Biting Flies

On · Category: Flies · Add Comment

) Hi bugman!
I live in West Michigan and just before it is going to rain the flies start to bite! Can you tell me why they do this? It is even worse if you are out on Lake Michigan?
Thank you!
Jennifer

Hi Jennifer,
Probably the increased humidity makes them more active. Usually the female fly bites and often she must have blood before she can lay fertile eggs. My guess is the conditions are right for mating and the flies are biting as part of the mating ritual.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Nessus Sphinx

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

It was so good to find your website with answers to what this little creature is. I couldn’t open up all the pictures of the spinx moths you featured but it gave me a good idea that it is indeed what I saw. Like others, I first thought this was a hummingbird because of its long tube that was sucking nectar and fast little wings. But, it looked more like a bumblebee and was only one inch in size. I live in NJ and saw this in June. Any chance you can confirm for me that this is a spinx moth?
Thanks. Linda G

Hi Linda,
It looks to me like a Nessus Sphinx, Amphion nessus. The indicating features are the small head, and plump body. Also the two white stripes on the abdomen and the tuft at the tip. According to Holland: “It ranges from Canada to Georgia and westward to Wyoming. It flies in the daytime on cloudy days and in the late afternoon before sunset. The caterpillar feeds on Ampelopsis and the wild grape.”

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Blinded Sphinx

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

What is this thing???
Hello!
I was outside this evening and noticed a rather ominous looking creature on the side of my garage. Can you tell me what it is? Looks like a Stealth fighter, don’t you think??
Thanks!
Kelly Y

Hi Kelly,
Beautiful moth. It is a Blinded Sphinx, Calasymbolus excaecatus. The caterpillar feeds on willow, Hazel and other similar plants. The moth is relatively common in Pennsylvania, and ranges from southern Canada to Florida, and west to the Mississippi River. Sphinx Moths, also called Hawk Moths, are very strong fliers, so your comment about the stealth bomber is on the mark. Thanks again for a beautiful photograph.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Myriapod

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

I live in southcentral Kentucky and have found these occasionally when planting something. Recently, I have found lots of dead ones at the bottom of the pool. Can you tell me what they are? I have attached a couple of pictures. Thanks.

We just got the following correction from Joe:
(06/23/2005) Isopod or myriapod?
Great website! The last time I was looking at a photo one of your readers sent ( More Isopods(07/07/2004) and you identified it as a type of terrestrial isopod. However, as far as I know all isopods (superclass Crustacea) have only 7 pairs of legs. The photo shows an arthropod with two pairs of legs per body segment and at least 13 body segments, besides the head and abdomen. I am inclined to believe this is of the superclass Myriapoda, not Crustacea; specifically Class Diploda, Super Order Pentazonia. I am unsure of the order (could be Glomerida or Sphaeriotheriida (both commonly known to roll up in a ball), otherwise known as pill millipedes. I certainly don’t consider myself an expert, so perhaps you can clarify? Thank you, Joe

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Termites

On · Category: Termites · Add Comment

hi I am from mexico and I have faund many insects in my garden that I cant identify so if you can help me I will be thankfull.
Daniel Vasques Abarca

Hi Daniel,
Did you attach photos? They did not arrive. Where in Mexico?

well first i¨am fome mexico city the capital y will send you the fotos now.

Hi again Daniel,
This image looks like a termite. (7/1/03)I moved into a duplex over a year ago and have noticed that starting around May-July, these winged, ant-like insects start invading the place. Theyre about 1/2 inch long, and seem to hop around erraticly more than fly. I’ve noticed that most of them are coming in through the vent in the ceiling in the heater closet. There is tree that hovers over my roof at about that point, so I’m guessing they are dropping down from there. They seem to be attracted to my tub or any kind of light once they get in the house. I’ve tried spraying inside the closet, but it seems they come back after a couple of days, and are probably getting in from other places as well. I’ve clear-caulked around the baseboards in my livingroom and there aren’t as many in that area now, though some still manage to get in from there. How do I get rid of them? I don’t necessarily like killing insects and mostly just throw them back outside, but there seems to be hundreds of these ant/beetles and I am unwilling to share my home with so many annoying pests. My landlords gave me a few bug bombs, but I don’t think that is going to do anything but poison my dog. I’ve resorted to putting some boric acid mixed with powdered sugar in the spots I’ve seen them (where my dog can’t get to it), but they don’t seem very interested and keep returning. Help!

Dear Bugged,
They are probably swarming ants or termites. The fertile kings and queens launch from the nest for their nuptial flight, mate and begin new colonies. Spring is the time for the swarms, usually on warm days after a rain. Food will not tempt them since they want to reproduce. An exterminator might be the answer.

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Another Dobsonfly Drawing?

On · Category: Dobsonflies and Fishflies · Add Comment

Can you tell me what this bug is?We saw it approx 10 yds from a river,in central Minnesota.Someone said maybe a water scorpian,but the pictures of water scorpians I saw,were different than this.This has a more slender body,light grey in color,and the pinchers were short.I did not notice any sort of tail on this one?Thanks~
Mary Hoeper

Hi Mary,
We believe your fabulous drawing and descriptive text is representative of a Dobsonfly, probably a female.

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House Centipede Terrifies Again!

On · Category: Centipedes · Add Comment

Long creepy bug
Hi, this may sound like a very weird story. I know you get emails like this all the time and it turns out being this same thing but i have a question about the house centipede. Ok so heres my story. I walked into the bathroom one night to do my business (my bathroom has linolium and carpet because it is also my laundry room if that matters). Well i walk in to go to the bathroom and i turn on the light when just is a get to the toilet i see this bug scurry across the floor. It was well i guess a light yellow or clearish color and i believe it had two very thin brown "racing stripes" down his back. Well he scurried across the floor and ran around a bag of papers sitting there. Well i was so scared that after i went to the bathroom, i stood on the toilet to wash my hands. But you may be thinking to yourself, yeah its just another house centipede but i looked at the photos and the one i saw the legs weren’ t as long as the one photo but it did have feelers in the front but there wasn’t just a couple legs like the photo, no, there was ALOT. I am so deathly afraid to go back in the bathroom so i would be really thankfully if you can just let me know that its not poisonous or anything bad, i mean my dad’s work boots are now locked in the bathroom with this creature!
Thanks a Bunch,
Bathroom Critter

Dear Critter,
Though they are startling, House Centipedes are harmless. When they are running, they appear to have many more legs than they actually possess.

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Mexican Aphids

On · Category: Aphids, Scale Insects, Leafhoppers, and Tree Hoppers · Add Comment

hi I am from mexico and I have faund many insects in my garden that I cant identify so if you can help me I will be thankfull.
Daniel Vasquez

Hi Daniel,
Did you attach photos? They did not arrive. Where in Mexico?

well first i¨am fome mexico city the capital y will send you the fotos now.

Hi again Daniel,
This image is of a species of Aphid, from the family Aphididae. They are pests that infest many types of plants. When numerous, they can be very injurious, especially to young tender shoots. They suck the juices from the plants and are also capable of tranmitting viruses to your plants.

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