RED BUG
Location: Peabbody, Massachusetts.
June 15, 2011 8:00 am
This critter appears overnight and usually with allthe kin to start a hostile takeover.
The bug is normally solitary but will share an occassional leaf with another.
These bugs apparently hate direct light because I always find the bug under the leaf.
These bugs can destroy an entire Tiger Lilly in an hour. Then move onto the next plant.
What is it’s name; how do I control this plague?
Signature: Rod
Lily Leaf Beetle
Hi Rod,
The Lily Leaf Beetle, Lilioceris lilii, has been introduced from Europe and it has gained a major foothold in Canada and New England. As your letter indicates, it feeds on the leaves of domesticated lily plants. The best way to control them is to get the larvae. Once they are adults, they are reproducing and they can fly, making them more mobile. According to BugGuide: “The larvae are found beneath mounds of dark brown “crud” along the edges of leaves they are eating, literally a protective barrier of their own feces.” We would recommend that you target the larval stage in your attempts to eradicate the Lily Leaf Beetle from your garden.
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Teeny Hatchlings on Rose Leaf
Location: Philadelphia, PA
June 15, 2011 10:44 pm
Dear Bugman,
I found these little critters on the underside of a rose bush June 11, and they were actively hatching from their eggs. My thumb in the photo is a good point of reference for size. Any idea what they are?
Signature: ro
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Hatchlings
Hi ro,
We just finished, minutes ago, another similar posting which we identified as Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Hatchlings. You should read that posting for additional information and links. We believe your newly hatched individuals will soon darken and here is an image on BugGuide that shows the pale coloration of hatchlings. The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug is an invasive exotic species and in our opinion, you should quickly dispatch these hatchlings if you want to prevent an invasion of your garden and your home.
Thank you so much! I’m a new convert to What’s That Bug. I’m so excited that all the bug photos I’ve been taking in my Philadelphia gardens are going to go to good use now.
The work/play that you’re doing with this website is invaluable. Keep it up!
Peas, love, & stinkbugs;
ro
newly hatched beetles (?) on rose bush
Location: Herndon, Virginia
June 15, 2011 7:09 pm
I was dead-heading one of my rose bushes & tossing the cut stems on the ground when I looked down & noticed this bunch of eggs in the process of hatching into orangish colored beetles on the underside of one of the leaves. They don’t look loke anything I’ve found in any ”beetle egg ID” type sites, & I’ve never seen them before. (I figured if these were on my roses, they were probably up to no good, so after I took these photos the branch got put out in the street for the birds to play with) Thanks!
Signature: Lois in Virginia
Hatchlings of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
Hi Lois,
You were luckless in your identification attempt because these are Stink Bug hatchlings, not beetles. We are happy we took the time to properly identify the species, which is often difficult with hatchlings, because these are newly hatched Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs, Halyomorpha halys. We found a nearly identical photo on BugGuide. You may be familiar with the adults that often seek shelter indoors with the approaching cold weather. They are quite common in Maryland, probably the site of the original introduction of this exotic invasive species. We have a special page on our site to alert our readership about invasive exotic species. You may find additional information on BugGuide including: “Elliptical eggs are laid in clusters, often on the underside of leaves. Five instars (nymphal stages) take about a week each; the nymphs typically being brightly colored with red and black. In PA, the BMSB has only one generation a year, like in the northern part of its native range. However, in southern China up to five generations occur each year, and the same pattern can be expected as the bug spreads south (Hoebeke & Carter 2003, Hoffmann 1931). The adults mate in the spring about two weeks after emerging from diapause or the resting phase. The females soon begin laying egg masses (at ~ weekly intervals); a female lays about 400 eggs in her lifetime. In PA, the egg-laying was observed from June to September, so different instars can be present on the same plant. Eggs hatch after 4-5 days. Nymphs are solitary feeders, but occasionally aggregate between overlapping leaves or leaf folds (Bernon 2004). Adults are sexually mature two weeks after the final molt (Hoebeke & Carter 2003).” The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug has already gotten a strong foothold on the east and west coasts, and we can expect it to soon spread to other parts of North America. You should dispatch these hatchlings without mercy, though that one instance on insecticide will hardly curb the spread of this noxious invasive pest. We are also including a photo of the adult Brown Marmorated Stink Bug with this posting. The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug was selected as our Bug of the Month for October 2010 and it was a very popular posting.
Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs
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Flat oval brown/grey with white margin larva on elm in NH
Location: Concord, NH
May 29, 2011 1:19 am
Just discovered several 6 to 8 millimeter flat oval larva in clusters on young Elm tree in Concord, NH. We believe ants have been farming aphids on this tree in the past and we expect they are at it again. When I scraped the clusters they are soft and become an orange-red ink like (blood colored?) mass. They seem to have collected at regions where the bark is splitting as the tree grows and at sites of pruning last fall. One photo shows how they appear to have a fuzzy white margin.
Signature: Planting Trees for Shade.
Scale on Elm
Of the European Elm Scale, Gossyparia spuria, BugGuide indicates: “Sap-sucking can cause stunted, chlorotic foliage, premature leaf drop and branch dieback. Associated black sooty mold growth from honeydew secretions on tops of branches gives trees an overall black appearance. Honeydew secretions are also a common nuisance to cars parked under infested elms.
Introduced from Europe.” It seems the European Elm Scale is an Invasive Exotic species.
European Elm Scale
Ed. Note: Clipping from the Youngstown Vindicator
A consultant from Ohio mailed us this informative article that documents the search for a natural predator that can help control the invasive exotic Brown Marmorated Stink Bug that we receive so many identification request regarding. Clicking on the image will expand it in a new window.
Youngstown Vindicator news clipping
What kind of Lizard is this?
Location: boynton beach florida
May 6, 2011 5:06 pm
I was walking my dog one morning and noticed this guy, went home to get my camera. I never saw anything like it before…What is it?
Signature: Irene
Cuban Knight Anole
Hi Irene,
We have moved out of our comfort zone with your request, but since in the loosest and most unscientific sense, bugs are “things that crawl” and Lizards do crawl, they do have a place on our site. A web search of “green lizard Florida” led us to the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary site and its profile of the Green Anole, Anolis carolinensis, which somewhat resembles your Lizard. Since Florida seems to be an ideal habitat for invasive exotic species including reptiles whose owners have released them into the habitat, we did not discount that this might be some foreign species. We believe we have identified your Lizard as a Cuban Knight Anole, Anolis equestris, and according to the Discover Life website: “The Knight anole is the largest Anolis species in the world. They grow in length from 13-19 3/8 inches. The head is large and bony, and their eyes can move independently. They have strong jaws and sharp teeth. The tail is often longer than the entire body and has a jagged upper edge. They have special adhesive lamella on their five clawed toes that allow them to stick to surfaces making it easier for them to run. This adhesive pad is located on the central part of each toe. Their body is covered with small granular scales with two white or yellowish stripes below each eye and over each shoulder. They are a bright green color, which can change to a light brown with yellow markings. Their color change depends on their mood, temperature, or other types of stimuli. Yellow areas may appear and disappear around the tail. Males are usually larger than females and have a pale pink throatfan that balloons up when excited.” We learned on the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology Animal Diversity website that: “Knight anoles are native to Cuba. They have been introduced into southeastern Florida, and there are now breeding populations in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties” and that “Knight Anoles are diurnal. They can be fiercely defensive when a snake or anything like a snake (a stick, a garden hose), gets too close. Their defensive display is to turns sideways, extends the throatfan, raise back crest, and gape menacingly (Behler 1979). A male fighting with other male anoles protrudes the throatfan to its fullest and then retracts it, repeating several times. He rises on all four legs, stiffly nods his head, and turns sideways towards rival. The male then turns bright green. Frequently the fight will end with the display, and the male most impressed by the display will drop his crest and slink away. If fighting continues, males rush at each other with mouths open. Sometimes jaws will lock if they go head on, otherwise they try to go for the limb of their opponent (Noble 1933).” You may also find information on the Florida Gardener website. The introduction of invasive exotic species like the Cuban Knight Anole may have a significant negative impact on native species.
Cuban Knight Anole
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¶ Posted 07 May 2011 § Reptiles ‡ ° Also tagged: Picture of Beetle
Location: Orange County, Southern California, USA
April 21, 2011 8:31 am
can You Identify this Beetle, found in Southern California. In a Park in Orange County.
Signature: FELIPE ANTILLON
Eucalyptus Longhorn Borer
Dear Felipe,
We are sorry about the delay in our response, but we were on holiday. We have started with the oldest emails that arrived in our absence and we are going to post those that we find the most interesting. Your beetle is an imported exotic species, but luckily, it feeds on an imported exotic plant and it does not have a direct effect on our native southern California ecosystem. This is one of two closely related species that are both known as Eucalyptus Longhorn Borers. They are native to Australia. They first appeared in Southern California in the early 1980s when their presence did not garner much attention because that coincided with the Med Fly eradication program. Residents are advised against transporting eucalyptus firewood as this is known to spread the Eucalyptus Longhorn Borers to new locations. Since the eucalyptus trees have become ubiquitous in much of the southwest, these invasive exotic beetles have a significant economic impact. The larvae bore tunnels and galleries under the bark and if they are especially numerous, they may kill a tree.
Beetle on Citrus
Location: West Los Angeles, CA
April 19, 2011 2:54 am
I saw this beetle on a citrus shrub in my yard last month in West Los Angeles in the Santa Monica Mountains. It’s about the size of a Ladybird Beetle.
Signature: Robert
Australian Tortoise Beetle
Hi Robert,
According to BugGuide, the Australian Tortoise Beetle or Eucalyptus Tortoise Beetle, Trachymela sloanei, was: “Introduced from Australia. First recorded in 1998 in California.“ BugGuide also indicates that it feeds on Eucalyptus, and there is no indication it feeds on citrus. The County of Los Angeles Agricultural Commissioner has an excellent pdf on this “new agricultural pest for Southern California.
Thank you so much for the ID on this beetle. It just so happens that we have two huge Eucalyptus trees in our yard. Somehow he found his way to the citrus.
Thanks again.
Robert
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