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

Possibly Apple Flea Beetles

On · Category: Flea Beetles · 1 Comment

Subject: Flea Beetles Eating Up Texas Primrose?
Location: Coryell County, central Texas
April 28, 2013 11:04 pm
Are these Flea Beetles, perhaps even Altica litigata, eating the Texas primrose? Bug Guide lists primrose as a food for the A. litigata, but I’m not sure if that’s what these insects are. They look like miniature Egyptian scarabs to me. I’ve included a photo of a healthy Texas primrose as contrast to the eaten ones. Warm, sunny weather today, 80 degrees. Thank you so much.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/492289
(Last entry for awhile, back to work for me! I enjoy your website so much. Makes me think, helps hone my research skills, and it’s all so interesting.)
Signature: Ellen

Flea Beetles

Flea Beetles

Hi again Ellen,
We agree that these are Flea Beetles.  We haven’t the necessary skills to key them down to a species level, but based on the stated food plants, we believe your identification of Altica litigata is most likely correct.

Flea Beetles

Flea Beetles

Update:  June 7, 2015
Because of a new submission and new research, another possibility is that these are Apple Flea Beetles, Altica foliaceae, a member of the genus previously identified.  According to BugGuide:  “Larvae develop on evening primrose (Oenothera); adults disperse to feed on a wide range of plants including Epilobium, Gaura, Zauschneria, grape, crabapple, and willow” and “In recent years, several outbreaks of this insect have occurred throughout Colorado.”

 

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Bioluminescence in Venezuela

On · Category: Fireflies and Glowworms · Add Comment

Subject: Iridovirus?
Location: Venezuela
April 26, 2013 9:02 pm
Hi, I had never seen a lighted grub, so I searched on the web and found something about iridoviruses? Is this the case? Or it is a firefly grub? This pic was taken in south america (Venezuela).
Signature: Javier P.

Bioluminescence

Bioluminescence

Dear Javier,
We are not familiar enough with the bioluminescence patterns of South American creatures to determine the identity of the creature you saw.  Larvae and adults of many Glowworms and Fireflies have bioluminescence.  You can begin by searching for information on the Bioluminescent Beetles website.  The only references in our archive on Iridovirus pertain to Sow Bugs turning a blue color, and there is nothing about them glowing.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Chonchuela Bug

On · Category: Stink Bugs and Shield Bugs · Add Comment

Subject: Conchuela Bug on Horse Nettle?
Location: Coryell County, central Texas
April 28, 2013 10:18 pm
This may be a stink bug family member, Conchuela Bug, or Chlorochroa ligata, on a Horse Nettle, which is a member of the nightshade family. This is a particularly unloved wild plant, since it’s toxic to livestock (and humans), and has piercing thorns as well. Apparently it isn’t toxic to all insects, however. Today was warm and mostly sunny, 80 degrees. Thank you for your help! Here’s a Bug Guide reference: http://bugguide.net/node/view/22454
Signature: Ellen

Chonchuela Bug

Chonchuela Bug

Hi Ellen,
Thanks for doing all the work for us on this ID.  We agree with you that this appears to be a Chonchuela Bug, one of the Stink Bugs.  According to BugGuide:  “prefers fleshy fruits of various plants, especially agarita, balsam-gourd and mesquite; also on sage, yucca, mustards, prickly pear (Opuntia)(3), and various crops (cotton, alfalfa, corn, sorghum, grapes, peas, tomatoes, etc.); primarily a seed feeder preferring leguminous plants (once mesquite beans dry, the bugs move to more succulent plants).”

Conchuela Bug

Conchuela Bug

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Thread-Waisted Wasp from India

On · Category: Thread Waisted Wasps · Add Comment

Subject: Hey there, Bugman!
Location: Bangalore, Karnataka, India
April 28, 2013 1:49 am
I found this guy in a patch of wilderness in Bangalore, India. He was flying around, carrying little rocks to his little hole in the ground. I was wondering what bug this was? I was a little afraid to get too close, because I wasn’t sure if that was a stinger at the end of his body. I’m uploading two pictures, since only one of them properly shows his abdomen.
Signature: Meg

Thread-Waisted Wasp

Thread-Waisted Wasp

Dear Meg,
We apologize for not having the time to hunt out the species for this wasp, but we are relatively certain it is a Thread-Waisted Wasp in the family Sphecidae.  This series from BugGuide would support our speculation.  Perhaps your female Sphecid Wasp is beginning to seal this nursery burrow.

Thread-Waisted Wasp

Thread-Waisted Wasp

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Dainty Sulphur

On · Category: Whites and Sulfurs · Add Comment

Subject: Another Dainty Sulphur Butterfly?
Location: Coryell County, central Texas
April 27, 2013 4:29 pm
Beautiful butterfly seen in wildflowers today. Is it another Dainty Sulphur Butterfly? The in-flight photo is blurry, sorry. Thank you for your help.
Warm weather, 79 degrees, cloudy and humid, light scattered showers.
Signature: Ellen

Dainty Sulphur

Dainty Sulphur

Dear Ellen,
Your identification of the Dainty Sulphur, Nathalis iole, is correct.  Even though the open winged photo is blurry, it still shows the markings on this lovely little butterfly.  Spread wing photos of this species are not easily taken, and even BugGuide only has a few.  We are very grateful to be able to post your two views of a Dainty Sulphur.

Dainty Sulphur

Dainty Sulphur


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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Scarab Beetle from Ecuador is Gymnestis stellata

On · Category: Scarab Beetles · 2 Comments

Subject: Unique Beetle
Location: Guayaquil, Ecuador
April 27, 2013 3:53 pm
On night while I was in Guayaquil, Ecuador, I found this unique little beetle enjoying my soft bed as I retired to go to sleep. Of course, I relocated him to a more suitable sleeping location for beetles, but not before snapping a few pictures to remember him by. Though I love bugs, I’m not very good at identifying them. Hopefully you enjoy the pictures, and are able to find out a bit more about him! This beetle was about the size of a nickle.
Also, how can I learn to identify bugs? What websites/books would you recommend?
Thanks!
Signature: Eric

Scarab Beetle: Gymnestis stellata

Scarab Beetle: Gymnestis stellata

Hi Eric,
This gorgeous specimen is a Scarab Beetle, and we believe it is either Gymnestis stellata or a very closely related species.  We initially found a matching photo on the French website Le forum des sciences de la vie et de la Terre.  We are also very amused that you can get a Venezuelan phone card with this beetle’s photo on the Colnect website.  We would suggest that you get a good field guide for your locality as a way to begin to learn more about insects.  If you are from North America, we recommend the Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America by Eric Eaton.

Scarab Beetle: Gymnetis stellata

Scarab Beetle: Gymnetis stellata

Thanks for the quick reply, your identification seems unquestionable based on the other pictures Google supplies! I’ll pick up Eric Eaton’s book as soon as I’m able!
I also have a few more pictures from my stay in Ecuador, if you’d like me to send them in.
Much appreciated!

Please submit one at a time and put Ecuador in the subject line.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination