From the monthly archives: "April 2019"
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Diabolical Ironclad Beetle

On · Category: Darkling and Ironclad Beetles · Add Comment

Subject:  What kind of beetle?
Geographic location of the bug:  Southern California
Date: 04/28/2019
Time: 12:37 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  This bug used to be prominent years ago. This is the first time I have seen it since. But I do not know what kind of beetle it is. Photo was taken outside on my house.
How you want your letter signed:  Laurie

Diabolical Ironclad Beetle

Dear Laurie,
This is a Diabolical Ironclad Beetle.  According to BugGuide, the habitat is “Woodlands, Found under loose bark of oak, cottonwood.”

Dear Daniel,
Wow, that is cool.  Thank you so much for letting me know.
Sincerely,
Laurie

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Fake Cockroach in Philadelphia

On · Category: Cockroaches · Add Comment

Subject:  Sidewalk in Philadelphia
Geographic location of the bug:  Philadelphia
Date: 04/27/2019
Time: 04:19 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Hi – I saw this beetle/roach on the sidewalk near a big belly trash can. It was big enough to fit in the palm of my hand.  It has no antennas or fuzz/fur on its legs.  It was totally smooth.  I’ve never seen this before and can’t find anything online.  Maybe you can help?
How you want your letter signed:  Ryan

Fake Cockroach

Dear Ryan,
How quickly did it move?  This sure looks like a fake Cockroach to us, like something might find on Small Scale World.

It didn’t move at all.  This crossed my mind but I didn’t think much of it because I have seen other bugs not move right away either
I thought it was fake too but wasn’t about to test that theory.
Ok thanks for your input!

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

North American Racer

On · Category: Reptiles · Add Comment

Subject:  Black Snake
Geographic location of the bug:  Goodlettsville TN
Date: 04/24/2019
Time: 10:40 AM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  I found this snake yesterday. It appears to living in my rock wall. Should I be scared? I tried to locate it but there is too many that look like it. I have 3 small dogs will it hurt them or me? It’s black, white underneath and about 4 ft long. Any help would be appreciated.  Thank you Karen Fiels
How you want your letter signed:  Karen Fields

North American Racer

Dear Karen,
Upon browsing the reported species in the Snake section of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (for the second time today which was the first time ever) we have concluded that you encountered a North American Racer, which is described on the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency site as:  “A large, slender, solid black snake (36.0 to 60.0 inches in length) with smooth and shiny scales. Throat and chin have some white, and eye color (iris) is brown or dark amber. Belly is dark gray to dark blue in color. Males are slightly larger than females.”  All indications are that this is a harmless species.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Cave Salamander

On · Category: Amphibians · Add Comment

Subject:  syrhpid fly id
Geographic location of the bug:  nashville, tn
Date: 04/25/2019
Time: 05:28 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Can you help me id this syprhid fly?
How you want your letter signed:  Naturalista

Cave Salamander

Dear Naturalista,
We would love to attempt to identify your Syrphid Fly, however, you attached an image of a Salamander.  Assuming that this image is also from Nashville, Tennessee, we suspect this is a Cave Salamander, Eurycea lucifuga, which we located on the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency site where it states the habitat is:  “Primarily cave entrances and ‘twilight zones’ of caves, where light is weak. Occasionally in forests, springs, or streams.”  According to Animal Diversity Web:  “Most frequently found in the twilight zone of caves, but also occasionally under logs and rocks in the surrounding moist forests more than a kilometer away from the nearest cave (Conant and Collins, et. al, 1995, Petranka 1998). The twilight area of a cave is the area just inside the entrance where there is some light, but not enough for plants to grow (Taylor 1999).”  We would love to know more about this particular sighting.  If you would still like that Syrphid Fly identified, please resubmit the image using the Ask WTB? link on our site. 

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Sycamore Assassin Bug

On · Category: Assassin Bugs · Add Comment

Subject:  Assassin bug or kissing bug?
Geographic location of the bug:  North Virginia
Date: 04/26/2019
Time: 02:37 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  On April 26, I saw this bug in my mail box and thought it looked interesting so I took a few pictures of it. But just today, I saw a news post about the Kissing Bug and tried to search around to find out if it was. I ended up finding another article on here dating back to April 2016 with a photo of a similar looking bug called the Assassin bug or something like that. Can you please help me identify this bug?
Thank you~
How you want your letter signed:  Liya

Sycamore Assassin Bug

Dear Liya,
This is a Sycamore Assassin Bug in the genus Pselliopus, and like other members of the Assassin Bug family Reduviidae, it might bite if carelessly handled, but the bite is not considered dangerous.  Kissing Bugs are also Assassin Bugs, but they prey upon warm blooded hosts.  Kissing Bugs will readily bite humans and especially those found in warmer regions can spread Chagas Disease.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Wheel Bug in Ohio

On · Category: Assassin Bugs · Add Comment

Subject:  Strange bug in Ohio
Geographic location of the bug:  Morrow, OH
Date: 04/25/2019
Time: 05:10 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  I saw this sitting on my closed garage door. Have never seen anything like it. Have you an identity for it?
How you want your letter signed:  Jim Kightlinger

Wheel Bug

Dear Jim,
This is an adult Wheel Bug, the largest North American Assassin Bug, and this is not a rare insect in the eastern part of the continent, however this April sighting is quite unusual.  We generally get images of adult Wheel Bugs much later in the year, especially in northern states, and this is the time of year we expect to get reports of hatchling Wheel Bugs.

Update:  Hi Daniel – Thanks for the ID of the Assassin bug. I should have mentioned that the photo was not current. The picture was taken 10/6/2018 so being an adult was perfectly right for that time of year. Ugly little bugger though. I left him alone to do whatever ugly bugs do.
Thanks again – Jim Kightlinger

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination