We
will be undergoing a Metamorphosis!!!
What's That Bug? will be changing our appearance and
format in the future. We hope you will find our transformation
easier to use and we hope it will make our lives easier.
Watch for the new and improved What's That Bug? in the
near future.
Spring has Sprung!!!
(05/06/2008) We are getting busier at work and more and more of your letters are arriving daily. We are literally overwhelmed and can only answer a fraction of your letters. With spring here, we are already seeing the numbers
of letter increasing on a daily basis. Chances are quite
good that the insect you want identified might already
be in our archives. Please try our search engine or
click the links on the left side of the homepage. Don't
forget to scroll down to see our most recent postings
and you can see the alphabetized archive of links on
the lower left.
We got a great holiday present last year. One of our
readers was sick and tired of not being able to look
at bugs when she wanted wanted to. The whims of our
server got the best of her and so she put us in touch
with her husband who is WEB-SAVVY down in Florida. He
hooked us up with plenty of bandwidth, so there should
be NO MORE PROBLEMS and our readers are now free to
browse the bugs whenever they feel the urge. THANK
YOU Lisa and Daniel of SHIRTSOFBAMBOO.COM.
PLEASE
VISIT OUR SPONSOR! SHIRTS OF BAMBOO TOOK PITY ON US
AND OFFERED BANDWIDTH! HOW NICE ARE THEY?
Recent
Letters to What's that Bug-
Before writing in, please
browse our recent letters, use our search engine, and take
a look at the list of bugs on the left side of the page
to see if your beast has already been identified!
There
are numerous other pages in the alphabatized list at the
left. Please check out those pages first before writing
to us to see if you can locate your mystery specimen. Then
if your photo is better than one we have, please send it
in with any relevant details. Because we are getting hundreds
of letters a week, we are only able to post four per day.
This is no indication of the quality or urgency of your
query as the letters are chosen at random. If you have a
question about a bug, please take the time to look at our
alphabetized list of bugs on the left column before writing
us. The most popular household intruders we get letters
about are HOUSE CENTIPEDES and PANTRY
BEETLES. Larger frightening creatures that are frequent
letter topics include POTATO BUGS,
DOBSONFLIES and TOE-BITERS.
So please check out those sections if you see something
creepy in your house or yard!
Not Much Help to the Helpless
(10/7/2003)
HELP!!!
Help I have a spider and i want to idenify it! i need to
know it's Family Scientfic name and its order!!
Please help1!!
helpless child
Dear
Helpless,
Give me something to go on. Please send a photo attachment
or a description and a location.
Editor's
Note: Here at What's That Bug? we make every attempt
to identify your mystery visitors, but we need information.
In the event that you don't have a photo, please try to
provide a description including where the creature was spotted,
when, if it was on a specific plant, and please include
your geographic location.
We
do not offer extermination advice.
Bug
of the Month: May 2008
Striped
Morning Sphinx or White Lined Sphinx: adult and caterpillar
(04/27/2008) Question: Help! What is this bug?!
Dear Bugman,
Please help me identify this bug. I have searched all
the pages on the internet for moths and cannot locate a picture
that looks like this one. Thank you so much!
Julie
Hi Julie,
On our website, the Sphinx Moths, a large family, get their
own pages separate from general moths. This is a White Lined
Sphinx, Hyles lineata. It is one of the most common U.S. Sphinx
Moths, and in desert areas the species go through cyclical
population explosions. Because the California rains this season
have been spread out rather than concentrated, there is lush
native plant growth and we expect to continue to get reports
of both the adult Striped Morning Sphinx moths and the caterpillars
as well.
White Lined Sphinx Caterpillar
(03/26/2008) caterpillar picture attached
I saw this caterpillar in Anzo-Borrego Desert in southern
California last week. Curious if you know what it is.
Pictures attached.
paul
Hi Paul,
With the desert wildflowers being so spectacular this year,
there is plenty of food for plant eaters like caterpillars.
We expect to get numerous queries regarding your species,
the White Lined Sphinx or Striped Morning Sphinx, Hyles lineata.
The caterpillars of this species are highly variable and become
quite numerous at times. They were eaten by Native Americans
and still are eaten by some adventuresome modern Americans
as well.
Polyphemus Moth
(05/08/2008) Bug Man
Hello! I found this little guy on my back porch. I've never
seen anything like it! It looks like a spider and a moth mated!
Please help me I've been racking my brain! Thanks
Natasha
Hi Natasha,
In the past few weeks, we have received countless images of
Polyphemus Moths. We have so many images in our archives,
that we have opted to take our limited time to post other
species instead. Thanks for sending such an interesting angle
of view and we love your observations on imagined possible
inter-species hybridization.
Eastern Tent Caterpillar
(05/08/2008) Eastern Tent Caterpillars
Here is a picture I took while hiking along the C&O canal
in Maryland. These things are EVERYWHERE and until I took
a look at your site, I thought they were Gypsy Moth Caterpillars.
My 4 year old son and I were at the National Zoo the other
day and while the elephants couldn't hold his attention, he
was facinated by these caterpillars inching along all over
the place. He then collected several and gently placed them
on his shirt and then proceeded to strut around the zoo covered
in them like some caterpillar tamer on Animal Planet. Alas,
I did not have my camera with me that day. Thanks for the
great site!
Tracy
Hi Tracy,
Thanks for your touching story. We have recently received
several images of individual Eastern Tent Caterpillars, Malacosoma
americanum, but we have not posted them. Your photo is a textbook
example for identification purposes.
Convict Caterpillar
(05/08/2008) What is it?
Location: Palm Bay, FL 32905
Date: May 6, 2008
Plant: perhaps a Spider Lily a clumping lump of bulbs
I have 7 of these guys now. Any idea what it is? Notice
the tiny 'hairs' on the body.
Sandy
Hi Sandy,
This was an easy identification for us because we just received
another photo of the Convict Caterpillar last week. The Convict
Caterpillar eventually becomes the lovely Spanish Moth, Xanthopastis
timais.
Black Bladder-bodied Meloid
(05/07/2008) a picture for you
Hi
Do you have any idea what this pretty little devil is? I
live in Southern New Mexico, see these in the desert quite
a bit but can't seem to find them in a guide. The colors
are amazing, shift from green to blue to purple in the light.
Usually pretty good at identifying bugs, but this one
has me stumped. Thanks
Jaymie Williamson
Hi Jaymie,
The Black Bladder-bodied Meloid, Cysteodemus wislizeni, is
a Blister Beetle in the genus known as Desert Spider Beetles.
You now have the common species name, the genus name and the
family name of this fascinating beetle. It ranges from Texas
to Arizona.
Giant
Red Headed Centipede from Texas
(05/07/2008) Big ol' centipede?
I found this big critter right outside my front door this
morning. I found your site a short time later - and think
it just an Austin Texas sized multi-colored centipede. I saw
a few really good pictures on similar ones on your site, but
didn't see many that provided a good indicator of the overall
size, so I've attached a picture of it on a one dollar bill
with bricks in background. Please let me know if I did a bad
thing by putting it back in the flower bed. Thanks,
Steve W
Hi Steve,
You really know how to "do the right thing" and releasing
your gorgeous Giant Red Headed Centipede, Scolopendra heros,
is an excellent example. It is true that centipedes are venomous,
and the bite of the Giant Red Headed Centipede is said to
be quite painful, but the species is a valuable predator in
the ecosystem that will rid your garden of many unwanted creatures.
Centipedes are not aggressive and will not bit a human unles
mishandled or otherwise provoked.
Edibility Update: (05/08/2008)
Edibility update: big centipedes!
Hi Daniel,
Sometime this year I'm going to finally dine on one of these
large centipedes. They're traditionally consumed in.... in.....
well darn it, of all the edible insects/arachnids/other arthropods
I've learned about, I can't recall exactly where it's eaten.
I'll hazard Peru. More importanly, David George Gordon's Eat-A-Bug
Cookbook features a recipe, so that makes it totally legit.
All the best,
Dave
www.slshrimp.com
White Underwing
(05/07/2008) Mystery Moth
Dear Bugman,
Love your site! My boys and I are having so much fun identifying
the different critters we come across in our yard. This unfortunate
creature was removed from the grill of our car. We don't come
across too many moths this size in our area, so at first I
thought it could be some sort of sphinx, I'm not sure that's
right though. We live in a heavily wooded area in southwest
WA. What is it? Thanks,
Heidi
 
Hi Heidi,
Some specimens of Catocala relicta have nearly white forewings,
giving rise to the common name White Underwing. Your specimen
has gray forewings, which makes the common name White Underwing
seem odd. BugGuide
shows specimens with a wide range of forewing tonalities.
Long Jawed Orb Weaver
(05/07/2008) why hello there.....PLEASE READ!
I have written you guys a few times....no, im not going to
complain or anything. i completely understand you are busy
and have lives! I have recently become addicted to photographing
bugs and such. I like to identify what i find hence
i came across your site. absolutely wonderful , by the way!
for real i love it. well anyhoo, i take alot of these
pictures and most are very closeup and detailed. they are
pretty good if i say so myself. that being said, i have nothing
to DO with them. i mean i post them on myspace but thats about
it....would you mind if i sent you guys some photos
with the bug names in the subject line and you can decide
if you want to post them? i figured you could just look
at the subject line and decide if you need a pic of
that specific bug or not... also....i took this photo of this
LONG-JAWED ORB WEAVER yesterday: then when i brushed his web
with my lens he ran to a leaf and did this little falling
on his back number: is that normal behavior?
Melissa
 
Hi Melissa,
Your Long Jawed Orb Weaver images are great. Many spiders
whose webs are disturbed seek shelter in foliage. Including
the name of the insect in your email would capture our attention
and might result in a better chance of your photo and letter
being posted. Also, we like getting details about the insect
or experience of taking the photos.
One Eyed Sphinx
(05/07/2008) Beautiful Moth - Oops!
HI guys! Just want to know if you know what type
of Moth this is? We are having trouble with our email
and you may not have even recvd. the last one I sent.
Or I'm just not being patient enough :o) Thank you!!!!!
Dianne
Dianne's original email
(04/04/2008) Beautiful Moth
Hello,
We love your site!! We really appreciate the time
you have put into it. Yesterday, this Moth landed in
our back yard. We were able to enjoy him for most of
the day :o) Could you please tell us what kind of moth
he is? We looked on your site and found some similar
but we're still not sure. Oh, we live in N. Ca. near
Sacramento. Thank you so much!
Dianne
Hi Dianne,
We had a very rough time in April and many more emails went
unanswered. Thanks for resending your lovely photo of a One
Eyed Sphinx, Smerinthus cerisyi, also known as Cerisy's Sphinx.
Water
Scorpion eats Damselfly
(05/06/2008) weird water bug
Hi Bugman,
I love your site! I took this photo last July 15 in
southeast Michigan. I was trying to get a shot of those
damselflies when I noticed that weird thing under the lily
pad that appeared to be eating one of them. It was in
a small man-made pond at a botanical garden. I'm not
even sure where to look for it in your archives, so I'm going
straight to you. Any idea what it is?
Martha H.
Ann Arbor, M
hi Martha,
Wow, what an awesome image of a Water Scorpion in the genus
Ranatra eating a Damselfly while other Damselflies sit unaware.
Interestingly, this is the third photo of a Water Scorpion
submitted to our site today.
Caterpillar
Hunter Larva
(05/06/2008) What's this bug?
Hi Bugman!!
We love your website!! Anytime we want to know what creepy
crawly is crawling around, we seem to find it on your site.
We are having a hard time finding out what this is.... I thought
it might be a Hellgrammite, but our bug doesn't have enough
legs and we don't live anywhere near water. It crawls
kind of like a catapeiler, but has pinchers. It's like a morph
of some kind of millipede or something. Anyway, we live
in the high desert in California and we have had a bit more
rain than normal this season. We have butterflies galore and
with the butterflies came these bugs. I have never seen them
before. They are only out in the day. I looked everywhere
to take a picture at 8:30 pm and was amazed to find only one
straggler in our garage. They are everywhere in the day, especially
climbing up the walls outside. I will try and send a better
picture of one from the daylight. This one seems small compared
to the others I have seen. Anyway, I'm sure you know what
this is and we are curious to know. Thanks for all your help
and for putting together a great and informative website!!!!
The Kibbe's
Dear Kibbe Family,
You might not think to try to identify this Caterpillar Hunter
on our beetle pages, but it is a beetle larva. Caterpillar
Hunters in the genus Calosoma undergo complete metamorphosis,
and the larva look nothing like the adult, but unlike many
insects that undergo complete metamorphosis, the larva and
adult both have the same diet. They eagerly consume any caterpillars
they encounter, which makes them a valuable natural control
to caterpillar overpopulation.
Water Scorpion
(05/06/2008) Assassin Bug Species?
Found this little cutie in the North Georgia Mountains 5/4/08
at about 3000 feet. If I remember correctly the body was about
1-1.5 inches long, with the legs and oviposter maybe three
inches. Looks similar to the Thread-legged Assassin
Bug on your pages. Am I close? Any info on the natural
history of it? Thx...
Greg in Dahlonega, Georgia
 
Hi Greg,
It is easy to confuse the Water Scorpion in your photo with
a Thread Legged Bug. Your Water Scorpion is in the genus Ranatra,
and BugGuide
has many wonderful images, but none as nice as yours.
Luna Moth
(05/05/2008) Luna moth
Thought I would give you my image of a Luna Moth. This guy
stayed around most of the day on one of my many bonsai. Could
not help but take a photos of her. Your welcome if you like
to add this to your website. Michael McCoy Maumelle Ar.
Michael McCoy
Hi Michael,
Thanks for sending us your Luna Moth photo. We are amused
that you called it a flying manta ray.
Pseudoscorpion Killed Unnecessarily
(05/05/2008) Tiny Crab Like Bug
I was sitting at my computer when i noticed this little thing
crawling across my desk. It has long crab like pinchers, and
6 little legs, teardrop shaped body that was extremely flat
with stripes brown in color. Sorry my first instinct was eww
bug kill it. I did take a picture after its death. Its next
to one of my hairs to show relation to size. What is it? Do
I need to worry? Thank You
Matthew
Hi Matthew,
We are so busy right now that we can only answer and post
a small fraction of the numerous letters we are sent. Were
it not for your very descriptive letter with good search terms
including crab-like and your wonder image with the open claws
on your Pseudoscorpion, it might have gone unanswered. Pseudoscorpions
are quite harmless, but they are fierce predators if the prey
is small enough for them to capture. They are known to catch
and eat house flies much larger than themselves. We also hope
the next Pseudoscorpion that crosses you path will continue
unharmed as this is truly unnecessary
carnage.
Third
Recipient: Nasty Reader Award
(05/04/2008) (no subject)
thanks for nothing asshole
Jen Cifone
babygunit20012003@yahoo.com
(05/03/2008) (no subject)
i was wondering if u could tell me what this bug is i looked
online and couldnt find it the pics arent very good because
the bugs would not stop moveing im not sure if its a worm
or laravae but i was hopeing maby you could help they keep
crawling up our drain and into our bathtube and we would
really like to know what we are dealing with if you could
reply as soon as possible that would be great thank you.
jen cifone
babygunit20012003@yahoo.com
Dear Jen Cifone,
When we opened your email today, we couldn't imagine what
we had done to deserve such a vehement response coupled with
such a strong personal insult. Rarely do we encounter such
bitterness in our readership. We searched our email inbox
and found the query your wrote the day before and can only
deduce that your anger stems from the fact that you did not
get a response from us within 24 hours. We will now attempt
to remedy that oversight. Your photo is out of focus and is
totally useless for identification purposes. We do, however,
have some personal advice for you. You might consider going
back to school to learn how to write and spell as your communication
skills are clearly lacking. Your grammar is atrocious and
we have no idea what a bathtube is. While you are improving
your basic skills, you might want to consider enrolling in
a photography class so you can take images that will be helpful
for any further identifications you desire. You might also
want to consider rounding out your re-education by enrolling
in an etiquette class. That will probably also benefit you
greatly. On a positive note, you have been awarded our Third
Ever Nasty Reader Award. Congratulations.
Additionally, we will open the identification of your mysterious
blurry creature to our readership, who may have suggestions
or general comments to pass your way. By all means readership,
write to Jen Cifone at babygunit20012003@yahoo.com
and tell her what you think.
Ed. Note: We seriously believe that Jen Cifone
has a bet going that she could win the Nasty
Reader Award. We can't imagine anyone composing her original
letter with such blatant disregard for the English language
nor anyone with half a brain thinking they could get that
blurry photo identified.
Reader Comment
(05/05/2008)
Please don't drink so much whilst photographing bugs, and try to drink even less when emailing. These guys are really busy and while they have a great sense of humor (they still accept email from me!) they will only laugh if you tell them that you were just trying to be funny.
Which I hope was the case because you really can't be serious with that photo. And if the second email was from your drunk boyfriend, I'd view this as a red flag.
cw
Toe-Biter from Iraq
(05/03/2008) Toe Biter
Here are the picture of the toe-biter we found in our building
one morning. I wrote you a week or so ago, but didn't have
the photos that we took. It looked like someone had stepped
on him :-(. He was very awkward and slow. But it sounds like
that is typical for this little guy. I'm not sure what he
was doing so far from a water source, there is a river around
here, but maybe 5 miles away. Thanks for having such a great
site, you see a lot of strange critters in Iraq, and your
website is very helpful. We actually saw a camel spider today,
he was probably 4 inches long, and very fast! I have sent
the video along as well in a separate email, the guys at work
were having some fun with him, but he escaped under the port
a potty. Have a good day!
Patricia Winn
Hi Patricia,
Thanks for sending us your Toe-Biter image. We get numerous
images of Toe-Biters, also called Giant Water Bugs or Electric
Light Bugs, from around the world, including the U.S. Please return home safely and soon.
Solpugid
(04/26/2008) Can you name this insect for me...?
I recently moved to Phelan, California back
in January. This area is considered a High Desert. Just
in the last couple days we have been seeing a lot of these
guys. They seem to be really smart and look like they are
ready for a fight...lol. They use their two large front "arms",
for lack of a better word, to climb, no more like scale a
vertical wall. If you could give me a clue to what they
are and if they are poisonous. I appreciate your help. Thanks...
Ty
Attached are a few photos I took in the bath tub before releasing
him back into the desert.
Hello Ty,
The Solpugid is not an insect, it is an arachnid. It is related
to spiders and scorpions, hence its common names Sun Spider
or Wind Scorpion. In some places they are called Sand Puppies,
but they are not related to dogs. Unlike Spiders and Scorpions,
Solpugids do not have venom. They are harmless unless you
are small enough to be considered food, in which case gram
per gram, they might be the fiercest predators on the planet.
We are lucky they don't weigh 150 pounds. They will eat anything
they can catch, which is a benefit in the desert.
House
Centipede
(04/18/2008) 2nd try, I forgot to attach
OK, I did not kill it, I would never kill a bug What is this
guy? I just moved across country and know nothing of bugs
here. He was big.. he was cool. I let him go in the yard after
his photo shoot hehe. Is he dangerous to my kids/pets? TY,
I love you guys and use you more then you know!
Robin Lewis
Hi Robin,
Because of the frequency of queries, and because of the nearly
worldwide distribution, we always keep a photo of a harmless
House Centipede on our homepage. Actually, more than harmless,
they are beneficial predators. Thanks for doing a good deed
and releasing it.
Potato Bug
(04/15/2008) My first potatobug encounter
I encountered this critter the other day whilst digging in
my sorry excuse for a garden. It's the biggest bug I've
ever seen- even after spending my childhood chasing after
various bugs. The part I really wanted to mention though:
I've told more than a few people my favorite bug was the potatobug
because I thought they were cute and I always played with
them when I was little. This has never failed to illicit
looks of disgust and I never understood why. -Now- I
know why, thanks to your website... it was woodlice I liked.
Not potatobugs. I'm a city gal, can you blame me? Enjoy
the juicy pic. I swear it was probably a 5-pounder.
Angela
Hi Angela,
We are afraid to ask what the "wtf" title of your photo stands
for since we strive (sometimes unsucessfully) to be a G-rated
site. Thanks for your interesting Potato Bug anecdote.
Bug
of the Month: April 2008
Carpet
Beetle
(03/08/2008) bug on windowsill
In the last week (first week of March), we have seen several
of these tiny beetle-like bugs on our windowsill. We’re
concerned that they might be from possible dampness in the
wall – or are they from a house plant. It’s
too cold here yet, so you windows have not been open for fresh
air and bugs! Thanks for helping us identify this tiny bug.
It’s about 2 millimetres long.
Lauren
 
Hi Lauren,
This is an Anthrenus Carpet Beetle. It and its siblings have
probably been living all winter in your home as fuzzy larvae,
feeding on wool, feathers or fur, or some other animal product.
Carpet Beetle infestations can do major damage to your valuables
and are considered one of the most serious threats to natural
history museum collections. Adult Carpet Beetles emerge in
the spring and are attracted to windows. They feed on pollen
as adults and are trying to get outside to feed.
Ed. Note: (04/04/2008)
It seems that daily we have been receiving multiple requests
for the identification of Anthrenus
Carpet Beetles, hence our decision to make them the Bug
of the Month for April. These Carpet Beetles can be extremely
destructive to museum collections as well as to natural fibers
in the home. The larvae are fuzzy and are the destructive
stage of the insect.
Carpet Beetle Larva
(04/13/2008) Carpet beetle larva from MN
Hello Daniel and Lisa.
Thanks to your site, which I visit almost daily now, I
was able to identify a carpet beetle larva when I first saw
it last year crawling up the wall in my room. Now I
found another one this year in the same place and time, and
now I have a better camera for getting a decent picture of
it. I noticed that you made it the Bug of the Month
for April, and the picture you have up there is a little blurry,
so I thought you might like some clearer images. I'm
still not sure of the species of this one though. I
live in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.
Joel
Hi Joel,
Thanks for providing us with a sharper and more current image
of a Carpet Beetle Larva. We scoured the archives for the
one we originally posted in the Bug of the Month for April
2008 posting.
(5/21/03)How
can one get rid of crickets that have found their way into
the house?
Catch
them and release them.
Check
out Eric Eaton's new Book!!!
Our Readership is constantly inquiring about
a great field guide for insect identification. Eric Eaton's
new book, Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America
is now in its second printing. Look for it at your local bookstore
or buy directly from Amazon.
Bug Love Poster
View
Poster
(09/12/2006) Ed. Note
Recently, Dave, who worked on the radio transmitter project
to track the migration of Anax
junius, the Green Darner Dragonfly, proposed selling his
awesome Retro posters of Bug Love on our site. A percentage
of the proceeds goes to insect conservation. What's That Bug?
fully endorses this ad and these beautiful posters and we
are not making any profit off of the sales. So, contact Dave
via his email... and tell him What's That
Bug? sent you.
Read Dave's entire letter on our Fanmail
2 page.
Help!
I have these bugs that are invading my home! My husband
and I find at LEAST 5 every morning. Eww! They are the "pincher
bugs". Something else we've discovered in our house
are these dark brown spiders that love to just hang out
on the top of our ceiling. Our newly purchased home in Southern
California is crawling with creatures who've roamed free
in the unattended soil for 50 years. What is the best way
to get rid of insects? We have some yellow jackets that
fly around along with mosquitoes. In our ground though we
have pincher bugs by the thousands and also pill bugs. We
are in the process of ripping out plants, trees and
shrubbery to replant the entire yard. How do we kill off
all the insects!?
Any suggestions would be MOST appreciated!
Thank you!
Rebecca
Dear Rebecca,
Nothing short of a nuclear bomb will rid your property of
all your dreaded insects, but considering the current political
climate, you just might get your wish. In the event that
that doesn't happen, you just might have to learn to live
together. We at What's that Bug? do not advocate getting
rid of all insects since we would be out of business.
(08/27/2005) Hi Daniel and Lisa Anne!
JAW DROP!!!!!
WOW!!!!!!!!!!
I just had to write you two, your site is the best bug site
I have ever seen! Your main page helped me identify a bug
that was posted at our forum, and I must admit that some
of the pictures submitted to your site are so absolutely
beautiful that I had to capture them for my screen saver!
In exchange I wish to offer some photos of my own, taken
in my yard in Santa Ana California. I have included 10 photos
that I took with my digital camera, you may use them as
you see fit I would also like to reply to Rebecca from Southern
California who wishes to know how to get rid of all of her
bugs, if a reply is allowed.
Hi Rebecca!
I live in Southern California too, and I have all the things
you described in my yard as well. If they are getting into
your house, then you probably have openings around windows
and doors that should be attended to. You do not want to
kill the bugs in your yard, they provide very necessary
functions to keep your yard healthy. Ants are your cleaning
crew, they dispose of dead things. Earthworms are what make
the earth that your garden grows in, and their castings
contain an enzyme that repels white flies. Wasps are your
predators, they eat the caterpillars that eat your plants.
Caterpillars are your butterflies and moths, and they pollinate
your flowers so they bloom again next year. Robber flies
are your wasp controllers, they keep wasp populations down.
Potato bugs, pill bugs, earwigs and click beetles are your
compost engineers, they recycle leaf litter and break it
down so the earthworms can turn it into healthy soil. Possums
are your snail controllers. Garden snails are not native
and have no other predator than possums here in California.
Spiders are your general insect controllers, you should
capture and take outside any that wander into your house.
There are many other insects that you will find in your
yard as well, but they are all pretty harmless and will
avoid you if you just give them time to move out of your
way. Your yard is its own ecosystem, with its own checks
and balances. Learn to love your bugs, explore them, research
them, discover the benefits they give to you and the beauty
of your yard. If you get stung by a wasp or bee, or bitten
by a mosquito, simply dissolve a real aspirin in your hand
with a few drops of water and apply directly to the site,
the pain and itch will be gone within a matter of seconds.
If you want to help control your mosquitoes, simply place
a container of water under a bush which is easily accessible
to you and leave it there, check it every day, when you
see the larvae swimming around just dump the entire container
of water on the ground. The larvae will die. Refill the
container. Insure that there is no other standing water
on your property. Keep an eye out for Black Widows, they
are the only bugs in your yard that can actually harm you.
Hope this helps :)
Sincerely,
Cathy :)
Thank you Daniel and Lisa, for such a wonderful site! I
have it bookmarked and will be back here often!
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