long legged spider
January 21, 2010
hi,
i found this big fella when i was trimming my wisteria. i havn’t seen him since. hes quite big about 10 cm from foot to foot ive tried looking for something similar but i cant seem to find anything. ive also tried looking for him again (rather timidly) curiousity got the better of me but i havnt seen him.
cheers julie
12ks out of ngaruawahia, new zealand
Possibly Huntsman Spider
Hi Julie,
In attempting to answer your question, we discovered a Museum of New Zealand spider website, but your specimen is not represented. We believe this is some species of Huntsman Spider because of the size and the leg span. It looks somewhat similar to a Shield Huntsman, Neosparassus salacius, pictured on the Insects of Brisbane website. We located another Australian Huntsman website, but again, nothing looks exactly like your specimen. There is some concern about the introduction of Australian Huntsman spiders to New Zealand, not because the spiders pose a threat to humans, but because of how they might feed upon native insects, upsetting the biodiversity in New Zealand. Here is a link to a news story. Perhaps one of our readers will have better luck with the identification of your spider.
Sheetweb Spider
Update from Karl
Hi Daniel:
I think this may be a sheetweb spider (Stiphidiidae) in the genus Cambridgea. The genus is endemic to New Zealand and there are apparently about 30 species. The size of this one suggests that it could be C. foliata, New Zealand’s largest spider. The Museum of New Zealand spider website you mentioned does not have a very useful photo, but it does provide good information about the group. Regards.
Karl
Grasshopper with white head and yellow legs
January 19, 2010
I found this grasshopper in a marsh on the boardwalk about 30 miles west of Chicago. He stayed there for about a minute and then jumped off into the weeds. Any ideas? He’s one of the most beautiful grasshoppers I’ve ever seen.
Sam
Wheaton, IL 60187
Meadow Katydid
Hi Sam,
We are late for an appointment right now, and haven’t the time to research this request, though we do have time to post it. Hopefully, one of our readers will be able to assist. We have also requested assistance from Eric Eaton. Your letter did not indicate when the sighting was made, and since there is currently snow in Chicago, we doubt if it was spotted this week.
Sorry; I think it was in July or August if that helps.
Correction courtesy of Eric Eaton
Daniel:
The “grasshopper” is a male meadow katydid in the genus Orchelimum, possibly the black-legged meadow katydid, Orchelimum nigripes, but difficult to be certain. One needs to see a close-up of the tail end to get a species ID.
Eric
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Posted 19 January 2010
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Please identify this bug
January 17, 2010
I could not find out what kind of bug is this, I have been looking on the internet with no result.
THank you
No thanks
West Java, Indonesia
Unknown Hopper
This is some species of Free Living Hemipteran, probably a Fulgorid Planthopper, or possibly a Lanternfly in the superfamily Fulgoroidea. Hopefully, one of our readers will be able to provide a more specific identification. Often immature specimens can be difficult to identify.
Small red bugs
January 15, 2010
Found on an avocado leaf. The bugs appear to be “newborns”. Photos were taken with an iPhone and a small magnifying glass.
Paschoal
Parana, Brazil
Hatchling True Bugs
Hi Paschoal,
These are hatchling True Bugs, though we are unable to identify the genus or species, nor are we certain of the family. Perhaps one of our readers will be able to assist in at least a family identification.
Hatchling True Bugs
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Posted 17 January 2010
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colorful metallic beetle
January 12, 2010
Could you please help us identify this beetle? We found it in a shallow, sandy-bottomed stream which runs through Angelina National Forest. Thank you for any light you can shed on its identity!
The Guy family
Jasper, Texas
Tiger Beetle
Dear Guy family,
This is a Tiger Beetle in the genus Cicindela, though we are uncertain of the species. We looked through all the possibilities on BugGuide, but couldn’t make a conclusive identification. It is possible that it is the Six Spotted Tiger Beetle, Cicindela sexguttata, which is described on BugGuide as being: “Brilliant green coloration with six white spots. No other Nearctic Tiger Beetle looks much like this one. Occasional variation seen—overall color may be bluish on some individuals, and spots may be missing on some individuals.“ There is one example on BugGuide with a color pattern similar to your specimen.
Please I.D. this fly for me
January 7, 2010
these photos were taken on the 4th July 2009 at the side a track which runs along side a woodland which is within the very large area of Britains largest lowland raised bog area called Thorne Moor in South Yorkshire.The weather was warm still and sunny at the time
Malcolm Corps
South Yorkshire, England, U.K.
Tachinid Fly
Dear Malcolm,
We have been obsessed with trying to identify your magnificent black fly with a golden head, but alas, we have had no luck. The Bioimages website Diptera page is rather difficult to search for images and it proved fruitless. www.gwydir.cemon.co.uk is a nice website with numerous photos of flies, but again, your distinctive fly is not represented. We believe this is a Flower Fly or Hover Fly in the family Syrphidae. We would not rule out a Bee Fly in the family Bombyliidae, or it may even be in some other family. We have finally decided to post your photos and request assistance from our readership and we will also be writing to Eric Eaton to see if he can at least provide the family.
Tachinid Fly
We believe the third photo you submitted is of a different species since the wing pattern is different.
Flower Fly
Eric Eaton provides an identification
Yes, this is definitely a large tachinid fly, Family Tachinidae, maybe Tachinia grossa. The third image is of the backside of a different fly, and that one is a flower fly (Syrphidae), specifically Volucella pellucens.
Eric
4 legged stick bug about 5mm long
January 4, 2010
I found this little guy on my kitchen wall, January 4, 2010. There’s about 15 cm of snow on the ground outside, temperature is about -1C. I’ve seen this kind of bug before both inside & outside. Any idea what it is?
Jan, Nova Scotia, Canada
2 km from Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia
Unknown Moth
Dear Jan,
Moths that are this tiny are called Microlepidoptera, and we must confess that the proper identification of species of Microlepidoptera is well beyond our means. Perhaps one of our readers will be able to supply an answer.
Unknown Moth
Your response is greatly appreciated. I had no idea it is a moth!
Thanks,
Jan
Black & Red Water Bug?
January 4, 2010
These guys only seem to surface at this time of year (Summer). They fly (rather poorly) and seem to be seriously attracted to water. Pretty much always find their way to the sink, shower floor or cats water bowl. Also only seem to see them at night. Heaps of them in the house at the moment. Fairly small, about the size of a 5 cent coin.
Jason
Burnie, Tasmania, Australia
Unknown Scarab Beetle from Tasmania
Dear Jason,
This is not a Water Bug, but rather, some species of Scarab Beetle. We do not believe the beetles are being attracted to the water. We believe they are accidentally flying into the water and cannot get out. We wish your photo was of a higher quality, but as it is, the markings on your beetle seem rather distinctive. We have had no luck matching it to anything online, including the Scarabaeidae Insect Gallery page on the LifeUnseen website.
Are these insects Beetles ?
January 3, 2010
I spotted these insects jointly gathered in
a backside of a small plant leaf.
Hari Iyer
Thane, Maharashtra, India
Unknown Immature True Bugs from India
Dear Hari Iyer,
These are not beetles, but rather True Bugs in the order Hemiptera. They are immature specimens that will become winged adults. We are not certain of the species.
Update and Correction from Eric Eaton
January 9, 2010
Daniel:
The unknown immature true bugs from India are nymphs of “cotton stainers” in the genus Dysdercus, family Pyrrhocoridae. Nice pictures.
Eric
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Posted 03 January 2010
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Mexican moth
January 3, 2010
This moth was found in the morning outside our room in Cancun – the balcony light had been on all night and had attracted quite a few insects – which in turn were just beginning to be noticed by the birds.
Walter
Cancun Mexico
Puss Moth from Mexico
Hi Walter,
We are checking with Julian Donahue, an expert in the family Arctiidae, to see if he recognizes your moth.
Julian Donahue assists
It’s in the family Megalopygidae (puss caterpillars, puss moths, I believe they’re called).
You might find a name on the Internet, but I don’t have any pertinent references here at home.
Julian P. Donahue
Ed. Note
Puss Moths are also called Flannel Moths. We tried a web search and found a page on the family Megalopygidae on the Belize Moths website, but this species is not listed. For now, it will remain an unidentified Puss Moth. Many moths from this family have stinging caterpillars that will result in a painful encounter is they are carelessly handled.
Puss Moth from Mexico
Karl to the rescue again
Hi Daniel:
I am fairly certain that the genus is Megalopyge (Megalopygidae: Megalopyginae), but it is quite a large group and it is difficult to be sure about the species. However, the lovely pinkish highlights suggest that it could be M. lanata, the Mangrove Flannel Moth (also here), which ranges from Mexico to Brazil. Most Megalopyge species appear to come in a range of color variations and although I wasn’t able to locate an easily linkable online photo that shows the same vivid black contrasts as Walter’s individual, I have seen images of M. lanata that look very similar. If it is M. lanata, then this is the third time it has appeared on WTB – the previous two being caterpillars. As with other Flannel Moths, this one earns its notoriety because of the problems it can cause as a caterpillar. I really like these photos and I believe, once again, some of the best images of a given species can be found on WTB. Regards.
Karl
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Posted 03 January 2010
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Wandering spider in Ecuadorian Chocó
January 1, 2010
Dear Bugman!
Being in Ecuador there is plenty of opportunity for ecological experience.
On a night walk in a forest area in Puerto Quito (Western lowland, Chocó region) I almost stepped on this interesting fellow in December 2009. It was a rainy night.
The spider was standing on the ground, hardly moving, even when I measured its body length. It was about 31-32 mm, and its leg span between 11 and 12 cm. Quite impressive and grey as a wolf.
However, I can’t tell wether this might be a giant crab spider/huntsman spider or a wandering spider. The animal was not aggressive at all, but turned into a defensive position (shown on the other photo) when I measured it with a “paper ruler”.
When I returned later it had disappeared.
Might this even be a Phoneutria species?
Thank you so much for an answer, I’m very curious!
Dan Jestrzemski,
Germany
Puerto Quito, Western Ecuador
Unknown Spider
Happy New Year Dan,
We don’t really have the necessary skills to answer your questions, but we will post your photos in the hopes that one of our readers might assist. In North America, Giant Crab Spiders or Huntsman Spiders in the family Sparasidae are quite harmless, though it is our understanding that some tropical Huntsman Spiders can be quite venomous. We would not discount your speculation that this might be a dangerous Wandering Spider in the genus Phoneutria which may be seen on Wikipedia.
Unknown Spider
Ecuadorian Giant Red Grasshopper
November 9, 2009
We noticed this insect crawling around our lodge one night. The natives told me that it was called a ‘lobster bug,’ and that it may be the adult version of a grasshopper which loses it’s wings at an old age. The wings do appear to be shriveled, and it’s movements were slow. It is several inches long, easily over 8 inches. Hope you can help me identify this beauty.
P.S. His name is Bladerunner
Anthony L.
Napo Valley, Ecuador
Panoploscelis specularis
Dear Anthony,
We randomly selected your letter from our older unanswered mail to post today. This is some species of Longhorned Orthopteran and we are going to write to an expert in the order, Piotr Naskrecki, to see if he can give us a species or genus identification. Based on the presence of an ovipositor, we hve to inform you that Bladerunner is a female.
Panoploscelis specularis
Identification thanks to Piotr Naskrecki
Hi Daniel,
This is a female of Panoploscelis, almost certainly P. specularis
(Pseudophyllinae: Eucocconotini). It is an interesting animal, one in which
the female has fully developed stridulatory organs on her wings, albeit ones
that are not homologous with those of the male. It really is a huge animal,
although probably not 8 inches long, more like 5, ovipositor included (at
least I have never seen an individual longer than that.)
Happy New Year!
Piotr
Ed. Note
Now that we have a name, we searched for some online information and found a detailed scientific paper. We also found a reference to a common name Spiny Lobster Katydid.
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Posted 31 December 2009
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