From the monthly archives: "August 2009"
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Saddleback Caterpillar

On · Category: Stinging Slug Caterpillars · 2 Comments

Scary Caterpillar
August 30, 2009
My daughters and I found this while doing yardwork. My daughter accidentally bumped it while we were taking pictures of it and she said it stung real bad. I did remove what looked like a tiny hairlike stinger! I would love to know what this bug is!
Thanks for your help!!! Debbie
Henderson Kentucky

Saddleback Caterpillar

Saddleback Caterpillar

Hi Debbie,
The Saddleback Caterpillar, Acharia stimulea, in the family Limacodidae is one of the Stinging Slug Caterpillars.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Beutenmueller's Slug Moth Caterpillar

On · Category: Stinging Slug Caterpillars · 1 Comment

dainty snowflake worm
August 30, 2009
dear bugman,
what is this? it was on my porch.
bug whisperer
Middle Tennessee

Beutenmueller's Slug Moth Caterpillar

Beutenmueller's Slug Moth Caterpillar

Dear bug whisperer,
BugGuide lists Beutenmueller’s Slug Moth Caterpillar, Isochaetes beutenmuelleri, as uncommon.  It is also known as the Spun Glass Slug Moth and caterpillars feed on swamp oak leaves.  Many of the caterpillars in the Slug Moth Family Limacodidae are capable of stinging, but we are unsure is this species has the stinging spines.  Your photo indicates that it probably does.
spun_glass_slug_cat_2

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Caterpillar Aggregation from Honduras: Arsenura armida

On · Category: Silkworms · 2 Comments

Aggregating Larvae
August 30, 2009
Don’t have much info other than that these are rather large larvae on a tree in Honduras. Photo taken by a friend of a friend.
Scott
Honduras

Arsenura armidas aggregation

Arsenura armida aggregation

Dear Scott,
Over the years, we received similar images four times before we finally identified the Caterpillars as Arsenura armida, a Neotropical Silkmoth that ranges from Mexico to Brazil.  Here is a website with information on the caterpillars.  The God of Insects website has an image of the adult moth.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Death Feigning Beetle

On · Category: Darkling and Ironclad Beetles · 1 Comment

Zopherus?
August 30, 2009
Hi Bugman,
This beetle was crossing my living room carpet about 7 pm on 29 August in NE Tucson, AZ. I searched my guides to no avail, but a reference on your site to BugGuide helped me match the shapes and textures of the thorax and abdomen to two Zopherus images, but no exact match. Is it a Zopherus, and if so, which species?
I took the pictures through a ‘bug buddy’ no-harm insect relocator, but after 10-15 minutes (no heat, no flash) it stopped moving and didn’t respond when I set it outside. Was it playing possum?
Thanks for a great site. I’ve enjoyed the pics and the exchanges.
Holly
Northeast Tucson, Arizona

Ironclad Beetle

Death Feigning Beetle

Hi Holly,
We agree with you that this appears to be an Ironclad Beetle in the genus Zopherus, and that it does not exactly match the specimens posted on BugGuide, though it seems closest to Zopherus tristis.  We will contact Eric Eaton to try to get some assistance with this positive identification.  In our experience, members of this genus are known to feign death.

Ironclad Beetle

Death Feigning Beetle

Correction by Eric Eaton
August 31, 2009
Daniel:
“Ironclad beetle” is actually a “death-feigning beetle,” Cryptoglossa variolosa.
…  Hope that helps.
Eric

What’s That Bug? and BugGuide query Update:
Good morning Daniel,
Thanks for your reply!  I really enjoyed my hours looking through your site and reading the comments, and the BugGuide site.  I’m glad to hear that  I probably didn’t witness or cause its demise.  The beetle was gone in the morning, but I have a robust little ecosystem here, and anything that doesn’t skeedaddle gets eaten; nothing goes to waste.  I look forward to hearing what Eric has to say.
Is your site related to the BugGuide site?  I mean administered by the same people?  Since they don’t seem to have an exact match, I’d gladly contribute my photo to expand the library once the little critter is identified.
Holly

Hi Holly,
The biggest connection between BugGuide and What’s That Bug? is the fact that the awesome Eric Eaton contributes considerably to both sites.  BugGuide also provided a valuable resource for insect identification and What’s That Bug? frequently links to BugGuide to provide our own readership with additional information.  What’s That Bug? has also submitted some images to BugGuide, but now we as that our readership posts the images without our intervention.  The greatest difference between the two sites (which truly are unrelated) is that the readership posts items to BugGuide and our limited editorial staff posts items to What’s That Bug?.  We hope that answers your questions.

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Unknown Cixiid Planthopper

On · Category: Aphids, Scale Insects, Leafhoppers, and Tree Hoppers · Add Comment

Curiously looking insect.
August 30, 2009
It was sitting on top of one of our corn plants. Very very small, somewhere between 1/8th of an inch to 1/4th of an inch in size. I’ve never seen anything like it around here before.The picture should be sufficient.
Jonathan Campos
Los Angeles, CA.

 

Unknown Cixiid Planthopper

Hi Jonathan,
We don’t feel skilled enough to take this to a species or even genus level, but your insect is a Cixiid Planthopper in the family Cixiidae.  There are numerous representatives on BugGuide.  Perhaps an expert can come to our rescue and properly identify this Cixiid.

Update from Eric Eaton
August 31, 2009
Daniel:
… Cixiid planthopper is some species in the genus Oliarus (there are at least 50 species north of Mexico).  Hope that helps.
Eric

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Carolina Mantis Nymph, we believe

On · Category: Preying Mantis · 1 Comment

Small Purple and Green Mantis Nymph in Illinois.
August 29, 2009
I found what seems like it may be an unusual mantis in my front yard. It seems like it is very small for this late in the season, and surprisingly purple.
The wing buds are fairly prominent, does that mean that this is the next to last instar?

Carolina Mantis

immature Carolina Mantis

It is late August in Southern Illinois, just across the river from St. Louis.
I know nymph identification is tricky, but I thought I’d see if anybody had any thoughts, and thought you might like the pictures.
Bert in Illinois
Southern Illinois

Immature Carolina Mantis

Immature Carolina Mantis

Hi Bert,
We believe your mantis is a Carolina Mantis nymph.  There is a very close image that was posted to BugGuide this week from Pennsylvania.  Perhaps one of our readers can confirm or deny.

Immature Carolina Mantis

Immature Carolina Mantis

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination