From the monthly archives: "September 2016"
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Red Footed Cannibalfly eats Wasp

On · Category: Robber Flies Tagged With: · Add Comment

Subject: Demon Insect?!
Location: United States
September 2, 2016 2:01 pm
It’s huge, at least 4.5 inches long, it looks like a dragonfly mixed with a wasp with a fluffy mane, it’s obviously carnivorous because it was just chilling on my porch eating up a wasp.
Signature: Audrey

Possibly Red Footed Cannibalfly eating Wasp

Possibly Red Footed Cannibalfly eating Wasp

Dear Audrey,
This is one of the Giant Robber Flies in the genus Promachus, and we suspect it might be a Red Footed Cannibalfly.  We also believe your size estimate is an exaggeration. 

Related posts:

Southern Bee Killer Bee-Like Robber Fly eats Japanese Beetle Red Footed Cannibalfly eats House Fly Red Footed Cannibalfly eats American Horse Fly
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Unknown Mantis

On · Category: Preying Mantis · 5 Comments

Subject: What is this?
Location: Dubbin, OH
August 31, 2016 1:36 pm
This bug was on my driveway basking in the sun. Appears to ha e two sets of wings? Or is it mating? The whole thing was about an inch long. Here is a pic. This was taken Today, August 31 in Dublin, OH
Signature: Lisa H

Mantis

Mantis

Dear Lisa,
This is a Preying Mantis, but we are not certain about the species.  One inch seems quite small for a North American species.  Of all the species represented on BugGuide, the closest visual match seems to be the Grizzled Mantis, but that is a Southern species not reported further north than South Carolina according to BugGuide.  This is a good BugGuide image that is similar to your own.

Related posts:

Minor Ground Mantid Wandering Violin Mantis from India Preying Mantis eats Cricket Immature Mantis
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Unknown Spider from Costa Rica

On · Category: Spiders Tagged With: · Add Comment

Subject: Costa Rican Spider
Location: Costa Rica, Limon
September 1, 2016 6:57 am
Hi. I found this spider on a tree in the Limon province of Costa Rica. Very close to the Panama border. Do you know what it is?
Thanks!
Signature: Calvin

Unidentified Spider

Unidentified Spider

We are not certain of the identity, or even the family classification of your spider, but we can tell you that the enlarged pedipalps indicates it is a male Spider.  Perhaps one of our readers will want to take on the challenge of this identification.

Related posts:

Mermithid Worm parasitizes spider A pair of Banana Spiders cohabitate Spider Wasp attacking Spider in New Zealand Bark Mimicking Grasshopper and Spiderling interaction in Australia
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Mantispid from Australia

On · Category: Neuropterans: Lacewings, Antlions, and Owlflies Tagged With: · Add Comment

Subject: Unknown insect
Location: Burpengary
September 1, 2016 1:48 am
Saw this insect yesterday and have never seen or heard of one like it so pretty interested to know a bit more and if anyone knows the name of this bug.
Signature: William Anderson

Mantispid

Mantispid

Dear William,
We had never heard of Burpengary, and upon researching your location first, we learned it is in Queensland, Australia.  This is a Mantispid or Mantid Lacewing, and by comparing your individual to the images posted to the Brisbane Insect website, we believe your individual may belong to the species Ditaxis biseriata.

Related posts:

Mantidfly and Damselfly from Australia Moth Mimic Lacewing from Australia Blue Eyes Lacewing Eggs and Hatchlings Antlion from Australia
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Bug of the Month September 2016: Ant Mimic Jumping Spider

On · Category: Jumping Spiders Tagged With: , · 12 Comments

Subject: Ant with enlarged head?
Location: Rochester, NY
August 30, 2016 10:18 am
Hi, I was studying in my dorm room in Rochester, NY when I noticed a little bug go scurrying by. At first I just thought it was ant carrying something black, but I quickly realized it was something far weirder. I was hoping you could identify it. Thanks.
Signature: Connor

Ant Mimic Jumping Spider

Ant Mimic Jumping Spider

Dear Connor,
Because we have gotten so many comments on the posting this summer, earlier in the week, we began featuring a five year old posting of an Ant Mimic Jumping Spider, Myrmarachne formicaria, a species that was “Recently introduced from Europe” according to BugGuide where the range is listed as “Roughly Cleveland, OH to Buffalo, NY.”  BugGuide also notes:  “The first specimen records of M. formicaria from North America have all been from Ohio, USA: from Warren, Trumble County on 16 August 2001; the J.H. Barrow Field Station, Portage County on 15 September 2002; and at a residence near Peninsula, Summit County. Additional individuals have been observed by the third author in and around the J.H. Barrow Field Station and the Peninsula residence during the summers of 2003 and 2004. ”  Because of the timeliness of your submission, we have decided to make it the Bug of the Month for September 2016.  Readers who want to see a better image can use this BugGuide image for comparison.  If you have a sighting, please leave a comment with your location.  If you have your own image, you may submit it using the Ask What’s That Bug? link on our site.  We don’t know how this introduction will affect our native ecosystem, but it is possible that this Ant Mimic Jumping Spider may begin to displace native Jumping Spiders if it is a more efficient predator or if it preys upon our native species, and for that reason we are tagging it as an Invasive Exotic species.

Related posts:

Bug of the Month July 2010: Japanese Beetles Bug of the Month January 2015: Mediterranean Red Bug Bug of the Month July 2015: Elm Seed Bug Infestation in Utah Bug of the Month November 2015: Euonymus Leaf Notcher
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Jewel Beetle from Spain

On · Category: Metallic Borer Beetles · Add Comment

Subject: bug spain malaga
Location: Andalucia, Mijas, Spain
September 1, 2016 1:54 am
Dear Bugman,
Maybe you could help me identifying this bug, I have no idea where to look for first.
photographed two weeks in july. Southern Spain, Malaga.
There where more than one in between two wooden beams of a Pinewood bench.
Thanks in advance
Signature: Perry

Jewel Beetle

Jewel Beetle

Dear Perry,
This is a Metallic Borer or Jewel Beetle in the family Buprestidae.  We cannot say for certain to which species it belongs, but you can see some Spanish Buprestids on the Living Jewels European Buprestidae Blog that were documented in Spain in June 2013.

Related posts:

Golden Buprestid Japanese Burprestid Giant Metallic Ceiba Borer Red Legged Buprestis
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination