Bee? Fly? Beefly?
I took this photo of an insect that looks like half bee, half fly. I called it a beefly. Can you tell me what it is? Thanks! Enjoy your site immensely!
Doug Wulf
Hi Doug,
This is a Syrphid Fly. We believe we have found an exact species match on BugGuide with Helophilus fasciatus.
What is this bug?
We found this bug in my yard in North Carolina, and have had no luck identifying it on the internet. It is a green metallic with a green metallic underbelly… What is it (a miniature metallic stegosaurus?!?), and will it damage my yard? Thank you!
Courtney
Hi Courtney,
This male Rainbow Scarab, Phaneus vindex, one of the Dung Beetles, will not damage your yard. As a matter of fact, it might clean up after your dog. The larval food is animal dung which a pair of beetles will roll into a ball and bury after laying an egg.
Checkerspot
Hi there! I searched through your website today to see if I could identify this little butterfly that decided to take a rest on my sunflowers yesterday. I believe it is a checkerspot. Thanks,
Kim Budai
San Jose, CA
Hi Kim,
We agree that this is a Checkerspot in the genus Euphydryas, but we cannot conclusively identify the species.
Hello, I have tried to get an ID on this insect.
The picture is taken in in Northern California (the foothills of the Trinity Alps) at about 2000 elevation. Here are two different photos. Thank you for any help you can give me.
Jim
Hi Jim,
We incorrectly identified these as Bee Flies, but you have set us straight.
Thank you so much for the compliment on the photos. I appreciate your time. At the same time I contacted you, I also went to a couple of other sites and found this identification: http://bugguide.net/node/view/40630 There seems to be a bit of difference between your ID and the ID on this site. I am not an entomologist but, rather, a hobby photographer who was curious about my find. Do you think the bugguide is on point? Again, thanks for taking the time and have a nice rest of the weekend.
Jim
Hi again Jim,
We will generally change our identifications if BugGuide, which is awesome, differs from us. If BugGuide believes these to be mating Small-Headed Flies in the Genus Eulonchus, we believe it.
what is this?
Can you tell me what bug this is? I’m at FOB Warhorse, Iraq which is a little north of Baghdad. This thing was about as long as my finger!
-SPC Plucinik
Dear SPC Plucinik,
We have received countless images of Mole Crickets from Iraq. Though they are found in the U.S. as well, the vast majority of our images come from the troops in the Middle East.
A lovely Larva
Hey Bug Man:
Found this larva tonight by the edge of the driveway partially hidden by vegetation. Upon closer inspection I realized it was a firefly still in the larva stage as I could see the bioluminescence. I took it inside and made a thirty second time exposure with the camera mounted on a small table top tripod. Voila! The inset picture is the appearance under normal room light with the smaller end being the head. I realeased it back outside under some heavier vegetation so that hopefully in another month or so it will soon be flying over all the corn fields here in souther Wisconsin creating a wonderful summer night spectacle. Nature is an endless source of wonder! Thanks for a great website and for all your hard work keeping as such.
m
WOW M!!!,
What a gorgeous image of a glowing Glowworm, probably the best we have ever received. Glowworms are a separate family from Fireflies, Phengodidae as opposed to Lampyridae. Both Glowworms and Fireflies are Beetles.
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