From the monthly archives: "February 2013"
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

First Reported Luna Moth Sighting of 2013

On · Category: Luna Moth - Rare Specimen · 3 Comments

Subject: Luna Moth
Location: Houston Tx
February 26, 2013 2:58 pm
Here is what I think is the first sighting of this moth this year Houston, TX 2/26/2013
Signature: in blood

Luna Moth

Luna Moth

Dear in blood,
Thank you for sending in a photo of our first reported Luna Moth sighting for 2013.  We always look forward to the beginning of Luna Moth season each year, beginning with the Southern states, generally in February, and moving north until the first sightings from Maine and Canada, usually in late May or early June.

 

Related posts:

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Mole Cricket

On · Category: Crickets, Camel Crickets and Mole Crickets · Add Comment

Subject: Strange Florida Bug?
Location: Kissimmee, FL
February 25, 2013 7:28 pm
We were sitting outside of Outback Steakhouse and seen this bug running around. It was very fast and then eventually took flight. We were kind of freaked out at first thinking it was a cockroach running around on the ground. Closer look, it doesn’t appear to be on. Would love help identifying this bug as no one else seems to know what it is!
Signature: Matt & Jerri

Mole Cricket

Mole Cricket

Dear Matt & Jerry,
This is a Mole Cricket, and though they are subterranean dwellers, as you noticed, they can take flight.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Orange Potter Wasp from Australia

On · Category: Potter and Mason Wasps Tagged With: · Add Comment

Subject: Wasp?
Location: Melbourne
February 25, 2013 12:12 am
Hi there, was in the St.kilda Botannical Gardens in Melbourne, wondering what it is? Thanks!
Signature: Peter Collins

Orange Potter Wasp

Orange Potter Wasp

Hi Peter,
Curiously, though you requested an identification, your files were named “potter” and this is a Potter Wasp, most likely the Orange Potter Wasp, Eumenes latreilli, which we confirmed on the Brisbane Insect Website where it states:  “Potter wasps prey on caterpillars which they paralyze and place inside cells in their nests.”

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Masked Hunter

On · Category: Assassin Bugs · 1 Comment

Subject: Cockroach? Cricket? Bedbug?
Location: Southeastern Wisconsin, US
February 24, 2013 2:18 pm
Hi bugman! I found this creature in plain sight in an upstairs room of my house. It wasn’t moving when I spotted it (and I killed it shortly thereafter), so I’m not sure if it crawls or jumps. It does appear to have two small leathery brown wings, but it doesn’t seem like they would be big enough to fly with. At first I thought it was a cricket, but the back legs don’t have that typical thickness. Then I thought it might be a cockroach, but it doesn’t look like any I’ve ever seen. The underside of its abdomen is yellowish in color and ”tented” in shape, with three spots down the middle. The topside of the bug is flat– almost concave– similar to a bedbug (which I dearly hope its not!!!). The bug was also covered in a gray dusty substance when I found it — my husband thinks the stuff is ”scales” of some sort, but I think the bug just might have emerged from a dusty area. Any help you could provid e would greatly put my mind at ease! Thanks so much.
Signature: Lauren

Masked Hunter

Masked Hunter

Hi Lauren,
This is an immature, predatory Assassin Bug known as a Masked Hunter, a common name it got because its sticky exoskeleton attracts dust and helps to camouflage it.  They might bite if carelessly handled, but they will also prey upon cockroaches, bed bugs and other unwanted insects in the home.

Thank you so much for your prompt reply! By sleuthing around a bit on your site after submitting my question, I actually had already come to the conclusion that this mystery bug was, indeed, a Masked Hunter. (And here I thought the bit about this bug looking “dusty” was incidental…) What a great resource you’ve created. Cheers!

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Burrowing Wolf Spider, we believe

On · Category: Wolf Spiders · 3 Comments

Subject: Three years after the fact
Location: near Enid, OK
February 25, 2013 5:55 am
This lovely spider sat in our driveway and patiently allowed me to take as many pictures as I wished without so much as twitching. I am guessing it must be a type of wolf spider- it was quite large- but would love to know more.
Thank you!
Signature: Ceci

Wolf Spider

Wolf Spider

Hi Ceci,
We agree that this impressive spider is a Wolf Spider, and we believe it might be one of the Burrowing Wolf Spiders in the genus Geolycosa based on photos posted to BugGuide.  Perhaps one of our readers will write in with a comment confirming or refuting our identification.

Wolf Spider

Wolf Spider

Your photos are quite beautiful.

Thank you- of all the days to get a lucky shot I am glad it was this one.  I will now be watching all the little holes near our house with more interest this year; maybe I will get to see one in residence.  Thanks for the help!
Ceci

Wolf Spider

Wolf Spider

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Mantis from Australia: Sphodropoda species

On · Category: Preying Mantis Tagged With: · 2 Comments

Subject: please ID this bug
Location: Walunga National Park, Swan Valley, WA, Australia
February 24, 2013 1:21 am
I came across this insect in Walunga National Park.
Please could you identify it for me.
Thank you.
Bob Graham

Mantis

Mantis

Hi Bob,
This is some species of Mantis, but we cannot say for certain which species.  We didn’t expect to find your Mantis from Western Australia on the Brisbane Insect website, and we were correct in that expectaion.  We suspect this might be a species confined to your western region and there is not a good insect identification site for that area.

Mantis

Mantis

Identification:  October 14, 2013
Draco just wrote in to identify this as a male Sphodropoda species.


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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination