4, 2009 at 10:07 AM
Mystery Tanzanian bug
Dear WTB,
I’m hoping someone can help me identify this splendid black and red specimen that was given to me as a Christmas present (yes really!) last week by the manager of the Sable Mountain safari lodge in the Selous game reserve, eastern Tanzania. He didn’t know what it is either, but he thought I might like it (!).
It was about 2 inches long in the body and has a strange curved mouthpart. Sorry the photo is blurry as it was camera shy and kept moving!
Sally
Selous game reserve, Tanzania

red spot assassin africa 300x206 Red Spot Assassin Bug from Tanzania

Red Spot Assassin Bug

Hi Sally,
Your strikingly beautiful insect is a Red Spot Assassin Bug, Platymeris laevicollis, which we located on the Saint Louis Zoo Website, or a closely related species.  If mishandled, Assassin Bugs will deliver a painful bite.

Posted 04 January 2009 § Assassin Bugs ‡ Comments (0) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Water Scorpion pummelled to death

What is this thing?
Wed, Dec 31, 2008 at 7:26 AM
Found this bug by the open overhead door at the metal shop I was working in. It was September I believe. I kept it alive and scooped him up with a piece of paper and took it outside, however the owners son proceeded to smash it repeatedly with a 5 lb dead blow hammer, of course I was wroth with him for it. He smashes all the weird bugs that seem to show up in large numbers around the shop also. Found a luna moth that had been knocked down by a robin, and I saved a praying mantis that was over 4 inches long this fall! Don’t know what this thing is, had small hooks on the end of it’s strange mantis like front legs. Some damage to it in the picture, probably as a result of flying into the stockroom of a metal shop! if you could identify it, I would be grateful.
Matt
Western NY state, USA

water scorpion carnage 300x184 Water Scorpion pummelled to death

Water Scorpion smashed to death

Hi Matt,
We are very sorry to hear that this unfortunate Water Scorpion has been pummelled to death by an insensitive insect hater.  The Water Scorpion in the genus Ranatra is a predatory aquatic insect that can fly and is sometimes attracted to lights.  Water Scorpions get their name from the painful bite they will deliver if they are mishandled, but the species does not aggressively bite humans.

Posted 31 December 2008 § Toe Biters and other Aquatic True Bugs ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged: ,

Zelus Assassin Bug

Painful small flying insect sting
Fri, Dec 26, 2008 at 10:54 AM
My wife was taking a bag outside when she felt a sting on her finger. She had to physically remove the bug off her finger. She indicated that the sting was quite painful like a wasp. It never tried to fly off and we were able to easily capture it. We didn’t see a stinger in her finger but it did leave a small hole and with a white circle around the sting area. We tried looking through your site and thought it seemed similar to a scorpion fly but it seems those don’t sting. Hopefully you can identify it. Thanks !
BLW
Central Texas

zelus assassin blw1 264x300 Zelus Assassin Bug

Zelus Assassin Bug

Hi BLW,
This is an Assassin Bug in the genus Zelus.  We have difficulty providing identifications to the species level in this genus except for a few distinctive species.  We frequently get reports of Zelus Assassin Bugs biting people.  They do not bite people for food and there must be some other reason for the bit occurring, like a reaction to some physical contact.  Our reports are that the bite is quite painful, but that there is no lasting negative effect.  You can try searching BugGuide for additional information.

Posted 27 December 2008 § Assassin Bugs ‡ Comments (0) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Eucalyptus Shield Bug Hatchlings from Australia

Bug ID needed
Sun, Dec 21, 2008 at 2:34 PM
Hi, My hubby found these little guys hatching out of little silver cachou like eggs and I took macros of them, thinking they were spiders. After downloading and looking at them on the PC, we discovered they were actually little bugs. We have never seen anything like them before and would dearly love to know what they are. When I checked them again today, there were more eggs present. Hope you can help.
Lynne from Bauple, Oz
Bauple,Maryborough,Qld, Australia

stink bug hatchlings australia lynne 300x285 Eucalyptus Shield Bug Hatchlings from Australia

Australian Stink Bug Hatchlings

Hi Lynne,
These are definitely True Bugs, and most probably Stink Bugs in the family Pentatomidae. Sadly, hatchlings can often be extremely difficult to properly identify to the species level.

Correction
Sun, Dec 28, 2008 at 5:09 PM
Hi Daniel, I am pretty sure the bugs are eucalyptus shield bugs. Here is a photo of some eucalyptus shield bug hatchlings taken in our backyard a year ago, and also a later development.
Grev
Australia, east coast

eucalyptus shield hatchlings grev Eucalyptus Shield Bug Hatchlings from Australia

Eucalyptus Shield Bug Hatchlings

Thanks Grev,
According to both the Brisbane Insect web site and the Save Our Waterways web site, the Eucalyptus Shield Bugs in the genus Poecilometis are in the Stink Bug family Pentatomidae. The Stink Bugs of Australia web site has specific host trees mentioned for many of the species in the genus Poecilometis. Interestingly, the insects commonly called Shield Bugs in the U.S. are in the family Acanthosomatidae, not Pentatomidae.

eucalyptus shield nymph grev Eucalyptus Shield Bug Hatchlings from Australia

Eucalyptus Shield Bug Nymph

Hullo Daniel,
Thanks for the info.
Your website is a godsend – there is so much anti-bug sentiment around (“If it moves, kill it.”) and it is good to read the messages from people whose attitudes have been changed after seeing all the beautiful creatures on your site. And, of course, to see all the amazing bugs there are in the world.
I wish you and Lisa a very happy New Year.
Kind regards,
Grev

Posted 24 December 2008 § Eggs § Stink Bugs and Shield Bugs ‡ Comments (1) ° Tagged:

Western Conifer Seed Bug

Is it a roach? Is it a moth? Is it a beetle?
Sun, Dec 21, 2008 at 3:43 PM
This bug was found in my kitchen yesterday terrorizing my mother. She had no idea what it was and it was flying around the kitchen so it seemed to freak her out. When it flies it looks just like a beetle but when it lands it doesn’t have many similar features of one. I went to catch it but it disappeared until later that night where I found it on the T.V. I quickly ran into the kitchen for a jar but it was gone when I came back. This morning I found it in the living room and caught it. I’ve been looking up the various insects that are known to my area and have come up with little to no answers. I’ve lived in Northern California all my life as well as my mother and we have never seen a bug like this one.
It’s brown and spotted, it flies, has “muscular” legs, and seems to be relatively calm in the jar (it’s not freaking out like a moth would normally do in a closed brightly lit environment). Its head is pointed – not rounded like a roaches head and it doesn’t appear have a super hard exoskeleton – its back is protected by its wings. I’ve provided three angles in the pictures so hopefully I can find out what this bug is. icon smile Western Conifer Seed Bug
*note: The red marks on the glass are not from the bug.
Kristy
McKinleyville, California.

western conifer kristy 300x273 Western Conifer Seed Bug

Western Conifer Seed Bug

Hi Kristy,
The Western Conifer Seed Bug, Leptoglossus occidentalis, is often noticed when it seeks shelter indoors at the onset of cooler weather.  This species is native to the Pacific Northwest, but it has increased its range dramatically over the past few decades.  It is now found throughout the Northeast as well as Canada.

Posted 24 December 2008 § Leaf Footed Bugs ‡ Comments (0) °

Assassin Bug

Unknown bug
Sat, Dec 20, 2008 at 5:05 PM
Found this bug in the kitchen one day, around Thanksgiving. Can’t find in my entomology books. Appears similar to an Assassin Bug. Red on upper wing, under wing pale green, red and green body, green and brown legs, antennae 3 segment, eyes dark red, head green, proboscis like a weevil, but long green with dark tip. Length from end of body to front of head approx. 14mm. Proboscis about 5mm. Can’t see in picture as it curves under head. Enclosed photo and sketch of details for clarification.
Bill Heald
Sanger, California

assassin bill 300x291 Assassin Bug

Assassin Bug

Hi Bill,
We are relatively certain that this is a species of Assassin Bug, but we are not certain which species. We are posting your photo and drawing and hope a reader can provide a correct identification.

assassin drawing bill 257x300 Assassin Bug

Assassin Bug

Update December 24, 2008
Hi, Daniel:
The assassin bug image, and the accompanying drawing (quite good, I might add!) is of a species of Zelus.  I’m having a hard time getting that particular kind down to species.  There are at least three in California, with lots of variability in at least one of those!
Take care, best to Lisa, too.
Eric

Posted 22 December 2008 § Assassin Bugs ‡ Comments (0) °

Ground Assassin Bug from Australia

Orange/Black Beetle/Hornet ? NSW
Sat, Dec 13, 2008 at 3:57 PM
My husband found this bug under his sleeve driving it’s spike into his arm yesterday. It got 4 stings in before it wore a size 9 dunlop volley.
Apparently it packed quite a punch, his arm still red/swollen/itchy 24hrs later. Just curious what bug this is? Doesn’t appear to have wings! Looks like a cross between a hornet & a beetle type bug.
Newcastle NSW Australia
Shell
Newcastle NSW Australia

ground assassin shell australia 300x184 Ground Assassin Bug from Australia

Ground Assassin Bug

Hi Shell,
A little bit of research revealed that this is a female Ground Assassin Bug, Ectomocoris decoratus, which we located on the Geocities Website of Brisbane Insects.  Males of the species are winged and fly while the females are winged.  Interestingly, we found some of the same photos and illustrations on a Brisbane Insects website with a different URL, but the species was listed as Ectomocoris patricius.  We also found a PDF online that states:  “Several other assassin bugs bite people in Queensland. … Ectomocoris decoratus, a fast-moving species with winged males and wingless females, is strikingly coloured in blue-black and orange.  It occurs under loose bark and may be encountered when gardening or clearing vegetation.  Because of its colour and speed, victims of this assassin bug often believe they were stung by a wasp.”  We are not exactly sure what a size 9 dunlop volley is, but it sound like it contributed to the squashing evident in your photos.  Assassin Bugs, except for a few blood sucking species, are thought of as beneficial predators, so we feel compelled to also tag your posting under Unnecessary Carnage.

ground assassin 2 shell australia 300x232 Ground Assassin Bug from Australia

Ground Assassin Bug

Posted 13 December 2008 § Assassin Bugs ‡ Comments (2) ° Tagged: ,

Possibly Immature Parent Bugs from Australia

Black and Yellow Bug
Fri, Dec 12, 2008 at 1:43 PM
These beetles or bugs were found on two different acacia species about 25km east of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. I have been unable to find any pictures on the web which remotely resemble them.
Dr David Hewitt
25 km east of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

stinkbug nymph australia hewitt 221x300 Possibly Immature Parent Bugs from Australia

possibly Immature Parent Bugs

Dear Dr Hewitt,
We believe these are immature Stink Bugs, but we are having trouble identifying the species. Many times, immature Stink Bugs or nymphs look radically different from the adults. Hopefully one of our faithful Australian readers will be able to identify the exact species.

stinkbug nymphs australia hewitt 300x277 Possibly Immature Parent Bugs from Australia

Possibly Parent Bug Nymphs

These bugs have similar markings to Cantao parentum nymphs, although the colour (yellow) is different from the orange of the Cantao parentum.
Grev

Thanks Grev,
If you are correct, and we believe you may be correct, then these immature Parent Bugs are actually Shield Bugs in the family Scutelliridae and not Stink Bugs in the family Pentatomidae. They are called Parent Bugs because unlike most insects, the female guards the young nymphs for several weeks. The original letter indicates they were found on Acacia, and a website we linked to indicates: “its food plant, Mallotus claoxyloides (Smell of the Bush) .” This general color pattern is one that is common on several species of Stink Bugs in North America.  Another Australian Insect Website lists these food plants:  “Found on the Red Kamala (Mallotus philippensis) and other such species from the family (M. claoxyloides, M. discolor) and also Araucaria cunninghammii ” but does not mention Acacia.  This may still be an unidentified Stink Bug nymph.

Posted 13 December 2008 § Stink Bugs and Shield Bugs ‡ Comments (1) ° Tagged: ,

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