black moth wasp?
Location: Ann Arbor ,MI
July 30, 2010 1:21 pm
Dear Bugman, I have lived in Michigan my entire life, and only this year have ever noticed a bug like the one in my picture. These insects are actually fairly commonly found on the balcony of the apartment I recently moved into. They like to rest on the wood of the railing and sometimes hang around in my potted flowers. The balcony is a favorite place of many kinds of wasps (yellow jackets and others) and bees. My home is near a small stand of forest. These mystery bugs started showing up toward the end of June. I have been searching the internet for help identifying, and have found some creatures known as ”wasp moths”. I am wondering if perhaps that’s what they are. The picture I have submitted is the one that is the clearest – it also happens to have two of the insects in it. I believe they are mating. Any help with identification would be most appreciated. Thank you.
Kristin Knuutila
Mating Tiger Bee Flies
Hi Kristin,
These are mating Tiger Bee Flies, Xenox tigrinus, a species that is widespread across North America according to BugGuide.
Daniel,
Thank you forgetting back to me. I really appreciate it. I actually found some Tiger Bee Fly pictures on your site after I had submitted my picture. I guess I should scour your archives more carefully next time. Thank you again for the prompt reply and the service you provide.
Kristin
¶ Posted 01 August 2010 § Bee Flies ‡ ° Also tagged: Mating stick insects from Vietnam 
But what kind..?
Location: Jungle, Island, Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
July 31, 2010 7:53 am
We were trekking through the jungle on one of the islands of Ha Long Bay, Vietnam, with me constantly lagging behind the rest of the group. But thank goodness I did because I managed to spot this lovely little pair having a go at it on a leaf. If I remember correctly (I spotted them a month ago at the beginning of July) she was about 4-5 inches in length. I loved the almost scale-like patterns of yellow and black on the female. The male wasn’t quite as distinctive. They both had a few ”thorns” poking out of their abdomens. I’ve tried searching for what these guys are called, but I am clueless. Thanks!
Rixie
Unidentified Mating Walkingsticks are Neohirasea maerens
Hi Rixie,
We agree that this is an attractive pair of Walkingsticks. We will need to research their identity, but we are posting them prior to research since one of our readers might be able to assist in the identification.
Update from Karl
August 3, 2010
Hi Daniel and Rixie:
It looks like a pair of Neohirasea maerens (Phasmatidae: Lonchodinae). This native of Vietnam and neighboring countries is apparently quite popular among Walkingstick breeders so there is quite a lot of information available on the internet. Regards.
Karl
I see that Karl was able to identify them. Thank you so much for you help! You all do fantastic work and I love your site 
Rixie
Moths breeding
Location: Dallas Fort Worth Texas
July 18, 2010 2:40 pm
These moths were breeding on a piece of wood on my driveway. Date was April 21, 2010. Dallas, Fort Worth area of Texas.
Sarah Goodrich
Mating Pink Striped Oakworm Moths
Hi Sarah,
Your moths are Oakworm Moths in the genus Anisota, most probably the Pink Striped Oakworm Moths, Anisota virginiensis, though there are other members in the genus that look quite similar.
Thick-headed Bug Love
July 14, 2010
Found some thick-headed flies courting and thought you might like them for your bug love page. They were mating until I rudely interrupted with my camera, poor things.
Sara
central NJ
Mating Thick Headed Flies
Hi Sara,
We keep on saying this is the last letter we are posting today, and we keep finding awesome letters and photos, but we really need to stop with your awesome images of Thick Headed Flies in the family Conopidae.
Mating Thick Headed Flies
¶ Posted 15 July 2010 § Flies ‡ ° Also tagged: Bumblebee Gathering: Mating, Getting warm?
July 15, 2010
Continuing my backlog of photos, here is some pictures of a group of four, possibly five bumblebees. I am not exactly sure what they were doing when I took the photo. I have a video of it as well. My personal theory is that they were grouping together to stay warm, but it’s possible I witnessed a rare bumblebee orgy!
Any information you can provide will be most helpful!
Joseph Grabko
Harrisburg, PA, USA
Bumble Bee Mating Frenzy
Hi Joseph,
Thanks for sending us your photos of a Bumble Bee mating aggregation. Two years ago, we posted a similar photo and here is what Eric Eaton had to say at the time. “Daniel: The bumble bee mating behavior is typical of many ground-nesting bees. Virgin queens are a hot commodity, so males flock to them and compete for an opportunity to mate. Eric Eaton“
Thank you for the quick response! We have a LOT of bumblebees in the summer, mainly because of our large Lavender plant in our front yard. However, this was the first and only time I had seen this behavior! I’m glad I was able to run inside fast enough to get my camera. I had to leave shortly after taking the photos and short video, and when I returned, there was no sign of them. The location they chose was odd… the sand you see is where we normally have an above-ground pool, so instead of a grassy area, they chose the one place with the least amount of cover to mate. Thank you once again for the prompt response!
Indiana Black Beetle Unidentified
July 10, 2010
My friend was camping in Indiana on July 10th and this black bug mating with another of its kind strolled up on the picnic blanket. Just wondering what it was since i’ve never seen anything like it. Thanks for all your help!
Charles Kolb
Indiana – in July
Mating Eyed Elaters
Hi Charles,
These are mating Eyed Elaters, a species of Click Beetle.
Is this a robber fly?
July 6, 2010
I see these strange bugs in my friend’s garden all the time. I have pictures of one of them eating a moth. I have looked thru your pictures and believe this must be some kind of robber fly. They are very creepy looking.
Veronica
Crossville, TN
Robber Flies Mating
Hi Veronica,
You have submitted some images of Robber Flies feeding, but the image we have chosen to post appears to be of a pair of Robber Flies preparing to mate. We are uncertain of the species of Robber Fly you have photographed.
Beetles on Solanum
July 6, 2010
Hello. We live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. I had planted a stand of Solanum Burbankii (member of the nightshade family) and lo and behold, these beetles and their larvae went CRAZY all over them! I’ve looked online until I am cross-eyed. Can you tell me what they are? I have enclosed an image for your “Bug Love” section. Many thanx! We are such big fans!
The Shenals
Eastern Shore of Maryland (Delmarva Peninsula)
Mating Blue Banded Lema Leaf Beetles
Dear Shenals,
The species name for the Blue Banded Lema Leaf Beetle, Lema solani, indicates that it feeds on plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae, and this is mentioned on the BugGuide information page. Thanks for your contribution, because letters and images like your submissions contribute to the success of our website.
¶ Posted 06 July 2010 § Beetles ‡ ° Also tagged: 
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