Skip to content

Tag Archives: Unidentified

What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Leaf Beetle from Brazil

Beautiful Beetle
October 28, 2009
As we live in the southern hemisphere, we are currently in the midst of spring with summer close at hand. For us, this means we will be seeing more and more bugs (woo-hoo). That being said, my kids and I found this beautiful beetle early this morning on the sidewalk outside their school. We immediately rescued it so that it would not get stepped on by the students. I let it walk around the palm of my hand so that we could let my children’s classmates admire it as well. It is a beautiful shiny hard-shelled beetle. When walking, it does so quite quickly, but remains fairly still for the most part. It is about an inch and a half from the tip of it’s nose to the tip of its rear, and the antennas add about another half an inch to its overall length, with a thickness of abo ut a quarter of an inch. I have searched and searched but I cannot identify what type of beetle it is. Any ideas? Another interesting note: Shortly after I returned home and placed it on a branch to retrieve my camera, it slowly and deliberately excreted something onto the branch from the tip of it’s rear. It would slowly move forward bit by bit as it attached the excretion to the branch. The beetle then ‘patted’ it to be certain it was firmly attached to the branch. The excretion is tan in color, about a quarter by an eighth of an inch, and has an oval-rounded shape to it. It resembles a very flattened rolly polly with a clearish tan coating over it. Could this be a single larvae? Thanks for anything you might be able to tell us about this wonderful creature.
Todd Madsen
Sao Paulo, Brazil

Unidentified Beetle from Brazil

Unidentified Beetle from Brazil

Hi Todd,
We are requesting assistance with your beetle.  Our initial impression is that it is a Leaf Beetle in the family Chrysomelidae.  We hope Eric Eaton can verify that.

Unidentified Beetle from Brazil

Unidentified Beetle from Brazil

Daniel:
Right on!  Yes, it is indeed a leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, subfamily Hispinae.  Many are leaf miners, but I can’t imagine this large species being one of them:-)
Eric

Karl locates some images online
Hi Daniel:
Everyone is right! Following Eric’s lead, the genus is Coraliomela (Hispinae: Alurnini). But there are several species in that genus in Brazil and there is very little information to be found, so that is likely as close as we are going to get. Chances are that at least some look quite similar (e.g., C. tetramaculata). Regarding the behavior described by Todd, I would guess the beetle was laying eggs – I can’t think what else it may have been doing. From what I could gather, some and perhaps all Coraliomela species feed on palms; the larvae of C. brunnea (an entirely red species), for example, are considered one of Brazil’s most important pests on coconut seedlings. I can’t tell if the plant in Todd’s photo is a palm. Regards.
Karl

Posted 28 October 2009 § Leaf Beetles ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

Unknown Eggs, possibly Amphibian, or maybe a fungus???

Slug or Snail Eggs, Maybe Not?
October 25, 2009
Dear Bug Man,
I’m pretty sure these are not bug eggs, but I am confident you can help ID these things.
I discovered this cluch of eggs under a pile of wet and decaying wood.
Thanks for the help,
W. Matthews
San Antonio, TX

Amphibian Eggs perhaps???

Amphibian Eggs perhaps???

Hi W. Matthews,
We agree they are not insect eggs, and we would also discount snail or slug eggs.  We believe they may be Amphibian Eggs, though it is also possible they are some type of fungus or mushroom.  Hopefully one of our readers may supply an answer.

Posted 25 October 2009 § Eggs ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

Unknown Hopper from Australia

What might this be
October 18, 2009
Hi guys,
Been a while, hope all is well your end. Any ideas on this one? The front legs look mantid like. Is it a nymph stage of a mantis of some sort?
Aussietrev
Queensland. Australia

Unknown Australian Hopper

Unknown Australian Hopper

Hi Trevor,
Welcome back.  This appears to be some species of immature hopper, possibly a Fulgoroid.  The front legs remind us of Cicadas, but the head is different.  We searched through many possibilities on the Geocities website of Australian Insects without luck.  We haven’t the time to research the species as we are running late this morning, but perhaps one of our readers will be able to provide an answer.

Posted 20 October 2009 § Aphids, Scale Insects, Leafhoppers, and Tree Hoppers ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Unidentified Stinging Caterpillar from Singapore

Unknown Caterpillar
October 4, 2009
Hello bugman,
when cutting our Chamaedorea elegans, my husband felt a burning sensation to his arm. Obviously he touched two of this caterpillars, sitting on a leaf.
I searched your database, but couldn’t find a similar picture. Looks like a stinging slug caterpillar for me.
Thanks for your help,
Best regard
Claudia
Singapore

Unknown Stinging Caterpillar

Unknown Stinging Caterpillar

Hi Claudia,
We are not certain that this is a Stinging Slug Caterpillar.  It looks more to us like one of the Stinging Caterpillars in the subfamily Hemileucinae of the Giant Silkworm Family Saturniidae.  We will try to get a second opinion.

Posted 04 October 2009 § moth caterpillars ‡ Comments (1) ° Also tagged:

Unknown Darner is probably Swamp Darner

Mosaic or hero darner?
September 3, 2009
At first I thought it was a low plane, but it was just this injured dragonfly. I’m guessing it’s a mosaic darner; it didn’t last long after it landed on the garden hose. The wingspan was a bit over 5 1/4 inches-pretty huge.
dexter
southeastern LI, NY, USA

Darner

Darner

Dear Dexter,
There are people out there far more qualified than we are to correctly identify your Darner.  Hopefully, someone will write in with an identification.

Darner

Darner

Update from Eric Eaton
September 6, 2009
Daniel:
I believe the “unknown darner” is a “swamp darner,” Epiaeschna heros, one of the largest dragonflies in North America and a great find.  Nice images of it, too!
Eric

Posted 04 September 2009 § Dragonflies and Damselflies ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

Unknown Cixiid Planthopper

Curiously looking insect.
August 30, 2009
It was sitting on top of one of our corn plants. Very very small, somewhere between 1/8th of an inch to 1/4th of an inch in size. I’ve never seen anything like it around here before.The picture should be sufficient.
Jonathan Campos
Los Angeles, CA.

Unknown Cixiid Planthopper

Unknown Cixiid Planthopper

Hi Jonathan,
We don’t feel skilled enough to take this to a species or even genus level, but your insect is a Cixiid Planthopper in the family Cixiidae.  There are numerous representatives on BugGuide.  Perhaps an expert can come to our rescue and properly identify this Cixiid.

Update from Eric Eaton
August 31, 2009
Daniel:
… Cixiid planthopper is some species in the genus Oliarus (there are at least 50 species north of Mexico).  Hope that helps.
Eric

Posted 30 August 2009 § Aphids, Scale Insects, Leafhoppers, and Tree Hoppers ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

Jewel Beetle from Hawaii, but what species???

Is this a Jewel Beetle?
August 25, 2009
Hi there,
This little guy flew into my house. I took him back out after admiring him a bit but the very next day, there he was again, clinging to the post I hang my purse on. He’s beautiful but I don’t want him to die in here, I’ve put a variety of leaves out for him since he just plain refuses to leave. Is he a Jewel Beetle? Thanks for your help.
Amy
Kaneohe, Hawaii

Jewel Beetle

Jewel Beetle

Hi Amy,
Yes, this is a Jewel Beetle in the family Buprestidae, but we are uncertain of the species. Since it is an island habitat, Hawaii is one of those places where invasive exotic species can displace endemic endangered species, and we are curious to find out what species you have submitted.  Sadly, since we must leave for work, we haven’t the time to research right now. Judging by her ovipositor, your specimen is a female.

Posted 25 August 2009 § Metallic Borer Beetles ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

Hornworm from India is Oleander Hawkmoth

Giant Caterpillar
August 22, 2009
Found in the garden on 12.12.08. Approx 10cm Long and 1.5cm dia.
Can you identify it and tell me what it has by now become? We put it over the wall onto an adjacen vacant plot of land. Haven’t seen any more
Roy
Gurgan, India

Unidentified Hornworm from India

Oleander Hawkmoth Hornworm from India

Dear Roy,
This is a Sphinx Moth Caterpillar or Hawkmoth Caterpillar in the family Sphingidae.  These caterpillars are often called Hornworms for obvious reasons, and they are harmless.  The coloration of your specimen indicates that it was probably getting ready to pupate, which they do underground.  We will put in a quick inquiry with Bill Oehlke to see if he recognizes the species, and perhaps one of our readers will write in with a species identification.

Identification courtesy of Karl
August 24, 2009
Hi Daniel and Roy:
This looks like the caterpillar of the Oleander Hawkmoth (Daphnis nerii). It is native to southern Europe, Africa and Asia but is popping up worldwide as its host plant (Oleander) is spread as a popular ornamental. They are apparently well established in Hawaii for instance. The mature larvae are usually green but it does come in a variety of color variations; this is a brown form. The adults are very well represented on WTB and there has been at least one posting of a brown form caterpillar.  Regards.
Karl

Posted 22 August 2009 § Hornworms ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

Unknown Caterpillar from Florida on Annona salzmannii is Fruit Piercing Moth Caterpillar

Caterpillar ID
August 16, 2009
Hello bugman,
I was hoping you could help me with an ID of this Caterpillar. I took this shot yesterday in Coral Springs Florida, US. It has been eating the plant you see it on (Annona salzmannii ) a fruit tree from South America. I’ve seen a couple of these in different parts of the county but they are always on plant in the Annonaceae family.
Thanks for your help
Eric Bronson
Coral Springs, Florida

Unknown Caterpillar from Florida

Fruit Piercing Moth Caterpillar from Florida

Hi Eric,
Our quick search did not turn up an ID for this distinctive caterpillar.  We will try to do additional research, but for now, we will post your image in the hope that one of our readers can supply an answer.

Cool, I suspect it may be a new invasive species. I did my homework before I submitted it to you, and I couldn’t find anything about this online or in my reference books. I hope we can figure out what it is. That I keep finding them on Annonaceae plants may be a good clue.
Thanks again for your help
Eric Bronson

Hi again Eric,
You should post a comment on our posting of your caterpillar, so if anyone writes in with an identification, you will receive a copy of the comment.

Identification courtesy of Karl
Eric:
I am fairly certain this is a Fruit-piercing Moth caterpillar (Noctuoidea: Erebidae: Calpinae) in the genus Gonodonta. Alternative taxonomic systems place this genus in the sub-family Catocalinae. Caterpillars of this group tend to be variable and several species look similar to begin with, so nailing down the species is difficult. To me it looks most similar to G. bidens, but it could also be G. pyrgo or G. incurvata. If it is any of those three then it does belong in Florida. If it is a similar species from further south (there are a few) then it is a visitor, or perhaps an invasive. One example of a G. bidens caterpillar can be found at: http://www.tulane.edu/~ldyer/lsacat/index_frames.htm (click on ‘Noctuidae’ to get to a species list).  K

Hi again Eric:
I forgot to mention that if you follow the link provided you will see that (in Costa Rica) the Annonaceae are given as host plants for G. bidens. That was a good and useful observation on your part. K

Posted 16 August 2009 § moth caterpillars ‡ Comments (5) ° Also tagged:

Flying Ant, but which one???

Katydid wasp party?
August 9, 2009
When I went out onto our deck this morning, I was greeted by a swarm of these small black insects. They seem to be congregating around our grill. After determining they didn’t seem to be intent on stinging us, my wife and I pulled out the flyswatters and began clearing the area. Yeah, this probably qualifies as unnecessary carnage, but there was no way we could enjoy our deck with 50 or so of them buzzing about.
From my searching, I think it’s a katydid wasp. There doesn’t seem to be much information about them other than lots of pictures. Should I be looking for a nest nearby?
John
Marion, IA

Flying Ant, we presume

Male Flying Ant

Hi John
This is not a Katydid Wasp.  We believe it is a reproductive Flying Ant, but we need assistance as to the family, genus and or species.  We will solicit assistance in this matter.  The jury is still out regarding Unnecessary Carnage as there may have been a justifiable reason to remove this nuptial swarm.  We have been getting so much heat lately in the Unnecessary Carnage arena that we don’t want to be hasty in this situation.

Flying Ant: Justifiable death or not???

Flying Ant: Justifiable death or not???

Update from Eric Eaton
You’re welcome.
Yes, the winged ant is a male, subfamily Formicinae….looks like genus Formica.  What the person describes is swarming behavior (aka “nuptial flight”) that was probably a “one night only” event.
Eric

Thanks Eric,
We will link to the genus Formica on BugGuide.  Ants perform a vital service with regards to the balance of nature, and native ants are often compromised by the introduction of exotic species that throw things out of balance, like the introduction of Argentine Sugar Ants in many places of the world.  We don’t believe these mating ants constituted a threat, and if killing them could have been avoided by sweeping them out of the way, or by some other means, that was probably a better alternative to swatting.

Unnecessary Carnage Comment
August 9, 2009
RE: unnecessary carnage
I love your site, and visit it several times a day. Many thanks for posting such lovely images and so much information (you helped me ID a one-eyed Sphinx moth here in Seattle)! I also love the fact that you tell folks when they have committed an act of unnecessary carnage, but sadly, you have been very hesitant to do so lately… Please don’t let one or two unhinged people keep you from providing a vital service- letting humans know that insects are innocent until proven guilty!
Leah S.

Posted 09 August 2009 § Ants ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

Root Borer from Mexico

Large cranky beetle
August 3, 2009
I found this guy in a new house I’m building in the fron yard, I grabbed him to get a better picture, with a better sun exposition, but it got really mad at me, so that when I let it free, it was chasing me really fast and it was very difficult to get the camera to focus and I guess it most be still looking for me somewhere.
Do you know what type of beetle it is?, it was around 4 in long.
Jorge Farias
Jalisco Mexico

Unknown Mexican Prionid

Root Borer from Mexico

Hola Jorge,
This is a Root Borer in the subfamily Prioninae, but we are not certain of the species.  Hopefully, one of our readers will be able to supply an exact species for us.

Unknown Mexican Prionid

Unknown Mexican Prionid

Thanks Daniel!
I hope I can catch a midge in action. By the way, the root borer you posted is a Palo Verde beetle (Derobrachus geminatus). We have lot’s of them in Tucson- they’re HUGE, and they’re really active right now, during the monsoon. I like their fancy spiked collars! Here’s another!
Emily

Hi Emily,
Thanks for the suggestion on the Mexican Prionid.  We agree that it is a Derobrachus, but there are other species of Derobrachus in Mexico and we are just not certain that this is a Palo Verde Root Borer or perhaps one of the  others, like possibly Derobrachus sulcicornis.  Jalisco is in central Mexico which supports our theory that this may be a different species.  Since insects do not respect international borders, if this submission had been from Sonora or Chihuahua, we would say the Palo Verde Root Borer would be a more certain possibility.

Update from Eric Eaton
August 4, 2009
Hi, Daniel:
I agree with the identifications for both of the beetles:  A species of Derobrachus, and an example of the “lion beetle” as offered by others.  See what a great community you have created?:-)  I tell you, I learn as much from WTB as I contribute….
… Keep up the great job, Daniel:-)
Eric

Posted 03 August 2009 § Longhorn Beetles ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

Unknown Caterpillar from South Africa is Carpenter Moth Caterpillar

Huge red and yellow caterillar???
July 30, 2009
Hi, I am staying in the eastern cape of South Africa and yesterday spotted this caterpillar? grub? crawling along the ground. It was approx 3″ long and appeared to be trying to burrow or dig into the ground. It moved like a caterpillar – that is to say it lifted the centre of its body off the ground as it moved. The local men told me it is a ‘worm’….. but we wondered what is it really?? I have tried looking online but no luck. I hope you can help!
Sarah
Eastern Cape, South Africa

Unknown Caterpillar from South Africa

Carpenter Moth Caterpillar from South Africa

Hi Sarah,
We are fairly certain that this is a Giant Silk Moth Caterpillar in the family Saturniidae, but we could not locate a matching image on the World’s Greatest Saturniidae website.  We will contact Bill Oehlke to see if he knows what species this is. Perhaps one of our other readers will be able to supply an answer.

Bill Oehlke responds
July 31, 2009
Daniel,
I do not know that one. i do not think it is a Saturniidae species.
Bill Oehlke

Possible ID from Karl
August 14, 2009
Daniel:
Another possibility is that this impressive larva is a Carpenter Moth (Cossidae), some of which can be quite large.  Carpenter moths are stem and root borers, hence the common name for the group.  In most species the larvae live out their terms (up to 5 years) within their woody tunnels and galleries and therefore have no need for bright colors; most are white or cream colored. Some species, however, do change hosts occasionally when they run out of food, their host dies, or to burrow underground to pupate (could the latter behavior be what Sarah observed?). Such species can be brightly colored, often a warning to potential predators of toxicity or bad taste. A good example is the Goat Moth (Cossus cossus) of Europe and northern Africa, which bears considerable resemblance to the larva in Sarah’s photo. I was particularly struck by the similar markings on the pronotal shield, just behind the head. The Goat moth is one example of a Cossid moth larva that does leave its tree in the final stages of development to pupate underground. The Cossidae are well represented in South Africa, including at least two Cossus species (C. windhoekensis and C. terebroides) but descriptive information about larvae is difficult to find and I was not able to identify a potential candidate genus or species. Regards.
Karl

Posted 30 July 2009 § Silkworms ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

Page 1 of 1812345»10...Last »