PLEASE help! Please identify this bug.
Dear Bugman,
I found two of these so far. I think it is a beetle larva. Not sure if it is or not, and if so not sure what kind it is at all. They have six legs up front that seem short and it has VERY strong pincers up front/mouth area. The first one bit/pinched a plastic fork pretty good as I tried to pick it up to inspect, and the second one bit/pinched my dog on the tongue when he picked it up with his mouth. They are shiny black on the back and a grayish white color on the complete underside. PLEASE see attached photos. I am asking because I have disposed of both of them and do not want to kill a non destructive insect.
Thanks you for your time!!
Matt A.
Hi Matt,
Stop the Carnage. This is the larva of a Caterpillar Hunter, Calosoma scrutator, one of the larger Ground Beetles. Both the beautiful green adult and the larvae devour quantities of harmful insects, including the introduced pestilence, the Gypsy Moth.
Bug
Found this bug on the dock at our family cottage near Bancroft Ontario. Any ideas?
Oh, the carnage. This is a Sugar Maple Borer, Glycobius speciosus. This beautiful beetle lays eggs in the bark crevices of hard maples and the larvae mine between the bark and the wood.
Please tell me I didn’t kill it.
Bugman Hi,
At first I was astonished by its majestic shape (hence the picture), but after ten minutes of it just staring at me, I freaked and washed this centipede, which occupied my kitchen sink, down the drain with tap water. It put up a good fight and didn’t seem to mind it for the most part.
a friend directed me to your site and now I am ashamed of my ignorance and my reaction. I have never seen anything like it and obviously overreacted.
Could you pass on my apology? being a bugman and all.
Thanks,
Rami
Hi Rami,
We and the House Centipede forgive you because we know it won’t happen again.
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Posted 01 July 2005
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red legged purseweb
Great site!!! Thanks for helping me to identify this scary looking spider. Since your ‘03 description says this spider is very rare, I figured I’d let you know that they seem to like my yard… We live in Atlanta, GA – in Buckhead to be precise, very close to high rise buildings in an old residential neighborhood. I saw one of these spiders last year, but my baby-sitter squashed it beyond recognition, so I couldn’t really tell what it was. I saw another 2 days ago crawling VERY fast near my trash bins. And, today, one was right up next to the house, crawling right towards me and the girls. Sorry, I squished it. But, with the killed picture and memory, it was definitely the ‘red legged purseweb’. I’ll keep an eye out for the webs. Is it still endangered?? I’ll try not to stomp so quickly in the future.
Margaret
Hi Margaret,
We have gotten numerous letters in the past week with Red Legged Purseweb Spider sitings. Guess they are making a comeback.
Interesting one…
Hey “Bugman”,
I must tell you that I was pretty surprised (And happy) to find a site where I could just send a picture of this interesting bug I just found, and someone would identify it for me. I’m not naturally particularly interested in bugs, but this site is still going on my “Favorites” list. Anyhow, I live in South Carolina, and last night I saw this interesting looking bug, about 1.5” long running around on the sidewalk. I went to push it with the side of my foot into the middle of the sidewalk so I could see it better, but I accidentally squished it’s abdomen, and to my surpise it made a loud popping sound, just like those little white paper things that pop when you throw them on the ground (That you can get around 4th of July, usually…I hope you know what I’m talking about). Well, when I realized that it had something that looked quite a bit like claws, I decided I had to find out what it is. Here are a couple of pictures of it. Thanks for your time.
Gabriel
Hi Gabriel,
You accidentally trampled a Mole Cricket, Family Gryllotalpidae. These insects are usually found burrowing in the ground. Some species can fly.
What’s this bug?
We sprayed our basement last night and this morning found this, probably dead…I haven’t checked…laying on my daughter’s play mats so I’d like to know what it is, and if it’s dangerous. Thanks! I have more pictures if needed. The bug is approximately 2 1/2 inches long, not including legs.
Cathie
“Mushroom Fluff!”
Hi Cathie,
The poor dead House Centipede is harmless to you and your daughter, though when they rapidly dart across the room, usually at night, they often startle people who tend to fear them. They are common enough in homes where they eagerly dispatch other unwanted household intruders by devouring them. They feast on roaches, flies, spiders and many other small invertebrates.
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Posted 08 April 2005
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Rude Bug
Heyas!
I have seen several of these little creepy things. I live in Houston, TX right next to a bayou and have all kinds of bugs dropping by for tea. This one gave me a dirty look (and I think a middle finger). My brother says he thinks it is a silverfish but I think it might be a type of centipede. Either way, it was rather rude! Any idea what it is?
Thanks,
Sarah
Hi Sarah,
Poor, harmless, dead House Centipede never did anything to harm anyone.
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Posted 13 February 2005
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Hi there!
I just killed this bug in my office (sorry, I know that is bad), and I just saw another one hopping around…
Poor dead Camel Cricket.
2 Shiny Black Bugs (Pic included)
Dear Bugman,
Before you view the picture…I have to apologize. I fear I did not see them till it was too late. On top of that…it looks like they were enjoying one of the finer things in life right before I took it. I am really sorry. But I’m still curios as to what they are. I’m 25, and have lived in Pennsauken all my life, but never seen anything like them.
They have what seem to be wings (or maybey they’re just the shell covering the real wings)…a shiny black carapace with a hint of turquois. Their Antennae are segmented. (I know there is a significant difference between Segmented and smooth antenna…but I forgot what) I didn’t get a frontal shot… But their mouth-parts didn’t have any substantial mandibles. The mouth-parts resembled that of a common grasshopper…for lack of appropriate term. This picture was taken in Pennsauken, New Jersey…about a 20 min drive from Philadelphia, PA. Again, I apologize for their demise. It was not intentional. Hope you can shed a little light on it.
Thanks in advance,
Russ
Hi Russ,
You have an awesome photo of a pair of Oil Beetles who met a tragic end while procreating. Another common name is Short Winged Blister Beetle, Meloe angusticollis. The beetle is found in Southern Canada and the Northern United States. It is usually found in crop fields and meadows where it eats herbaceous foliage being particularly fond of potatoes. If disturbed, the beetle feigns death by falling on its side. The leg joints exude droplets of liquid that cause blisters.
Wondering
I found your website after finding and killing this wonder in my yard. The body is almost an inch long and the legs are just over an inch long. His smaller top part of his body reminds me of a crab as you can see it’s a little flatter. I’m in North west Georgia and found him on the side of my house. I found no web near him. I was petrified at first then after finding your site I feel bad that it might be perfectly harmless. Please let me know in case I come across more then I can be more informed.
Big doesn’t necessarily mean bad.
Thanks,
Annette Fox
Hi Annette,
Yes, big does not mean bad. You have squashed what appears to be a Whitish Dolomedes, Doloemedes albinus, or possibly a color variation on one of the other Dolomedes. These are sometimes called Fishing Spiders or Nursery Web Spiders. They will not harm you. They do not build webs to capture prey, just to lay eggs.
What in the world is this thing?
Hello! I hope you’ll be able to help me out here. A friend of mine took a picture of this…insect in her basement, and from the description and the photograph (link included in this message) it looks to be some sort of caterpillar. Of course, that is a maybe. I’ve never seen anything like it before and neither has anyone else I’ve questioned.
Location: Minnesota (St. Paul area)
Thank you for your time and patience.
Sincerely,
Michelle y. Richardson
Hi Michelle,
Sorry for the delay. I am very amused that your friend named her poor dead House Centipede “Satan” which might explain why it is dead. They are harmless, though they often startle people when they run across a floor at night. They are very fast, but will kill and eat spiders and cockroaches and other undesireable household intruders.
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Posted 11 August 2004
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Hi, Bugman. I love your site, although I’m glad I don’t have any of those bugs at my place! The one I found is bad enough. I found it in my front yard in suburban Chicago. Can you ID it?
Jerry Palm
Dear Jerry,
You have photographed a dead Caterpillar Hunter, Calosoma scrutator, one of the Ground Beetles from the family Carabidae. They are predaceous, feeding on insects and other small animals. They are especially fond of caterpillars. They help to control Gypsy Moths and Tent Caterpillars. Adults will climb trees and they can also fly, often being attracted to lights in the spring. They are beneficial and should not be killed.
