|
|
African Rove Beetle: AKA Creechie or Acid Bug
(05/06/2008) What's this bug?
Good day
Do you have any further information on this bug? It is known
in Angola as an Acid Bug and apparently it does something
similar to the Bombardier Beetle and can cause some burns
if you squash one on your skin. Sorry for the poor quality
on the photo. Thanks & Regards
Bob Coughlan
Cabinda, Angola
Hi Bob,
In January 2007, we received a letter regarding this genus
of Rove Beetles from Camaroon. It is known as the Creechie in Camaroon,
but we also like Acid Bug from Angola. It is in the genus Paederus, and
we found a website
with images and information on the Contact Dermatitis it can
cause.
Firefly
Larva
(05/05/2008) Bug ID
What a great site you have. My boy and I so enjoy finding
out what the bugs we find are. But here is one we have
not been able to ID. It is only about 1⁄2”
to 3⁄4” long. Its tail would sometimes curl
under while it walked. Its head (on right) would come
in and out of its shell (I guess). It would go so far
in you could not see it. Thanks for your great site.
Travis and Isaac
Hi Travis and Isaac,
We believe this is a Firefly Larva in the family Lampyridae
or a Net-Wing Beetle in the family Lycidae. If the experts
at BugGuide
are unable to figure this one out, we haven't a chance.
Update: 905/06/2008)
Daniel:
Also, the larva is that of a firefly, family Lampyridae. No
netwing beetle larvae have an extensible "neck" as far as
I know. That is an adaptation to enter snail shells, snails
being the principal prey of many firefly species.
Eric
Tiger Beetle Larva
(05/04/2008) Dear Bugman,
I just moved to Houston, Texas recently and was very curious
about the pencil sized holes in the flat hard part of my new
yard. I started sticking twigs in these holes out of
curiosity and one day something pushed the twig back out!
Turns out, these creepy little things would actually grab
the sticks and play tug-of-war with me untill I was able to
take a picture of it's head. Unfortunately, it wouldn't
come all the way out so I couldn't identify it. Today
I was digging holes for a new path and found one. Please
help me figure out what it is. It's about an inch long.
I've also sent you a picture of a stuffed animal version of
this hideous creature for your amusement. Enjoy!
Jamie
 
Hi Jaime,
This is a predatory Tiger Beetle Larva. The larvae of Tiger
Beetles live underground in a hole, and the flat head covers
the head. The larva uses its strong mandibles to capture passing
prey. While preparing our response, we noticed you also have
your photos posted to that most excellent resource, BugGuide.
Rove Beetle from England
(05/04/2008) Bug ID?
Hi, I have been going through the pages on your site (amongst
others) but am yet to ID this, measures around 20mm and was
taken in the South of England. If it helps at all it quickly
ran underground (crack in the concrete). Thanks!
This is a Rove Beetle in the family Staphylinidae. It
greatly resembles an American species, the Hairy Rove Beetle,
Creophilus maxillosus pictured on BugGuide.
Since there are references to this species photographed in
France and Czech Republic, we believe it may be your exact
species, or a closely related species.
Unknown Borer Beetle from India is Mango Tree Borer
(05/02/2008) Take me to your Leader! -- Big beetle from Kerala,
India
This thing was HUGE! Antennae at least 4" across, and
the body about 3" long, or more. Maybe bigger. The column
width of the magazine in the background is 4". Searched
all 14 pages of your "Beetle Files" (talk about
an inordinate fondness!), didn't see anything resembling it.
Rural India, 40 km SW (appx) of Cochin, surrounded by mango
and papaya trees. Too tired to write a snappy note, just wanted
to pass the pictures on and maybe get an ID. Can send hi-res,
but I think this should be sufficient for one email. (!) I've
cropped these. Let me know if you need more detail, or better
pictures. Field guide looks cool. I've added it to my wish-list!
Thanks and Best Regards,
Jim
TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER!
 
Hi Jim,
After a bit of internet research, we are no closer to an answer
than before we began. We know this is a Borer Beetle in the
family Cerambycidae, probably in the subfamily Prioninae.
Perhaps one of our readers can provide a species name for
this interesting beetle with distinctive markings and white
scutellum, the little triangle at the front of the elytra
or wing covers.
Update: 905/06/2008)
Daniel:
Actually, turns out I was right about the Indian longhorn.
It is most likely a specimen of Batocera
rufomaculata.
Eric
Thanks Eric,
We have found that the common name is the Mango Tree Borer.
Iron Cross Blister Beetle
(04/29/2008) Odd insect in Saguaro Park
Dear WTB,
I took this in Saguaro National Park today, thought the pattern
on the wings was unusual...any ideas?
cd krall
Hi CD,
You have taken a most awesome photo of a most awesome insect,
the Iron Cross Blister Beetle in the genus Tegrodera. Your
photo has the aesthetic of a safari photo of a large animal.
There are several possible species, including Tegrodera
aloga which is not represented on BugGuide.
Blister
Beetle from Portugal
(04/29/2008) Black insect with red stripes
Hi, Just found the name of this bug: Meloe majalis. You can
find some detailed information (if you're interested) here:
http://www.faculty.ucr.edu/~legneref/taxonomy/meloidae.htm
Michelle
(04/28/2008) Hi again,
I just found on the web some pictures of similar bugs. It
seems to be a Megetra. However I did not find one looking
exactly like this and could not find any reference to european
Megetras.
(04/27/2008) Black insect with red stripes
Hi,
I live in Portugal and found this "little" guy wandering
around. I had never seen such an insect. Can you help me identify
it? It is about 5cm long, runs quite fast and its body is
flexible. Thanks.
Michelle
Ed. Note: As with many of our submissions,
we had an offline dialog with Michelle regarding her Blister
Beetle. Eventually she provided a more exact identification
and we are posting her submission.
Ash Borer
(04/28/2008) A Better Picture and A Potato Bug Question
Hi Bugman,
I sent you a picture of a bug that we have been trying to
identify a few days ago. I got a better picture today and
thought I would pass it along. I have looked in grasshoppers,
wasps, leaf hoppers, and a few other sections on your site
to try to find it's identity. I have another question for
you that I have been searching for the answer to for a long
time. Why do potato bugs exist? Do they have a purpose?
They freak me out in a way that nothing else does. I am
hoping if I can find their purpose, I can accept their existence.
Thanks for your great website! I have spent lots of time
here since I discovered it last week.
Laura
Laura's Original Email
(04/25/2008) Can you tell me about this insect?
Hello,
One of my hobbies is identifying bugs in my garden. This one
has me stumped. I live in Sacramento, CA and I have only seen
these guys cruising on our teepee made of crepe myrtle. They
are reddish with yellow stripes. I have seen them range
from 1/2 to 1 inch long. They first popped up about
1 month ago. I have lived in this area for 10 years
and never seen them before. Can you give me any information
about these guys? Thanks!
Laura Stillmunkes
p.s. The pictures are not great. I can try to get a
better one if it would be helpful. They move fast!
Hi Laura,
This response has been on our back burner since your original
email. Thanks for sending a more in focus photo. We believe
this is a Red Headed Ash Borer, Neoclytus acuminatus, but
the map of submissions on BugGuide
doesn't show any reports in California. There are reports
in Washington State and Texas. There are other closely related
species found in California, but your photo does appear to
be the Red Headed Ash Borer. Our quick web research has been
unable to determine if there are reports of the Red Headed
Ash Borer in California. Perhaps one of our readers can be
more definite. The Potato Bug is part of that mysterious web
of connectivity known as the Balance of Nature.
Two
species of Carpet Beetles
(04/28/2008) What is its common & scientific nam
These bugs were found in Hamilton Co., OH 2nd last
week of April, 2008 in my garden on Sweet Woodruff &
are very tiny. Can you please ID. Thank you.
Mary Jo White
Hi Mary Jo,
Your photo shows two species of Carpet Beetles in their typical
adult environment. Many homemakers find adult Carpet Beetles
in the spring on the windowsills of their homes. The larvae
feed on natural fibers like wool carpet, pet hair and other
similar items found in the home. Adults feed on pollen. The
upper beetles (please note that we rotated your photo for
our website) are of the Buffalo Carpet Beetle, Anthrenus scrophulariae,
one of the showier members of the genus because of the red
coloration. The smaller, drabber beetle is also in the genus
Anthrenus, but we are not certain of the species. You can
check possibilities on BugGuide.
The Carpet Beetle was our featured Bug of the Month for April
2008.
Caterpillar Hunter from California
(04/26/2008) What is it?
Hey guys,
Today April 26, a bunch of these beetles just showed up and
they are everywhere! Never seen them around here before
and the fact that they are in numbers makes me wonder...
Anyhow, before I smash them or roast them and eat them, thought
I better find out what they are. I did review your many
fine photos and saw a couple similar but not exact specimens.
Thus the inquiry. I generally don't use pesticides for
all the obvious reasons. So, if these guys are problematic
will the birds eat them? Thanks,
Greg
San Diego
Found them in the lawn and around foundation plantings.
Hi Greg,
Interestingly, when we tried to use BugGuide
to identify what species of Caterpillar Hunter in the genus
Calosoma you have, we found an identical request. Your request
came first, but because we are a very small operation, and
the posting is done internally, not through contributor posting,
the image on BugGuide was posted first. We will see if an
answer is provided. Our money is on Calosoma
semilaeve, which seems to be a well documented California
species. Calosoma
cancellatum is another possibility. Frequest, well-spaced
rains in southern California in the past six months are resulting
in good vegetation growth and an increase in caterpillar populations.
This means a food source for predators, including your Caterpillar
Hunter.
Tiger Beetle
(04/24/2008) Need help!
Just wondering if you know what this beetle is. A biologist
friend thinks it's a carabid beetle but isn't sure.
If you identify it you're welcome to use the photo on your
great website! Thanks,
Corey
Hi Corey,
Your beetle is a Tiger Beetle, most likely a Six Spotted Tiger
Beetle, Cicindela sexguttata. Tiger Beetles are Ground Beetles
in the family Carabidae, so they are Carabids, but they belong
to a distinct subfamily Cicindelinae. Your photo is lovely,
and looks like it was lit professionally in a studio.
Daniel,
Thanks for the ID and for the compliments. The photo was
actually taken in the beetle's habitat, the Shaw Nature Reserve
in Gray Summit, MO.
Master Blister Beetle
(04/23/2008) What's that bug?
My husband found this bug recently in Needles, NV. Any
idea? We think it's cool! We love bugs! Thanks,
Michele
Hi Michele,
Your strikingly beautiful beetle is a Master Blister Beetle,
Lytta magister.
Unknown
Australian Scarab
(04/22/2008) What Beetle is this??
Hi,
I live on the Central Coast of New South Wales in Australia.
We have had this large green beetle in a front yard for nearly
2 weeks now, walks around then disappears, then the next day
it is out and about again. It’s body is quite
large (over 1 inch long) and it has very long legs.
I have never seen a beetle this large and that stays around
for so long, can you tell me what kind it is, if it is harmless,
will it eat my plants or help keep insects at bay????
It seems to be alone and I am yet to see it with any other
beetles. Regards
Melinda Miller
 
Hi Melinda,
This is some species of Scarab Beetle, but a brief search,
including the Geocities
website, couldn't produce an exact match. Perhaps a reader
(Grev are you out there?) can provide the answer.
Update: (04/25/2008) australian beetle
Hi Daniel, Just thinking that beetle looks like one of the
Christmas Beetles, Anoplognatius porosus. However, it seems
the adults shouldn't be around now, also they're quite common
there, so not sure. Just a thought. Happy Spring!
Karen O.
Shelton, Ct
Update: (04/25/2008) Unknown Australian Scarab
Dear Daniel,
Melinda's beetle looks like a Christmas Beetle Anoplognathus
pallidicollis. See http://www.geocities.com/brisbane_scarabs/Rutelinae.htm
http://faunanet.gov.au/faunakeys/christmas_intro.htm
I wonder if Melinda has you ever put the beetle on her hand
and let it crawl across? Quite an amusing experience, a bit
scratchy on your skin. The larva of the beetle is a white
curl grub, often dug up in the garden. The larva eats the
roots of garden plants and grasses. I live just north of
the Central Coast (Lake Macquarie) and around here the Christmas
beetles live around the Spotted Gums. They do eat the leaves
of eucalyptus trees and have been accused of causing dieback,
but there has to be a huge number for that to happen. Their
predators are various birds, such as magpies and currawongs.
It is a bit late in the season for a Christmas beetle to be
around- perhaps it responded to all the torrential rain we've
been having, as it needs moist soil to emerge from its pupal
stage. Best wishes,
Grev
Thanks Karen and Grev,
We are posting your comments. We entertained that idea, but
the legs look wrong and the head looks wrong. We are posting
another image showing the head better. We thought this beetle
might be one of the Chafers in the subfamily Melolonthinae,
but there are no matching images on BugGuide. Perhaps this
demands a bit more research on our part.
Iron Cross Blister Beetles Mating
(04/20/2008) What is it?
I met with this and many others like it on my patio. Should
I run?
Dave K
Hi Dave,
Put on the brakes. There is no need to run from the Iron Cross
Blister Beetle, Tegrodera latecincta, as it will not attack
you. It is, however, not perfectly harmless. Blister Beetles
are capable of exuding an irritating chemical from their let
joints that can cause blisters, hence the common name.
Fiery Searcher
(04/19/2008) Caterpillar Hunter
I found this beautiful Caterpillar Hunter in my back yard.
He (or she) is about an inch long and is quick, so I could
not get a size reference object next to it. Nevertheless,
the picture came out pretty good.
Jeffrey Cox
Dallas , Texas
Hi Jeffrey,
Your beautiful Caterpillar Hunter is a Fiery Searcher, Calosoma
scrutator.
Southwestern
Ironclad Beetle
(04/19/2008) My bug
Hi,
I found this guy in the countryside of central Texas outside
of San Antonio. He was already deceased when I found
him and thought his carapace was awesome. Any ideas on what
he is? thanks!
Reza
Hi Reza,
Your beetle is known as a Southwestern Ironclad Beetle, Zopherus
nodulosus. They have very strong exoskeketons.
Banded Ash Borer probably
(04/19/2008) What is this beetle?
Cut and stacked some Ash logs. On Thursday the 17th of
April it was warm and the sun was shining on the pile.
These beetles were chasing and mating all over the logs. I
thought it was the long horn beetle. The pattern on the body
is different. Can you help me figure out what it is?
Thank You,
Shirley Larson
Hi Shirley,
We believe this is a Banded Ash Borer, Neoclytus caprea, as
evidenced by images posted to BugGuide.
There are species with similar markings, so we will contact
Eric Eaton to see if he can corroborate. We did find a link
to a pdf that indicates hickory is a host tree.
Hickory
Borers Mating
(04/17/2008) Should we be worried about these?
This is the first time we've seen these . They appeared on
the pile of firewood and appear to be mating.
 
The unprovided information on your query is significant?
Where are you? Was the firewood inside or outside? What kind
of wood was it? All these details would have helped. We believe,
because of the time of year, that these are Hickory Borers,
Megacyllene caryae. They emerge in the spring, but if the
firewood was stored indoors, the natural life cycle might
have been altered. The larvae have been boring into the wood,
and the adults have just emerged, eager to mate. If you have
hickory trees, the fertile females may lay eggs. If beetle
grubs are very numerous, they can compromise the health of
the tree. A very similar looking related species is the Locust
Borer, but it emerges in the fall. The Locust Borers are often
found feeding on the pollen of goldenrod.
Caterpillar Hunter Larva
(04/17/2008)
This is the first time this bug has been here in 20+ years
that I know of. We live in So. Calif., South West Riverside
county. Each year we have invasions of different bugs, but
rarely the same bug here twice in a row (years wise). This
year is a hoard of 3 different catapillars and this one (pictures).
It looks kinda like a Hellgrammite. They are all over the
place, we have seen them eating dead catapillers but so far
not killing them. They are about 1 1/4 inches long. One pict
he is sitting on a 2x4 peice of wood. Sure would like
to know what they are...friend or foe? Your web site is fantastic
with good info, thanks for being there for the people that
are interested in insects. Thanks
Larry
Hi Larry,
This is a Caterpillar Hunter Larva in the genus Calosoma.
Caterpillar Hunters are Ground Beetles. We are expecting a
big year for caterpillars in california because of all the
rain over an extended period of time, which provided vegetation.
We have gotten a few requests already for Caterpillar Hunter
Larvae identification.
Thanks Daniel for the fast responce. Today I watched the larva
in action and yes they are ferocious little critters. This
year we do indeed have an over abundance of 4 types of caterpillers.
I am glad we have the Hunters as the catetpillers are eating
all vegetation they can find including the garden. Once again
thanks and you have a real nice web site. I ues it often.
Larry
Bess Beetle
(04/17/2008) what is this
I found this beetle in some chunks of wood. They had
eaten holes into the wood and looks as though they finely
chew the wood up into sawdust. They are very dark brown
or black, very shiny, have pinchers in the front and attacked
the stick that I had put in front of them. They are
about 1'-1 - 1/14 inch long, very hard shell, looks like antenna
on front of head, are segmented between the head and
body. Attached are 2 photos of one of them. I
have never seen them in my yard before. If you can tell
me what they are I would appreciate it. Thank you.
C.L. Valentino
Hi C.L.,
We love when we get a photo of a Bess Beetle for identification,
because they are such fascinating insects. Bess Beetles, Odontotaenius
disjunctus, are also called Bess Bug, Betsy Beetle or Bug,
Patent Leather Beetle, Peg Beetle and Horned Passalus. Here
is what BugGuide
has to say: "Lifestyle of this family is unique for beetles:
live in small colonies where larvae are cared for by adults
of both sexes. Long life cycle, apparently more than one year.
Larvae eat a rotting wood prechewed by adults. (Some references
state larvae eat feces of adults as well.) Larvae and adults
also cannibalize injured larvae. Adults reported to fly very
seldom. Adults are found at lights on occasion, despite statements
in several sources. They may disperse by walking, but have
been seen in Durham, North Carolina, to open elytra and fly
briefly under lights (pers. observation, P Coin). A nuptial
flight has also been observed (MacGown and MacGown, 1996).
Both adults and larvae make noises by stridulation, and this
is said to serve as communication between them. Adults also
stridulate when picked up, and especially, blown on. Stridulation
mechanism of adults by rubbing abdomen against the wings.
Larvae stridulate with reduced third pair of legs--these scratch
against other legs. "
Golden
Tortoise Beetle
(04/14/2008)
Can you help me identify this bug? I live in Texas, Fort
Worth area. I never seen a ladybug with a clear cover and
antennas bevor. Thank you very much
Erika Gossett.
Hi Erika,
Though your beetle looks like a Ladybird Beetle, it is actually
a Golden
Tortoise Beetle, Charidotella sexpunctata.
Wireworm
(04/12/2008) What is it?
Hi,
I found this bug out when I was doing a project for an Insecta
project in a Zoology class. I was just wondering what it was...?
Can you help me out? I don't think I've seen one before...
I found it in a rotten log out in the woods. Thanks,
Ryan
Hi Ryan,
This is a Wireworm, the larva of a Click Beetle. Judging by
the size, it is probably one of the Elaters in the genus Alaus.
Firefly
(04/12/2008) Mystery bug
Hello
I stumbled across your website last night while trying to
identify this unusual(?) insect that flew into the refrigerator
right after I opened the door. I live on the coast of
Los Angeles, CA. and have never seen a bug quite like this
here in L.A. (or anywhere else for that matter). The pictures
are not very good. It was difficult to photograph him/her
in the fridge. It has a red body with black tipped
legs and black wings. The feelers are long and it was
using them very industriously to find its way around and explore
any little crevice. Do you have any idea what it could be?
Thank you
Sophia
Hi Sophia,
We originally thought that this was a Glowworm Beetle in the
family Phengodidae, but Eric Eaton set us straight.
Hi, Daniel:
The "glowworm beetle" is actually a male firefly, Pterotus
obscuripennis, family Lampyridae. The males are not luminescent.
The females of this species are "larviform," meaning that
they attain sexual maturity while retaining a larval appearance.
The ladies 'do' glow, but rather faintly compared to true
glowworms (family Phengodidae). Confusion in the names results
from assigning "glowworm" to any luminescent, larva-like insect,
regardless of what family it belongs to. There are "glowworms"
in Australia, for example, that are the larvae of fungus gnats!
Eric
P.S. Would enjoy having the Pterotus image over at Bugguide.
We have few, if any images thusfar.
Update: (04/14/2008)
Hello That's the last thing I would've expected, but I think
you're right. He didn't have a neck. We did a little more
research at the library and found some pictures of male fireflies
that looked just like him. http://bugguide.net/node/view/40557
Also when I showed the pics to my dad he said that when
he was little and growing up in the San Fernando Valley, there
were fireflies all over the place. So I guess it's not really
that unusual out here, although their numbers have decreased
considerably now that it's wall to wall bedrooms. I'm glad
he survived his encounter with the refrigerator. Thank you
very much for your help. Cheers
Sophia
Scarab Beetle
(04/12/2008) carrizo plain beetle
Hi, I was visiting the Carrizo Plain east of Atascadero yesterday.
About 5:30 pm these beetles started to get active. they seem
to like to eat flowers. This flower is Thistle sage.
I was at the plain a couple of years ago and right on schedule,
the fiddle neck flowers were suddenly alive with hungry beetles
munching flowers. The beetle is about 1/2
inch long or a bit more. Quite handsome I think. The
notable thing I see, which may be distinctive, is a hairy
fringe bordering the outer wings. Well, that's how it looks,
but probably the fringe is part of the inner wings.
Without disturbing it, it was hard to tell. I don't collect
insects anymore since the dermistids got ahead of me at some
point. It's "catch, observe, release" now.
Thanks for your great site. I used it last summer to
ID the long horned alder borers I found crawling on a -you
guessed it- freshly painted wall. I couldn't resist poking
them to see if they would hiss. Yes. Just like the Eucalyptus
long horned borers do! Let me know when you find out.
thanks
Sylva B. Los Angeles, CA
Hi Sylva,
This Scarab Beetle is Paracotalpa ursina and we cannot locate
a common name. Interestingly, there is a photo posted to BugGuide
of the species from 2006 and it is also in Carrizo Plains
and it is also on thistle sage. Also of interest to us is
that our friend and neighbor Clare Marter-Kenyon just mentioned
seeing Thistle Sage for the first time.
Hi Daniel,
thanks. I am your neighbor, as I live on North Avenue 51,
near Oxy.. I know Clare. It's always fun to learn a new plant.
I'll send you a couple of photos of thistle sage from a 2
years ago, on the plain. Beautiful. Also, I have a photo
for the bug love category. Thanks again for such quick response.
Knowing the species, thanks to you, I found out that the beetle
emerges from holes in the ground. Probably always in the evening
when temp & wind die down. Type specimin at Harvard looks
like it is covered with golden fur!!!
Sylva B
Diabolical Ironclad Beetle
(04/10/2008) a bug of course
Hi.
I was picking up my children's playroom, and from the edge
of the carpet - crammed between the wall & carpet - I
grabbed what i thought was a clump of lint, thread, something
like that. To my horror it was not lint! What
is this thing? It's "shell" is hard, and textured.
On each end it has what could be mistaken for eyes;
however, it pulls it's head inside it's "shell"
to hide; along with pulling its antennae in, and pulls it's
legs all in tightly to it’s sides. Then it "plays
dead", i guess. It's moving all over the place now (well,
inside the little container it's in), but as soon as i pick
up the container, it does that all over again, and goes dormant
for quite a while before coming back "out" again.
We live in SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA. Our house is at the bottom
of several small hills. We've had dozens of weird insects/bugs;
and spiders have become the norm. We've also had lots of snakes,
including rattlers. (don’t know if that’s
relevant or not) Thanks,
Joanne
San Diego
Hi Joanne,
This is a Diabolical Ironclad Beetle, Phloeodes diabolicum,
and your description is quite accurate. Despite the ominous
name, the Diabolical Ironclad Beetle is not a threat to your
household. Adults are often found under bark and eat fungus
Desert Spider Beetle
(04/10/2008) Yellow and black bug
This was taken in the Mojave desert in SE CA (San Bernardino
County) It was a fast moving bug about the
size of a dime. I saw a similar bug in the desert of
San Diego County but the insect was white in the place that
this one is yellow. Both were crawling on the ground.
Hi Nancy,
This is a Desert Spider Beetle, a Blister Beetle in the genus
Cysteodemus.
Hairy Rove Beetle
(04/09/2008) Confused in Indiana
Hi Bugman,
I figure the thing that erks you most is when people send
you a photo of an insect for identification without first
checking to see if the bug is on your site. I believe
I am NOT one of those people. I've looked through just
about every page and if this little critter is listed, I've
totally overlooked him. It was brought to me by a co-worker
that lives near a creek which is flooded right now.
We're in Evansville, Indiana. Any information will be
greatly appreciated! Sincerely,
Sean Kempf
Hi Sean,
Rove Beetles are atypical as far as beetles are concerned,
and many people would not even recognize them as beetles.
Your Rove Beetle is a Hairy
Rove Beetle, Creophilus maxillosus.
Ash
Borers
(04/09/2008) insect id
Hello.
I have a pic of a bug that has been getting a home, is found
by the fireplace in 3-4 at a time. I live in rural area.
This is the first year I have had these type of pests. I have
attached a pic of the pest. thank you for your help
Randy
Hi Randy,
This is some species of Ash Borer in the genus Neoclytus,
most probably the Red Headed Ash Borer, Neoclytus acuminatus.
Being more specific about your location, other than "rural
area" would be helpful.
Rhinoceros Beetle from Australia
(04/08/2008) What's this bug?
Hi there bug guy,
Hope you can help me name this bug my son found outside on
our fence. I've never seen this beetle before. He's really
cute, but he has a very loud and very scary hisssssss. My
cat was not impressed by him at all :) Is this bug native
to where we are? Northern Territory Australia. And can we
keep him as a pet, or should we let him back in the garden?
Can we handle him? Carefully of course. Or is he poisonous,
a biter? Thanks for any help you can give us.
Sarah and Dylan.
Hi Sarah and Dylan,
Though your photo is quite blurry, we believe this is Haploscapanes
australicus, a somewhat rare Rhinoceros Beetle from Australia.
Sadly the angle of view and image quality leave room for doubt.
You can feed your pet ripe fruit, like bananas, but probably
it would be best to release him in the hopes he will find
a mate.
Red Headed Ash Borer
(04/07/2008) What is it?
We live in Central East Texas and have found an insect that
looks like a cricket, but is striped like a yellow jacket.
Any idea what that might be? Thanks,
Christopher Sweet
Hi Christopher,
The Red Headed Ash Borer, Neoclytus acuminatus, is actually
a beetle.
Big
Sand Tiger Beetle or perhaps Green Margined Tiger Beetle
(04/06/2008) What is this?
I stumbled across your site and I've been struggling to find
out what this beetle is. I'm assuming it's some sort of a
beetle but I could be wrong. I found a few of these while
hiking around in North Dakota. Thanks,
Andy Hanssen
Hi Andy,
This little gem is a Green
Margined Tiger Beetle, Cicindela limbalis.
Correction: (04/09/2008)
Hi, Daniel:
I wanted to give a little help on two identifications. The
tiger beetle identified as Cicindela limbalis, from North
Dakota is more likely the "big sand tiger beetle," Cicindela
formosa, though I could well be wrong myself:-) However,
the image matches those on Bugguide for C. formosa much more
closely than the other species. Hope that helps.
Eric
Blister Beetle from Spain
(04/05/2008)
Hi,
Many thanks for your help with the identifying of our seed
bugs but once more I am seeking your help. As 'trainee crop
growers, we live in Southern Spain and found this wandering
along the ground nibbling at most things green. Can you identify
it for us please. Best regards
Maggie
Hi
Just want to say that I am sorry and should have checked ALL
of your site before asking the question.
I now know that it is a spanish blister beetle, but does it
do any harm to plants or humans?
Maggie
Hi Maggie,
We are happy to hear you identified your Spanish Blister Beetle
using our site without our assistance, since we are starting
to get more and more letters again as summer approaches. Adult
Blister Beetles eat plants, and can get very numerous at times.
They can do significant damage. Larval Blister Beetles often
feed on Grasshopper Eggs, which is beneficial to farmers.
We feel the Blister Beetles are important contributors to
the balance of nature. Many Blister Beetles exude an irritating
chemical compound that will cause blisters in humans. We have
never taken the time to correctly identify this Spanish species,
but it looks nearly identical to the genus Megetra
found in North America.
Rainbow Scarab: Phanaeus difformis
(04/04/2008) Beetles
Hello Bugman. I found this weird looking beetle in my dog's
water bowl and I promptly brought it into the house so that
I could Google it. After not finding it, I remembered your
site (which I've been to a couple times before) and searched
through the pages of beetles but I haven't found it yet. Its
about the same size as a quarter (as the picture shows) and
is a metallic green color with metallic copper color on the
carapace (?). It sports a single curved horn on its head.
Sorry about the quality of the pictures, its been gloomy and
wet all day.
Clay Bridges
Henderson, Texas
 
hi Clay,
Your beetle is type of Dung Beetle commonly called a Rainbow
Scarab, Phanaeus
difformis. it is related to the similar looking, more
common Rainbow Scarab, Phaneas vindex. BugGuide has a nice
graphic that shows how to distinguish the two species based
on the shape of pronotum.
Soldier
Beetle
(04/04/2008) Boxer Beetle?
Hi there—here in California (Bay Area) I’ve always
called this beetle a “boxer beetle” but can’t
find anything under that name when I do an online search of
your site or anywhere else. It has an orange body and black
wings, and will spit out a bit of black “ink”
when threatened. It also has a voracious appetite for
aphids, and I would love to order a bunch for my roses and
vegetable gardens. Can you give me the correct name, let me
know if it causes any “pesky” problems, and if
I can order them from anywhere? Thanks!!
Sonia Till
Hi Sonia,
This is a Soldier Beetle, possibly Podabrus pruinosus.
To the best of our knowledge, they are not available commercially
despite their excellent carvivorous behavior.
Glowworm
(04/03/2008) what is this creature?
Hello,
I live in San Jose, Ca. I live between open space and
County parks in the mountains. I took this picture of
a ????? Some type of myriapod, or larvae??? Can you help me
identify it? I have only seen this one, and it appeared
to be trying to eat a dead Millipedede. I had a hard “shell”
and two legs together. Thank you,
Aaron
Hi Aaron,
This beauty is a Glowworm Larva in the family Phengodidae.
Interestingly, there is an image on BugGuide
of a Glowworm eating a Millipede.
Metallic Wood Boring Beetle from Brazil
(04/01/2008) Help with ID, possible Metallic Wood Boring Beetle
in Brazil
Hi Daniel!
First off, great website! I am writing to congratulate and
say that I have posted a video a while ago of a strange big
beetle found on my parents house in Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo,
Brazil. Attached are some stills of the beetle, some of them
are on flickr as well. I had no idea if the insect was a cockroach
or a beetle and on the comments for that video I was pointed
to your website, where I could find some similar beetles photos,
I am suspecting it was something similar to this other 2
Fabricio
 
Hi Fabricio,
Your beetle is indeed one of the Metallic Wood Boring Beetles
in the family Buprestidae. We believe it may be Euchroma
gigantea but we might be wrong. Perhaps one of our readers
knows for sure.
Update
Daniel:
You are correct in your species ID of the giant buprestid.
I've never seen a live one, that must really be something!
Eric
Update: (04/06/2008)
Edibility update: big buprestid
Daniel,
Hope things are good with you two. The big wood borer is
eaten in both the larval and adult stages. Here's a source
and pertinent text. http://www.food-insects.com/book7_31/Chapter%2007%20Colombia.htm
Dufour (1987 ) reported E. gigantea among the foods of the
Tukanoans. The Tukanoan name for it is boopica . This, plus
other coleopterans used were all woodboring; the larvae were
preferred although adults were occasionally eaten as well.
The dry weight of the adult beetle was found to be 3.0g.
Best,
Dave
Carrion Beetle
(03/30/2008) Interesting little character.
Sorry if you've identified this bug before, but it is difficult
to root through your webpage. It's sort of like being told
to look up the word psychology in the dictionary to learn
how to spell it if you don't know what it starts with. Anyway,
if you could identify it, I'd appreciate it, thanks.
D
Hi D,
Navigating through our archives can seem daunting, but our
website has something in common with most knowledge and many
skills: that the learning curve is steepest at the beginning
of the process. Your dictionary metaphor made us smile, since
we often marvel that the things we have learned randomly from
a dictionary while searching for a specific goal are often
much more rewarding than the knowledge we actually sought.
This is a Carrion Beetle.
Spotted
Tortoise Beetle from Taiwan
(03/30/2008) Unidentified bug
Taipei, Taiwan, taken last Saturday. Thanks!
Spotted Tortoise Beetle, Aspidomorpha miliaris.
Prionid
Beetle Grubs
(03/27/2008) White Fat Grubs? Pics included!! Please respond
ASAP!! Thanks!
While chopping wood in December, my dad stumbed upon 3 huge
white grubs. I wrote you guys immediately but got no
response. I wound up keeping them. When my dad gave them to
me, they were out of their holes due to my dad cutting them
(the holes) in half. The next day, they had knawed back
into the wood and covered the opening with what I'm guessing
is a mix of saliva and wood shavings. Now as it is almost
April, I was wondering what this grub (or insect) is
before they pop out of their cacoons. If I shake the wood
slightly, I can feel them moving about. Characteristics: Off
white VERY small head Black line running down back 6 small,
almost nonexistant legs right behind head Thanks!! I hope
they are some sort of beetle!!!
Cammy
Hi Cammy,
Sorry we didn't get to your first request. These are Cerambycid
Beetle Grubs, or more specifically, Prionid Grubs. Not sure
what species as you did not identify the tree nor your location.
Your photo is awesome.
The grubs came out of a water oak (similar to a live oak) in
Tampa Florida. The species name would be greatly appreciated.
Cammy
Our best guess is Prionus imbricornus, the Tile Horned
Prionus, which ranges in Florida and feeds on oak as well
as other trees, shrubs, vines, and according to BugGuide,
maize. This is a large and handsome beetle.
Master
Blister Beetles Mating and Eating
(03/22/2008) Mojave Desert Insect Identification
Hi,
I've attached several photos of an insect we found near Davis
Dam which is in Bullhead City, Arizona. There were between
50 and 100 of them sitting in a localized area crawling to
the top of local wild flowers, mostly on the Phacelia Distans.
Also known as Blue Phacelia, Wild Heliotrope ~ Scorpionweed.
At first I thought they were Tarantula Hawks, but their color
and shape was wrong. They look similar to your Spider Wasp
photos. Their sizes varied between 1 inch and nearly 3 inches
for the bigger of the group. Some appeared to be stuck together
end to end (mating I guess.) They were pretty aggressive.
They would follow you on the ground trying to get onto your
boot and would actively follow your position with their little
head. However, most refused to fly thankfully. These insects
stayed in this place for at least the past two days. I was
able to get within 6 inches of them with the camera without
disturbing them. We're interested to know how dangerous they
are beyond someone simply being allergic and doing the curly
shuffle in a circle on the ground in anaphylactic shock. Feel
free to use the photos for whatever you like. The photos were
taken on 3/22/2008. Thanks,
Steven Boehm
Project Manager -- Davis Dam
Hi Steven,
These are Master Blister Beetles, Lytta
magister. They are known as Blister Beetles since they
can secrete a substance from between their leg joints that
will cause an irritating reaction in humans.
Tiger Beetle: Harbinger of Spring!!!
(03/16/2008) Is this a type of Tiger Beetle?
While walking through the woods yesterday with an 80F
Saturday, I spotted many of these on the trail. These
Beetles seemed to scurry quickly about, and would fly off
if approached too closely. Curious as to what kind of
beetle (resembles some Tiger Beetle pics on this site).
Thanks in advance.
Bob Jones
Hi Bob,
This is most surely a Tiger Beetle, but we are reluctant to
attempt an exact species as you did not provide a location.
Even with a location, exact species identification of Tiger
Beetles is often a challenge for us. Tiger Beetles are harbingers
of spring, as they are most active on warm days after the
snow has melted when they scurry about in search of prey.
Caterpillar
Hunter Larva
(03/15/2008) what is this?
I found this bug in a puddle and it looks like a caterpillar,
but it has 6 legs and they are alomost beetle-like. I've looked through
all the caterpillar pages and found nothing. Do you think
you could identify it?
This is a Beetle Larva. We are nearly certain it is the
larva of one of the Caterpillar Hunters in the genus Calosoma.
Fiddler
Beetle from Australia
(03/07/3008) unknown Beetle
Dear Bugman,
Today I found this exquisite beetle in my back yard, unfortunately
something else ha d found him first. : ( I was wondering
if you would be able to tell me what kind of beetle he is
as no-one I know has seen one like him before. I’ve
included a couple of photographs below but I couldn’t
find a way to make them any clearer with my camera. I hope
they are okay. Thanks,
JP
Hi JP,
Though you did not indicate where you are located, since the
Fiddler Beetle, Eupoecila australasiae, is an Australian species,
we are deducing you are somewhere down under. Fiddler Beetles
can have bright green markings or golden yellow markings.
These scarab beetles feed on nectar, often from eucalyptus
trees, and the beetle grubs feed on rotting wood.
Locust
Borer or Hickory Borer
(03/05/2008) What's this bug?
My husband and I keep finding this little critter inside our
home. We live in southern Missouri, close to Springfield,
in a very wooded area. I am normally real careful
about bringing in firewood in the winter so I don't end up
with a house full of unwanted visitors so I'm not sure
how they all got in here. They started showing up around
the first of March. Sometimes they just fly up to our
windows, I'm not sure if it is for extra warmth or light.
When we pick them up they make a little squeaking noise,
of course, I would be squeaking big time if someone were throwing
me out into the cold too!
This is one of two possible beetles in the genus Megacyllene.
It is either the Locust Borer, Megacyllene robiniae, or the
Hickory Borer, Megacyllene caryae. We have a very difficult
time telling them apart. Locust Borers usually appear in the
fall and feed on goldenrod pollen. Hickory Borers are found
in the sring. Both have larvae that bore into wood, and they
most probably came in on firewood. The warmth indoors sped
up the metamorphosis. Since their typical life cycle was altered,
we cannot even guess which of the two species this is.
Mating Spotted Tortoise Beetles from the Philippines
(02/27/2008) Golden tortoise beetle
Hi there!
I am from the Philippines and I love insect photography. These
last couple of weeks, I have been taking photos of golden
tortoise beetles. Some are here: in this set. I don't know
the exact name of this kind of tortoise beetle. Those spots
on the edge of their shell make them different from these
beetles: http://bugguide.net/node/view/8826
Could you help me find out the exact species name? Thanks
in advance.
Best regards, Maria Jesusa Laakso
 
Hi Maria,
Your Tortoise Beetles are beautiful. There are certain species
in the U.S. that are metallic in coloration and they are sometimes
called Goldbugs. Tortoise Beetles belong to the tribe Cassidini.
We located another image of your species on Flicker,
but without a scientific name. One click away we identified
Aspidomorpha miliaris on a Tortoise
Beetle page. It is also called the Spotted Tortoise Beetle
and the Fool's Gold Beetle. It is great that you have also
included an image of the spiny larvae of the Spotted Tortoise
Beetle
 
Red Headed Ash Borer
(02/24/2008) Can you help me identify this bug?
Hello!
My sister in law lives here in League City Texas
nearby and has these bugs coming into her house. I am
normally pretty good at identifying bugs but this one has
me stumped...?? Can you help? Thank you in advance,
Shannon Clement
League City Texas
Hi Shannon,
Your beetle, a Red Headed Ash Borer, Neoclytus
acuminatus, is a very effective wasp mimic. They are probably
emerging from firewood.
Master Blister Beetle
(02/23/2008) Beetle ID
Hello~
I was hiking with friends in the desert the other day in Baja
and we came across these beetles on a margarite bush (incensio
in Spanish). They had black wings. Underneath, they were red-orange
with black dots. Very pretty. Thank You!
Lynn
 
Hi Lynn,
Your beetle is Lytta magister, the Master Blister Beetle.
According to BugGuide:
"Pressing or rubbing adult blister beetles may cause them
to exude some of their hemolymph (“blood”), which contains
Cantharidin. Cantharidin causes blistering of the skin, thus
the name blister beetle."
Longhorn
Beetle
(02/18/2008) Want to know what this is...
What kind of insect is this?
David P. Summers, SETI Institute
NASA Ames Research Center
Moffett Field, CA
Hi David,
You have told us much more about yourself than you did about
the Cerambycid Beetle in your photo. We do not want to assume
that because you are in California, that your Longhorn Beetle
is also from California. We would really like to try to identify
the species and would appreciate confirmation that the beetle
was photographed in California. It really is a strikingly
beautiful specimen. We will check if Eric Eaton recognizes
it.
Hi, Daniel:
Yes, the longhorn beetle is Crossidius coralinus, a common
species in arid lands of the western U.S. Adult beetles in
the genus Crossidius in general can be abundant on late summer
composite flowers, especially rabbitbrush. I believe the larve
feed in the roots of sagebrush, but don't quote me there.
Eric
It wasn't photographed in California. The photo was taken
in Zion National Park, Utah, on the Paarus Trail (in the early
afternoon?). The Paarus trail winds long the Virgin river
at the bottom of the canyon. If it matters, it was bright
and sunny but there had been a brief but heavy shower a couple
hours before.
David |
|
