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Bug of the Month March 2019: Red Headed Ash Borer...

3 weeks ago bugman

Ed. Note: March 3, 2019 After posting this submission, we realized we had not yet selected a Bug o…

Bug of the Month March 2019: Red Headed Ash Borer... Image

3 weeks agoBug of the Month March 2019: Red Headed Ash Borer...

New California Resident discovers Potato Bug in Sa…...

1 month ago bugman

Subject: identify bug Geographic location of the bug: Santa Maria California Date: 02/14/2019 T…

New California Resident discovers Potato Bug in Sa…... Image

1 month agoNew California Resident discovers Potato Bug in Sa…...

Bug of the Month February 2019: Lichen Mimic Mant…...

2 months ago bugman

Subject: bug on a lichen Geographic location of the bug: Big Cypress Bend Boardwalk, Naples FL D…

Bug of the Month February 2019: Lichen Mimic Mant…... Image

2 months agoBug of the Month February 2019: Lichen Mimic Mant…...

Bug of the Month February 2019: Female Golden Sta…...

2 months ago bugman

Subject: Bright Green beetle, dark blue legs and orange head. Geographic location of the bug: Mit…

Bug of the Month February 2019: Female Golden Sta…... Image

2 months agoBug of the Month February 2019: Female Golden Sta…...

Our 25,000th Posting: Bug Love under the Porch Li…...

1 year ago bugman

Ed Note: We knew that we were getting close to our 25,000th posting for a few months now, and we dec…

Our 25,000th Posting: Bug Love under the Porch Li…... Image

1 year agoOur 25,000th Posting: Bug Love under the Porch Li…...

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Unknown Weevil found in Joshua Tree

On March 20, 2019 · Category: Weevils Tagged With: Unidentified · Add Comment

Subject: Bug found at Joshua Tree Nat Park
Geographic location of the bug: Joshua Tree National Park
Date: 03/19/2019
Time: 12:19 AM EDT
Your letter to the bugman: Hello, I found this little guy/gal on March 17, 2019 at Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California. Do you know what it is? Thank you, Deb
How you want your letter signed: deb

Weevil

Dear Deb,
This is some species of Weevil, but we do not recognize it. Can you please provide an approximate size and any other helpful information. Was it found on a plant? What type of plant? Often, knowing the food preferences is a big assistance with identifications.

Weevil

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Colorful Millipede in Virginia

On March 19, 2019 · Category: Millipedes · Add Comment

Subject: Black and orange with yellow legs
Geographic location of the bug: Williamsburg, VA
Date: 03/19/2019
Time: 08:01 AM EDT
Your letter to the bugman: My two year old came across this bug while picking up rocks. She touched it and ran back to me saying “ouch!” over and over. There is a red mark on her finger. I don’t know if it bit her or stung her or if it has a substance on it. We have found them in our yard before, but never touched them. She probably did not see it and just reached down for a rock. She is fine, but I can’t find a picture that matched exactly. When it unrolls it has a black “face” area. Thank you in advance for your help.
How you want your letter signed: Worried Mom

Colorful Millipede

Dear Worried Mom,
This is sure a colorful Millipede, and though we are not certain of the species, we believe it might be Semionellus placidus which is pictured on BugGuide and reported from Virginia. Of the family Xystodesmidae, BugGuide indicates: “Many are brightly colored and all have stink glands.” We seem to recall that some Millipedes can release cyanide as a defense, but we will need to do additional research on that matter. We do not believe this colorful Millipede poses a threat.

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Black and White Acrobat Beetle

On March 18, 2019 · Category: Darkling and Ironclad Beetles · Add Comment

Subject: Black and White Darling Beetle?
Geographic location of the bug: Corona, CA
Date: 03/17/2019
Time: 08:45 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman: I can’t find any information on white Darkling beetles. This beetle does the classic tail in the air when threatened pose.
How you want your letter signed: JohnD

Acrobat Beetle with unusual markings

Dear JohnD,
The piebald markings on your Acrobat Beetle or Stink Beetle in the Eleodes, a genus well represented on BugGuide, do not seem naturally occurring to us. Also, the markings appear to be layered, with a whiter coloration on top of a creamier coloration. Is it possible this Acrobat Beetle had an encounter with a paint brush? We will continue to research this matter.

Hi Daniel,
We thought that same thing at first. However, we were not able to carefully scrape off any of the white and cream color like we would have been able to if it were paint. Additionally, we found him quite far from houses in a river bed/ravine location. Unfortunately for us, but fortunately for the bug, we have a standing order for our 9 year old to safely release all bugs after taking a short look at them. We will look around near where he released it to see if we can find it again and get to the bottom of the mystery.
Thanks!

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Immature Red Shouldered Bugs

On March 15, 2019 · Category: Plant Bugs · Add Comment

Subject: Red Bugs
Geographic location of the bug: Florida
Date: 03/15/2019
Time: 03:01 PM EDTYour letter to the bugman: I have no idea what these are, the only leads I have are Goldenrain Tree bugs, and they don’t match the description of one.
How you want your letter signed: Ichneumon Wasp

Immature Red Shoulder Bugs

Dear Ichneumon Wasp,
We concur that these are immature Red Shoulder Bugs, also known as Goldenrain Tree Bugs, Jadera haematoloma, which are pictured on BugGuide.

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Rainbow Scarabs rescued from Swimming Pool

On March 15, 2019 · Category: Dung Beetles Tagged With: Bug Humanitarian Award · Add Comment

Subject: Rescued Dung Beetles
Geographic location of the bug: Hialeah Florida
Date: 03/15/2019
Time: 12:12 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman: I often see dung beetles drowning in my swimming pool-not sure why they wind up in there so often. Last Dec 31 I netted four of them in a few minutes and set them on a wall to dry out and take photos before they wandered away. One was gone before I could get back with the camera. I love how their shells vary- one had a beautiful long curving horn and side spikes on the shield. I wonder if that’s a variation due to age or gender or is it just that some beetles get lucky in the shell genetic lottery?
How you want your letter signed: Marian

Rainbow Scarabs

Dear Marian,
Your image of rescued Rainbow Scarabs, a type of Dung Beetle, is awesome, as is the rescue story. We are tagging this posting with the Bug Humanitarian Award. Male Rainbow Scarabs have the horn, but there is some genetic lottery involved as well. According to BugGuide: “Pronotum of ‘major’ male has sharp posterior angles. Major males, depicted, are easier to differentiate than minor males (w/ short horns) and females (w/ very short horns).”

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Puddling Giant Swallowtail

On March 15, 2019 · Category: swallowtails · Add Comment

Subject: Giant Swallowtail Puddling
Geographic location of the bug: Hialeah Florida
Date: 03/15/2019
Time: 12:05 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman: I was cleaning out algae-muck from my pool on March 3 and this Giant Swallowtail spent a long time drinking the dampness from it, so I was able to get a few really nice photos of it that I thought you might like.
I don’t see them very often, but twice I found them puddling when I’d done yard work and left water on cement/tile. I’m guessing that being so large, they need more moisture than the average butterfly, and so sometimes nectar just isn’t enough.
How you want your letter signed: Marian

Puddling Giant Swallowtail

Dear Marian,
Your images of a puddling Giant Swallowtail are beautiful. It is our understanding that butterflies newly emerged from the Chrysalis drink from puddles to get important minerals as well as moisture. The Swallowtails, the Blues and the Sulphur Butterflies are among the most frequent puddlers. It is also our understanding that males are more frequently found at puddles than are female butterflies.

Giant Swallowtail

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Bug Info

Unknown Weevil found in Joshua Tree

Colorful Millipede in Virginia

Black and White Acrobat Beetle

Immature Red Shouldered Bugs

Rainbow Scarabs rescued from Swimming Pool

Puddling Giant Swallowtail

Bug Info

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Unknown Weevil found in Joshua Tree

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