Mating moths Picture
Hello BugMan;
Thought you might like a closeup photo of two mating Imperial moths. I have no idea what the spider is doing here – lesson? voyeur? ambitious? They seemed oblivious to its presence, anyway. These two were found on a silver maple tree about 30 miles north of St. Louis, MO, on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River. Thanks for the wonderful site; I discovered it while trying to figure out what the insect is in the second photo. Acts like a large fly, but a bit aggressive when approached too closely. Wish me luck.
Mark Naylor
Godfrey, Illinois
Hi Mark,
Thank you for the wonderful photo. The photo of the mating Imperial Moths we received earlier in the week were of a much shier couple.
Florida Love bugs
Found your site and love it. Great pictures and information! I noticed that you do not have pictures of the Florida Love bug. I am sending you one of a male and one of the male and female in the way they are found most often. If I am able to get one of the female alone I will send that also but so far I have not found one. They are just now coming into season, October and May I think are the times they fly and make a real nuisance of themselves.
Yvonne Griffiths
Morriston, Florida
Thank You Yvonne,
We just love getting new species and new additions to our Love Among the Bugs page. How appropo that these flies are called Lovebugs. Plecia nearctica belongs to the Family Bibionidae. They are often hazardous to motorists because of their sheer numbers on roadways. Here is an excellent site with much information.
Imperial Moths Mating
Thought you might like to add this photo to your website. This pair of Imperial moths were unabashedly honeymooning on the chenille plant on the back step this afternoon. I live in the hill country of Texas just north of San Antonio.
Catherine
Hi Catherine,
Thanks for the photo. The male moth has the darker wings and the female has more yellow.
Bug Love
One for bug love.
don nelson
new site, alabama
Hi Don,
Makes one wonder how they can stay aloft as well as concentrate on so many things at once: Flying, eating and procreating.
Praying Mantis mating
I took this picture two weeks ago in Port Elgin Ontario, I haven’t seen a better one on the internet, enjoy.
Sean J. Patrick Bates
Hi Sean,
We agree your photo is “Aces” and are proud to post it.
Hi Daniel and Lisa Anne!
Hi Bugman!
AWESOME SITE AGAIN!!!!
I just can’t seem to stop looking at all of the beautiful pictures and excellent information!!!! Here are two Robber Flies engaging in Bug Love on my pepper tree. Enjoy!
Cathy
Hi Cathy,
We will proudly post your image on our Bug Love page.
butterfly lovin’
Hi Bug Man,
I sent you a query about tiny, tiny thorn-headed larvae the other day and have since been mesmerized by your site. The larva I had chosen for a photo shoot has since desiccated beyond recognition on a napkin (sorry, little guy), but I thought, in the meantime, I’d send a butterfly picture I took last winter, at a butterfly garden. Is this cheating in the world of whatsthatbug.com? Anyway, I remember they were in this position for a long time, at least ten minutes, and it looked painfully snug. But hope you like the photo. What kind of butterflies are they? And does the male or female have more color? Male, right? Yours
Allison
Hi Allison,
These are tropical butterflies, and we can’t give you a positive identification. They are either some tropical Swallowtail, or a close relative, one of the Birdwings. You are correct. The male is more colorful.
spider
Can you tell me if this is a banana spider or orb spider or if they are two different spiders?
Theresa
Hi Theresa,
We love your photograph. These are Banana Spiders or Golden Silk Spiders, Nephila clavipes. It is a pair. The male is much smaller than the female, often a mere 1/100 of her body weight. He shares a web with her, and this cohabitation must have some symbiotic significance other than just proximity for mating. Perhaps he gets protection and also benefits from the insects trapped in her web. Banana Spiders are in the group known as Orb Weavers.
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Posted 22 August 2005
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Safe or unsafe bug in SC?
Hello:
My name is Bob Stark and I’ve recently moved to Little River, SC (North Myrtle Beach). This is a picture of an insect which we’ve been told is poisonous, and I would like to know if that is correct. Our home is 4 miles from the shore, and our backyard is bordered by a field. I’m guessing that the smaller one is the male, and that since this is late summer, it is mating season. Am I correct? This insect clings to our siding and at night, will cling on our screens, if we have an inside light on. When we moved in, the local movers refused to bring our furniture through the garage until we removed this insect, claiming it was poisonous. Our dog approached it, and apparently got sprayed in the face as she got near. I; however, got no reaction as I moved it along off our home. Thank you in advance for any information you may be able to provide as to it’s name and safety, as our Grandson visits from time to time, and I would like to provide him with the correct stats on this insect. For example: does is bite, sting, spray?
Sincerely,
Bob Stark
Hi Bob,
This is a pair of Two-lined Walkingsticks, Anisomorpha buprestoides, also known as Musk-Mares or Devil Riders because of their habit of remaining in coitus for extremely long periods of time. The male is much smaller than the female. Beware!! They do not bite but they can spray a noxious substance from their necks that is painful if it gets in your eye.
lovebug
Hello! The Pennsylvania Leather-Back (identified it with the help of your website!!) is common at the conservation area. I thought I would send along this photo for your lovebug page. Take Care,
Janet from Dundas, Ontario
Hi Janet,
Thanks for the image of mating Pennsylvania Leather-Wings, Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus. These Soldier Beetles are important biological controls against Corn Earworms in the larval form and adults are often found on flowers, especially goldenrod since they eat pollen and nectar.
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Posted 17 August 2005
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Any idea’s?
These guy’s (?) were taken in north Alabama. Don’t know exactly what they are doing or what they are.
Bud Watkins
Hi Bud,
We know some things and can speculate on the rest. These are Green Lynx Spiders, Peucetia viridans, our personal favorite spiders. The spider on the left, or as we reproduced your image, on top, is a female. The other appears to be a male. This seems to be a mating ritual. It could end in dinner for the lady. Great photo.
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Posted 16 August 2005
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Bug Love
Hey bugman! Long time reader, first time contributor here. I just recently became obsessed with entymology and now carry my camera with me everywhere hoping for a photo op. While I was in the butterfly garden at Boston Science Museum today, I found these two beautiful specimen going about their private business. Thought you might like it for the bug love page. Thanks for your time and keep up the good work! p.s. Sorry my camera is so bad, trying to get a better one for future endeavors.
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
We hare so happy to hear you have been enjoying our site for a long time. We cannot give you an exact species name on these tropical Heliconians, just the Subfamily Heliconiinae.
(09/03/2005) I’ve spent the past two summers volunteering at the Hershey Butterfly House. The two orange, mating heliconians are Banded Oranges and they are native to Texas. ~Abby
