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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Jewel Bug from Fiji

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

Subject:  Metallic Green w/ black pattern
Geographic location of the bug:  Taveuni, Fiji
Date: 03/27/2020
Time: 05:17 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Is this a jewel beetle? It had landed on this floating seed pod and had not quite tucked his wing away. My underwater camera was already set up for macro so I wiped the lens and shot topside.
Roughly about 2 cm. Segmented antennae. Hard shell. Small thorax.
How you want your letter signed:  Richard

Jewel Bug

Dear Richard,
This is not a Jewel Beetle in the family Buprestidae.  It is not a beetle at all.  This is a Shield Bug in the family Scutelleridae, and because of their often bright, metallic colors, they are sometimes commonly called Jewel Bugs.  So this is a Jewel Bug, not a Jewel Beetle.  We have not had much luck identifying the species, but we did locate a matching image on The Organic Bunny blog, but you have to scroll down to see the unidentified image.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Jewel Bug from Mexico

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

Subject:  Brown and Yellow Beetle?
Geographic location of the bug:  Central Mexico
Date: 03/20/2020
Time: 11:28 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Hi WTB! I’ve looked high and low trying to identify this beetle(?) but have had no luck so far. I saw many of them on the leaves of plants in the fields near my house in Mexico. This was taken in September a few years back. It was in a canyon in the desert if that helps. Any ideas? Thanks!
How you want your letter signed:  Danny

Jewel Bug

Dear Danny,
This is not a Beetle.  It is a Shield Bug or Jewel Bug in the family Scutellaridae, and we identified it as Orsilochides scurrilis on Buggin’ Around.  It is also pictured on Naturalista.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Bug of the Month February 2020: Assassin Bug

On · Category: _Featured, Assassin Bugs Tagged With: · Add Comment

Subject:  Beautiful assassin
Geographic location of the bug:  Southern Utah
Date: 02/08/2020
Time: 07:20 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Found this beauty in my garage and looking for second opinions as to the ID.
How you want your letter signed:  Jason

Assassin Bug:  Fitchia spinosula

Dear Jason,
We believe we have correctly identified your Assassin Bug as Fitchia spinosula based on this BugGuide image.  Because it does not have developed wings, we originally thought this was an immature individual, but according to BugGuide:  “Micropterous individuals are more common, although macropterous forms do exist. Macroptery is more common in males than females.”  According to Merriam-Webster, micropterous means “having small or rudimentary wings.”

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Wheel Bug

On · Category: Assassin Bugs · Add Comment

Subject:  Alien!
Geographic location of the bug:  N.Carolina
Date: 01/18/2020
Time: 01:36 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Bugman I found this Alien on my porch & it looks like a Godzilla  foe…what is it?
How you want your letter signed:  Dustin

Wheel Bug

Dear Dustin,
Your “alien” is a Wheel Bug, the largest North American Assassin Bug and quite a formidable predator.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Assassin Bug from Bolivia is Zelurus festivus

On · Category: Assassin Bugs · 6 Comments

Subject:  Spikey wasp? Coral caterpillar
Geographic location of the bug:  Bolivia, Ascensión de Guarayos and Trinidad
Date: 12/13/2019
Time: 05:57 AM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Hi Bugman. I have spent the last year working at an animal sanctuary in the Bolivian jungle which means I encounter a huge amount of strange insects daily. These two particularly caught my attention and would love to know what they are. Many thanks
How you want your letter signed:  Chris

Assassin Bug:  Zelurus festivus

Dear Chris,
What you have mistaken for a “spikey wasp” is actually a stunning looking Assassin Bug, but we have not had any luck with a species identification.  We can assure you that this is NOT a Blood-sucking Conenose Bug or Kissing Bug from the subfamily Triatominae, a group known to spread Chagas Disease.  Many Assassin Bugs will deliver a painful bite if provoked or carelessly handled, but except for the Kissing Bugs, Assassin Bugs do not pose a threat to humans.  This individual is a very effective wasp mimic.  Perhaps Cesar Crash from Insetolgia will recognize it.  We will attempt to identify your Caterpillar at a later time.

Assassin Bug:  Zelurus festivus

Update: December 20, 2019
Thanks to Cesar Crash and Brandon Thorpe submitting comments, we now know this is Zelurus festivus.  There are also images on iNaturalist and Discover Life.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Spined Assassin Bug in Dried-Up Foliage Pose

On · Category: Assassin Bugs · Add Comment

Subject:  Very odd looking bug
Geographic location of the bug:  Council Bluffs, IA
Date: 11/26/2019
Time: 11:40 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Found this guy on my front door mid last summer. I’m getting better at identifying, but this one has me stumped..
How you want your letter signed:  Wendy Starrett

Spined Assassin Bug

Dear Wendy,
This is a predatory Assassin Bug in the family Reduviidae, and we believe it is a Spined Assassin Bug in the genus Sinea, possibly Sinea diadema which is pictured on BugGuide.  The folded antennae are quite unusual.  We will attempt to get a second opinion.

Eric Eaton Confirms:
Yes, Sinea sp. in typical “you can’t see me, I’m dried-up foliage” pose.  LOL! …
Eric

I appreciate your reply! After a little searching of images of Sinea diadema I tend to agree. Some of the photos I saw showed partially folded antennae.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination