On · Category: Hummingbird Moths, Sphinx Moths or Hawk Moths · Add Comment

Subject: Fantastic hawkmoth(?)
Location: Murfreesboro, TN
May 18, 2013 7:56 pm
Hello bugfolk,
My coworker and I found this gorgeous mothy hiding out from the rain in a greenhouse just a few days past. We’re located in the middle Tennessee area. I was hoping to find out more about it–it looks like it’s in the Sphingidae family.
Thanks bunches!
Signature: Critter Crazy

Achemon Sphinx

Achemon Sphinx

Dear Critter Crazy,
This lovely moth is an Achemon Sphinx and we hope you had an opportunity to see its pretty pink underwings which are hidden while the moth is at rest.  You can read more about the Achemon Sphinx on the Sphingidae of the Americas website.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Magnificent Click Beetle from the Philippines

On · Category: Click Beetles · Add Comment

Subject: Click Beetle (Philippines)
Location: Tagaytay City, Luzon, Philippines
May 18, 2013 8:00 pm
Hi Bugman,
As requested, sending you three pics of the click beetle that I saw 2 weekends ago.
Location is Tagaytay City, Luzon, Philippines. Just as an fyi, Tagaytay City is around 2,000 ft. above sea level and has a relatively cool climate.
Here is the video again as well. Hope you can see it this time. If not, I will try another way to send it to you.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=569120633133070&l=4035790639141631968 (select the link, right click on it and choose ” Go to https:\\ … ” .
rgds,
Noel
Signature: Noel Coronel

Click Beetle

Click Beetle

Dear Noel,
We are so happy you sent a comment to our Click Beetle from Thailand posting.  We will write more on this later.

Click Beetle

Click Beetle

In the original posting, we eventually learned this magnificent Click Beetle is Ocynopterus mucronatus and that Project Noah also places the species in the Philippines.

Click Beetle

Click Beetle

 

 

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Acrobat Beetle

On · Category: Darkling and Ironclad Beetles · Add Comment

Subject: Black beetle in Santa Fe does a fearsome handstand
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico
May 18, 2013 12:45 pm
I found this beetle, which was about the size of my thumb, outside my dormitory. When I poked it, it did a little handstand and stuck out its hind legs, presumably to dissuade me from eating it. I wasn’t actually hungry, but I was intimidated all the same.
Signature: Mendez

Acrobat Beetle

Acrobat Beetle

Dear Mendez,
We love your photo of an Acrobat Beetle or Desert Stink Beetle in the genus Eleodes.  When disturbed, the Acrobat Beetle sticks its butt up in the air and releases a foul odor to dissuade predators.  We often see Desert Stink Beetles in Los Angeles parks and open spaces and at Joshua Tree National Park.  You can browse BugGuide to try to identify your Acrobat Beetle to the species level based on the appearance of its fused elytra or wing covers and your location in New Mexico. 

IMG_0181

Desert Stink Beetle: Eleodes species

 

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Burrowing Wolf Spider

On · Category: Wolf Spiders · 2 Comments

Subject: shy spider strikes a pose!
Location: West central Texas
May 18, 2013 7:09 am
This little lady was playing peek-a-boo with me as the sun came up this morning. From what I’ve found online, she has to be a scrub burrowing wolf spider, but I couldn’t find any pics online that looked quite like her. As far as I could tell, her body was smooth, legs hairy, dark brown except for some of the top of her abdomen which was cream colored.
I managed to fend off my cat and get a series of pics as she came out of hiding. Made my day!
Signature: DeeJay, the bug nerd

Burrowing Wolf Spider

Burrowing Wolf Spider

Dear DeeJay,
Thanks for sending us your photos of a Burrowing Wolf Spider, most likely a member of the genus Geolycosa.  Your photos really illustrate the burrowing habits.

Burrowing Wolf Spider

Burrowing Wolf Spider

Burrowing Wolf Spider

Burrowing Wolf Spider

 

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Burying Beetle

On · Category: Carrion Beetles Tagged With: · Add Comment

Subject: Big huge bug!!
Location: Outside @ Walgreens
May 17, 2013 4:01 pm
I saw this big ol’ bug outside of Walgreens in Minnesota. I’ve never seen one before! It was huge! Probably a little more than an inch long, and moving pretty slowly. I took a picture with my foot for size comparison but I didn’t want to get too close in case it decided to crawl on me…
Signature: Leslie

Sexton Beetle

Sexton Beetle

Hi Leslie,
This is a Burying Beetle or Sexton Beetle in the genus Nicrophorus, but we cannot say for certain which species it is.  Perhaps one of our readers can provide some suggestions.  Sexton Beetles often work in pairs to bury small, dead animals.  Eggs are laid on the putrifying flesh and the adults help to guard the growing brood.  More information on Sexton Beetles as well as photos of many North American species are posted on BugGuide.  We actually think this Sexton Beetle would look lovely crawling on your stylish footwear.  Because we occasionally get images of insects that contribute to fashion statements, we created a Buggy Accessories tag that we hope our readers find amusing.  Though we would have to imagine this Sexton Beetle accessorizing your fashionable running shoes, it isn’t too difficult as our staff has such vivid imaginations, so we are taking the liberty of tagging your post as a Buggy Accessory.

Sexton Beetle

Sexton Beetle

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Luna Moth

On · Category: Luna Moth - Rare Specimen · Add Comment

Subject: Please ID This Insect
Location: Arlington, VA 22204
May 17, 2013 11:05 am
We found a Luna Moth is Arlington, VA 20850 on May 17, 2013.
This insect, thought to be just a leaf at first, was seen on May 17, 2013 in Arlington, VA adjacent to Washington, DC. It was lying on a parking lot floor which is open to the surrounding area. This is an urban area of businesse and residences. Reasonable density of trees, bushes.
It was alive when the attached picture was taken. The wingspan is about 4-5 inches.
Light green in color, obvious antenae upon close inspection. Large spots positioned symetrically on the wings look like eyes. Probably great example of use of both camouflage and threatening appearance at the same time.
Signature: Harold Cypress

Luna Moth

Luna Moth

Hi Harold,
Thanks for sending us your photo of this lovely Luna Moth.  It is nice to know they are found in urban Arlington.

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Female Eastern Hercules Beetle

On · Category: Scarab Beetles · Add Comment

Subject: yellow with black spotted beetle
Location: North West GA
May 17, 2013 11:50 am
This bug was on our back porch and we are curious what it was. The image was taken in June 2012. The bug came and hung out for a while and was gone the next day.
Signature: Thanks, Bunny

Female Eastern Hercules Beetle

Female Eastern Hercules Beetle

Hi Bunny,
This is a female Eastern Hercules Beetle.  Males are horned.  This is the heaviest North American beetle and we generally get reports in June and July, so posting your image from last year should act as a nice preview of this year’s sightings.

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond. I had done quite a bit of searching last year but the no horn threw us off. Am new to your site, but find it very interesting.

 

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Giant Western Crane Fly

On · Category: Crane Fly · Add Comment

Subject: What is this bug!!!???
Location: Portland, Oregon
May 16, 2013 12:26 pm
Hi Bugman..
My friend took a pic of this in Portland, Oregon. People are saying it’s a spider, but it has 6 legs! Looks like it has wings and a snout~
Signature: Thanks, Clancy

Crane Fly

Giant Western Crane Fly

Hi Clancy,
This is a Crane Fly.  Those black “knees” look distinctive, so we attempted a web search to determine a species identity and we found a similar photo on the Fontenelle Nature Association Nature Search website that is identified as Tipula dorsimacula.  Though the images on BugGuide also have black knees, we are not certain of the species being correct for your Crane Fly, so we are contacting Chen Young, a Crane Fly expert for his opinion.

Dr. Chen Young responds
Daniel,
This one is Holorusia haspera, the largest crane fly species in the western states.
Chen

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