Two different
July 31, 2009
Both of these were found in April in Mecca, California (just north of the Salton Sea). I know they’re Solifugae, but can you give me any more specifics? The first was much bulkier than the second.
Jonathan Hakim
Mecca, CA
Solpugid
Hi Jonathan,
Though we do not feel confident trying to properly identify you two Solpugids, commonly called Sun Spider or Wind Scorpions, we will post your photos in the hope that one of our readers is able to distinguish the different families, genera or species. We never go beyond the order Solifugae on them, though BugGuide: does have additional taxonomy, but not much in the way of guidelines.
Solpugid
Look at this big fella
August 1, 2009
I’m figuring it is a borer beetle. It was found at a cabin in Big Bear Lake, California.
Mark
BigBear, CA
Ponderous Borer
Hi Mark,
You are correct. This giant is a Ponderous Borer, Ergates spiculatus and you may find information on the species on older posts on our website as well as viewing the information page on BugGuide.
Help to identify a Black/yellow, Beetle looking Bug
August 1, 2009
Recently (July 31st), a friend of mine took the photo below of a six legged insect, body about 6 cm long, shiny blue-black exosketon, big yellow square flag on its back, and the most amazing feature: the yellow-hooked antennae. Any clue as to what it is?
Harley
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Pachyteria dimidiata from Viet Nam
Hi Harley,
This is a Longicorn Beetle in the family Cerambycidae, but we are uncertain of its exact identification. It resembles, both in structure and coloration, a species from North America, the Elderberry Borer, Desmocerus palliatus, in the tribe Desmocerini and the subfamily Lepturinae, the Flower Longhorns, and it is quite possible that the two beetles are closely related. The Elderberry Borer, which lacks the striking yellow antennae, may be viewed on BugGuide. Hopefully, one of our readers will be able to assist us in the correct identification. Just before hitting publish, we decided to check a lovely coffee table book, Living Jewels, given to us by our dear friend Monika Bielser from Basel Switzerland. Low and behold, we found Pachyteria dimidiata from Malaysia on plate 29 and then found a photo posted online on God of Insects. It is also represented on the Beetles of Thailand website.
Big infestation of tiny bug on Western New York maple
July 31, 2009
Hi! We’ve got a silver maple tree which is just SWARMED with these tiny bugs with striped abdomens. Each bug is about 1/8″ in length, and they gather in these densely-populated spots which are roughly 8 inches in diameter, and these spots are ALL over the tree. Within each spot are HUNDREDS of the little bugs, and 2 or 3 slightly larger winged bugs, which are a little more ant-like than the little bugs.
So what the heck are they doing? Should I worry about the health of the tree and, conversely, our house since the large tree is right next to our house? We’ve lived here for 12 years, and never seen anything like this.
Worried in WNY
Niagara County, northwest corner of NY state
Barklice
Dear Worried,
You will need to change your name to “Not Worried” because these Barklice, Cerastipsocus venosus, are perfectly benign. Though they congregate in large numbers, they will not harm your tree. They feed on lichens and not on the tree, though the presence of lichens might be symptomatic of another problem on your tree. Here is what the Texas A&M University Entomology website offers: “Mouthparts are for chewing. Barklice feed on fungi, algae, dead plant tissues and other debris. Consequently, they are considered harmless and perhaps beneficial to the trees they infest.” We love your scan of these Barklice because most photos we receive show the aggregations. Your scan shows both the winged adult and the striped immature nymph.
What kind of fly is this?
July 31, 2009
They fly around in circles around each other in the middle of my covered patio. They fly slow and in a position where their rear ends are down much lower than their heads. They are smaller than normal house flies but much larger than fruit flies. They don’t care about fly paper. Nothing seems to get rid of them! What can I do to get rid of them? Thanks!
Cheryl
Lakewood, WA
Little House Fly
Hi Cheryl,
Your fly is Fannia canicularis, and it is commonly called the Little House Fly. Here is what Charles Hogue writes about the Little House Fly in his book Insects of the Los Angeles Basin: “This is the fly you see on hot summer days, in the garage, under trees, in doorways, and in other shaded places, hovering in the air, seeming never to land nor to have a place to go. this aimless flight immediately distinguishes this species from our other domestic flies, which fly with purposeful direction and frequently come to rest. Swarms of Little House Flies consist mainly of males; the females usually remain at rest nearby. the Little House Fly is 3/16 inch (5 mm) long, smaller that the House Fly, and it has a slightly more slender body. At rest its wigs overlap and are held together in parallel fashion. Although a maggot, the larva is atypical in that it is flat, oval in shape, and possesses numerous branched projections radiating from edges of the body. Breeding occurs in a wide variety of rotting organic materials. The larvae in our area show some preference for chicken manure, and the species abounds around poultry ranches. In urban areas breeding sites are similar to those of the other domestic flies.” The UC Davis Flies Management Guidelines web page has some good information on this species, and the Exploring California Insects page indicates: “Larvae breed in filth and are attracted by the smell of human urine.”
P.S. We will not be tagging your entry as Unnecessary Carnage, as we really don’t consider every insect that dies by human hands to warrant that distinction.
¶ Posted 01 August 2009 § Flies ‡ ° Ed. Note:
August 1, 2009
Each month, on the first of the month, we have problems with our images posting live. Please be patient and our newest images should be visible in a few hours. Also, for the past 24 hours, BugGuide has not been accessible. Since so many our own postings are linked to BugGuide, our readers will not be able to follow those links. That situation is a mystery and out of our control, but we hope the folks at BugGuide remedy the problem soon.
Both situations are thankfully resolved
Unidentified Rosemary Bug
July 31, 2009
I found this bug all over my rosemary plant. It doesn’t appear to be harming the plant yet. Could you identify this bug? How would you suggest ridding the plant of this bug?
Best Regards, Brian Jennings
Fraser, Mi, USA
Mealybugs
Hi Brian,
This is a Mealybug, and it is a common plant pest related to Scale Insects found in the garden, in the greenhouse, and on houseplants. There are several genera and species of Mealybugs, and we believe you may have the Citrus Mealybug, Planococcus citri, a common species known to infest rosemary. Now that you know what you have, you should be able to locate numerous online sources to help you control the Mealybugs. We have been unable to log onto BugGuide since yesterday, but we found a University of Wisconsin Master Gardener page on Mealybugs with much helpful information.
Black Beetle
July 26, 2009
I’m wondering if you can help me identify this. It was probably a little over an inch long. It was in my driveway, I live in Southern New Jersey not too far from the coast.
Suzann
New Jersey
Eyed Elater
Dear Suzann,
Congratulations on being selected Bug of the Month for August 2009, though your letter will not be posted live until August 1. This is an Eyed Elater, Alaus oculatus, a large distinctive species of Click Beetle. Click Beetles get their name from their ability, when they find themselves on their back, to snap their body at the joint, propelling themselves into the air sometimes for quite a distance, and flipping around to land on their feet. According to BugGuide, the Eyed Elater is found in “Eastern and central North America–widespread. South Dakota east to Quebec, south to Texas, Florida.“ BugGuide also indicates that “Adults may take some nectar and plant juices. Larvae are predatory, eating grubs of wood-boring beetles like cerambycids (longhorns)” and “Eggs are laid in soil. Larvae predators of beetle larvae in decaying wood, especially hardwoods. Pupation is in unlined cell underground or in rotting wood. Adults come to lights.“ The eyespots of the Eyed Elater act as a protection against predators like birds which may think the beetle is actually a snake. We have been getting numerous requests for the identification of Eyed Elaters this summer.
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