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Bug of the Month July 2009: Giant Stag Beetle

Name that Beetle
Thu, Jun 25, 2009 at 6:11 PM
I was at work and took a picture of this beetle on the wall. I have been looking on the internet and have not been able to identify it, yet. Any ideas?
Chris Bullard
Wilson, NC

Male Giant Stag Beetle

Hi Chris,
The Giant Stag Beetle, Lucanus elaphus, might well be the most strikingly unusual of the wealth of North American Beetles. Your beetle is a male, and male Giant Stag Beetles use those formidable mandibles to compete for mates.
Update: 30 June 2009
Since it is time to select a new Bug of the Month, and since there were two images of male Giant Stag Beetles submitted in late June, we thought this might mean there would be several more sightings in coming weeks. This was a very difficult decision as there are many worthy candidates for the Bug of the Month honors, but beetles and moths are probably our most common summer identification requests. The Giant Stag Beetle, according to BugGuide, may be in need of conservation. BugGuide also indicates: “Food Adults may feed on plant juices, rotting fruit (?), and aphid honeydew.
Life Cycle Eggs are laid in crevices of moist, decaying wood. Larvae feed on decaying logs, stumps, where adults can be found in spring, early summer. (Presumably males battle there.) Larvae take one or more years to develop. Adults can be found at lights in early summer. Adults live two or more years, but one generation per year. ” Almost all sightings submitted to BugGuide have been in June, but there are some July sightings indicated as well.

¶ Posted Site News § Stag Beetles ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

BUG OF THE MONTH JUNE 2009: Golden Backed Snipe Flies Mating

Another Pair of Golden Backed Snipe Flies Mating
Golden Backed Snipe Flies Mating
Tue, Jun 9, 2009 at 5:16 PM
Leaving the house today, these two bugs were on my porch cushion. They were there for almost 1/2hour. They even gave me time to go get my camera , focus a few shots and get this great one! I emailed the pics to a friend as the “gold button” on the flies is truly a gold color- unlike the yellow color that comes off in the picture. The gold is what really attracted me to examine them closely. So, this evening, further intrigued, I hit the internet only to find your site within seconds, identifying the flies with ease, yelling to my husband, “THEY ARE GOLDEN BACKED SNIPE FLIES!!!” Gotta love the web!
A. Shafer
ExtremeNW NJ

Golden Backed Snipe Flies Mating

Dear A.,
Thanks for sending in your photo of Golden Backed Snipe Flies mating. We will be adding your letter to the Bug of the Month posting since your photo is so much sharper than the original one we posted.

Golden Backed Snipe Flies Mating
Fri, May 29, 2009 at 5:33 AM
Good morning.
As I was walking from my car about 8am this morning, I chanced upon two bugs mating in the parking lot. They would hop a few feet away each time I got close but firmly refused to go get a room.
Thanks to your site, I was able to learn that the romantic couple is a pair of Golden Backed Snipe Flies. The gold on their backs is quite attractive!
Sorry for the quality of the photo. All I had was my cell phone.
Thank you for this site. It is great when we have a Cool Bug Alert and need to identify what the cool bug is. (In our family, we yell “Cool Bug Alert” and all come running to look. We then look up the bug and learn about them.)
Steph S.
Fairfax, VA

Golden Backed Snipe Flies Mating

Dear Steph,
Thanks so much for your kind letter. We would love to hear that more people are using the Cool Bug Alert, since most alerts tend to have such a negative connotation in our modern world that is so full of the threat of terrorist attacks, abductions and contagious diseases. We are also quite happy to post your image of mating Golden Backed Snipe Flies. Since June is upon us, and it will be time to select a new Bug of the Month, we would like to select the Golden Backed Snipe Fly, Chrysopilus thoracicus, for the honor. According to BugGuide, the season for sightings is spring, more specifically “Spring. April-May (North Carolina)” though all of the submissions to our site have been from late May through June in more Northern locations. The May/June sighting calendar is also supported on BugGuide’s Data Page. We witnessed our own first sighting several years ago in Mill Creek Park in Youngstown Ohio in early June. BugGuide also indicates: “Life Cycle Details unknown. This fly is observed in early to mid-spring perched quietly on low vegetation in deciduous woodlands. “

¶ Posted 29 May 2009 § Flies ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged: bug love

Another BUG OF THE MONTH MAY 2009: 17 Year Locusts, Scientists surprised By Unexpected Emergence Of Periodical Cicadas — Four Years Early

Large bee like insect with red round eyes.
Fri, May 8, 2009 at 10:21 AM
Hello. This morning while putting on my shorts, which contained this lovely thing, it stung me. I’m still not feeling well and have been unable to find out what it is.
We’ve live in this area for 4 years now, Central Virginia, and have never seen this before. Although now we are seeing them everywhere.
Kimberly with a very painful thigh.
South Central Virginia

Periodical Cicadas emerge early

Hi Kimberly,
We were so shocked by your report and photo of Periodical Cicadas or 17 Year Locusts, that we immediately did some research to find out what brood this was. We located a very interesting piece online on Science Daily that states: “The cause of these early emergences is unknown, but [Gene] Kritsky, in a paper to be published in the Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science, has found evidence suggesting that mild winters can affect the trees that young cicadas feed upon which in turn interferes with the cicadas’ timekeeping resulting in their emerging early. ‘This phenomenon might be another biological response to increasing temperatures,’ Kritsky said. ” Can this be yet another piece of evidence that global warming is affecting the environment in very telling ways? Even more puzzling is that you were bitten. Cicadas do have sucking mouthparts and perhaps you were mistaken for a succulent sapling. Cicadamania indicates this is Brood II on an accelerated emergence. Generally, every 14 or 17 years, there is a mass emergence of millions of Magicicada individuals. They breed, provide food for birds and other wildlife, lay eggs and die. The young hatch, bury themselves underground, live there for 13 or 17 years, and then emerge as a new swarm. The 17 Year Locust, Magicicada septendecim, is one of the oldest living insects.

We had one in the house last week and killed it not knowing what it was. They are huge!!!
I’m guessing the fact that I put my shorts on with him in them probably scared the bejesus out of him and that’s why he bit me? I know it freaked me out. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten out of my shorts so fast.
Right now, it just mostly itches like a dickens.
We live in Chase City, Virginia. (acutally a little outside of it) These past couple of months we have done tons of excavating. First for a riding ring, then we had to lay a new septic drain field and last we had to lay a new well line. (sucky year for our yard).
Could all of that digging brought them out? We’ve also had a very large amount of rain. To the point of it being ridiculous.
I don’t know what type of trees they typically live on. We have lots of Oaks. A few momosas, pines, magnolia’s, a black walnut and a peach tree. There’s also a willow and a persimmon. (the spelling may be off on that one) We also had tons of holly tree’s but we’ve cut most of them down over the past year due to overgrowth before we bought the house.
So far, our’s in the only house around that has them. And, now that we know what they are, we won’t be so afraid of them..as long as they stay out of my clothes.
Thanks for your help.
Kim

Hi Kim,
Thanks for the follow-up information, especially since we have made this unusual occurrence a secondary Bug of the Month for May. We doubt that your excavation had anything to do with this unseasonal appearance. With the Magicicada species, there are various numbered broods that have differing and overlapping ranges. Some like Brood X, the largest of the broods which emerged in 2004, are very wide ranging. According to BugGuide: “There are four species with 13-year and three species with 17-year life cycles. The 13-year species are more southern, the 17-year species more northern.” National Geographic News indicates: “There are at least 12 broods of 17-year cicadas plus another three broods that emerge every 13 years. ‘A brood is a class year, like the graduates of 2004 who will be graduating this May,’ said Gene Kritsky, a biologist and cicada expert at the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio. A brood emerges almost every year somewhere, sometimes overlapping with others. But none of the emergences matches the pure size of Brood X, which includes three cicada species: Magicicada septendecim ,Magicicada cassini , and Magicicada septendecula .” You may have an isolated pocket of Brood II since none of your neighbors have seen any. It might be that this atypical emergence is just beginning, and your neighbors homes will soon also be graced with Cicadas. Though there is a mass emergence, all individuals do not burrow to the surface on the same day. We expect that this atypical emergence is just beginning, and we will be getting additional reports from other areas in the coming days. Once again, thanks so much for allowing What’sThat Bug? to be among the first websites to report this occurrence this year. National Geographic News also has this to say about the life cycle of the Periodical Cicada: “After the cicadas have counted 17 years—’we really don’t know how they count the years,’ Kritsky said—they are ready to emerge, which usually happens in late spring when the soil reaches a temperature of about 64 Fahrenheit (18 Celsius)” and “Some scientists believe the mass emergence of the cicadas is part of a survival strategy. With so many of them, they collectively satiate their predators within a few days. Then the billions left uneaten are free to mate.” In 2000, several hundred thousand members of Brood X emerged in Cincinnati. According to National Geographic News’ 2004 coverage: “The outbreak was big enough for the cicadas to satiate their predators, sing, mate, and lay eggs. ‘If [the year 2000 Cincinnati nymphs] come out in 2017, we will have seen the evolution of a whole new brood,’ Kritsky said. ‘That’s cool.’” So Kim, your yard may be ground zero for the appearance of a new brood.

Update: Can Cicadas Bite?
10 May 2009
We have been trying to find out this information, and there is a very amusing posting on Cicada Mania that indicates they may bite. It states: “Technically cicadas don’t bite or sting; they do however pierce and suck. They might try to pierce and suck you, but don’t worry, they aren’t Vampires nor are they malicious or angry — they’re just ignorant and think you’re a tree. ” We would be more inclined to believe that Kim was scratched by the clawlike front legs.

Bite Remedy Sat, May 9, 2009 at 11:38 AM
Aloha Daniel -
About the cicada bite – to help with itching.
This is usually a great toxin extractor – a poultice of water and baking soda.
Used it as a child on bee/wasp stings. Use it over here in HI for centipede bites.
Non toxic, everyone has it around their kitchen. Cool water temp soothes the bite zone.
Eliza
Ha`iku

Bite Update: cicada bite
Sun, May 10, 2009 at 9:49 AM
A few years ago, while working in a state park nature center in Indiana, a young (6 years old) entomologist brought his latest aquisition, a cicada, to show me. I picked it up and let it crawl on my thumb. When I was ready to give it back, the thing wouldn’t let go, and decided to press that sucking mouth part into my thumb. It was pretty painful. They can DEFINATELY bite (or perhaps STAB is a more appropriate term).
When talking to the public about insects, which I do often, I try to point out the difference between “does it bite?” and “can it bite?” Many insects can bite, but are very unlikely to do so. I suspect that a person could pick up 100 cicadas before they got bit by one.
I was once bitten by a praying mantis while feeding it a cricket. Part of the cricket dropped on the back of my hand and the praying mantis went down to eat it and chewed on my hand instead… and continued to chew while I yelped in a surprising amount of pain. I had to pry it off my hand with a piece of cardboard. It itched like crazy for days. I still have a tiny scar. This is an exceptional case, but makes me think twice about what we tell people, especially bug lovers, about what can and cannot bite.
Vince
Rum Village Nature Center
Indiana

Thanks Vince, for your first hand account. We are just guessing, but we suppose your thumb is considerably tougher than Kim’s thigh, and if the thumb skin could be penetrated, the thigh might be like butter.

¶ Posted 08 May 2009 § Cicadas ‡ Comments (4) ° Also tagged:

BUG OF THE MONTH MAY 2009: Lawn Shrimp

Bug cult found dead on kitchen floor.
Thu, Apr 30, 2009 at 3:54 AM
I went into my kitchen earlier today and saw brown spots on my floor, I lean in to see what it was. Hundreds of dead bugs lay on my kitchen floor all dead like some kind of bug cult that just drank the cool aid.
I have no idea what kind of bugs these are, they kind of look like little roaches, maybe bed bugs, I dunno.
It was just after a pretty big storm, also I have a punching bag that I brought in before the storm and am hoping they didnt some how come from that…
Geoffrey
Houston, Texas

Lawn Shrimp

Hi Geoffrey,
We have decided that your highly entertaining and descriptive letter and photo of Lawn Shrimp will be our featured Bug of the Month for May. Lawn Shrimp are terrestrial amphipods, an order of Crustaceans. They live in ivy, shrubbery and fallen leaves and go virtually unnoticed until it rains, at which time they enter homes and die in great numbers. They are also called House Hoppers and are in the family Talitridae. According to Charles Hogue in his book Insects of the Los Angeles Basin, the species found in Los Angeles, and quite possibly Houston, is Talistroides sylvaticus. They are gray while alive and turn pink or orange after dying.

¶ Posted 01 May 2009 § Sow Bugs, Pill Bugs, Isopods, Lawn Shrimp and Amphipods ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

BUG OF THE MONTH APRIL 2009: Master Blister Beetle

Long, bright orange beetle with black wings
Sun, Mar 29, 2009 at 4:12 PM
I found a bunch of these orange and black beetles while airsofting in Arizona and I am not exactly sure what they are. They were in large groups in the grassy areas crawling on eachother. Is it a type of desert beetle?
JKAZ
Arizona, United States

Master Blister Beetles

Hi JKAZ,
Every year in the spring, we get numerous inquiries about Blister Beetles, especially from the desert areas of the Southwest. When Blister Beetles appear, it is often in prodigious numbers, and then suddenly, they vanish. This is a Master Blister Beetle, Lytta magister. It is well represented on BugGuide. This is one of the largest of the Blister Beetles. The adults eat foliage, flowers, pollen and fruit, and according the BugGuide: “Larvae live in bee nests.” Some species of Blister Beetles feed on grasshopper eggs. The beetles in the family Meloidae are known as Blister Beetles because they secrete hemolymph (blood) from their joints when handled, and the hemolymph contains cantharidin which can cause blisters. A European relative is the infamous Spanish Fly. Congratulations on having your letter and image chosen as our Bug of the Month for April 2009.

¶ Posted 30 March 2009 § Blister Beetles ‡ Comments (1) ° Also tagged:

BUG OF THE MONTH MARCH 2009: Masked Hunter

Little fat dirty bug
Sat, Feb 28, 2009 at 1:30 PM
I found this on my front porch. It was skittish, sluggish runner, but not exactly slow. I have seen one other of these, and they cover themselves with dirt, sand, and look moldy & or dirty!
It’s new to me, I don’t even know what category to look under, it’s not a beetle, has no wings, etc. I am very interested in knowing what it is!
Lisa Gerard
Billings, MT

Immature Masked Hunter

Hi Lisa,
This is an immature Masked Hunter, Reduvius personatus. It is interesting that you mention the insect being fat because if does look fatter than most specimens we receive, however it is a very close match to one image posted to BugGuide. We are not used to seeing them covered in sand as most specimens sent to us for identification are found indoors and they are covered in lint. According to BugGuide: “Nymphs cover themselves with dust, lint, sand, and other debris – which usually matches the color of their immediate surroundings and makes the nymphs difficult to detect” and “the sticky body surface of the nymph accumulates a coating of dust, lint, sand, etcetera, which masks the presence of the predatory nymph .” Masked Hunters feed on a variety of insects. They are Assassin Bugs and will inflict a painful bite if mishandled, but they are not aggressive. We are happy to inform you that your letter and photo will be featured all month as our Bug of the Month for March 2009.

Immature Masked Hunter

¶ Posted 28 February 2009 § Assassin Bugs ‡ Comments (1) ° Also tagged:

BUG OF THE MONTH FEBRUARY 2009: Bordered Plant Bug

Moved Into House in Arizona, these bugs are everywhere outside
Fri, Jan 30, 2009 at 9:41 PM
I moved into a house in Peoria, Arizona. Its consider farm land out here, there are houses all around and a farm across our street. I have noticed these bugs everywhere outside. We have a shrub in the back and on the side of the house and they seem to be coming from there.
Thank You! Sara
Peoria, Az

Bordered Plant Bug

Long, black with red perimeter on abdomen
Sat, Jan 31, 2009 at 11:07 AM
Around my house I see this insect all the time, but have no idea what it is. They are usually about 1 inch long, 1/4 inch wide, and black. But on their backs there is a perimeter (circumference?) of bright red-orange, in a thin, sharp line, all the way around. They look very similar to the one in the image provided, except that the red-orange coloration is only around the perimeter of its back, not toward the middle, and it extends all the way around the end.
Thanks,
Kelli Welch
Vernon Parish, Louisiana, USA

Dear Sara and Kelli,
Sara has provided an image of a Bordered Plant Bug in the genus Largus. The photo is blurry, and there are many similar looking species in the genus. We believe the most likely candidate is Largus succinctus. According to BugGuide: “Identification A large, dark bug, black or dark yellow-brown. Orange-red to orange-yellow border to abdomen margins of corium. Base fo femora also this same color. Largus cinctus is a closely-related species of the western United States. Taxonomy, and thus range, of these species not quite clear. (1)
Range Eastern, central, and southwestern United States: New York south to Florida, west to Colorado, Arizona.” Kelli provided an image of a Box Elder Bug and the two are similar in appearance, but the Bordered Plant Bug fits Kelli’s verbal description. Since we got both of your letters in rapid succession, and it is time to select a Bug of the Month for February, we have chosen the Bordered Plant Bug. According to Charles Hogue, who writes about the Largus cinctus californicus in his book Insects of the Los Angeles Basin: “This bug is conspicuous at times because of its habit of congregating in very large numbers on certain plants, especially herbaceous weedy shrubs.” We are also including a better focused image of a Bordered Plant Bug sent in by Beatrix in March 2007.

Bordered Plant Bug

¶ Posted 31 January 2009 § True Bugs ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

BUG OF THE MONTH JANUARY 2009 – CAMEL CRICKET

6 legged spider/grasshopper
Thu, Jan 1, 2009 at 8:38 AM
Hi,
I walked into my basement one day and I found this creature on my wall. It looked like a spider had mated with a grasshopper and this odd bug was what came of it. This bug did not seem to be aggressive. It was January first and I live in Fairmont, WV. The bug had long antennas, 6 legs, the two back ones looked like grasshopper legs and the 4 front one like spider legs. I believe I might have seen this creature before while in TN. What is this mysterious bug inhabiting my basement?
Sarah
fairmont,wv

Camel Cricket

Hi Sarah,
Though your photo is blurry and the camera angle is not ideal for identifying your Camel Cricket, it is the time of the month for us to select the Bug of the Month for the New Year. Camel Crickets are also known as Cave Crickets and they are in the family Rhaphidophoridae. They frequent damp dark places. Basements are a perfect habitat for them. BugGuide indicates: “If these occur in a house the best treatment is to remove them and their breeding habitat – cool moist dark places such as piles of logs or boards in basements. A clean dry home will not be a welcoming place for these guys. Although they are scary-looking they are basically harmless to humans, except perhaps for minor damage to stored items, and are easily discouraged by eliminating the dark damp habitat they prefer.” Since your photo is not ideal for identification purposes, we will be including an older photo along with the Bug of the Month for January 2009 posting.

Shrimp-like Bug
Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 11:59 PM
We have ’smooshed’ a couple of these at my house recently. I can’t recall ever seeing them before. they can jump grasshoppers, perhaps even better than the grass hoppers we see around here.
The fact that it’s an insect is obvious. What’s less obvious is when shrimp made the transition to land. ;D It’s a rather dejected looking bug don’t you think?
So, whats that bug?
+1 dollar to the site if you can help me out.
KILL IT WITH FIRE!
North Carolina, US

Camel Cricket

Dear KILL IT WITH FIRE,
Your insect is a Camel Cricket or Cave Cricket in the family Rhaphidophoridae. They are often found in basements and other dark, damp habitats. According to BugGuide: “Feed on leaf debris. In houses may chew on paper products, occasionally fabric.

¶ Posted 01 January 2009 § Crickets, Camel Crickets and Mole Crickets ‡ Comments (2) ° Also tagged:

Bug of the Month December 2008 – Western Subterranean Termites Swarming on Thanksgiving

Ed. Note: 30 November 2008
Since we heard about other Southern Californians noticing the swarming Western Subterranean Termites over the past few days, we decided they would make an excellent Bug of the Month for December 2008

27 November 2008
Today while splitting wood at our Mount Washington, Los Angeles offices, we noticed the Western Subterranean Termites, Reticulitermes hesperus, emerging from the logs at the bottom of the wood pile. After two days of heavy rain, the late autumn sun triggered the nuptial flight. With the sun so low in the sky, the feeble flying swarm filled the air for several hours, emerging from nearby properties as well as our own. Charles Hogue has written in his wonderful book, Insects of the Los Angeles Basin: “on warm sunny days following the first autumn rains, swarms of the winged adult forms of this termite are commonly noticed emerging from frame houses, fence posts, and other wooden structures that touch soil. The species has a high humidity requirement, which forces it to maintain contact with the ground, traveling up and down between its subterranean galleries and the wood through protected cracks in mortar or concrete foundations, or through earthen tubes that it constructs from soil, saliva, and chewed bits of wood. In Los Angeles and much of the West, this is the species that causes the greatest damage. It is probably safe to say that the majority of older houses in the Los Angeles area are infested to some degree with this termite. In general, however, damage is not noticeable until tunneling activity has proceeded to the point of weakening structural members in stressed areas, such as flooring and stairways. Severe damage requires a period of years to develop: our termites do not reduce a house to a pile of sawdust overnight! Homeowners are urged to have periodic inspections to determine the presence of termites. This is simply good insurance and should be done regardless of how many preventative methods were employed in the original construction. This species is distinguished from others that are prevalent in the basin by the black heads of its sexual forms, its earthen tubes, and the fact that it does not make pellet piles. Its tunneling pattern is also different: the workers attack wood only in the soft spring growth region of the annual rings. Thus a cross-section of an infested timber shows a characteristic pattern of concentric circles or arcs.”

Western Subterranean Termites Swarming

¶ Posted 28 November 2008 § Termites ‡ Comments (2) ° Also tagged: Edible Insects: Tasty Morsels, Household Pests

Bug of the Month November 2008 – Wheel Bug

LARGE PREHISTORIC BUG WITH SAWBLADE HEAD!!!!!
Sun, Oct 26, 2008 at 2:29 PM
Hello!! I live in Western PA, right outside of Pittsburgh and I happened to look out of my window and saw this HUGE bug walking acrossed my fiance’s roof of his truck. So we ran outside to get a closer look and he was able to snap the attached photos. It is brown, but marked like a leaf, and its backside actually curved up on the sides like an old Cadillac!! But the most interesting part was the top of his head actually resembled a tiny circular sawblade sticking out of it!! It is 5 days before Halloween and that was just too freaky for me!! lol…..can you please help us identify this? We have checked all over the internet!
Spooked in PGH
Pittsburgh PA
Hi, I’m sorry….I recently wrote to you regarding a large bug on our truck roof. i forgot to tell you that this thing was close to 2 inches long. It was not small bug!!! Thanks! Didn’t know if that would help you or not!!

Wheel Bug

Hi Spooked,
Prehistoric is a word that is frequently used by our readers to describe a Wheel Bug. Your letter is so delightful and descriptive. The Wheel Bug, Arilus cristatus, is one of the largest and most distinctive looking of the Assassin Bugs. They are predators and they are beneficial in the garden, but like all Assassin Bugs, they are capable of biting a hapless human and the bite is painful. You can read more about the Wheel Bug on BugGuide. It is the time of the month to select our Bug of the Month for November, and since we will be leaving town for a few days before the first, we have decided to select our winner from the pool of likely candidates early. Congratulations, your image of a Wheel Bug will be prominently featured at the top of our homepage for the entire month of November. Speaking of candidates, it seems we can’t rip our eyes from the news coverage lately, and your state has been so prominently featured. We can’t help but wonder if you have been cheering and waving signs behind one of the presidential or vice presidential hopefuls.

No idea
Tue, Oct 28, 2008 at 11:59 AM
about 2 inches long found in Peru Indiana on oct 25
t martin
Indiana , USA

Wheel Bug

Dear T,
Your letter doesn’t have much information, but we are adding your photo to our Bug of the Month for November 2008, the Wheel Bug.

¶ Posted 29 October 2008 § Assassin Bugs ‡ Comments (1) ° Also tagged: Top 10

Bug of the Month October 2008: Mating Pennsylvania Leatherwings

mating pennyslvania leatherwings.
Hey bugman,
I thought I would share with you this image of a mating pair of pennsylvania leatherwings that I captured the other day near our house in Seymour, Tennessee, which is just south of Knoxville. I know you probably get a lot of these, but i thought that the angle on this photo was really cool. Anyway enjoy! I love the new layout of the site!
Michael Davis
Seymour, Tennessee

Pennsylvania Leatherwings Mating

Hi Michael,
Thanks for the positive words about our new site format. Your mating Pennsylvania Leatherwings, AKA Goldenrod Soldier Beetles, is quite a nice addition to our archives

Update: 29 September 2008
It is time for us to select a Bug of the Month, and we almost chose the Locust Borer, but that was our Bug of the Month for October 2007. Pennsylvania Leatherwings, Chauliognathus pensylvanicus, are a good choice, because like the Locust Borer, they are associated with that common wildflower Goldenrod. When the Goldenrod blooms in the fall, there is an entire ecosystem that depends upon it for survival. We have fond memories of running through the fields in Ohio when the Goldenrod was in bloom, after school started but before the cold winter weather arrived. Preying Mantids were everywhere, as were a variety of Orb Weaving Spiders. The Monarch Butterflies were migrating, and the last Swallowtails and Fritillaries and Painted Ladies came to the blossoms for nectar. Wasps and Bees and the beetles that mimic them like the Locust Borer were everywhere on the flowers. Grasshoppers were hopping and flying about. The Pennsylvania Leatherwings were also quite common, but their smaller size kept them from being the dramatic stars in the drama of eat or be eaten that was happening around them..

¶ Posted 02 September 2008 § Beetles ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged: bug love

Bug of the Month: September 2008 – Golden-Silk Spider Eating Large Dragonfly

(08/29/2008) Golden-Silk Spider Eating Large Dragonfly – Palm Beach County – Florida
Hello Purveyors of Bug Identifications,
First – thanks for providing such an educational website. I use it quite a bit while working for the Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management. We oversee the protection of thousands of acres of wildlands and one of my numerous jobs is to create trail guides/publications for these properties. This means I need to know what sorts of creatures roam the woodlands – and since I work in the warm, wet climate of South Florida, that means lots of bugs! I am sending you a picture of a female golden-silk spider enjoying a light repast of dragonfly. This photos was taken at the Delray Oaks Natural Area in Delray Beach, Florida. Note, I believe the small spider in the upper right corner is a male. He seems to be waiting his turn at the dinner table – probably smart considering the huge size discrepancy between the two. If he is not careful, he may be dessert! Keep up the great work!
Ann Mathews
Senior Environmental Analyst
Palm Beach County

Hi Ann,
Your letter came at the perfect time to be selected as the Bug of the Month for September as well as being cross referenced in the Food Chain and Bug Love. Golden Silk Spiders, Nephila clavipes, have pronounced sexual dimorphism, with the female sometime being 100 times the mass of the diminutive male. Golden Silk Spiders have extremely strong silk, and attempts have been made to use it for fabric, but this is far too expensive to be practical. Golden Silk Spiders are also called Banana Spiders and can be found in the southeastern US and south all the way to Argentina.

Anxious Comment
OK, this is just sad
I’m anxiously awaiting the September Bug of the Month…does that mean I’m addicted?
Misty Doy

Hi Misty,
We usually post the new Bug of the Month on the last day of the month even if we have selected it a few days earlier. It will be live shortly.

¶ Posted 31 August 2008 § Dragonflies and Damselflies § Spiders ‡ Comments (2) ° Also tagged: bug love, food chain

Bug of the Month: August 2008 – Mating Great Spangled Fritillaries

Attention … Great Spangled Fritillaries mating
Hi Bugman:
Here are a few photos of mating Great Spangled Fritillaries (Speyeria cybele) for your collection. They were taken on a perfect sunny afternoon last weekend in southwest Manitoba, along a forest trail in mature aspen parkland. The key identifying features of this species are the reddish background color on the underside of the wing, except for the relatively wide and clear yellow/cream band between the last two rows of silver spots on the underside, and the lack of any black spots or dashes on the base (inside of the long squiggly black line) on the upper side of the forewing. Apart from these features most Greater Fritillaries (genus Speyeria) are very similar and difficult to tell apart. I believe the curious intruder was another female (males are generally paler than the females). Keep up the great work! Regards.
Karl

Hi again Karl,
Thank you for your gorgeous photos and the concise species identification information for the Great Spangled Fritillary.

Update: (07/30/2008) Speyeria cybele pictures
Hi,
I noticed the Speyeria Cybele pictures on your front page, I think the identity of the male and female is mixed up. Speyeria cybele females are generally paler than males, especially westward and the color of the disc is a little richer brown. More generally in the genus Speyeria males of most species including cybele have darker scaling along the forewing veins, so I think in the top picture the female is on top while the male is on bottom and in the second picture both of the butterflies showing their topsides are males.
Mike

Response: (07/31/2008)
Thanks Mike.
You were quite correct and I did have the sexes reversed. I should have checked again. To add to your comments, many references do say that the female of the species is darker topside, but this is an overall visual effect caused by the heavier black (or dark brown) markings on females relative to males. The orange background color is always more vivid in the male. This difference is only slight in Manitoba, but increases as you go west, as you suggest (in Alberta the females can be almost black and white). Good call, and thanks again.
Karl

Ed. Note: (08/01/2008)
Choosing our Bug of the Month each month is sometimes a difficult decision, but we try to use a very recently submitted photo. The photos that Karl sent of the mating Great Spangled Fritillaries are positively gorgeous, and they brought back fond memories of the Dog Days of Summer in Ohio, and the numerous Fritillaries that would visit roadside wild flowers like milkweed and Joe Pye weed among others. These beautiful and noble butterflies were also among the favorites of Vladimir Nabokov, one of our favorite authors.

¶ Posted 29 July 2008 § Butterflies and Skippers ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged: bug love

Bug of the Month: July 2008 – Cecropia Moths

Bug Love
Can you tell my what kind of moth this is? Thanks From Lenox Michigan
Donna

Hi Donna,
What a beautiful image of mating Cecropia Moths. It is coming our way at the perfect time to designate it as the Bug of the Month for July 2008. We have received numerous images of Cecropia Moths this year, but none as lovely as yours. Cecropia Moths are Giant Silk Moths and they do not eat as adults. Their sole task is to mate and reproduce.

¶ Posted 28 June 2008 § Giant Silk Moths ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged: bug love

Bug of the Month: June 2008 – Giant Water Bug

Beetle?
Hello,
Hoping you can help us to identify this bug. We were having a memorial day cookout, and someone almost stepped on it – looks to me like a type of cockroach, or maybe some flavor of click beetle, but I cannot figure it out for sure. Thanks for any tips/help Seemed to have 2 sets of wings, with a leathery covering, and it would “bob” it’s head while we were checking it out. It was approximately 3-4 inches long.
Dan

Electric Light Bug
Unknown Beetle
Hi
We found this beetle on our deck. We have never seen one like this before and was wondering if we can let it go or if it is a hazard to this area. We live in Kitchener, Ontario Canada Thankyou
Dave Crawford

Dear Dan and Dave,
After receiving numerous requests for the identification of the Giant Water Bug, Lethocerus americanus, in the past week, we decided to make it the featured Bug of the Month for June 2008. We get requests for the identification of Giant Water Bugs throughout the year from around the world, including many from our forces in Iraq. We are writing this posting on Memorial Day, and can only hope that our letters from Iraq begin to taper off as our troops return home. It should be noted that letters sent to us from other places in the world are different species, but all Giant Water Bugs look very similar. In Thailand, where they grow very large, they are eaten, so you can find entries on them on our Edible Insect pages. One other common name for the Giant Water Bug is Electric Light Bug because they are attracted, sometimes in great numbers, to lights. They have been known to decend in swarms to outdoor sporting events and brightly lit parking lots. The common name Toe-Biter has just fallen out of favor with us after we were chastised by a reader for saying that the bite of the Giant Water Bug (and its relative the Water Scorpion) is painful. The bite is painful, but these insects only bite human occasionally. Equally streamlined in the water and in the air, the Giant Water Bug is quite clumsy on land.

¶ Posted 25 May 2008 § Toe Biters § True Bugs ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

Another Bug of the Month: May 2008 – Common Calosoma deserves a better name: Desert Searcher perhaps!!!

Big Black Beetle in Baja
A few weeks ago, Baja Norte, that area of Baja (Mexico) from Tijuana south to Ensenada, was invaded by a plague of big black beetles. We’ve lived here for a few years and hadn’t seen them before. They were preceeded by hot dry Santa Ana winds blowing in from the eastern desert-y areas, so they may have come via air (some think they can fly, although I haven’t seen that, and there have been a LOT of them around to observe). They are cannibals. They are bold, and they seem to have some desire to come into the house, where they eventually end up in the bathroom, although not in tubs/showers/toilets per se. A few have even ended up in the sack with us – ewww! They don’t seem much interested in eating our plants. The one in my pictures is on the smallish side; others have been as much as 1⁄4 inch longer. Can you tell me what it is, and something about it? Thanks!

We originally replied that your beetle is a Caterpillar Hunter in the genus Calosoma. Out of pride, we posted our own photo that day as we found two individuals in our own Mt Washington, Los Angeles garden. Then other reports began to pour in from Southern California. We were having difficulty identifying the species, and BugGuide did not provide an answer based on its posted Calosoma species. We found our answer in Charles Hogue’s awesome book: Insects of the Los Angeles Basin. Hogue identifies Calosoma semilaeve as the Common Calosoma, though the species not being represented on BugGuide makes the use of common seem a bit odd. We would love to dub this species the Desert Searcher. Here is what Charles Hogue writes about Calosoma semilaeve: “During the spring this beetle may be so common as to constitute a pest. The adults are large (about 1 in., or 25 mm, long) and run free during the day rather than being nocturnal and confined to burrows or cavities under objects on the ground, as are most ground beetles. The Common Calosoma sometimes enters homes and, when disturbed, emits a disagreeable chemical that smells something like burnt rubber or electrical insulation. Because of its size, black color, and activeness, it is sometimes mistaken for the Oriental Cockroach. Wireworms and caterpillars, especially cutworms, are the favorite prey of both adults and larvae. Consequently, the species is very beneficial to the gardener.” Hogue rocks!!! Because this is apparently an “outbreak” year, and because this species feasts on garden pests, we are offically proclaiming it the “Honorary Secondary Bug of the Month for May” and posting it along with the White Lined Sphinx.

Comment: (05/15/2008) Bug of the month – Calosoma
Hi WTB staff,
I have encountered many of these new determined beetles in my San diego, California backyard. And yes they do indeed fly. I have seen them walk across my yard, then get to the patio, then fly. They are also aggressive meat eaters. I found a dead bird in my back yard, only to find one of these beetles ravenously cutting away feathers and meat. I’m just glad their only 2 inches long.Thanks
Jeff

Update: (05/17/2008)
Hi from Los Alamitos California – I am writing to tell you your beatle of the month has made its way to Los Alamitos, Cypress, Seal Beach and Long Beach. I saw one in front of my work yesterday in Cypress. My son called me later in the day, he attends Los Alamitos High School. He was saying he kept seeing these beetles all over his school. I was at the Buena Park Mall yesterday afternoon, a saw beatle in one of the stores. I have an awful phobia a bugs. Ever since the infestation of the “waterbug”/palmetto in Lakewood CA in the late 70’s or early 80’s. Anyways long story short – Is there anything we can do to keep these bugs/insect out of our homes.

Sorry, we have now suggestions on keeping them out of the home.

Update: (05/19/2008) Bug of the Month: Black Beetle
Hey, guys. Just wanted to add my two cents to the updates; I live in Redondo Beach, CA, and saw two of these suckers yesterday. I’ve lived in L.A. County my whole life, and I don’t remember seeing one of these guys before. Scared the heck out of me at first, but it sounds like I may as well get used to them.
Jen D

Update: Caterpillar Hunter goes for the toe!!!
(05/19/2008) bug of the month
Dear Bugman,
I have seen many of these black beetles around my work place. inside and out. I would prefer to keep them out! Two of my co-workers have actually been bitten by these nasty little critters. I see that previous posts have labeled them carnivorous. This is extremely disturbing. Do you know if they are harmful,, or just a pain in the neck/toe?

Our coworker in education, Professor Rhonda G., called our home office quite hysterically on Saturday. Seems a big black beetle bit her on the pedicured toe that was peeking suggestively from her sandals. Sight unseen, we identified her attacker as the Caterpillar Hunter that is making numerous southland appearances. We believe her dainty toe with its polished toenail was mistaken for a caterpillar. Calosoma semilaeve is harmless.

Update: (05/20/2008) Dear Bugman:
I am wondering how long Calosoma will be traversing the Los Angeles area. I had a nasty run-in with a very aggressive one that was intent on removing my second toe last weekend. I was working in an office in Torrance, (wearing sandlas) intent on figures on the computer screen when I felt what had to be a sharp bite. I used my other foot hurriedly to scrape whatever it was, off, while I stood, screaming rather loudly, only to see the back-end of a large black beetle in retreat. I screamed louder and grabbed my shoe. Two co-workers came in and they shifted the file cabinet and Calosoma ran out. I tried to smash it with my sandal so I could return to work in peace, but it dodged with alacrity and speed and slipped under the computer tower and on to parts unknown. I am back at work three days later and on Calosoma-watch with my two office mates. My co-workers have not seen it. Could it still be lurking? This insect is a warrior and a blood-thirsty carnivore. I think it was trying to hold on as I was trying to dislodge it. If these were larger bugs, we would have a movie script for world domination and the end of homosapien life. I am in a bit of awe though, because I realize that Calosoma is intelligent: it planned an attack. It made the decision to climb the platform of my sandal and it selected the toe it probably believed would afford it the greatest chance of success. But I question its ability to reason or think critically: I wear size 10 shoe. At any rate, I hope the one in this office and others in our area will be moving on soon. A caterpillar does not stand a snowball’s chance in hell. Thanks to “What’s that Bug” for helping calm my hysteria and identifying this fearless bug, holding its own in the mean streets of L.A.

Dear Hysterical,
We assure you that the Calosoma is quite harmless. We also expect this population explosion to diminish within the next month.

Update: (05/27/2008) Bug of the Month – Calosoma
As a librarian in Torrance, California, I was feeling some pressure to find out what these bugs were that people kept seeing about town. At first it was just a few, but the sightings are becoming more and more frequent. Today, we found the first of these guys inside the library. I stumbled across your wonderful website while trying to find some information, and have printed out your feature on the Bug of the Month to share with those that are interested. Incidentally, our Summer Reading Program theme this year is “Catch the Reading Bug!” Thanks for the great website!
Theresa Babiar
Youth Services Librarian
Katy Geissert Civic Center Library
Torrance , California

Update: (06/07/2008) Calasoma CSI: Case Closed
Calasomma Strikes Again After Three Week Hiatus
It took nearly three weeks, but the toe-biting Calasoma who attacked an unwary mortgage consultant working on a weekend in Torrance California, has again reared its antennae . May’s “bug of the month” terrorized a mortgage consultant who had a desire to crunch nothing more than numbers in early May. The insect’s attack nearly drew blood and sent a wave of fear through the normally pleasant office, located 15 miles south of downtown Los Angeles. Following the first attack, it was assumed Calasoma had fled the premises, so no exterminators were called in. In the second attack, just as before, observers say Calasoma stalked its victim. Agents and consultants were working peacably, never knowing that in the intervening weeks, they were being watched by Calasoma. The exact same foot-fetish bug had attacked Rhonda G. at her desk. After a brief row, it ran for its life. We theorize Calasoma must have been driven by hunger. But the day of the second attack, proved to be its undoing. A visiting Chase Bank representative was the first to see the wiley insect. He told Lori Q rather calmly, “There’s a bug near your foot.” Calasomma was making a bee-line for Lori Q’s black, 4-inch, snakeskin pumps–open-toed of course. Lori Q. sprang to her feet and grabbed a nearby trash can as the other agent present, Ayessa P., screamed. The Chase agent seemed conflicted as Lori tried to speed Calasomma into its next incarnation, by smashing it with the rim of the trash can. This insect must have been faint with hunger after walking the floorboards of the office for 20 or so days:There is nothing for the carniverous bug to eat here. Nevertheless, it summoned its strength and agility for this final battle. I imagine that Lori Q.’s carefully pedicured, exposed toes must have seemed like a potential and irresistable moveable feast. I am told Calasomma moved with blinding speed, dodging Lori’s death blows. She would not step on the bug because she said she did not want to soil her pumps. The Chase rep realized that the trash can was not getting the job done and Ayessa’s deafening screams were not helping either. So he deftly threw an 81/2 x 11 sheet of paper to the floor, covering Calasomma and smashing it with his steel-toed boots. Witnesses reported Calasoma writhed on its back in its death throes. It is amazing that the bug could survive for so long without food or drink and still plan an attack and fight back…but too stupid to make it to the exit door. We felt a twinge of sympathy for the bug that seemed to grow larger in the re-telling of the first attack, but seemed a bit smaller in death. But still, do you suppose we need to worry about off-spring. It is springtime and it could be a she and the bug was here for a long while. Thanks,
Rhonda G.
P.S. I don’t know that I will ever be able to comfortably wear sandals again.

Dear Rhonda G.,
Nice lead. This story has the potential to be adapted into an amazing “squish” video, not that we could ever condone that. In the event that Calosoma semilaeve procreated in your office, the equally predatory larvae should be making appearances soon.

¶ Posted 12 May 2008 § Beetles ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

Bug of the Month: May 2008 – Striped Morning Sphinx or White Lined Sphinx: adult and caterpillar

Question: Help! What is this bug?!
Dear Bugman,
Please help me identify this bug. I have searched all the pages on the internet for moths and cannot locate a picture that looks like this one. Thank you so much!
Julie

Hi Julie,
On our website, the Sphinx Moths, a large family, get their own pages separate from general moths. This is a White Lined Sphinx, Hyles lineata. It is one of the most common U.S. Sphinx Moths, and in desert areas the species go through cyclical population explosions. Because the California rains this season have been spread out rather than concentrated, there is lush native plant growth and we expect to continue to get reports of both the adult Striped Morning Sphinx moths and the caterpillars as well.

White Lined Sphinx Caterpillar
(03/26/2008) caterpillar picture attached
I saw this caterpillar in Anzo-Borrego Desert in southern California last week. Curious if you know what it is. Pictures attached.
paul

Hi Paul,
With the desert wildflowers being so spectacular this year, there is plenty of food for plant eaters like caterpillars. We expect to get numerous queries regarding your species, the White Lined Sphinx or Striped Morning Sphinx, Hyles lineata. The caterpillars of this species are highly variable and become quite numerous at times. They were eaten by Native Americans and still are eaten by some adventuresome modern Americans as well.

¶ Posted 27 April 2008 § Caterpillars and Pupa § Hummingbird Moths, Sphinx Moths or Hawk Moths § Moths ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

Bug of the Month: April 2008 – Carpet Beetle

bug on windowsill
In the last week (first week of March), we have seen several of these tiny beetle-like bugs on our windowsill. We’re concerned that they might be from possible dampness in the wall – or are they from a house plant. It’s too cold here yet, so you windows have not been open for fresh air and bugs! Thanks for helping us identify this tiny bug. It’s about 2 millimetres long.
Lauren

Hi Lauren,
This is an Anthrenus Carpet Beetle. It and its siblings have probably been living all winter in your home as fuzzy larvae, feeding on wool, feathers or fur, or some other animal product. Carpet Beetle infestations can do major damage to your valuables and are considered one of the most serious threats to natural history museum collections. Adult Carpet Beetles emerge in the spring and are attracted to windows. They feed on pollen as adults and are trying to get outside to feed.

Ed. Note: (04/04/2008)
It seems that daily we have been receiving multiple requests for the identification of Anthrenus Carpet Beetles, hence our decision to make them the Bug of the Month for April. These Carpet Beetles can be extremely destructive to museum collections as well as to natural fibers in the home. The larvae are fuzzy and are the destructive stage of the insect.

Carpet Beetle Larva
(04/13/2008) Carpet beetle larva from MN
Hello Daniel and Lisa.
Thanks to your site, which I visit almost daily now, I was able to identify a carpet beetle larva when I first saw it last year crawling up the wall in my room. Now I found another one this year in the same place and time, and now I have a better camera for getting a decent picture of it. I noticed that you made it the Bug of the Month for April, and the picture you have up there is a little blurry, so I thought you might like some clearer images. I’m still not sure of the species of this one though. I live in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.
Joel

Hi Joel,
Thanks for providing us with a sharper and more current image of a Carpet Beetle Larva. We scoured the archives for the one we originally posted in the Bug of the Month for April 2008 posting.

Update: (04/12/2008)Thank you thank you thank you!!!
Thank you SO much for making the Carpet Beetle April’s bug of the month! We have been in this house for 3 springs now and have wondered what on earth those little things are! It’s nearly impossible to find info online for one bug out of millions! I have a question… I looked up info on what they eat, the larvae that is. It said they like wool carpet. Our carpeting is made from recycled milk cartons! We do have a pet rabbit, but the bugs tend to stay in our daughter’s room, which the bunny is only allowed in on occasion. What could they be eating that keeps them coming back each spring? Again, thanks so VERY much! You have really satisfied a curiosity of mine and my husband’s (who, by the way, thought they were some bizarre kind of tick or flea!) Sincerely,
Crystal
Southern California

Hi Crystal,
Your letter is the second thanks we have received since making the Carpet Beetle the Bug of the Month. That is always a tough decision, and we almost chose the Striped Morning Sphinx. We have also gotten numerous requests for that identification. Your letter did not indicate if you are finding the adult Carpet Beetles or the larvae in your daughter’s room. If the adults, they could fly from the larval feeding source. If you have rabbits, they will probably shed and the larval Carpet Beetles will eat the shed fur. They will also feed on other pet hair and human hair that gathers in corners and under beds.

¶ Posted 08 March 2008 § Pantry Beetles, Grain Weevils, Spider Beetles, Meal Worms and Carpet Beetles ‡ Comments (2) ° Also tagged: Household Pests

Bug of the Month: March 2008 – Giant Crab Spider with Spiderlings

What Kind of Spider is This?
Hello,
I friend has this spider in his house in LA, California, see attachment. What kind is this, it looks to be over 2″ in length.
Craig Baugher

(03/01/2008) i officially have the creeps
hi:
this photo has given me the willies, big-time: could it be real? enhanced? photoshopped? just tell me it’s nowhere in north america.
cheers,
nick

Hi Craig and Nick,
Interestingly, you both sent us the same photo for identification. This is a female Giant Crab Spider in the family Sparassidae, probably the genus Olios. Nice image of the maternal behavior. We have read that the mother spider shares prey with her spiderlings. We are so intrigued with this image, and also amused that two different people requested the identification, so we decided to make it our Bug of the Month for March. By the way Nick, Craig says it was photographed in Los Angeles. Giant Crab Spiders in the genus Olios are shy, nocturnal hunters and they are harmless. They will actually help rid a home of cockroaches.

¶ Posted 27 February 2008 § Spiders ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

Bug of the Month: February 2008 – Longhorned Borer Beetle: Tragidion peninsularum

I have a strange bug
I found him in my backyard, in Murrieta California. Do you know who he is?
Linda

Hi Linda,
My is this photo positively gorgeous, and the beetle itself is equally stunning. We finally located a matching image on BugGuide from Arizona, Tragidion annulatum. Margarethe Brummermann posted the following comment: “If I read the source correctly annulatum was the original name and is still used for the Southwest population, whereas peninsulare is a later split-off for the California and Baja populations.” We then followed a link to an image of Tragidion peninsularum. We are happy identifying your specimen as Trigidion peninsularum unless we are proven wrong. It is also the end of the month and time to select a Bug of the Month for February. We like to post timely sightings for that honor that will help readers with seasonal identifications. This species is a first for our site, and perhaps there will be additional sightings in California this year, so we are thrilled to make your Tragidion peninsularum the Bug of the Month for February 2008. We will write to Eric Eaton in the hopes that he will confirm this identification, and perhaps add some relevant information.

Hi, Daniel:
I can’t make a call on the longhorned beetle, other than to say the genus and gender are both correct….
Eric

¶ Posted 31 January 2008 § Longhorn Beetles ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged: