Cicada Killer
August 5, 2009
Hello 
I recently found this interesting wasp looking bug hanging from my balcony holding a cicada. Normally, I would not have known what the heck was going on here (some kind of inter-species fling??) But just that morning, I had read an article in the local newsletter about these interesting bugs, and decided to take a few pics. The article was lettiong members of the community know to not kill them or try to exterminate them, that they are a “good bug” (as most are, but still we have to squish or swat them out of fear)
After perusing your site for the identification of a house centipede (a very scary million-legged beast that was crawling around with our son on the floor. Unfortunately, after reading about it, I would have tried to put it outside to battle our spider problem…) I thought about the pictures I had taken of the cool Cicada Killer in action. I thought that they would be a great addition to your site and some good education for paeple that may not know about them. Sadly, the Cicada Killer could not keep holding on to the balcony with one leg, and dropped his prey, so I got a pic of that too (quite a pretty cicada actually).
Enjoy and keep doin what youre doin, and thanks for my newfound interest in bugs
Cool Bug Lover
Washington, DC
Cicada Killer and Annual Cicada
Dear Cool Bug Lover,
Thanks for sending us your great food chain images of a Cicada Killer and an Annual Cicada. Female Cicada Killers are used to struggling with their large ungainly prey and we suspect she eventually arrived at her burrow with her catch. The Cicada Killer takes advantage of gravity by climbing trees and other tall structures and gliding toward the nest with the prey in tow. We are also gladdened to hear your local newsletter is promoting tolerance of Cicada Killers which terrify many of our readers.
Cicada Killer and Annual Cicada Prey
beautiful caterpillar!
August 4, 2009
I am clueless on what this liittle fella might be. We found him on a weed down our driveway, we live in a wooded area in southeastern Virginia. Please help us, it is not eating and we are worried he wot make it.
clueless
south eastern virginia
Brown Hooded Owlet Moth Caterpillar
Dear clueless,
Do not be so hard on yourself. You know it is a caterpillar and you know it is beautiful. Now you know it is a Brown Hooded Owlet Moth Caterpillar, Cucullia convexipennis, and you may see a matching image on BugGuide. Also according to BugGuide, they eat the flowers and leaves of goldenrod and aster.
Big, Beautiful Bald Faced Hornet Hive
August 4, 2009
Spotted this hive near our neighborhood swimming pool. It’s up fairly high as you can see in the first image. Hopefully no one will disturb it. My kids and I enjoyed watching all their activity from across the street. Through my last photo I believe I’ve identified these wasps as Bald faced hornets. I’m curious if they will leave the hive in winter? If so, will they return or would it be okay to take the hive down?
Resa in Atlanta
Atlanta, GA
Bald Faced Hornet's Nest
Hi Resa,
Bald Faced Hornets are amazing wasps and we are happy to hear you have decided that you can coexist with them. If the neighborhood pool is a public pool and the nest is on state or city land, we suspect some concerned parent may request that it be removed for safety. We would also be concerned that some children might try to climb the tree to disturb the nest as Bald Faced Hornets can get very aggressive if their nest is disturbed. Throwing rocks at the nest, which children may be inclined to do, could also have dangerous ramifications. The Bald Faced Hornets will not sting unless provoked, but provocation can happen. We are quite happy to hear that your own children are being educated about these majestic creatures, but sadly, all households in an urban environment are not so inclined. Come winter the hive will die off and after mating, the new queens will find a warm place to hibernate so a new nest can be started in the spring. Bald Faced Hornets to not reuse old nests and the nest in your photos will be abandoned. We were just alerted to a recent online story entitled Invasive Yellow Jacket Wasps Altering Haleakala Ecosystem in the Honolulu Advisor about introduced Western Yellowjackets in Hawaii. These are also annual wasps that typically build small nests each year, but the climate in Hawaii has allowed for multi-generational use of the nests which are becoming quite large. When species are introduced to a new environment with a different climate and no predators, the indigenous species often suffer.
Bald Faced Hornets
August 4, 2009
I usually freak out at any bug (especially silverfish, they CREEP me out), but when I found your website I’m instead curious rather than afraid of many bugs. A few nights ago I killed a wasp-looking bug on my door and I felt so horrible after I killed it that I wanted to look it up and I came across your site. I found out that the “stinger” was probably a ovipository-thingie (sorry, I know very LITTLE about bugs so far).
Another example is that I found a wee bug on my wall that looked like a tick (which I HATE) but instead of killing it I looked it up and found out that it was a grain weevil, so I put it outside. I can’t believe how I was so scared of something harmless like that.
The point is, I have learned a lot from this website, and the entries here have probably saved many future bugs that I happen to encounter. So, thanks
By the way, I know now the names of my favorite bugs; like the majestic luna moth, or the fairy-like wooly aphids that were in our yard a couple months ago.
Thanks for your GREAT website.
Chris
Hi Chris,
Thanks for your nice complimentary letter. We are happy to hear that you will be researching which of the insects are beneficial or benign before killing them, but we should probably clarify that some killings may be justified. We do not hesitate to kill grain weevils or pantry beetles we find infesting our stored foods and if you found one grain weevil on your wall, chances are good they are consuming your food or your pet’s food somewhere in the house. We also do not hesitate to squash Woolly Aphids that we find on our apple tree. Though the adult winged aphids might look fairy-like, they can still cause problems in the garden if they get too plentiful. As in the case so often in so many other areas, the key is in moderation and not extreme fanaticism. We are happy that What’s That Bug? is contributing to both your education and your appreciation of the lower beasts.
what is this bug?
August 4, 2009
found this outside my house , sorry for picture quality (cell phone)
patrick
AZ
Antlion
Hi Patrick,
This is an Antlion, and we believe it is in the genus Scotoleon based on the photos posted to BugGuide which show a long abdomen. All the photos representing this genus on Bugguide are from Arizona, New Mexico and California. Immature Antlions are known as Doodlebugs.
A Fly in Southeast Arizona
August 4, 2009
Hello,
I was wondering if you can Id this for me…it’s a colourful fly with patterned wings. They seemed not to be bothered at all when we get near them. They are congregating on our glass doors in our building this past month. They came and went and only stuck around for a few weeks. I think it could be some sort of Syrphid fly or a bee fly, but it’s just my guess. I’m more into beetles and butterflies. Please help! Thank you!
Izzy
Benson, Arizona
Tachinid Fry
Hi Izzy,
When flies are this hairy, it is a very good indication that they might be Tachinid Flies. We browsed through the archives of BugGuide and identified your Tachinid Fly as Uramya indita, which has no common name. There is no species information, nor genus information, but on the subfamily Dexiinae page, BugGuide indicates: “Nearly all members of this subfamily are said to be parasitic on Coleoptera or Lepidoptera larvae.“ The Tachinidae family page of BugGuide indicates: “Food Larval stages are parasitoids of other insects. Almost every order of insects is attacked by tachinids, including a few types of non-insect arthropods. Some tachinids are very specific and others can parasitize a wide variety of hosts. The most common hosts are caterpillars. Life Cycle Most tachinids deposit their eggs directly on the body of their host, and it is not uncommon to see caterpillars with several tachinid eggs on them. Upon hatching the larva usually burrows into its host and feeds internally. When fully developed it leaves the host and pupates nearby. Some tachinids lay their eggs on foliage; the larvae are flattened and are called planidia; they remain on the foliage until they find a suitable host.”
What is this bug??????
August 4, 2009
Please help me identify this bug! This is the second in a week of these things that has appeared at my house in South Florida. They look like mini lobsters with scorpion pinchers. Are they something to be worried about?
Mike Paulson
South Florida
Crayfish
Hi Mike,
This is a Crayfish and it is a Crustacean and there is nothing to worry about.
Daniel:
Hmmmm. I guess it is! Given the amount of rain we are having in Florida, the preserve behind my house has water in it, where it doesn’t usually. I guess that’s causing crayfish to move in.
Thanks for the clarification!
Mike
Thanks Daniel!
I hope I can catch a midge in action. By the way, the root borer you posted is a Palo Verde beetle (Derobrachus geminatus). We have lot’s of them in Tucson- they’re HUGE, and they’re really active right now, during the monsoon. I like their fancy spiked collars! Here’s another!
Emily
Palo Verde Root Borer
Hi Emily,
Thanks for the suggestion on the Mexican Beetle. An expert in the genus might be able to say for sure if it is a different species, but we are taking to the opportunity to post your Palo Verde Root Borer, Derobracus hoverei as its own posting.
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