Unidentified Flying Bug
Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 8:50 PM
I never started noticing these bugs before this year. I’ve killed lots of bugs in my family’s house, because I live in our basement. I first started noticing these bugs outside on my car. They were well camouflaged, flat, and every time I saw one I swore it was pentagonal. I have just recently discovered that these flat beetlish things can fly. I just killed two in under five minutes that were flying around the overhead light in our basement. They looked like large moths when they were flying, but when I smacked them down with a flyswatter they were smaller, their underbellies a yellowish-cream color. Their inside fluids smell terrible, like moldy soap scum or dull mothballs.
I’m sorry I’m only giving you a picture of a dead one. They looked greenish outside, but in the picture I discovered they were brown. I just want to know if there’s some kind of infestation going on in my house. Sorry to be so negative, but I once had a bad experience with a spider looking bug laying eggs in my hair and now want to kill all bugs.
The insides were yellow and red, if that helps.
A flustered murderer
Arlington, VA
Brochymena Carnage
Dear Flustered Murderer,
You have swatted a Stink Bug in the genus Brochymena, commonly called Tree Stink Bugs. Stink Bugs and other Hemipterans like the Western Conifer Seed Bug often enter homes for shelter when cool weather sets in. They will not damage your home and they pose no threat to you except for the annoyance they may cause. Brochymena species are predatory on other insects, most notably caterpillars.
What is this bug?
Sun, Nov 23, 2008 at 11:18 AM
Hi, I have lived in CA 25 years anf have never seen this before, what is it?
Roger Turney
Dana Point CA
Brochymena
Hi Roger,
This is a Predatory Stink Bug known as a Brochymena. You can find additional information on BugGuide, which states: “Predatory on other insects, especially caterpillars. May feed some on juices of leaves as well” and that it is generally found in “Spring, fall (adults overwinter, so adults typically absent in mid-summer) .” Since adults hibernate, they may enter homes in the fall.
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Posted 23 November 2008
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Flat Yellow Insect from the backyard
Tue, Nov 11, 2008 at 1:25 AM
Dear Bugman,
We hope you can help us identify an insect that my son found in the backyard in a paved area. It is about the size of a 5 cent coin, flat and yellow in colour with a black spot in the middle if its back and a thin black line around the edge of its body. It has black and yellow stripes on the antennae. it does not appear to have any wings and is happy to sit and walk around on my sons hand. He thinks it is lovely and want to keep it as a pet and find out what it eats!
Bug lovers
Australia (Gold Coast)
Bronze Orange Bug Nymph
Hi Bug Lovers,
The reason your Bronze Orange Bug, Musgraveia sulciventris, doesn’t have wings is that it is an immature nymph. We found matching images on the Geocities website where the text indicates that they suck the sap from citrus tree leaves and twigs.
UnKnown insect
Sun, Oct 12, 2008 at 10:55 AM
Hello from the San Antonio, Texas area, I came across this small insect on a rose bug and having a difficult time to ID it. Maybe you can help, Thanks from Texas
Richard
San Antonio, Texas
Stink Bug Nymph
Hi Richard,
We can say for certain that this is an immature Stink Bug in the family Pentatomidae, but beyond that, we are uncertain. It looks similar to, but not exactly like, some photos of nymphs in the genus Apateticus that are posted on BugGuide, but the markings are different. If it is the genus Apateticus, then it is a Predatory Stink Bug. Perhaps someone can comment with additional information.
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Posted 13 October 2008
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Florida Predatory Stinkbug ?
Tue, Oct 7, 2008 at 5:44 PM
Hi to all who have helped me,
I was so blown away by this stink bug. I read somewhere that it had a 4 section beak?. Looks like a sectional proboscis of sorts. I could not believe the orange “beak” I had to work to get this photo and that is always fun. It was well worth the “coaxing” to get these shots. I just had to see what the article was about (no photos).
How does this “beak” get back into his “mouthpart” for lack of a better description or does it store underneath? I could not see how he did that I think this is so cool. Maybe you know a stinkbug Dr. you could pass this along to.
Thanks,
Janis Osborne
Duluth, GA
Oct. 2008
Florida Predatory Stink Bug
Hi Janis,
Thanks so much for sending your awesome photo of a Florida Predatory Stink Bug, Euthyrhynchus floridanus. It is a welcomed addition to our archive.
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Posted 08 October 2008
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Mating Pile of Beetles?
Just found these guys shamelessly flaunting their group activities on our holly hedges. And in a family neighborhood, too. I don’t know what they are, but they are certainly colorful!
Amy
Virginia
Florida Predatory Stink Bug Aggregation
Hi Amy,
This is a aggregation of Florida Predatory Stink Bugs, Euthyrhynchus floridanus. Since there are both mature and immature individuals in you photo, we are relatively certain this has nothing to do with mating activity since insects have no interest in mating unless sexual reproduction is achieved. It is more likely this aggregation is based on either feeding or protection.
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Posted 21 September 2008
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Beetles?
I found this group of bugs traveling in a group across my front doorstep, have you ever seen these before? Acworth, GA just North of Atlanta
We are relatively certain these are Florida Predatory Stink Bug nymphs, Euthyrhynchus floridanus. The social marching behavior is interesting. We do not know at what stage the nymphs become solitary hunters, and we have not been successful at finding that information. This Stink Bug is also called a Halloween Bug.
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Posted 22 August 2008
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Mating bugs
Hello
I live in the Var (Provence), South East France. Have spent ages trying to identify these bugs – I thought it would be easy – so I’m sending you the photos. I call the second one “Love on a carrot” (wild carrot as you no doubt can identify. Would love to hear back.
Gabrielle Wellesley
Hi Gabrielle,
These are mating Stink Bugs, Graphosoma lineatum.
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Posted 15 July 2008
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Tagged: bug love
Garden bug – on jacob’s ladder and columbine
These bugs are multiplying like crazy and were all over the plants. I must have killed dozens! Any ideas? Thanks,
Sharon
Hi Sharon,
While in Ohio last week, we noticed several of these diminutive Stink Bugs on mom’s columbine, and resolved to identify them when we returned to Los Angeles and internet access. We have been so busy trying to catch up on all of our emails that we hadn’t the time. Your letter provided us with the opportunity to identify the Twice Stabbed Stink Bug, Cosmopepla lintneriana, on BugGuide. Once we had a name, we were able to find a photo online on Dave’s Garden showing the Twice Stabbed Stink Bug on a columbine flower that give a good view of its tiny size.
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Posted 13 June 2008
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Shield Looking Green Beetle in Colorado
Hi Bugman,
Great Site! I looked through all of the beetle pages and could not find this. I also googled beetles native to Colorado and mostly what I found was the june beetle and potato beetle. I am stumped? I live on the front range of Colorado and found this guy in our backyard near the flower garden. He flew pretty high but for only about 20 feet at a time. Took picture on May 30th around 6 pm. Thanks for the help
This is Say’s Stink Bug, Chlorochroa sayi. Stink Bugs are also called Shield Bugs and they are True Bugs in the family Pentatomidae, not beetles..
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Posted 31 May 2008
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Unknown true-bug
Hello again.
I thought I’d try you again on a bug that’s been a bit of a quandary for me for a while. I did browse through your pages on the True Bugs, but, alas, found nothing close. The attached photo was taken in August of 2005, in my front yard in Flagstaff, Arizona, U.S.A. The insects appear to be one of the "true bugs", possibly a Hemiptera species? They’re small, between 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch (6.4 mm to 9.5 mm). But, again, I’ve been unable to find an exact match, though it seems to have some similarities to the stink bugs. The "host" plant is a Lambs Ears (Stachys byzantina) … these bugs were, in 2005, quite numerous and, though they appear to be feeding on plant juices, the plants didn’t seem to suffer for it … so, we left them alone. Personally I thought they were rather attractive insects with the stark contrast between the black and white with the splash of orange. But some people think I’m a bit odd. Thank you for a wonderful website! And, thanks in advance for any help you can provide,
John Ellison,
Flagstaff, Arizona, U.S.A
Hi John,
We can be a bit more specific. These are Stink Bugs in the family Pentatomidae, but we cannot locate a visual match for your distinctive specimens on BugGuide’s extensive Stink Bug pages. We will contact Eric Eaton to see if he has an opinion.
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Posted 27 April 2008
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Bug Identity
Would you be able to identify this bug? I live in north Florida and took this picture April 20th. It chased my camera and watched every move I made. Thank you for your time.
Jan
Hi Jan,
We are certain that this is an immature Stink Bug, but we are not certain of its exact classification. We believe it is a predatory Stink Bug in the genus Podisus, the Spined Soldier Bugs, but we cannot find an exact match on BugGuide. There are similar looking nymphs, but nothing definite. Maybe one of our readers can supply the exact identification, allowing us more time to post backlogged submissions.
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Posted 22 April 2008
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