Orange/Black Beetle/Hornet ? NSW
Sat, Dec 13, 2008 at 3:57 PM
My husband found this bug under his sleeve driving it’s spike into his arm yesterday. It got 4 stings in before it wore a size 9 dunlop volley.
Apparently it packed quite a punch, his arm still red/swollen/itchy 24hrs later. Just curious what bug this is? Doesn’t appear to have wings! Looks like a cross between a hornet & a beetle type bug.
Newcastle NSW Australia
Shell
Newcastle NSW Australia
Ground Assassin Bug
Hi Shell,
A little bit of research revealed that this is a female Ground Assassin Bug, Ectomocoris decoratus, which we located on the Geocities Website of Brisbane Insects. Males of the species are winged and fly while the females are winged. Interestingly, we found some of the same photos and illustrations on a Brisbane Insects website with a different URL, but the species was listed as Ectomocoris patricius. We also found a PDF online that states: “Several other assassin bugs bite people in Queensland. … Ectomocoris decoratus, a fast-moving species with winged males and wingless females, is strikingly coloured in blue-black and orange. It occurs under loose bark and may be encountered when gardening or clearing vegetation. Because of its colour and speed, victims of this assassin bug often believe they were stung by a wasp.” We are not exactly sure what a size 9 dunlop volley is, but it sound like it contributed to the squashing evident in your photos. Assassin Bugs, except for a few blood sucking species, are thought of as beneficial predators, so we feel compelled to also tag your posting under Unnecessary Carnage.
Ground Assassin Bug
Unidentified Flying Bug
Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 8:50 PM
I never started noticing these bugs before this year. I’ve killed lots of bugs in my family’s house, because I live in our basement. I first started noticing these bugs outside on my car. They were well camouflaged, flat, and every time I saw one I swore it was pentagonal. I have just recently discovered that these flat beetlish things can fly. I just killed two in under five minutes that were flying around the overhead light in our basement. They looked like large moths when they were flying, but when I smacked them down with a flyswatter they were smaller, their underbellies a yellowish-cream color. Their inside fluids smell terrible, like moldy soap scum or dull mothballs.
I’m sorry I’m only giving you a picture of a dead one. They looked greenish outside, but in the picture I discovered they were brown. I just want to know if there’s some kind of infestation going on in my house. Sorry to be so negative, but I once had a bad experience with a spider looking bug laying eggs in my hair and now want to kill all bugs.
The insides were yellow and red, if that helps.
A flustered murderer
Arlington, VA
Brochymena Carnage
Dear Flustered Murderer,
You have swatted a Stink Bug in the genus Brochymena, commonly called Tree Stink Bugs. Stink Bugs and other Hemipterans like the Western Conifer Seed Bug often enter homes for shelter when cool weather sets in. They will not damage your home and they pose no threat to you except for the annoyance they may cause. Brochymena species are predatory on other insects, most notably caterpillars.
brown beetle/spider?
Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 8:54 AM
Hi,
Cleaning out my back storeroom, I came across this insect. I got so scared, I emptied half a tin of insecticide on it before it died. It has six long legs, two large mandibles at front and two very long antennae. It’s black with brown spots/stripes and its body is about 1-1.5 inches in length.
Cheers
shurland
Trinidad, West Indies
Exterminated Tailless Whipscorpion in Trinidad
Hi shurland,
Tailless Whipscorpions are fierce looking, but they are totally harmless unless you are a small Arthropod or other creature that becomes prey to this shy nocturnal hunter. We haven’t posted an image to our Unnecessary Carnage page, so we will be posting your letter and image.
Overkill: Sphinx Moth sprayed to death!!!
(08/15/2008) is it as dangerous as it looks?
Hi,
my little brother saw this bug upside down on our porch in Italy. He killed it with wasp spray, so it’s all wet, which might make it a little harder to recognize. I hope you can still get an idea of what it is… Thanks a lot!
Esther
Sphinx Moth Exterminated
Hi Ester,
If ever the word “overkill” could be used regarding the use of pesticides, your photo ranks a close third after the global use of DDT and the statewide spraying of Malathion against the Med Fly in California in the 1980s. It appears your brother used an entire spray can of foaming pesticide to dispatch one harmless Sphinx Moth. This is textbook unnecessary carnage.
what is THIS bug !?
I’m in Pennsylvania and we’ve never seen one of these before. Thanks
Rob
Hi Rob,
We have a sneaky suspicion that these relatively harmless Cicada Killers did not die of natural causes nor of old age, which is why we will be placing them in the Unnecessary Carnage section. We say relatively harmless because over the years we have gotten two reports of someone being stung by a Cicada Killer. Only the female stings, but she is so busy trying to provision her nest with Cicadas, that she can’t really be bothered trying to sting people. In the very unlikely event that a person is stung by a female Cicada Killer, the sting is reported to be quite painful. The male, who does no hunting, is the more aggressive appearing sex since he is territorial and will try to chase intruders, regardless of their size, from the prospective nest site he has staked out. He wants to mate and he is being protective of his territory, but he cannot sting. Though they are solitary wasps, Cicada Killers do tend to nest in proximity to one another, and when “swarms” appear, they can be quite daunting. We also just received the following letter without a photo, and posting it provides an excellent opportunity to demonstrate how knowledge is power, just as your letter demonstrates the extreme measures that can result from an unrational fear of the unknown.
Update: (08/03/2008) Cicada Killers in Dayton Ohio
Hello Bugman…
No fancy photos from Ohio, but rest assured we have gained great knowledge from your site. After spending the entire day researching these “hornets” in our back yard….I have concluded they are, in fact, Cicada Killers. Imagine my delight when I was able to impress my husband with my new found knowledge when as soon as we stepped into the back yard and I was describing what they were……One flew right past with cicada in tow!!! I am still a little creeped out and won’t go out there much….*wink*…..but I am not terrified and wondering what “Curse of biblical proportion was being thrust upon us”, She said with tongue very much in cheek. Great site…thank you, thank you!!!
E.M.
Bald-Faced Hornet – Early stages of nest development + larva
Hello,
First of all…love the site. I used it to figure out what I had after I captured it. Turns out, I probably should have been a bit more cautious. Anyway, a pair (it appears it was a new nest) of bald-faced hornets were building a nest in my Azalea bush. I spent the morning trying to capture a few good shots. Since I couldn’t allow them to build the nest, I had to destroy them. I did take the opportunity to dissect the nest after I knew the adult was dead (the other one is still out there). I found larva in various stages of development and still very alive. I snapped several photos and thought they might be useful on your site.
Best Regards,
The Jobe Family
Dear Jobe Family,
While we understand that if you have young children playing in your yard, you might not want to risk them accidentally disturbing a Hornet’s Nest and getting stung, the Bald Faced Hornet is not an aggressive species unless its nest is threatened. Please understand that we understand you probably have extenuating circumstances necessitating the nest removal, but we still need to file your letter under Unnecessary Carnage. Though the demise of the Queen Bald Faced Hornet and her brood saddens us, we are very happy to have the excellent documentation you have provided. “Madder than a Hornet’s Nest” has become a metaphorical term for a good reason, but having a nest of Hornets in a garden is an excellent way to organically control grasshoppers, caterpillars and other insects that are feeding on your plants.
Update: (06/29/2008)
Daniel,
That’s unfortunate that it’s going to be categorized that way. It was in a bad spot (by our front door in the Azalea bush) so I really didn’t want to risk it growing large with my 3 children around. I do go to extremes to try an organically control the bug population for our garden and home. I do this by introducing praying mantis egg cases around our home to provide natural remedies. Anyway, still love the site. Best Regards,
Scott Jobe
Hi Again Scott,
We fully understand the extenuating circumstances of your situation (front door, three children) and this nest removal was justifiable, but we would be remiss if we did not mention to our readership that they do not need to remove a Hornet’s Nest from the backyard. Knowing where a nest has been places and respecting the inhabitants results in peaceful coexistance. Disturbing the nest results in painful stings. If it is any consolation to you, your letter is also archived on Wasps 5.
red legged purseweb spider?
I found this spider on the deck of my pool. After doing some searching on the internet I found the red legged purseweb spider and I think this could be on fof them. Sorry I did kill we have small children around and I didnt know what it was or if was even poisonous. But we found it in French Lick Indiana.
Carly
Hi Carly,
Sadly, your identification of the Red Legged Purseweb Spider is correct. This species has met with more than its deserved share of Unnecessary Carnage. While we understand the protective mothering instinct in such matters, if every mother on the planet tried to dispatch everything she thought might compromise the safety of her children, there wouldn’t be much left eventually. Tolerance and understanding can prevent so much bloodshed. We hope you continue to educate yourself and your children to the diversity of life around you. Have a great day.
Tiny Crab Like Bug
I was sitting at my computer when i noticed this little thing crawling across my desk. It has long crab like pinchers, and 6 little legs, teardrop shaped body that was extremely flat with stripes brown in color. Sorry my first instinct was eww bug kill it. I did take a picture after its death. Its next to one of my hairs to show relation to size. What is it? Do I need to worry? Thank You
Matthew
Hi Matthew,
We are so busy right now that we can only answer and post a small fraction of the numerous letters we are sent. Were it not for your very descriptive letter with good search terms including crab-like and your wonder image with the open claws on your Pseudoscorpion, it might have gone unanswered. Pseudoscorpions are quite harmless, but they are fierce predators if the prey is small enough for them to capture. They are known to catch and eat house flies much larger than themselves. We also hope the next Pseudoscorpion that crosses you path will continue unharmed as this is truly unnecessary carnage.
Winged Weta?
Hi
I have previously sent you an email regarding this lovely animal. I was in tears as I took the photos (having sprayed it to keep it immobile while I photographed it – sorry). It appears identical to a Weta that you have posted, except that this one has very large wings! Isn’t a “winged Weta” a contradiction in terms? Hope you can help to identify this lovely animal. She was beautiful. Note: It was found on the fringe of the arid lands in South Australia (300 Kilometres North of Adelaide).
Les Clayton
Hi Les,
We hope your tears are an indication that you will not be killing creatures in the future just to photograph them. This is not a Weta. The long ovipositor indicates the specimen is a female. It is a longhorned Orthopteran in the suborder Ensifera, and probably a Katydid in the family Tettigoniidae, but we have not had any luck identifying the species. The Geocities site did not provide any convincing matches. It appears as though the antennae on your specimen have been damaged, either through rough living, or traumatic dying, or possibly post mortem. Grev and Trevor frequently assist us with Australian species, and they may have better luck than we have had with a species identification on this striking specimen.
spider query
I was watching TV when I saw this spider walking across my hardwood floor. From a distance it looked like a small scorpion. It walked with its two large front legs in the air and the other legs in close to it body. Im happy to se it not a recluse but I cannot find anything that exactly resembles this spider. I took these photos after it was dead. I had to spray the it just incase it got away. I have never sen a brown recluse and with two small boys in the house.
This is a Solpugid, sometimes called a Sun Spider or a Wind Scorpion. It is perfectly harmless as it has no venom. Solpugids are hunting machines, hence they are beneficial predators. Solpugids will quicly dispatch the scorpions you fear, as well as spiders, cockroaches and other crawling things you may not want in your home. Perhaps the next Solpugid you meet will not be gassed to death.
Another Carnage Letter that ends on a Positive Note
(04/19/2008) I panicked…thanks for the help with identification
Dear Lisa Anne and Daniel,
Though you may not be entomologists, I appreciate this “pet project” a great deal, and have included it in my favorites list. There’s no site quite like it. I intend to come back anytime my field guide fails me .like tonight when I was sitting on the floor and a solpugid (as it turns out) took me by surprise as it came running down the hall toward me. Though my first reaction is usually to trap and release most insects after I’ve identified them, when in a blur it looks like a scorpion, I swat. I’ve got babies in my house. My first thought tonight when I looked at the carnage (only squashed the back of the abdomen, so the head and legs on one side were pretty intact) was ” but it looks like a 10 legged (what the!!!) spider? with some pretty serious fangs” Next time I won’t kill my solpugid, and save it for the boys to see in the morning before releasing. Other interesting crittiers we’ve found in our family room– The Jerusalem Cricket that slowly crawled down the same tile hallway making a mysterious clicking sound for about 15 min. till we discovered the alien like source. Glad I didn’t accidentally step on that spiky exoskeleton with my bare feet. Definitely have plenty of house centipedes (thanks for that ident. I knew it was a centipede, but it had such long hairy legs). And the bright green and hairy Wolf Spider I came across a few years back was really quite something. Living in relatively the same geographic region, I wonder if you have ever experienced the amazing appearance in fall of a distinctive dark brown (almost black) spider with orange stripes? Appropriately clad for Halloween in October…which is when they made their first appearance, en masse, on our patio (which has a roof). My husband who was irritated that he couldn’t get to the BBQ to make dinner one night announced to them all “so if you are here tomorrow night, I’m getting my torch out (the chef kind-mini one).” They must have listened, as from that night on, they only spun their webs after dinner, and had rolled up/eaten/torn loose their webs by morning. I even attempted to videotape one spinning it’s web one night. I see them appear about the same time every year (never as many as that first year in the house)…I’ve seen one over at the Huntington too. Oh, and our 6 foot tall friend walked up to one that was spinning one night, and the little guy put up his front legs in defense as if to say “bring it on big guy.” Definitely not a timid spider.” That year they would hide out in the creases between ceiling boards/the occasional knot in the wood during the day. Now I only find them in the outlying bushes, rarely under the patio roof anymore. Any idea what title I can attribute to the photos I’m sure to one day find again? Another mom over in Mt. Washington says she has had a similar experience.
Amelia
Glendale , CA
Hi Amelia,
Your spiders are probably Araneus Orb Weavers, or perhaps a Neoscona species. The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County has a spider identification service. Just capture a spider and take it in for identification.
Spastic Attacker?
Hello Bugman,
i came into work this morning and this big bug was just waiting for me. He can fly, he is two and a half inches in length. He has claws that you can see in the picture what is he?????!!!! he ambushed me by flying but he was moving too fast and hit the garbage can. He then proceeded to walk around as in a daze. i ran to get the raid. so this is him dead,(sorry had too). We are located in South Florida, Sunrise to Be exact near the Everglades. we also use many chemicals in our facility…is this some weird mutation? whatever it is it scared the living crap out of me. Thank you,
Andy Kake
Hi Andy,
This impressive insect is a Giant Water Bug or Electric Light Bug, though our favorite name for it is a Toe-Biter. They will bite, and the bite is painful, but they are really harmless. In our mind, this is a case of Unnecessary Carnage. Toe-Biters are aquatic insects, and in the event you are interested, they are edible and considered delicacies in Thailand.
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Posted 08 April 2008
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Toe Biters
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Also tagged:
whats this bug.
we found these bugs one night while sitting outside, the fact that they were there didn’t worry us. but what worried us was the fact that the bugs “watched” us, they turned there heads around and fully “looked” at us. unfortunately they were exterminated as there were young children present. what are these bugs and are they harmful? there were 2 but ants got them. this one was the most intact
julie greenwood
perth western australia
Hi Julie,
These are the remains of a harmless Mole Cricket. Mole Crickets have a nearly worldwide distribution. They are omnivorous, nocturnal, underground dwellers that are sometimes considered agricultural pests. In an effort to educate the public about random acts of killing, we have created an Unnecessary Carnage page in an effort to keep the public from killing first and asking questions later.
