From the monthly archives: "February 2016"

Large Milkweed Bug Nymphs

On · Category: Box Elder Bugs, Seed Bugs Tagged With: · Add Comment

Subject: Fat orange juvenile(?) insect.
Location: Walnut Creek CA open space near pond.
February 29, 2016 7:06 pm
I found the group of orange insects with black spots near water last August, in the Walnut Creek Open Space, California. Later I found an earlier picture of a what must be a close relative of this bug in my files. I don’t know where I found it. That one does not have the spots.
I hope you can tell me what these critters are.
Signature: Dirk Muehlner

Large Milkweed Bug Nymphs

Large Milkweed Bug Nymphs

Dear Dirk,
We wish you had not cropped your image.  These sure look like Large Milkweed Bug nymphs, Oncopeltus fasciatus, based on this BugGuide image, and they do appear to be feeding on milkweed pods, but we would love to see more of the plant to try to identify the species of milkweed.  The image you captured earlier is also a True Bug in the suborder Heteroptera, but from there the taxonomies diverge.  The Large Milkweed Bugs are Seed Bugs in the family Lygaeidae and the other is a solitary Western Boxelder Bug nymph, Boisea rubrolineata, in the Scentless Plant Bug family Rhopalidae which you can verify on BugGuide. 

Western Boxelder Bug Nymph

Western Boxelder Bug Nymph

Update:  March 7, 2016
Hi Daniel
Thank you for identifying these Large Milkweed Bug larvae!  You regretted that my image was cropped and I found a less cropped version, for what it’s worth.

Large Milkweed Bugs (juvenile)

Large Milkweed Bugs (juvenile)

Thanks again.   I really appreciate your response to my query.
Dirk

Wow Dirk,
We are so excited to get an image that includes the narrow leaf milkweed seed pods and the leaf is also visible.  Las Pilitas Nursery has more wonderful information on the California Narrow Leaf Milkweed, a critical plant in a vibrant ecosystem that we profile in Milkweed Meadow.

Narrow Leaf Milkweed with Large Milkweed Bug nymphs

Narrow Leaf Milkweed with Large Milkweed Bug nymphs

 

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Bug of the Month March 2016: Bed Bug

On · Category: Bedbugs Tagged With: , , · 2 Comments

Ed. Note:  April 11, 2016
Bed Bug identification queries have increased greatly in the past five years, and though most of those have turned out to be Carpet Beetles or other Household Pests, actual Bed Bug sightings have also greatly increased, prompting us to add Bed Bugs to our Top 10 tag.

Subject: Tick?
Location: Chicago, IL USA
February 29, 2016 1:32 pm
I found this bug on my backpack today. Im not really sure what it is, but it sort of looks like a tick. I do not live in a heavily wooded area (I live in Chicago). This bug was very little and very flat. Im hoping you can tell me what it is.
Signature: Julia

Bed Bug

Bed Bug

Dear Julia,
The bad news is that this is a blood-sucking Bed Bug and if you found it in your home, you may have more.  Look for bites that occur while sleeping.  The good news is that we are featuring your submission as the Bug of the Month for March 2016.

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Cloudless Sulphur Caterpillar

On · Category: Sulphur and White Caterpillars Tagged With: · 2 Comments

Subject:  Cloudless Sulphur Caterpillar in Mount Washington
Location:  Mount Washington, Los Angeles, California
February 28, 2016
We were shocked to see this bright yellow caterpillar meandering across the patio.  We immediately recognized a Cloudless Sulphur Caterpillar, Phoebis sennae, but we do not have any Cassia growing anywhere near.  Where did it come from?  We checked BugGuide and learned:  “Caterpillar: usually pale green and marked by a yellow stripe on each side and black spots in rows across each abdominal segment.  Above and below the yellow stripe there are usually small areas marked with blue.   There is also a yellow form that occurs when it feeds on yellow flowers of its host plants. The later instars of the yellow form have a dark transverse band across each segment” which means our Caterpillar was feeding on yellow blooms.  According to BugGuide:  “Caterpillar feeds most commonly on Cassia and some other woody and herbaceous legumes” and we do have an Acacia in the garden, another legume in the family Fabaceae , so we will check it out to see if there are any additional Cloudless Sulphur Caterpillars feeding upon it.

Cloudless Sulphur Caterpillar

Cloudless Sulphur Caterpillar

Cloudless Sulphur Caterpillar

Cloudless Sulphur Caterpillar

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Stink Bug

On · Category: Stink Bugs and Shield Bugs · 1 Comment

Subject: Bedbug or no?
Location: Orlando
February 27, 2016 8:50 am
There’s debate on if this is a bedbug? Location is Central Florida it is 60 degrees out and it was found in my girlfriends hair this morning. There is debate on if it’s a bedbug.
Signature: Bedbug Boogyman

Stink Bug

Stink Bug

Dear Bedbug Boogyman,
You are going to have to change your name to Stink Bug Boogyman as this is not a Bed Bug.  Bed Bugs do not have wings.  We suspect this Stink Bug accidentally flew into your girlfriend’s coif.

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Flower Chafer from Zimbabwe: Dicranorrhina derbyana

On · Category: Scarab Beetles · 1 Comment

Subject: Green beetle identification
Location: Zimbabwe
February 27, 2016 6:27 am
Hi there,
I found an interesting bug that looks similar to the fruit chafer in Harare Zimbabwe. I was wider ing if I could send you a picture for identification?
Kind regards gordon
Signature: Gordon

Flower Chafer: Dicranorrhina derbyana

Flower Chafer: Dicranorrhina derbyana

Dear Gordon,
While your individual shares many characteristics with the Regal Fruit Chafer, Ranzania splendens, it is actually a Flower Chafer, Dicranorrhina derbyana, a species represented several times on our site.  According to iNaturalist:  “These attractive beetles are mainly present in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa” and there are at least six subspecies that represent differences in color, markings and other bodily attributes.

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Hornworm of a Hummingbird Clearwing

On · Category: Hornworms · Add Comment

Subject: Hornworm? In florida
Location: Wellington, Florida
February 27, 2016 12:02 pm
My horse came in from the field with this weird little guy hitchhiking on his leg.
Signature: Sofloequine

Hornworm of a Hummingbird Clearwing

Hornworm of a Hummingbird Clearwing

Dear Sofloequine,
We believe your Hornworm is that of a Hummingbird Clearwing, Hemaris thysbe, based on images posted to both BugGuide and the Sphingidae of the Americas sites.  According to  BugGuide, they are found in “Open areas with shrubs, young trees, gardens. Adults feed actively on flower nectar during the day while hovering at blossoms” and “Larvae feed on hawthorn, honeysuckle, snowberry, viburnum.”

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