Potato Bug?
Location: Northern Nevada
September 5, 2010 8:51 pm
I’m really just out to be sure this is what I think it is. It’s the second time I’ve found this bug. The first time was South Lake Tahoe California and this time, it’s Carson City, Nevada. I think this big hissing fellow is a Potato bug, but I want to know what variety. I know he’s not a Colorado Potato Bug – wrong markings for that guy, but as I can’t remember exactly where I found info on him before, I’m hopeful you’ll be able to tell me in a little better detail just what he is. The picture shows the poor thing in a cup from Target as that’s where he was found – outside Target on my way home from a walk.
Signature: Jennifer Rash
Hi Jennifer,
Though the striped pattern is similar to that of the Colorado Potato Beetle, your beetle is a Ten Lined June Beetle which is a much larger species.Post the picture if you want.
For the longest time, I’ve thought he was a potato bug and when I first looked him up, I found that his alternate name (if he were a potato bug) was “hell insect.”
I appreciate your help as he’s a model for a character in my stories, and would actually like to be accurate when I write about him. From what I’ve turned up on my own now, this one’s a female that eats pretty much pine trees. I’m going to try and keep her alive long enough to get detailed pictures and maybe a sound recording of the noise she makes before releasing her. Can’t say it’s a surprise that she’s partial to those trees, especially in Tahoe where they’re terribly common. This one happened to be close enough to a Home Depot garden center with those trees, so that’s probably what happened with her.
I’ll have to change my character a little, but not too much I think. Here’s the character’s page: http://www.dreamangelsparadise.com/Angels_Paradise/characters/villains/vamp.html if you’re interested. Don’t let the drawing throw you. I really do like insects, just that at first, the alternate name of “hell insect” seemed perfect for the character.
Jennifer Rash
Owner/Webmistress, http://www.dreamangelsparadise.com/Angels_Paradise/index.html
A female flew into our house tonight. We’re in Saratoga, CA, about 45min from San Francisco. Poor thing is missing one of her antenna.
Let me correct my old website links, for anyone interested in the character based on the bug: http://www.dreamangelsparadise.com/characters/villain-allies/jerigel-swampfang/ He’s changed some over the years, but the concept’s remained pretty constant.
My grandsons found a 10 striped June beetle on our patio in Chelan, Wa. It had the misfortune of walking on the
“home defense” I spray around the foundation of my house…it’s a biggie. No pine trees anywhere near us.
oops…that’s barker not barler
I just had one fly in my room. in Southern California.
She hissed at me when I tried to lift her off rug
definitely the size of a June bug. my past as a biologist made me observe for
a while. also had 2 scorpions in my room. I seem to be bug blessed
😉
Many of our Mount Washington, Los Angeles neighbors have had encounters this year.
We just saw a beetle that looks very much like this one in southern California, San Bernardino county, hanging on the cover over our pond. No pine trees around here, but some in the mountains above us. It didn’t make any sounds when we caught it, though.
Found one (female) on our patio this evening. She’s quite lovely. We’re located 33 mi NE of downtown Los Angeles, up against the San Gabriel Mts. Several pine trees in area.