From the monthly archives: "September 2009"

House Centipede eats Mouse

On · Category: House Centipedes Tagged With: · 13 Comments

Huge Bug Killed Mouse, what is it?
September 30, 2009
We found this when we were checking our mouse traps yesterday. As you will notice, it is about the same length of the mouse and its thorax (don’t no if I am using this correctly, but the width of its body not including the legs) was as wide as a pencil. The mouse trap is still set, but the mouse is dead, presumably at the hands of the creature seen next to it, therefore, it is possibly posionous as well. Can you help us figure out what this is, and is it dangerous. P.S. Our house has many small centipide looking things, at the absolute biggest they are 2 inches, but very narrow, could this just be a mutated version of those?
Person who lives in the basement with this thing
Basement

House Centipede eats Mouse

House Centipede eats Mouse

Dear Person who lives in the basement,
WE are enthralled with your image of a House Centipede with a mouse.  Though we have not heard of House Centipedes preying upon small mammals, your photo would indicate that this is a possibility.  House Centipedes do have venom, but they are not dangerous to humans.

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Locust Borer

On · Category: Longhorn Beetles · 8 Comments

black & yellow striped bug
September 29, 2009
Hi Bugman, I submitted this last week, but I think it might not have gone through. These black and white striped bugs are all over our Globe Locust trees, and I would love to know what they are, are they beneficial or something to be concerned about. Any danger in handling them?
Neal Schuster
Overland Park, KS (Kansas City area)

Locust Borer

Locust Borer

Hi Neal,
It was observant of you to associate the Locust Borer with your Globe Locust Trees.  The Locust Borer is a native insect.  Here is what BugGuide has to say:  “Life Cycle  Eggs are laid in locust trees in the fall. Newly emerged larvae spend several months in tree trunks, first hibernating through the winter under the bark, then tunneling into trees in spring, eventually making tunnels about 4″ long and .25” inch wide. They pupate late July/early August. Adult beetles emerge late August to September (click on the Data tab for a graphic confirmation of that fact).  Remarks  Considered a serious pest of Black Locust trees; previously weakened or damaged trees are often killed by an infestation of the larvae. Previously confined to the native range of Black Locust in the northeast, it has spread with the trees throughout the US. Unfortunately Black Locust is used for reclamation and similar projects where trees are likely to be stressed out and thus more vulnerable to insect damage.“ Adults feed on pollen and they are generally associated with Goldenrod.

Locust Borer

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Car Grill Road Kill

On · Category: Uncategorized Tagged With: · 4 Comments

Unavoidable Carnage?
September 29, 2009
Hi Daniel
This is not an ID request and I am not suggesting a new category – I just thought you might find this interesting. I habitually check my grill after a road trip to see what I missed, or more correctly, what I hit but might have seen had I stopped more frequently to look around. Here’s what can happen during a late summer trip down some prairie country roads. I hasten to add that this was not my truck; I have never been quite so morbidly “successful”. I wonder if anyone has thought of using vehicle grill counts as a way of conducting insect surveys.  Regards.
Karl

Car Grill Insect Collection

Car Grill Insect Collection

Hi Karl,
This photo is actually quite gorgeous, despite the great loss of life.

Car Grill Close Up

Car Grill Close Up

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Gulf Fritillary

On · Category: Brush Footed Butterflies · Add Comment

butterfly
September 28, 2009
Please help me identify this butterfly photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge (Gulf Coast of Florida) August 17, 2009.
Tom Fuller
Gulf Coast of Florida

Gulf Fritillary

Gulf Fritillary

Hi Tom,
This is a very nice photograph of a Gulf Fritillary.

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European Hornet attacted to light

On · Category: Hornets and Yellow Jackets · 2 Comments

Weird looking demon wasp bug
September 28, 2009
Hey WTB,
I saw this bug crawling outside my window tonight and I’ve never seen anything like it here! It looks like a cross between a mutated yellow jacket and a wasp. I checked your site but the closest thing I think could be is some kind of cicada killer but I’m not sure. The pictures don’t really give you a sense of size but I’d say the bug is about 3 inches long and the abdomen is about half and inch wide. Sorry about the pictures, it was flying quickly in and out of sight and those were the best pictures I could catch of it.
Thanks for your time and I love the site!
stephanie
knoxville, tn

European Hornet

European Hornet

Hi Stephanie,
We have been getting numerous reports of European Hornets, Vespa crabro, this year.  This introduced species is very adaptable, and it may displace native species once it becomes established in an area.

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Barbary Spurge Hawkmoth Caterpillar

On · Category: Hornworms · 1 Comment

Caterpillar (red, black, white, yellow)
September 28, 2009
Can you please identify this caterpillar? It was photographed near Lake Tizlit in the High Atlas Mountains of central Morocco. The nearest village is Imilchil where my daughter works as a Peace Corps volunteer. This is in “her” national park. The photo was made in later June in semi-arid conditions. It is perhaps 10 cm long.
Tom Fuller
Morocco

Barbary Spurge Hawkmoth Caterpillar

Barbary Spurge Hawkmoth Caterpillar

Hi Tom,
This caterpillar reminded us of the caterpillars of the Sphinx Moths in the genus Hyles, so we searched Hyles and Morocco, and quickly arrived at a page for the Barbary Spurge Hawkmoth, Hyles tithymali mauretanica.  Your caterpillar looks very similar to the ones pictured in the photo on that page, but with slight color differences.  The website also has this note:  “(Taxonomic note. de Freina (1994) placed mauretanica as a subspecies of H. euphorbiae on the basis of minor morphological and behavioural differences, overlooking the many more characteristics that mauretanica has in common with tithymali.)”   Upon following the link to Hyles euphorbiae, the Leafy Spurge Hawkmoth, the new page has photos of numerous color variations of the larvae which are called polymorphic.

Hi Daniel,
I am dazzled by your speed and research. From the description of the habitat (desert/steppe) and range (Atlas Mountains of Algeria and Morocco), this much be the one. I note (as you did) the slight variation in coloring (red line for yellow line, etc.) but it must be a cousin. Thanks much for offering such a service online. I posted the picture on Flickr and gave you credit for the identification:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomfuller2001/
Tom

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