three unknown insects
July 10, 2009
I am enclosing three photos of bugs we have found around our Phoenix AZ home. We liv next to a wash and have lots of lizards and birds, and expect to have some insects but two spiders we cannot identfy and now a giant beetle. Can you help us?
Deborah
Phoenix AZ urban neighborhood near wash
Hi Deborah,
We already sent you a quick response identifying your Solpugid and Tailless Whipscorpion, neither of which is an insect, and neither of which is venomous or harmless to you. The third photo we are happy to post to our site. It is a Palo Verde Root Borer, Derobrachus hovorei. According to BugGuide it is found in the “southwestern United States (AZ, CA, NM, NV, TX) and northern Mexico” and adults are attracted to lights. Thanks for including the quarter for scale.