What’s this bug?
I have never seen anything like this bug. It literally looks like a piece of wood. Being that I’m in Florida, I don’t know if it flew away, hopped away or got eaten by something even bigger. By the way, does it bite? Does it eat wood? Yes, I still have a door! Or, is it just hanging around waiting for it’s next meal?
Your “It” is acutally “Them”. You have 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, as witnessed in your photograph. Beware!! They do not bite but they can spray a noxious substance from their necks that is painful if it gets in your eye. We are toying with the idea of adding a “Sex” or “Love among the Bugs” page to our site and we will definitely use your image when that day arrives.
So my “it” was a “them” doing “it!” Too funny! Not only was your website helpful; but, very educational as well. Thank you so much for your help.
Moth or Butterfly on Butterfly Weed
I went up to the farm Missouri) with my husband and found this insect on a butterfly weed plant. I was wondering what sort of insect this is? I like it black and white face and antenna. Thanks Mary There are actually two insects here ( mating?) but this photo is the clearest of the actual insect.
Jackie and Mary
Dear Jackie and Mary
Your butterfly is a member of the Gossamer Winged Butterflies in the Family Lycaenidae, more specifically one of the Blues in the Subfamily Polyommatinae. We are guessing either the genus Plebejus or Lycaeides. There is much variation in coloration in local populations within the same species. Most larvae feed on legumes including lupines, rattleweed and clover. The Lycaean Blues are the group of butterflies that fascinated the great author Vladimir Nabokov.
Thanks Thank you for your quick reply and the information about the identification of the butterfly and the information about the author. I have just started in photography and have found that now I am becoming very interested in the names of insects and wildflowers. I did find a pretty clear photo that shows the other butterfly. Thanks again
Mary
Your photos are very nice Mary, We surely appreciate the latest romantic image. Is it any wonder the author of Lolita was so besmitten with these lovely creatures?
Ed. Note: We just received the following correction.
misIDed pictures Hi, I love the pictures on your site, I noticed a couple of mistakes in the identification of two pictures. It is a Lycaenid, however the species is definitely Harkenclenus titus, the Coral Hairstreak, which is a beautiful tailless hairstreak, and is quite uncommon in my experience.
Mike
What is this bug
Hello
I just moved into a new home and there are a few trees that need cut down. I am currently cutting down some Shagbark Hickory trees and this bug is all over the trees. We live in Western Pennsylvania. Could you please tell me what it is and if it is harmful? Please see the attached pictures.
Thank you,
Neal
Hi Neal,
Judging by the mating activity evident in your photo, you might soon have a new generation of Painted Hickory Borers, Megacyllene caryae. They attack hickory, black walnut, butternut, osage orange and mulberry. The female lays eggs after cutting deep pits in the bark. Larva bore inward and pupate under bark. Adults emerge in the spring.
moth, who are they
These were in the garden in July. I have not seen a pair before. They stayed on this shrub from morning to and threw the night. The next morning all that we found were there wings. We placed the wings in clear document holder. Because of the different size of half moon shapes on the wings, it was assumed that we had one male and one female.
Area: Hammond, Ontario. Canada (Forested Area)
Your moths are Cecropia Moth, Hyalophora cecropia, the largest North American Giant Silkworm Moths. They may have been a mating pair. The adults live only long enough to mate and lay eggs and they cannot even eat as they don’t have working mouthparts. Sounds like a bird or other predator got a good meal.
2 Shiny Black Bugs (Pic included)
Dear Bugman,
Before you view the picture…I have to apologize. I fear I did not see them till it was too late. On top of that…it looks like they were enjoying one of the finer things in life right before I took it. I am really sorry. But I’m still curios as to what they are. I’m 25, and have lived in Pennsauken all my life, but never seen anything like them.
They have what seem to be wings (or maybey they’re just the shell covering the real wings)…a shiny black carapace with a hint of turquois. Their Antennae are segmented. (I know there is a significant difference between Segmented and smooth antenna…but I forgot what) I didn’t get a frontal shot… But their mouth-parts didn’t have any substantial mandibles. The mouth-parts resembled that of a common grasshopper…for lack of appropriate term. This picture was taken in Pennsauken, New Jersey…about a 20 min drive from Philadelphia, PA. Again, I apologize for their demise. It was not intentional. Hope you can shed a little light on it.
Thanks in advance,
Russ
Hi Russ,
You have an awesome photo of a pair of Oil Beetles who met a tragic end while procreating. Another common name is Short Winged Blister Beetle, Meloe angusticollis. The beetle is found in Southern Canada and the Northern United States. It is usually found in crop fields and meadows where it eats herbaceous foliage being particularly fond of potatoes. If disturbed, the beetle feigns death by falling on its side. The leg joints exude droplets of liquid that cause blisters.
what are these flying bugs?
Hi Bugman, you’ve got a great website! Can you tell me about the bugs that are in my yard by the thousands? They’re all over the Portland, OR area. They don’t seem to bite, but are terribly annoying. They’re about 3/4 inch long and when flying, a bright orange body is visible. Are they likely to leave soon?
Thanks for the info,
Bev
Hi Bev,
You have Western Box-elder Bugs, Boisea rubrolineata. It feeds on Box-elder, Ash and Maple. Adults and nymphs aggregate in huge numbers, and often get inside homes to hibernate. They are difficult to erradicate, and since you have mating activity, you are well assured of future generations.
With the website currently down and no questions to answer, we have been strolling through the canyon briskly every morning. We have been noticing several species of insects that we occasionally get letters regarding, and others that are just plain interesting. We decided to return with our digital camera and photograph some of the above. Here are some Harlequin Bugs, Murgantia histrionica. They are small stink bugs, about 1/4 inch long. They are variegated black, red, and white with a reddish or light colored + on the scutellum. These bugs are occasionally seen in the garden where they feed on cabbage, sweet alyssum and related plants of the family Brassicacaea, but in the canyon and vacant lots, they prefer wild mustard. According to Hogue: “Mating pairs are often present. The male illicits copulation by tapping the female’s antennae and body with his antennae.” Females lay several sets of 5-12 eggs that look like black and white striped barrels.
(06/26/2004) Copulating Harlequin Bugs will eventually lay eggs. The female places one or two rows of from usually 5-12 eggs neatly on twigs. The eggs look like black and white striped barrels. Here are some freshly layed eggs on anise.
Hi, Bugman.
Is it true that a male praying mantis must have his head bitten off by the female he is mating with, in order to ejaculate? If so, that would be quite a decision to make, it seems to me! For the male, that is. And is this uncommon in the insect world? What might be the reason for this to be the case with the praying mantis?
M. Mattison
Oslo, Norway
(the praying mantis is referred to as a "kneeler" in Norway)
Hi Mark,
While it is not necessary for the male preying mantis to be beheaded in order to consumate the mating ritual, the female mantis will occasionally bite off her mate’s head. Much like a chicken with its head cut off, the male mantis will continue to perform actions, in this case, continuing the mating procedure. The male mantis doesn’t really make a decision in this matter. He is a slave to his hormones. It is fair to call this behavior uncommon in the insect world, though many female spiders, including the black widow, also devour their mate, which gets to the main reason this occurs. The female requires a considerable amount of nutrition to produce strong eggs, and to survive to protect them as well. The sacrifice of the male of the species helps to ensure that a healthy future generation gets off to a good start. It is for the good of the species, not the survival of the individual. "Kneeler" is an interesting local name. I wonder what its origin is. Here are some photos I love. They are steps 4 and 5 in the mating of the Preying Mantis shot by Catherine Chalmers for her book Food Chain: Encounters Between Mates, Predators, and Prey published by Aperture.
Thanks a lot for your explanation. And what is the correct spelling? "Preying" or "praying?" Both of them make sense. As for the reason why they’re called "kneeles" in Norwegian, I will try to find out. Thanks again.
Mark Mattison
Both spellings are correct, depending upon the author. I prefer to spotlight the hunting versus the religious connotation.
I now believe that the Norwegian name "kneeler" is from the same reason we say "praying" mantis: you kneel when you pray. At least if you accept the "praying" spelling. At least it makes sense. Why didn’t I think of that
before?
Mark
We recently spotted this Tiger Moth, The Painted Arachnis, Arachnis picta, laying eggs on the side of our house. Every night, the moths are attracted to the lights outside. Our Green Lynx Spider has been feasting on them on a regular basis, hence the corpse on the right.
