Bug ID Request
Hi Bugman,
I live in Glasgow, Scotland, and I am moving house next week and picked up some boxes from my local supermarket for packing purposes.Theseboxes appear to have originated in the Cameroons and Costa Rica. This morning I awoke to the bug below sauntering around on my window blinds. After taking these snaps I set it free out of the window, however would be very interested to know what type of bug this was and if it could have arrived in the boxes.Can you help?
Lorna
stink bug, probably local
Re: Bug ID Request
Well thank you for the thorough reply. I have spent the whole afternoon wondering what the BUG MAN was going to say to me. I told all my friends about you and everything. I’m now feeling rather sorry for myself and the $20 paypal donation that I was going to send your way can now take a hike! 3 hours ago I thought “the bug man rocks” – now I think “the bug man SUCKS”! Keep up the good work….. LOSER!
Lorna Easton
Ed. Response: Here at What’s That Bug? we can only post a small fraction of the submissions that come our way. In addition to posting to our site, we also send a personal email to the querent. In an effort to assist as many of our curious readers as possible, we sometimes respond personally without posting our answers. These answers are generally concise, to the point, and answer the questions posed. Lorna requested an identification as well as information regarding her insect’s origin. We answered both questions and do not feel we deserved the virulent, hateful and insultory response we got from what evidence indicates might be a malcontent. In an effort to be more thorough, we now believe this is a Hawthorn Shieldbug, Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale, as evidenced by this link. The family Acanthosomatidae or Shield Bugs and the family Pentatomidae or Stink Bugs are closely related and both in the superfamily Pentatomoidea. Stink Bugs and Shield Bugs are easily confused. Please email Lorna Easton at (censored) and tell her what you think. Remember What’s That Bug? is a public service that does not profit from this column.
And the Public Weighs In
Here are some of the emails we were copied on when our kind and faithful readers responded to Lorna.
(05/14/2007) I hope that nasty email didn’t rattle you too much
I sent her this reply. “You’re lucky they answered your email at all. They receive hundreds of ID requests a day. They are also both teachers, and provide US with the service of this webpage. You need a lesson in manners. Would you treat your parents the way you acted toward Lisa Ann and Daniel? If so, I’m surprised you’re still above ground.” Please know that there are many of us out here that appreciate what you do with your web page. We also know that you have full time jobs, and this is something that you do for an art project with no monetary compensation. It also provides us with knowledge and information about all these wonderful creatures. I get upset when I see a letter like this, as I’ve seen a few others on your site resembling this one. Not all people are self-centered and absorbed as this person is. I check your webpage every day, and I just LOVE IT! When you were on vacation last year in Ohio picking tomatoes, I emailed you telling you of my withdrawal pains,(no new pics-lol) and you sent me a wonderful email. Keep up the good work, Lisa and Daniel. Regards,
Sueann Juzwiak
(05/14/2007) Your bug
Does your mommy know you are on the internet? Your email to “What’s That Bug?” makes me think you are about 12 years old. Thanks for the laugh, anyway. Next time, do your own damn homework.
CW (not affiliated with WTB in any way, shape, or form – just a frequent reader)
Lorna responds: (05/14/2007)
Hi, I am utterly horrified that you have received such an email. This was not sent by me but by my extremely rude and unprincipled boyfriend who has been told exactly what I think of him. It is completely unacceptable that you received such an offensive response when you were helping me in your own time to answer my query I cannot apologise enough and I am going to make him make a donation to your organisation or whatever charity you would wish funds to go to – please let me know. Once again my sincere apologies,
Lorna
Dear Lorna,
Thank you for writing back to clear up this gross misunderstanding. Please choose some local environmental charity for your donation and then kick that cad of a boyfriend to the curb. We would also strongly recommend changing your password. In lieu of the misunderstanding, we will remove your email address from the posting on our site so our devoted readership, many of whom will act like a mother bear defending her cubs on our behalf, will no longer be able to inundate you with their private thoughts.
P.S. Your (hopefully) former boyfriend is still the recipient of the First Ever Nasty Reader Award.
UPDATE: August 23, 2010
‘carafe shape’ answered in nasty reader section
August 23, 2010 10:37 pm
dearest bugpeeps: OMG! I was drawn to read your highly entertaining and mindboggling NRAs, and what did i find? my beetle, at nasty reader award no 1 !! Thank you for a most informative and entertaining online research session. you guys are the (bug) bomb!
Signature: terre zenk
Dear terre,
We are happy you successfully identified your Hawthorne Shield Bug and were entertained in the process.