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Banded Alder Borer
(06/30/2007 what's this bug?????
Dear Bug Man,
We found this at strip mall in Temple City,California. What
is it? Thank You,
Dominic Valenzuela, 41/2 yrs. Bye!
Jennifer M. Luna-Valenzuela
Hi Dominic and Jennifer,
This beauty is a Banded Alder Borer, Rosalia funebris.
Battling
Banded Alder Borers
(06/30/2007) what the heck are these?
Mr. Bugman.
My son and I were in pasadena,calif and we saw on a utility
pole about 5 of these very scary looking bugs.. In one picture
these bugs were fighting head to head and they even wrestled
on the ground. What are these bugs and have you ever seen
anything like these before?
thanks kayla and jason
Hi Kayla and Jason,
Even though your image is blurry, the distinctive markings
of the Banded Alder Borer allow for instant identification.
The two male Banded Alder Borers in your photo are battling
over territory and a mate.
Potential Hardwood Stump Borer and Unidentified Striped
Caterpillar Aggregation from Mexico
(06/30/2007) beetle and caterpillar from Mexico
Hi there,
I know you are specialized in the bugs of North America but
while browsing your great site I noticed you sometimes have
exotics as well, so I thought I might give it a try. Since
August last year we live in Quintana Roo, Southern Mexican
Caribbean and just love the wide variety of animals especially the
insects here. We always try to find out what we have
seen, but there are some we couldn´t identify so far.
Any ideas about this huge beetle or the big caterpillars that
all gathered at this tree. The cute yellow and black
one was quiet small. Thanks a lot!
Jacqueline
 
Hi Jacquiline,
Your beetle is a Cerambycid, one of the Longhorn Borers. It
looks suspiciously like the Hardwood
Stump Borer, Mallodon dasystomus, which is the only species
of the genus found in North America. We could not locate any
images online of Central American species, and perhaps one
of our readers can provide an answer. Regarding the Striped
Caterpillar Aggregation, we received another photo of
this caterpillar in August 2006 and it is still unidentified.
Caterpillar
Hunter
(06/28/2007) A few pics
I am sending these pics I took of a Polyphemus Moth, some
sort of Hawk Moth?, a couple shots of spiders (I
think they may be some sort of Orb Spider? There are literally
hundreds of them in every nook and cranny of my acreage!)
and a large bettle I found in my sunporch. I have looked
through your site to try and ID this beetle, but I am on dial-up,
and therefore the length of time it is taking me to load
up all of the beautiful pictures to compare it to is almost
enough to make me want to throw my laptop across the room
... lol ... I have run a search and tried every sort of search
words ... ahh well, maybe you can help me :) I have began
taking "bug" pictures as a hobby, and I am enjoying
your site each and every time I visit. I wanted to send
along a few pictures of bugs from angles that perhaps you
do not have pics from ... like the fluffy poly moth's face
and head ... he/she almost looks cuddly :) And the spider
picture where it is eating a fly might work for your page
devoted to insects eating other things :) I would love to
know what type of beetle is in the attached picture ... It
was very aggressive, agile, and active ... He was around the
size of an adult's thumb ... Very nice colouring, but in the
pictures he is covered in fuzz ... crawling around under a
sofa in the sunporch where the dogs sleep will do that to
ya! ... lol ... It took a couple swings at my Rottweiller
and I decided to release it somewhere where my dogs would
be safe :) Thanks so Much!
Heather - Central Saskatchewan, Canada
Hi Heather,
While all of your images are very nice, it is very complicated
for us to post multi-image letters efficiently. The beetle
in question is one of the Caterpillar Hunters, probably Calosoma
calidum.
Six
Spotted Tiger Beetle
(06/28/2007) What is this Bug?
Dear Bugman,
I take photos professionally as a freelance stock photographer...I
also have a "CREEPY CRAWLER" exhibit that I show
gratis at local elementary schools which has been a great
hit. I would like to include this bug, but I can't ID
it, can you? It would be a great help to me and the
kids would enjoy looking at the bug in a large macro format.
This incredibly beautiful bug has been hanging around our
water garden and several times I have tried to shoot it, but
was only able to when I found it in a pail of water. It
flies! I want to put it in my bug photo exhibit
which travels to elementary schools. I live in Wenham, MA.
Many thanks,
Susan Van Etten
www.imageresearchstudio.com
Hi Susan,
This is a Six Spotted Tiger Beetle, Cicindela sexguttata.
Ten Lined June Beetle
(06/27/2007) Ten-Lined June Beetle Pics
Hi Bugman,
This fellow was almost stepped on as he was making his way
across the sidewalk the other night . Since he was so
good-looking, we decided to pull out the camera then and there
and photograph him. Thanx for your fun site...I was
able to identify him while I checked out all the cool pictures.
We love you!
Joy Greene,
La Canada, California
Hi Joy,
While we don't get Ten Lined June Beetles in Mt. Washington,
we do encounter them on trips to See's Candy in Montrose where
they are attracted to the lights and we also encounter them
at Art Center in Pasadena because of all the pine trees.
Female Eastern Hercules Beetle
(06/27/2007) female rhino beetle?
this beautiful beetle was found on the ground in Atlanta today.
is it a female rhino beetle?
sarah tynes
atlanta
Hi Sarah,
This is a female Dynastes tityus, the Eastern Hercules Beetle.
It is in the Scarabaeidae Family of Scarab Beetles and the
Subfamily Dynastinae which are commonly called Rhinoceros
Beetles.
Golden Buprestid
(06/27/2007) Shiny Aqua Bug
Hey B-man,
This beautiful bug landed on my leg today and I have no clue
what it is! It is shiny aqua-blue-green, kind of like a peacock
feather with a copper stripe down its back and it is copper-red
on the underside. about a centimeter long with 6 legs and
WINGS! his "shell" (or wings?) is very hard he made
a "plinking" noise when he fell to the bottom of
the cup he is currently in! his "shell" (or wings?)
also has lengthwise grooves in the blue part. i hope he shows
up OK in this photo. let me know what you think! Thanks,
Gina
Hi Gina,
This gorgeous beetle is a Golden Buprestid, Buprestis aurulenta.
Most of our images come from the Pacific Northwest, but you
did not indicate where you are located.
Grapevine
Beetle
(06/27/2007) Please help
Hi,
My name is Rich from Jackson, Mi. I found this guy on my screen
door. Now, to me he look a bit like a lady bug, not enough
spots though and waaaay too big. He's huge. Can you tell me
what it is? I've never seen one of these b4 and have lived
in Michigan 37 yrs. Thank Again
Rich
Hi Rich,
This distinctive Scarab Beetle is known as the Grapevine Beetle.
Cottonwood
Borer
(06/27/2007) Animal (unknown) 6-24-07 on deck railing
Hi, I've been looking at your website and find it most fascinating.
Who knew there were so many kinds of bugs out there?
Well, I guess ya'll would.......LOL. Ok, my dad
took these pics and e-mailed them to me and we have no
clue what this thing is. I told him I'd check on the
internet and try to find out. I found your website
and have been enjoying it. Can you help?
We live in central Arkansas. My parents' house has lots
of pine trees on one side and a variety of other trees and
plants in the yard. Any help you can give would be most
appreciated. Thank you
Yalonda
Hi Yalonda,
This is a Cottonwood Borer and most of our images come from
Texas. It is nice to get a report from Arkansas.
Ivory
Marked Beetle
(06/25/2007) What bug is this?
Jim
Hi Jim,
This is an Ivory Marked Beetle, Eburia quadrigeminata.
Tomentose Burying Beetle
(06/25/2007) American Burying Beetle
We found this beetle in our house the other evening, after
looking at your site, could it be an American Burying Beetle.
We live 45 miles west of Chicago Illinois. Thank
you.
Jim Volkening
Hi Jim,
Is it a Burying Beetle? Yes. Was it found in America? Yes.
Is it an American
Burying Beetle, Nicrophorus americanus? No. Is it another
beetle in the same genus? Yes. According to BugGuide:
"Like other carrion beetles in genus Nicrophorus ,N. americanus
has shiny black wing covers that are each marked with two
bright orange/red bands, but it can be readily distinguished
from the other nearctic species by the large and distinctive
orange/red marking at the center of the pronotum." Rather,
we like this for the Tomentose
Burying Beetle, Nicrophorus tomentosus, because of what
appears to be distinctive yellow fur on the pronotum. Burying
Beetles are also known as Sexton Beetles.
Banded Alder Borer
(06/25/2007) What is this bug?
I found this bug right next to my work, I have no idea what
it might be. I would love to know what it is, as well
as if its venomous (harmful). Thank you in advance
Andranik
Hi Andranik,
The Banded Alder Borer is neither venomous nor harmful.
Male Hercules Beetle
(06/25/2007) Hercules Beetle in perspective
Hello! After my mother-in-law sent me some pictures of an
unusually large beetle they found in Central Texas, I did
a search on the internet to figure out what it was, and discovered
from your site that it was a Hercules Beetle (I think!). I
noticed there didn't seem to be a picture of the beetle with
an object to show it's actual size, so I included a couple
of the pictures taken (on my father-in-law's hand) to show
how big they actually are. I apologize if the pictures are
too large, but I hope you can use them on your site sometime.
Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Thank you for sending us your wonderful image of a male Hercules
Beetle with the human hand for scale.
Checkered Beetle
(06/24/2007) from New Mexico
This bug is after the pollen on our prairie coneflowers. There
are many of them this year and we had never noticed them before.
Are they some kind of wasp, or some kind of beetle? Thanks,
Juan Ortega
Hi Juan,
This is some species of Checkered Beetle in the family Cleridae,
but we do not know which species. Perhaps Eric Eaton will
write in with that answer.
Update (06/26/2007) From Eric Eaton:
"My friend Jacques Rifkind, a world authority on Cleridae,
identified the checkered beetle from New Mexico as Trichodes
bibalteatus. We don't even have that one on Bugguide, I don't
think. Lovely shot, too.... Eric "
Lily Leaf Beetles Mating
(06/24/2007)
Hi Bugman,
Any idea what's these bugs are please? I felt like a
gooseberry interrupting for the photo! Cheers
Steve
Hi Steve,
These are mating Lily Leaf Beetles, Lilioceris lilii. You
probably don't want them to have too many progeny since they
can be very destructive by eating the leaves of plants in
the lily family. This is an immigrant species, not native
to North America.
Cottonwood Borer
(06/24/2007) What is it?
Found this beetle crawling outside the house yesterday in
Austin Texas. Thanks,
Bryan
Hi Bryan,
This large unforgetable beetle is a Cottonwood Borer.
Master Blister Beetle
(06/24/2007) Arizona Blister Beetle?
I took this several years ago in the middle of the Mojave
Desert - miles from anything! I think it's an Arizona Blister
Beetle. He (?) was just sitting there on his butt eating
lunch.
John Stevens
Palmdale, CA
Hi John,
BugGuide
lists this species, Lytta magister, as having the common name
Master Blister Beetle.
California
Prionus
(06/23/2007) What's this bug?
Hi there!
The only posts I found on this cool site were from 2004 and
2003 – are you guys still identifying bugs? I
found one tonight while on a walk with my dog. It was
on the cement under a bright light, and it never walked anywhere
(though its body was moving while I was taking photographs).
I photoshopped the phone closer to the beetle than I was willing
to actually put it myself… can this be a California
Prionus? What do they eat, and are they beneficial or
harmful?
Mountain View , CA
Hi there Mountain View,
This is very exciting. We have never had an entire town write
to us. We agree that this is a female California Prionus.
The larvae eat live, dying and decomposing wood from trees,
shrubs and woody vines. The grubs can be injurious to trees,
including fruit trees. We cannot locate any information on
adult food preferences.
Grapevine Beetle
(06/23/2007) 2 pictures for you
Please can you put a name to this wonderful creature? I photo'd
it and set it free,it tried to fly like a ladybug but was
too tired.aproxx 3/4 " in length
Robert
Hi Robert,
This is a Grapevine Beetle, Pelidnota punctata.
Unknown
Tiger Beetle is one on the Marsh Ground Beetles
(06/22/2007) Mystery tiger beetle with leopard spots
Hello good people at WTB
I have a good one for you. I trapped this insect in
a lindgren funnel trap baited with alpha pinene and ips
trilure in Monroe County. The trap is about 15-20
feet off the ground. I have never seen this beetle
before and I have done trapping for many years in Michigan.
It did not come into the bait but was one of those
incidental catches. First thoughts is tiger beetle
but it does not seem to fit. 14 different spp. of
Cicindela are know to occur in Michigan. The specimen
is small (6-8mm) unlike the common tigers in MI. The
attached photo was taken by our identifier James Zablotny.
Great picture showing the great patterns and coloration.
Should be called a leopard beetle due to the spots.
I was hoping someone out there can ID this.
New US, state, county record, or species?
Brian Sullivan
Hi Brian,
While we don't know the name of your mystery Tiger Beetle,
we hope one of our readers might be able to assist. We have
called on Eric Eaton personally and we hope to have an answer
for you soon. We are posting your image nice and large to
better assist in the identification.
Update: (06/25/2007)
Dear WTB
Mystery Solved I was able to get an ID from our identifier
it is a Marsh/Bog Ground Beetle in the Tribe Elaphrini (Elaphrus
sp). Out in California you have a species that is critically
endangered the Delta
green ground beetle (Elaphrus viridis ). I don't know
what the species is for the beast that I have but I am sure
this is a new genus for your site. Thanks
Brian Sullivan
Thanks Brian,
Should you ever get an exact species identification, please
let us know. If it is a new species, we would love to be
able to post the name you give to it. BugGuide
has additional information on the genus, commonly known
as Marsh Ground Beetles or Bog Ground Beetles.
Update (06/25/2007) From Eric Eaton:
"Great image, but it is not a tiger beetle, at least not
in the truest sense. It is a ground beetle in the genus
Elaphrus. They are usually found running around on mud flats
and muddy margins of ponds and streams (even puddles). They
are amazingly cryptic until they move. Eric"
Mating
Borer Beetles
(06/22/2007)
We just moved into a new house. We live in Los Angeles,
CA. We have been here for 6 weeks and for the last week
these bugs have been showing up. They fly. They
only hang in one area of the house. The two front windows.
the windows are always shut so I have no idea how they
get in. The windows are near a fire place. maybe
there is a crack that we can't see?? But we never see them
come in the other doors and there aren't any near any other
windows or doors in the house. We found these two tonight
and it looks like there may be some mating thing involved...
Do you know what they are? How can we get them
to stop coming in the house? Do they live in the house?
Oh no!
Holland and Yvonne
Hi Holland and Yvonne,
These appear to be some species of wood boring beetle, but
we would like to get Eric Eaton's opinion before you panic.
Update (06/25/2007)
Here is Eric Eaton's response: "Daniel: This is a pair of
longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae), possibly the "old
house borer," Xylotruped bajalus, or the "rutic borer," Xylotrechus
colonus. Both are known for emerging from structural timber
indoors, and also from firewood (in the case of Xylotrechus
anyway). They aren't likely to re-infest the home, so I wouldn't
panic. Might take a couple specimens to a local entomologist
for verification of my ID, though, as it is hard to tell from
the shadowy image exactly what they are beyond family level.
Eric"
Ten
Lined June Beetle
(06/22/2007) Looking for an ID.
My six year old found this beetle in our front yard. She asked
what it was, and I couldn’t tell her. Can you help me.
If you can ID this bug please send reply. We live in Eugene
,Oregon if that helps you any.
Mike
Hi Mike,
This spectacular beetle is a Ten Lined June Beetle. Like many
large beetles, they are often attracted to lights.
Elderberry
Borer
(06/22/2007) Black winged insect
Hi,
I killed this bug in my kitchen and was worried it was a cockroach.
I checked all the cockroach ID pages and I don't think this
is one because of the small head. The insect is about
3/4 of an inch (2 cm) in length not including the antenna.
Can you help me ID this bug. Thanks,
Matthew
Hi Matthew,
The photo you sent in does not seem to go with your letter,
but it is an Elderberry Borer, Desmocerus palliatus.
Hi BugMan,
You just posted my bug and ID's it Thanks. You're right I
sent the wrong PIC the first time. I love your site and I'm
having great fun identifying the bugs I have in my yard.
I found this ElderBerry Borer in the yard and my wife took
a picture to see if we could figure out what it was. Thanks
again,
Matthew
Mating Banded Alder Borers
(06/22/2007) Hello bugman,
I live in Southern California and while I was on a lucnch
break I spotted these bugs in Pasadena. I have never
seen anything like these so I was wondering if maybe you could
identify them for me. Thanks a bunch
These boldly beautiful beetles are Mating Banded Alder
Borers, Rosalia funebris.
Flower
Longhorn
(06/21/2007) Need help identifying this borer beetle
Hello!
I found this nice beetle flying low around the base of one
of the trees in my backyard yesterday. (I have no idea what
kind of tree it is, sadly.) I thought it was a wasp at first,
by its flight pattern. It is almost exactly 1 inch long, not
including antennae, which are about half an inch. I noticed
after I took it inside to take its picture that it makes an
quite audible shrieking sound when I pick it up.
After looking through all 13 beetle pages on your site
and not finding a match to my beetle, I decided to send it
in. :) At least during my searches, I determined that it was
some sort of borer. I'd like to get an exact match so I can
eventually include the beetle in my insect collection. Thanks,
Jessica in Sartell, MN
Hi Jessica,
This is one of the Flower Longhorns in the subfamily Lepturinae.
According to images on BugGuide,
it looks like Stenocorus schaumii.
(No Longer) Unknown Nicaraguan Cerambycid: Deliathis
nivea
(06/21/2007) Nicaraguan cerambycidae
I found this beetle in Jinotega, Nicaragua, and thanks to
your fantastic and facinating site I was able to idetify it
as a member of the family cerambycidae. With that information
I've been all over the net but without any luck. It's about
4 - 5 cm long. I know you can help! Best wishes,
Gerdur Gestsdottir
Hi Gerdur,
Contrary to what many might think, we do not have all the
answers, and we also need to research many on the submissions
that come our way. We tried for about a half an hour to identify
your Cerambycid, but to no avail. Hopefully, one of our readers
might have the answer or perhaps the time to continue searching.
Update: (06/23/2007) About the Unknown Nicaraguan
Cerambycid
I tried with this one and did not get very far. Sources say
that the insect fauna of Nicaragua, although very rich, has
not yet been very well investigated because of the history
of political turmoil in the country. From what I read online,
one man who has done a lot of extraordinary work there is
Jean-Michael Maes of the Museo Entomological, in Leon. His
multi-volume book "Insectos de Nicaragua" is an attempt at
a comprehensive catalogue, but I don't think it has each individual
species illustrated. Volume II is the volume that covers the
beetles. There is also a website which I think is his: www.insectariumvirtual.com
And Maes' email address is: jmmaes@ibw.com.ni Perhaps Gerdur
could send the image directly to Jean-Micheal Maes? If anyone
would know what this is, he would.
Susan
Thanks Susan,
Knowing that insects ignore international borders, we tried
searching Costa Rican insects since there is a very developed
tourist trade there, but half an hour produced no leads.
Update: (06/23/2007) Nicaraguan cerambycid
Hi Guys:
The bycid from Nicaragua is Deliathis nivea. Its found from
southern Mexico to Panama.
Ian
Female Hercules Beetle
(Summer Solstice/2007) Beetle found in Georgia
We live just outside of Atlanta, GA and found this beetle
on our porch this morning. I have never seen anything
this big, anywhere. I should have inserted something
for perspective, but it is about two inches long. I looked
on the web, and saw one site that said the largest beetle
found in Georgia was only about an inch long. Anyway, can
you tell me what it is? Thanks,
Travis Hopper
Hi Travis,
This is a female Hercules Beetle, Dynastes tityus. Don't believe
everything you read on the WWW because anyone can have a website.
We have had errors brought to our attention numerous times,
perhaps more than we would like to admit. According to BugGuide,
this species grows to 60mm, well over 2 inches. Horned males
are generally larger.
Female
Hercules Beetle Digging in Dirt
(06/20/2007) the park people had never seen this bug
Is it a bug? Maybe it's a beetle. I wish I had put something
next to it to help size it. It's yellow and black back was
larger than a quarter. It seemed to have a claw on its back
near its head. One part of the "claw" was stationery
and attached to its back and I think the other part that moved
was on its head. It was large enough to surprise me on a path
in Northern Virginia. I look forward to your feedback when
you get the chance.
Angela
Hi Angela,
We believe this to be a female Hercules
Beetle, Dynastes tityus, digging in the dirt, perhaps
after metamorphosis. Grubs feed on rotting wood and the wood
might have been buried. Or perhaps, she just fell victim to
some predator that ate the abdomen and just left a decapitated
head and two front legs. Nonetheless, the photo is very disturbing.
Update (06/25/2007)
Here is what Eric Eaton wrote in: "female Hercules beetle
is most likely emerging, not digging, though the image looks
suspicious to me. Looks like she has been decapitated behind
the thoracic segments. The party photographing the beetle
might have killed her, or a raven or owl or some other predator.
These beetles are clumsy, but full of nutrious fat and protein,
so many vertebrates prey on them. Eric"
Hardwood Stump Borer
(06/20/2007) HELP! Stenodontes dasystomus or Mallodon dasystomus?
**with pics**
Bugman!
We are pretty sure this is a Stenodontes dasystomus or a Mallodon
dasystomus. Is there a difference or did the latter
replace the former. I've included 2 pictures, one that
looks better than the one you already have listed. Let
me know what you think! Thanks<
Vicki
North Texas
Hi Vicki,
Our first thought is that we are thrilled to be able to post
your fine image of a Hardwood Stump Borer. BugGuide identifies
the scientific name as Mallodon
dasystomus and notes: "Mallodon or Stenodontes, which
appears to be a synonym of Mallodon " which indicates, at
least for now, both names are correct.
Black
and Orange Longhorn Beetle
(06/19/2007) Longhorn beetles on Agave
Yo, Bugman!
I sent this earlier, but am not sure it made it where it was
trying to go. Anyhoo, I snapped this image a few weeks
ago in the western foothills of the Galiuro Mountains of s.
Arizona. I was shooting blooming Agave chrysantha and
noticed what I thought at the time were tarantula hawks on
the undersides of some of the flower umbels. I didn't
realize until I had the image blown up on my desktop that
they were longhorn beetles. Given the location, any
idea as to species? They seem to be chewing on the pedicels
right at the flowers, maybe for the very sugar-loaded sap?
Thanks!
Dan Wolgast
Aravaipa Canyon, AZ
Hi Dan,
This sure looks like a Black and Orange Longhorn, Tragidion
coquus, or perhaps Tragidion armatum. According to Eric Eaton
on BugGuide:
"I understand that this genus, Tragidion, are mimics of tarantula
hawk wasps."
Female
Broad Necked Root Borer
(06/19/2007) what is this bug
Found this guy on the rock wall in our yard. He was approx.
3 inches long (didn't want to get too close w/ the tape
measure). Everytime someone came close to him a long stinger
would come out the back and a clear liquid would run along
it to the tip. With the stinger he was approx 4 inches long.
Is this bug poisonous? If there is one is there usually more?
I appreciate any info. Thanks.
Denise
Hi Denise,
This looks to be a female Broad Necked Root Borer, Prionus
laticollis. BugGuide
has a photo that indicates scale. The stinger you mention
is actually her ovipositor. Eggs are laid deep underground.
According to BugGuide:
"Eggs are inserted into ground (or under litter) in groups.
Larvae tunnel downward to feed on living roots of a variety
of trees and shrubs. At first they may feed on bark, but then
proceed to hollow out small roots. Pupation occurs in spring,
about 10 cm under the ground. Life cycle probably three years."
They are not poisonous. They are found in the Eastern U.S.
and there are no recent reports from Florida, perhaps due
to global warming. We wish you had included a location in
your letter.
Six Banded Longhorn Beetle
(06/18/2007) what is this bug?
I found this bug this morning right next to my front
steps. Can you tell me what it is. We are located in Middle
Tennessee.It is appro. 1 inch long body with the antennas
being appro. 2 inches long. picture attached ...THanks and
awaiting your answer.
Rodney
Hi Rodney,
How exciting for us. This is a new species for our site: A
Six Banded Longhorn Beetle, Dryobius sexnotatus. According
to Eric Eaton on BugGuide,
it is considered rare throughout its range.
Rose Chafer
(06/18/2007) beetle ID?
Hi there. We live in Osgoode, Ontario and are having a terrible
time with a beetle that is eating most of the plants and trees
in our yard. Everything from apple trees to mountain ash to
pole beans and peonies. Nothing is safe! I haven't been able
to identify the beetle last year or this year. It has eaten
all of the new apples from the trees, the flowers from the
peonies, lilacs and mountain ash, and is now feasting on the
leaves of the ash trees and pole beans leaving a lacey leaf
skeleton behind. Can you tell me what it is?
Diane
Hi Diane,
This is a Rose Chafer. This insect is commonly pictured as
a destructive plant pest, though this year is the first year
since we have been answering questions on the WWW that there
have been numerous reports. This must be a population explosion
year for this destructive scarab beetle.
Mating Eyed Elaters
(06/18/2007) beetle/moth?
I found the bug on the right floating in my pool, thought
it was dead, put it on the deck to look at later. The second
bug came hovering around, obviously looking for the first.
We thought it was a hummingbird at first, it flies with the
body down, wings flapping and antennae out straight, just
like a hummingbird. It found the first, positioned and proceeded
to take care of business, the first one apparently very much
alive. I didn't time the interlude, but it was more than fifteen
minutes, when I returned they were both gone. They are
about 2 inches long( not including antennae) and 1/2
inch wide, soft, mothlike wings, but the 'head' area looked
hard like a beetle --I didn't actually touch it. Any thoughts?
Thanks
Lori
Granby Mass
Hi Lori,
You were correct about these lovlies being beetles. They are
Eyed Elaters, a type of Click Beetle. The eyes are markings
that act as a type of startle
mimicry, with the beetles deceiving potential predators
into thinking that they are a larger, fiercer creature than
they are in reality.
Red Headed Ash Borer
(06/16/2007) What is this? (pic attached)
Hi,
I found this bug in my house in Coopersburg, PA. I've never
seen one before -- I don't know if it is anything unusual.
I simply put it outside after I took a few pics. It
was very docile, as if it was asleep or something (but it
was clearly still alive). Thanks,
Robert Thornburg
Hi Robert,
This is a Red Headed Ash Borer, Neoclytus acuminatus. Flying
adults are attracted to lights, which probably explains why
it was in your house.
Elephant Beetle
(06/15/2007) Big Big Bug
Dear What's That Bug,
I live on the west coast of Costa Rica in the Guanacaste province,
and found this giant beetle one night on our patio. I've never
seen a bug as big or heavy as this. He filled my entire open
hand- must have been about 5 inches long including the horn.
After browsing all your beetles pages, I found that the submission
from Lisa from Panama (03/16/2006) to be the closest.
After taking the hint to google a bit, I really think this
must be a "megasoma elaphas" aka elephant beetle.
Makes sense because the adults like to eat coconut flowers
which were blossoming at the time, not to mention its enormous
size and weight! We have another really big bug that shows
up from time to time. It's like a giant dark red and yellow
locust or grasshopper about 6 inches long- the Costa Ricans
call it "langosta" which means "lobster".
Last time I saw one I was without my camera- I'll try and
get a picture for you next time I see one. keep up the good
work, very cool site!
Joshua
Hi Joshua,
Thanks so much for sending us this wonderful image of the
Elephant Beetle, Megasoma elaphas. We believe the large grasshopper
you mentioned is probably Tropidacris dux, the Giant Grasshopper.
Palo Verde Root Borer
(06/15/2007) 3.4inch beetle-mojave
Greetings Mr. Bugman,
I salute your website, for educating so many of us, and
taking time to answer so many of our emails. Altho my inclination
was to scream wildly and poke sharpt things in it, you've
convinced me to give that some thought. (smile)
At sundown tonite I was watering the endless garden of the
house I just bought here in the Mojave desert, SoCal. Near
my foot, tucking out of a hole in the sandy ground I had mistook
for a rodent hole at the base of a palm tree and cactus garden,
was this bug. He froze when he spied me, but I swatted him
away from the hole and leaned a coffee cup over him until
I found something to put him in. I thought he was a nuclear
mutant roach or water bug initially. And my searches online
indicated there were only like 6 species of roach and none
came close to this one. Then I found your website, and figured
out he had to be a beetle. [S]He is at least 7.5 cm long,
2 wide, has wings. He is shot here in my Trader Joes large
2 lb coffee can. He still lives. I will take it some bio folks
at the nearby national park and see who knows what he is and
find him a new home. As converted as I feel after trolling
about your site for an hour, and my crunchy-bug murderous
intent at bay, I have nightmares of them, so he will have
to find a new home.
Regards,
Tina
29 Palms, CA
Where the Mojave meets the Twilight Zone
Hi Tina,
What an entertaining letter you have written us. This is a
Palo Verde Root Borer, Derobrachus geminatus. You can read
more about this beetle on BugGuide.
This large beetle is always a cause for alarm when encountered
for the first time. Thanks for sending us your image.
Caterpillar Hunter
(06/15/2007) Red speckled beetle found in MN
Hello,
I spent hours and hours looking at the 13 beetle pages (had
to read most everything - fascinating!). Great site!!!
Maybe this is not a beetle?? Because, I did not see
this one anywhere. It looks somewhat like some of
the wood boring ones, but not quite. I did find
a White Spotted Pine Sawyer in my house just a couple
of days ago, but I found an identification on line for that
one fairly quickly. This one I am having less luck with.
He has bright metallic reddish specks on his back in lines.
In the photos, it looks like the red spots fade to green as
they go down his hind end, but that must have just been
the lighting - all the specs or spots are reddish - almost
bright, dark pink even? I did not notice until I looked
at the pics, but this little guy has a pretty good set
of pincer type jaws too. He is very fast at crawling
along - hard to photograph. I found him in my bathroom
just cruising back and forth on the floor between the toilet
and the tub. He/she is about one inch long.
I am in East Central Minnesota (Ogilvie, to be exact =
middle of nowhere on a 160 acre horse farm with more hay fields
than trees). Thanks for your site!
Take Care!
Kayla Hagel
Hi Kayla,
The reason you could not locate your beetle on our site is
that it is a new species for our site. We are relatively confident
we located your Caterpillar Hunter, Calosoma calidum on the
Ground
Beetles of Canada Website. Eric Eaton provided this confirmation:
"Congratulations:-) Yes, those two are BOTH Calosoma beetles.
I don't know how to tell the species apart, myself. "
Black
Caterpillar Hunter
(06/15/2007) Three bugs
Hi there, I found these critters in my backyard around my
garage. After perusing your site (which is great
by the way) my guess is the smaller guy is maybe
a leaf beetle, the bigger black one maybe a borer (or hopefully
a catapillar hunter) of some kind, and I know the yellow-on-black
guy is a ladybird beetle larva, but haven't found
the species yet. Can you help me be more specific with these?
Thanks,
Tim in Winnipeg, MB
Hi Tim,
We believe this is a Black Caterpillar Hunter, Calosoma sayi,
but we will check with Eric Eaton since BugGuide
lists it as a Southern species. You are correct on the Ladybird
Beetle Larva and we are not sure what species the pupa is,
but that could also be a Ladybird. Eric Eaton provided this
confirmation: "Congratulations:-) Yes, those two are BOTH
Calosoma beetles. I don't know how to tell the species apart,
myself. "
Giant Stag Beetle
(06/15/2007) pet stag beetle
I am a woodworking teacher at a middle school.
This stag beetle has been on my garage wall for almost a week.
As far as I can tell, he has moved only about 3 feet in either
direction. What do you make of this?? I've gotten
kind of used to him and I hope he is ok just hanging out on
the brick wall.
Juanita Daniell
Woodworking and Technology
Hi Juanita,
It is so nice to know that woodworking is alive and well in
middle school education in North Carolina. We really don't
have a theory on why this Giant Stag Beetle with "trophey
antlers" has such limited mobility. He sure is a gorgeous
specimen.
California
Prionus
(06/14/2007) What bug is this?
We found this bug (beetle?) on the front step of our home
in Southern California. It was about 2 inches long. What is
it? When we moved it, it made a loud "swishing noise".
We think the noise came from it's back legs. What a cool BUG!
Gage
Hi Gage,
This majestic beetle is a male California Prionus, Prionus
californicus. The beetle grubs are root borers that, if plentiful,
can be very injurious to native trees like oak, madrona, and
cottonwood as well as some fruit trees.
Metallic Borer Beetle: Buprestis rufipes
(06/14/2007) Bugs
Hello Bug Man,
I live in Needville ,Texas suburb outside of Houston . I live
on 2 acres and last year I lost a very large Water Oak with
large holes in the trunk. I lost another Water Oak 20ft from
the other one I lost year. I started spraying melathion poison
on the trunks and notice these 2 types of bugs, are they wood
borers? What can I use to kill these bugs? I notice a lot
of my tree’s have small holes in the trunk. Thanks,
Bill
Hi Bill,
The image you labeled beetle 1 is a Brochymena Stink Bug and
is not your problem. Beetle 2 looks like Buprestis rufipes,
and it is a Metallic Wood Borer, but BugGuide
lists its host trees as maple and birch, not oak. We will
try to get Eric Eaton's opinion on this.
Snail Eating Ground Beetle
(06/14/2007) Oregon beetle, what is it?
Hi,
I live in Eugene, Oregon and on a recent trip to the coast
we were hiking in a mixed (mostly pine) rain-forest on the
western side of the coast range we kept seeing these long-legged
black beetles with a vivid purple edging around the body.
I am curious what these are and whether they are native or
invasive. ... I'd really appreciate some help identifying
this as I can't find one that looks like it online anywhere.
Thanks,
Brian Jones
PS- My picture shows as copyrighted on the page, but please
feel free to post it on your site or wherever you'd like
Hi Brian,
We thought this ground beetle resembled the Narrow Searcher,
Calosoma externum, pictured on BugGuide,
but that is an eastern species. We requested Eric Eaton's
assistance and he wrote back: " Daniel: Sorry, you are way
off. This is a specimen of Scaphinotus
angusticollis, one of the snail-eating beetles. Very
common. The protruding jaws, narrow 'neck,' and long, gangly
legs help set the genus apart from most other ground beetles
(family Carabidae). Eric "
Eyed
Elater
(06/13/2007) What's This Bug?
I found this bug on my walkway, almost stepped on it.
What does it eat? Is it common for Connecticut?
It's so cuute.
Peggy
Hi Peggy,
This is an Eyed Elater, one of the Click Beetles.
Rose Chafers
(06/13/2007) please help me
I have these bugs that just eats all my roses and peony plants
I have nothing left in the garden can you tell me what bug
it is ?So I can get rid of them Please help me.
Carole
 
Hi Carole,
These arev Rose Chafers, Macrodactylus subspinosus, and they
are notorious garden defoliators.
Rose Chafer
(06/12/2007)
Could you tell me what this bug is? I live in Weare
NH and I see it every year about this time. It feeds
on my weeping cherry, lilac and has been found amoung other
plants in my perennial garden. This year I'm also finding
it in my annual baskets. Any help in identifying this bug
would be appreciated.
Thanks
Laura
Hi Laura,
Your beetle is a Rose Chafer.
Harlequin Flower Beetle
(06/12/2007) can you tell me what kind of bug this is? It
was on my breakfast room floor
We put in on an envelope and it stated walking and then pooped
the string of brown liquid.
Sincerely,
Linda Eiswirth
Hi Linda,
And just where is your breakfast room? This is a Harlequin
Flower Beetle, also called an Arizona Jewel Beetle. Its scientific
name is listed as either Gymnetis flavomarginata or Gymnetis
casey.
My breakfast room faces east. We have a large bay window
and a rock garden with potted plants outside of the room.
We live in the suburbs of Houston about 28 miles north of
Houston. Never saw one of these before. So, do they eat
flowers? Thank you for your response. That was really quick.
The grandchildren will be excited that we got an answer.
Clown Beetle
(06/11/2007) What's this beetle?
I live in north central West Virginia. I found this
beetle trapped in a sink. It's very shy, pulling
its legs up underneath it's body and playing dead at
any movement. Despite the camera flash reflections,
the beetle is actually an extremely flat black, which
is why I had trouble getting a decent exposure. Hopefully
there's enough detail for someone to make an identification.
Thanks.
Douglas Locke
Hi Douglas,
This is a Clown Beetle in the Genus Hololepta. BugGuide
has some great photos of this interestingly shaped predatory
beetle.
Dung
Beetle
(06/11/2007) Xyloryctes Jamaicensis????
Hello,
I am a huge fan of What's That Bug! What a great site
and service... And so, I have been trying to figure out what
kind of beetle I have found. It had flown into
a window at night attracted to the light. It was in
Parkersburg, West Virginia. Based on the fact that it
has the ridges on its back plates I thought it was a Xyloryctes
jamaicensis but one source said that the non-horned female
does not fly. This one did... oh, and it was about
2 inches long... Thanks so much
JB
Hi JB,
We don't know what your source is that female Rhinoceros Beetles,
Xyloryctes jamaicensis, do not fly. There is an image on BugGuide
from North Carolina that was attracted to lights. We checked
with Eric Eaton regarding this identification and he responded
thus: "Well, the description was a bit misleading. The critter
is about an inch long, but very robust and bulky. It is a
dung beetle, more precisely, Dichotomius carolinus. They are
indeed attracted to lights at night, and fly quite well. As
far as I know, even female rhinoceros beetles can fly, too.
Eric"
Flower
Longhorn Beetle
(06/11/2007) Can you identify this bug?
Hi
Can you please tell me what this bug is? They are all over
my roses!!! I live in southwest Virginia. Thank you
J wood
Hi J.,
This is Strangalia
luteicornis, one of the Flower Longhorn Beetles that mimics
wasps. It takes pollen and nectar from flowers and the larvae
feed on rotting wood. It is not a troublesome species and
you need not worry that they are all over your roses.
Giant Water Scavenger Beetle
(06/11/2007Water bug?
I believe this bug that we saw swimming along the margin of
a submerged boulder in Millard Canyon Creek (Angeles National
Forest at ~1600 foot elevation, in the Altadena foothills,
CA) is some form of giant water bug (toe biter), but it looked
slightly smaller with a shinier carapace than most giant water
bugs I've seen. It was about 1.5 inches long. Can you identify
it for me? We left it puttering around in a fairly still,
algae-filled pool in the shallow creek. Buggy Best Wishes!
Lori
Hi Lori,
Not a Giant Water Bug, but a Beetle. Eric Eaton corrected
us on this by writing in:"Hi, Daniel: The Predaceous Diving
Beetle" is actually a Giant Water Scavenger Beetle, probably
Hydrophilus
triangularis. Dytiscids that large are usually outlined
in yellow, which is one way I tell them apart. Hope all
else is going well! Take care. Eric "
Giant Stag Beetle
(06/10/2007) big black beetle bug ID
Hi,
On June 6th in the middle of the night, near Cookeville, TN,
I found this beetle type bug outside a restaurant window.
It was at least 2 inches long and looks to have big pinchers
and a bit of a concave head (like a horns kinda), but I haven't
been able to locate it anywhere online so far... Any idea
what it is? Thanks in advance!
Christi Tipton
Hi Christi,
We saw your photo two days ago, but couldn't post it as we
were very late. Then we couldn't locate it among all the new
letters. Thankfully, we found it again. This is a gorgeous
example of a male Giant Stag Beetle, Lucanus elaphus. They
are commonly called Stag Beetles due to the resemblance of
the mandibles to the antlers of a stag.
Glowworm
(06/10/2007) winged bug w/feathered antennae
We're in Portland, Oregon and have never seen this bug before.
Although it looks beatle-ish in these photos, the black part
are wings. Found it at about 10 p.m. - it was flying toward
the light. Can you ID?
Elisa
Hi Elisa,
You are right about this being a beetle. It is an adult male
Glowworm in the family Phengodidae.
Ox Beetle
(06/10/2007) I know you're busy....
OK – I see how busy you guys are so whenever you get
a minute. We live in Humble, Texas and my 6 year old son came
across this large beetle. I have attached pictures
and we have since let him go because he didn’t seem
to want to eat the variety of crickets, fruit and leaves
we were offering it!!! Anyway, I looked through
the pictures of beetles on the website and the closest thing
I thought was maybe a Triceratops beetle. If you
have minute, my son would love to know for sure what this
was. He is very interested in insects and
wants to be an Entomologist someday!! Thanks for your knowledge!!
It’s great to have someone to send these
pictures to that can help.
Michelle
Hi Michelle,
This is an Ox Beetle, probably Strategus aloeus. Adults eat
fruit. BugGuide
has lots of images of this genus.
Pleasing Fungus Beetle from Costa Rica
(06/10/2007) Costa Rican Fungus Beetle?
Is this a fungus beetle? It looks a lot like Gibbifer
californicus, but lacks the patch of black in the middle of
the abdomen that I've seen in every photo of the Pleasing
Fungus Beetle. This beetle also seems to have a lighter
blue color and has a black patch on the posteriormost tip.
Could it be a relative? It was found at about 1000m
elevation on the Pedregal Hill of the Cacao Volcano within
the Área de Conservación Guanacaste, northwestern
Costa Rica.
Scully
Hi Scully
According to BugGuide, Gibbifer californicus, one of the Pleasing
Fungus Beetles, ranges into Mexico. Chances are good that
it ignores the international borders and can be found in Costa
Rica as well. If this is not the same species, it is at least
the correct genus. There are often individual variations between
the coloration of individuals and even more so in isolated
populations.
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