What's That Bug?

Tussock Moth Caterpillar from Argentina

bugman — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:48:59 +0000

Subject: Caterpillar from Iguazu Falls
Location: Iguazu Falls on the Argentinian side
June 18, 2013 5:18 pm
Hi Bugman!
I’m a preschool teacher who recently went to Iguazu Falls on the Argentinian side. While there, I saw 2 bugs. One is the caterpillar below and the other was a spider. Unfortunately, I was unable to get a picture of it. It was black had very skinny legs its body was slightly smaller than a dime and was almost triangle shaped. I saw it crawling on the ground by itself and did not notice any webs around it. I know that is not the best description, but any info would be great as I would love to teach my students about both of these amazing creatures.
Thanks so much for your help!!
Beth
Signature: Beth Schultz, Eureka, CA

Tussock Moth Caterpillar

Hi Beth,
We don’t know the species, but we believe this is a Tussock Moth Caterpillar because of its resemblance to some North American species in the genus Orgyia. Many species have utricating hairs, so they should be handled with caution. You can see more examples of North American species on BugGuide. Without a photo, we can’t say much about the spider.

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Orchard Spider

bugman — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:06:17 +0000

Subject: Orchard Spider
Location: Southeast Tennessee, Cumberland Plateau
June 17, 2013 9:58 am
From other photos, I believe that this spider who has recently taken up residence near our back porch is an Orchard Spider. In its orb web, I was able to get photos both from above and below.
Thanks for your great resource!
Signature: Bob

Orchard Spider

Hi Bob,
In our opinion, your identification of an Orchard Spider, Leucauge venusta, is correct. Thanks for sending your wonderful photos of the spider and its web.

Orchard Spider

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Skipper Caterpillar

bugman — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:56:32 +0000

Subject: caterpillar
Location: Clay City Indiana
June 17, 2013 8:46 am
Found this making a cocoon on a black locust tree. The head is almost separate and lools like two big eyes.
Signature: JS

Skipper Caterpillar

I found it in a book by looking up the host plant and checking for pests. it is a skipper larvae. Not too interested in which one just trying to decide if it was good or bad.
Thanks!!!!! Love the website as always.
Jana

Skipper Caterpillar

Dear Jana,
We are happy you identified your Skipper Caterpillar without our assistance. Our research indicates it is most likely a Silver Spotted Skipper, Epargyreus clarus, and BugGuide indicates: “Caterpillar eats foliage of leguminous plants, including locust trees, wisteria, alfalfa, and stick-tights.” This is an underrepresented caterpillar on our site and your photos are greatly welcomed.

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Katydid nymph from Italy

bugman — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:40:40 +0000

Subject: Bug in the Veneto
Location: Lozzo Atestino (PD), Italy
June 16, 2013 10:55 am
My friend who lives in Lozzo Atestino (PD), Italy, has several of these gorgeous cricket-looking thingies at his house in the Colli Euganei. He is trying to learn what they are and what they might eat (one hopes not grape vines nor olive trees). Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Signature: Anna

Katydid nymph

Dear Anna,
This is a Katydid, a group of insects classified with crickets in the suborder Ensifera. We did a superficial search and could not come up with any matching images of this colorful specimen. We will try to contact Piotr Naskrecki, a Katydid expert, to see if he can identify the species, however, we suspect he is out of the office on a collecting trip as he did not respond to our last few identification requests.

Piotr Naskrecki responds
Hi Daniel,
This is a male of Barbitistes sp. (Phaneropterinae). They are quite polymorphic and range from light green to nearly black in their coloration. Hard to say which species without being able to see the cerci, though.
Cheers,
Piotr

Comment
After the email from Piotr Naskrecki I found this link (http://www.unipd.it/esterni/wwwfitfo/barbitistes.htm) showing the species “Barbitistes vicetinus”, which appears to be common exactly in Veneto. See also a picture here: http://www.unipd.it/esterni/wwwfitfo/immagini/Barbitistes%20Forma%20tipica%20maschio.jpg. Maybe you could send the first link to Anna. The page describes what they eat, which is what Anna wanted to know.
Ciao,
Saverio

Thanks Saverio

No problem. I am a lawyer and I know nothing about bugs, which scare the hell out of me. For the same reason, I am fascinated by any kind of bug/spider. So, in case you need help for Italian-related questions, let me know: while I am no entomologist, I love to investigate …

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Elm Sawfly

bugman — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:29:44 +0000

Subject: Huge fly or bee
Location: Saskatoon, SK, Canada
June 17, 2013 3:18 pm
Hey just wondering if this is identifiable. Huge fly or bee – waxy black body and wings – bright yellow tips on legs and antennae. 1.5” long body. Found in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada on June 17, 2013.
Thanks.
Signature: SK

Elm Sawfly

Dear SK,
Your confusion is understandable. This is an Elm Sawfly, Cimbex americana, and though its name indicates that it is a fly, it is actually a non-stinging relative of Bees and Wasps in the order Hymenoptera. The larvae of the Elm Sawfly are frequently mistaken for caterpillars.

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Small Headed Fly, we believe

bugman — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:31:17 +0000

Subject: Iridescent Hymenoptera (or Hymenoptera mimic)
Location: Eastern Nevada County, CA
June 17, 2013 11:25 pm
I found this insect visiting a patch of Hackelia velutina growing on a mountainside (fairly rocky terrain with scattered Red Fir, Lodgepole Pine, and Sierra Juniper; elev. 7850 ft.) It landed while I was taking a photo of a flower cluster, but unfortunately left before I could get a closer shot of it, so all I have of it is this crop.
At first glance, it appeared to be some sort of bee, but the thin, hairless, yellow legs suggest otherwise. Now I’m thinking it might be some sort of Syrphid fly mimicking a bee, but that family seems to be such a big mixed-bag that I wouldn’t even know where to start to narrow it down, if that’s even it.
Any clue as to what this iridescent little fellow is?
Signature: Tom

Possibly Small Headed Fly

Dear Tom,
This reminded us of Small Headed Fly photos we have posted in the past, and upon searching BugGuide, we believe it looks like a good match for Small Headed Flies in the genus Eulonchus. Eulonchus smaragdinus, which is pictured on BugGuide, has yellow legs.

Eric Eaton Concurs
Daniel:
I’m out of town with limited internet access until June 25 (Tuesday)….
I’d agree the genus is Eulonchus, most likely, but the genus needs revision, so no telling which species.
Eric

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Orchard Spider

bugman — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:09:37 +0000

Subject: gorgeous and tiny
Location: NJ, woodland area
June 17, 2013 1:23 pm
I was taking Macro pictures of flowers after the rain today in North Central NJ. I noticed movement on one of the tiny flowers. I was an even tinier spider. I was able to get an okay shot, enough I think for someone who knows their stuff to identify it. Later I went back and it was busy making a web between the tow plants. The plants are small, Pyrolas, ”wintergreens” the flowers are not much more than a quarter inch across to give you perspective on size.
Signature: Karen Smith

Orchard Spider

Dear Karen,
This is an Orchard Spider, Leucauge venusta, or a closely related species. They truly are gemlike spiders.

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Mourning Cloak

bugman — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 06:58:26 +0000

Subject: Mourning Cloak
Location: Southeast Tennessee, Cumberland Plateau
June 17, 2013 9:44 am
We saw this beauty the other morning and did not remember seeing a similar butterfly. From a distance, it looked black with bright yellow edges, but up close, it is much more interesting. From other photos in your files, I believe it is a Mourning Cloak.
We are on the Cumberland Plateau in southeast Tennessee.
Thanks for all your work and wonderful website!
Signature: Bob

Mourning Cloak

Dear Bob,
This is just about the most gorgeous photo we have ever seen of a Mourning Cloak. It is obviously a freshly eclosed individual since it is so perfect and its colors so vivid. Thanks so much for adding to our archives.

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Fiery Hunter from Canada

bugman — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 06:49:27 +0000

Subject: A black beetle with red spots
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
June 17, 2013 7:10 am
I saw this beetle while walking on a trail in a grassy field near Edmonton, Alberta in June 2013. There were two of them but one of the scurried off when I approached. This one was half burried in the sandy soil. The spots on the back caught my attention so I took a couple quick pictures and decided to look it up when I got home. Now I wish I had taken more pictures because not all parts are clearly vissible and I have not found any bugs quite like it. It looks like some of the darkling beetles but the pits on the back with the red spots seem to be uncommon. I am just curious to know what kind it is.
Signature: Jason

Fiery Hunter

Dear Jason,
This is one of the Ground Beetles commonly called Caterpillar Hunters because both adults and larvae feed primarily upon caterpillars. We are confident that we have correctly identified your Caterpillar Hunter as a Fiery Hunter, Callisthenes calidus formerly Calosoma calidum, based on photos posted to BugGuide.

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Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Hatchlings

bugman — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:13:09 +0000

Subject: eggs and babies
Location: Columbus, Ohio
June 17, 2013 5:06 am
Hi! I am hoping you can help me identify what I found on the underside of a peach tree leaf. I’ve never gotten peaches off the tree thanks to squirrels and am wondering if these bugs are horning in on the animals territory.
Signature: David

Stink Bug Hatchlings

Hi David,
These are newly hatched Hemipterans, and we believe they are Stink Bugs in the family Pentatomidae. Further research indicates that they are most likely hatchlings of the invasive exotic Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, Halyomorpha halys. See this matching image on Featured Creatures where it states: “The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys Stål, is a pest that was first officially reported from the western hemisphere in Allentown, Pennsylvania in 2001 (Hoebeke and Carter 2003). This stink bug may become a major agricultural pest in North America, similar to the southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula (L.). Both species are polyphagous pests of various crops, but in the U.S. it has been primarily reported as a household nuisance and ornamental pest. However, in eastern Asia where the BMSB is native or indigenous, it is a pest on fruit trees and soybeans.”

Thank you for letting me know–and so quickly too! This is a different stink bug than I have encountered before. I will have to get more vigilant now.
Thank you!
David

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