Unknown yellow insect
June 20, 2009
Hi, I’ve been trying to figure out what the name of this insect is, but it hasn’t been easy. I saw it on a vacation to Turkey, Marmaris, and now it’s just bugging me that I don’t know it’s name. Can you help?
Christina
Turkey, Marmaris
Spoonwing
Hi Christina,
This unusual insect is a Spoonwing or Threadwing Lacewing in the family Nemopteridae. It looks rather like a specimen from Portugal on the Nemopteridae website that is identified as Nemoptera bipennis.
What did my son find?
June 20, 2009
My five year old LOVES catepillars and he found this one in Southwest Georgia on a Confederate Jasmine vine. It is about 1.25 inches.
J. Brooks
Southwest Georgia US
Pine Devil Moth Caterpillar
Dear J.,
We wonder by chance if your son raised this caterpillar to see what the adult is. We have been unsuccessful in pinpointing the species, but we have a far-fetched theory. We believe this most resembles the Splendid Royal Moth Caterpillar, Citheronia splendens pictured on BugGuide. There are several subspecies in Mexico and BugGuide lists sightings in Arizona and Florida. You are in south Georgia, and if there is an established population in Florida, it is entirely possible that your caterpillar might be a Splendid Royal Moth Caterpillar. The size you indicate would mean this is not the final instar for the caterpillar, and that it will grow, molt and change appearance before becoming a pupa. We expect that as soon as this is posted, someone will write in with an obvious identification that will make us feel foolish.
Update: with correction by Bill Oehlke
Seems we weren’t too far astray. Bill Oehlke believes this to be a Pine Devil Moth Caterpillar, Citheronia sepulcralis, a member of the same genus.
Daniel,
Citheronnia splendens sinaloensis would be far from natural habitat in Florida or Georgia. I believe it is an early instar of Citheronia sepulcralis.
Bill Oehlke
I think that is what it is!! I found a sightings map and there have been some sighted about 45 miles west and southwest of my location which is Thomasville, GA. There is a Pitch pine behind our house…which is very unusual for this area. Must be where he came from. Can’t wait to tell my son what the caterpillar was. By the way, he did not raise it. We found it and released it. Thanks so much for your help!!! I’m sure we will be contacting you again because he is in the yard daily looking for “bugs”
J
A friend of mine is inquiring …
July 5, 2009
A friend of mine is inquiring about the name and type of insect this is. After much searching on the internet and books of insects, I am still not able to identify it. Thank you in advance for your help.
Your letter to the bugman This picture was taken outside of a house in Jamaica, West Indies. The insect as unsual antenaes. They look like twigs and are longer in length then the body of the insect.
not sure
Jamaica, West Indies
Unidentified Cerambycid from Jamaica
Dear not sure,
This is some species of Longicorn in the family Cerambycidae. We will try to do additional research.
Update from Eric Eaton
July 20, 2009
Daniel:
The Jamaican longhorn is probably <i>Neoptychodes trilineatus</i>, or at least in that genus, eh? No problem, maan….:-)
Eric
Huge green Ortopthera (?)
July 5, 2009
Helo! Todays walk near Danube cliff revealed me this huge cricket, which im trying to identify whole day. But closest that i get is Phaneroptera nana… Still it doesnt seep to be one. Phaneroptera nana is relatively frekvent here… Anyway, this one on the picture have more coned head, somewhat thinner body and white stripes 
Can u help?
Aleksandar
Serbia
Predatory Bush Cricket
Greetings Aleksandar,
This is most definitely not a Mediterranean Katydid, Phaneroptera nana. Your specimen is a female judging by her long swordlike ovipositor. She is also in the suborder Ensifera, the Longhorned Orthopterans. We also would concur that this is a species of Katydid in the family Tettigoniidae. We believe we have identified it as a Predatory Bush Cricket in the genus Saga, perhaps Saga pedo based on a photo on BioLib. There are many additional images on BioLib and when we did a websearch of the name, we found a page that indicates 6 specimens were found in Michigan and indicates it is called the Matriarchal Katydid because: “No males; females large and wingless. Known only from Jackson County, Michigan. Length 60–65 mm.” and “A reasonable hypothesis as to how the matriarchal katydid was brought to Michigan is that one or more of its eggs were in soil adhering to farm equipment returning from plowing contests in Italy. The first Michigan specimen was collected in 1970 and only six have been taken since. Unlike our native katydids and other species of Saga in Europe, the matriarchal katydid is obligatorily parthenogenetic. No males are known from here or from Europe. Even though there is no male calling song, females have prominent tympanal organs on the fore tibiae.” We located a pdf ( cantrall72) of a Great Lakes Entomologist article written by Irving J Cantrall that contains accounts of the discovery in the early 1970s of this species in Michigan.
green dragonfly
July 8, 2009
I have a photo of a light emerld green dragonfly with a green and brn. tail. Clear wings, brn eyes. What’s that bug?
tsinche
Mpls. MN
Eastern Pondhawk
Dear tsinche,
Your dragonfly looks like an Eastern Pondhawk, Erythemis simplicicollis, to us. BugGuide has a comprehensive set of images on this species.
Large Yellow Moth
July 18, 2009
I need help with identification of another moth. This one is a large yellow moth and was found in Uvita, Costa Rica also.
Thanks!
Whitney
Uvita, Costa Rica
Saturniid from Costa Rica: Eacles imperialis decoris
Hi again Whitney,
We believe this is a female Eacles species, possibly Eacles masoni, based on some images on the World’s Greatest Saturniidae Site. There is a U.S. species known as the Imperial Moth and there are several subspecies of the Imperial Moth, Eacles imperialis found in Costa Rica as well. Again, we will be copying Bill Oehlke on this response so that he may catalog the sighting, and perhaps he will be able to clarify exactly what species this is. Your close winged view is not one found on the WGSS website.
Correction from Bill Oehlke
Daniel,
It is Eacles imperialis decoris female, based on thin slightly scalloped pm line.
Thanks.
Bill Oehlke
Grapevine Beetle
July 18, 2009
Found this 3 cm-long beetle a few days ago in a patch of clover on my lawn. From your site I determined that it’s a Grapevine Beetle. I have no grapes, but some of the neighbours probably do.
Ray
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Grapevine Beetle
Hi Ray,
Your identification of the Grapevine Beetle, Pelidnota punctata. This species ranges in color from a very pale yellow to a rusty red, but the spots remain a consistent identification feature.
Large beetle in E. Washington state
July 18, 2009
We found this large black/brown/red beetle with reddish legs and a red underside on our driveway on July 18 in Spokane Valley, WA. It was discovered just after dusk. It is 3-4 inches in length. When touched on the back, it would raise it’s back legs to make a scraping/hissing sound. What is it? What does it eat? Are they common in this area (we’ve never seen one before)
Lobdells
Spokane Valley, WA
California Root Borer
Dear Lobdells,
This is a California Root Borer, Prionus californicus. It ranges from Canada to Mexico on the West Coast, as far inland as Nevada and Montana. According to Charles Hogue in Insect of the Los Angeles Basin, the larvae bore into roots of oaks, madrone, cottonwood, fruit trees and eucalyptus. Adults emerge and fly in early summer and are attracted to lights. The beetle is not considered rare, but populations may be very localized. Your specimen looks like a female as males are smaller and have more exaggerated antennae.
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