Subject: GREEN WEIRD BUGS
Geographic location of the bug: My school in North America, sand box by the swings
Date: 11/02/2017
Time: 11:02 PM EDT
There are green flying bugs at my school’s sandbox. Whenever I go to get on one of the swings in the sand box, I get scared because kids tell me that the bugs are sand bees. I looked them up, no results besides sand wasps, which do not look like the bugs I saw. They bugs burrowed into the sand, and dug holes in it. They appeared to be a spring grass green and they kind of hovered over the ground a little like a bee. I can not get a close look at one, Im too scared, but I just avoid them whenever I can. I would just like to know what type of bug it is, and if you can not figure that out, see if you can tell me if I should avoid them/report them to the school. Thank you! (both images attached are what the bee-thing kind of looked like, a mix between the two)
How you want your letter signed: Cassie
Dear Cassie,
The image you provided is of a Blow Fly in the family Calliphoridae which you can verify by comparing it to this BugGuide image. According to BugGuide, they are: “scavengers (larvae in carrion, excrement, etc.) or parasites” which might mean animals (or children) are using the sandbox for some unsanitary purposes, or that there is something dead buried in the sandbox. BugGuide also indicates: “Commonly seen ‘basking’ on the exterior walls of buildings (flesh flies also have this habit). Some cause myasis in humans and livestock.”
The picture is indeed a fly.
However, I strongly suspect that a misidentification was made by the worried poster. Digging holes in sand and hovering does not sound like typical blowfly behavior.
I think that the insects might indeed be sand-loving hymenopterans, but they should be very peaceful and ignore humans, even if annoyed. However, it MIGHT be possible (don’t jump to conclusions and reach for the exterminator) that schoolchildren determined to kill or torture the poor insects will suffer retaliation, so I am slightly concerned.
The picture is indeed a fly.
However, I strongly suspect that a misidentification was made by the worried poster. Digging holes in sand and hovering does not sound like typical blowfly behavior.
I think that the insects might indeed be sand-loving hymenopterans, but they should be very peaceful and ignore humans, even if annoyed. However, it MIGHT be possible (don’t jump to conclusions and reach for the exterminator) that schoolchildren determined to kill or torture the poor insects will suffer retaliation, so I am slightly concerned.