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Mating Iron Cross Blister Beetles
(05/11/2008) iron cross blister beetles -- mating on cactus
Hi:
Thanks for helping me identify my bug -- your site is great.
I thought you might enjoy the picture of two iron-cross blister
beetles ( Tegrodera latecincta ) mating on a cactus -- it
all looks a bit precarious! The cactus is a local "hedgehog
cactus" ( Echinocereus sp. ). My yard was invaded
by these bugs over the past couple of days; I've lived here
6 years and never seen them before. Best,
Jake
NW Tucson, AZ
Mid May 2008
Hi Jake,
Your photo of Iron Cross Blister Beetles mating is quite stunning.
Mating Zebra Swallowtails
(05/04/2008) zebra swallowtails mating
Here is a picture of a pair of zebra swallowtails mating for
your bug love page.
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
Thanks you for sending us a truly lovely image. Our readership
does enjoy and benefit from other relevant details, including
location.
Sorry, I meant to send that too. They were found in southeast
Missouri. Glad you enjoyed them as much as I did.
Were they photographed yesterday? Last year? Five years
ago?
They were photographed April 23, 2008.
Spring
White and Mating Western Whites
(04/28/2008) Spring White/ Western Whites
Hi Lisa Anne and Daniel,
it seems to be a good Spring for whites in central WY. Saw
this Spring White (no pun intended) and pair of Western Whites
today. Peace,
Dwaine
 |
 |
| Spring
White |
Mating
Western Whites |
Hi
again Dwaine,
Thanks for continuing to add to our butterfly archive with
the Spring White, Pontia sisymbrii, and mating Western White,
Pontia occidentalis, images. Jeffrey Glassberg indicates in
his book Butterflies Through Binoculars The West that the
Spring White rarely stays still for long, which makes your
photograph especially noteworthy.
Pipevine Swallowtails Mating
(04/25/2008) either Pipevine or Spicebush Swallowtails mating.
Hey bugman,
I took this picture earlier today in the Great Smoky Mountains
National park of two Swallowtails mating that i thought turned
out pretty good. they were right in the middle of the road
(well, almost more of a driveway). i thought that was a weird
place for them to mate. well hopefully this will be of use
to your bug love page.
anyway hope you enjoy it.
Michael Davis
Hi Michael,
These are mating Pipevine Swallowtails, and your photo is
wonderful
Mating March Flies
(04/22/2008) What is this bug? Please
Hello, Could you please tell me what these are? I live
in California on the Central Coast and found these in my backyard.
I have never seen these in my area and would like to know
if they are harmful as they were mating. Thank You
Maryann
Hi Maryann,
These are mating March Flies in the family Bibionidae. You
can find more information on BugGuide
which states: "Larvae feed on decaying organic matter, such
as feces, roots, logs", so they are actually beneficial. Some
species, notably Love Bugs in Florida and the Southeast, can
get very numerous at times and become a nuisance. The male
has the bigger eyes and corresponding bigger head.
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.
Mating Tachinid Flies
(04/19/2008) More bug love
Hello,
Attached are a few images of a mating pair of some wonderfully
colored flies. I love the furry collar around their necks,
not to mention the huge red eyes. The images of the lone fly
are of, I assume, the female after the male has flown off.
They were very kind to stay still while I got in close to
take their picture. I would say they are no larger than a
1/4 inch long. Any idea what they may be? The images were
taken April 18, 2008 in a small field of mallow and grass
in Mountain View, CA. This was probably the first week of
the year temperatures reached over 80 degrees. All the bugs
are finally coming out of the wood work. Thanks in advance,
Dan
 
Hi Dan,
What a marvelous image of mating Tachinid Flies in the genus
Gymnosoma. According to BugGuide,
adults feed on nectar and the larvae are parasitic on Stink
Bugs in the family Pentatomidae.
Splendor in the Grass!!!: Mating Polyphemus Moths
(04/17/2008) mating Polyphemus Moths
Hello all. It's Spring in North Carolina, and I just
found these rascals enjoying the mild weather beneath my garden
hose box. I'm pleased and relieved that I didn't find
the copperhead snake that I'd expected when I originally spotted
the edge of one wing beneath the box. Love is in the
air, and within 1 inch of the ground. Keep up the good work.
Craig in Central NC
Hi Craig,
Thanks for sending such a gorgeous image of mating Polyphemus
Moths. "Though nothing can bring back the hour Of splendour
in the grass," at least there will be a new generation of
Polyphemus Moths thanks to this romp on the lawn.
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.
Mating Crane Flies
(04/10/2008) Mosquitoes?
These are everywhere right now. I’m really tired of
them. What are they? What can be done to keep them away?
These are Crane Flies, and though they resemble large
mosquitos, they are not closely related (other than being
flies) and they do not bite. Crane Flies are sometimes called
Mosquito Hawks. Judging by the mating activity in your photo,
you are apt to remain tired for a bit longer. Crane Fly adults
are benign and do not feed. They are often seasonal in appearance
and are attracted to lights at night. We don't really have
any suggestions on how to keep them away.
Mating March Flies in San Diego
(03/28/2008) Now there's MORE of them!
Hi again--
Wrote a few days ago when I was trying to identify this fly/wasp
like bug. They were flying about in the hundreds--well now
they are flying around nearer the thousands... ...and today
I saw a few pairs mating on the driveway. Noticed that
one gender has a large head, whilst the other has a rather
tiny one. I won't venture near guessing which is male or female.
They are not much more than 3/8" long.
J Cannon
North San Diego County, CA
 
Hi J,
These are March Flies in the family Bibionidae and they are
right on time. BugGuide
has numerous images of mating pairs. The big eyed male has
the bigger head. According to BugGuide,
the larvae feed on decaying organic matter. There are several
genera of March Flies, and we are not sure which your specimens
belong to. The infamous Florida Love Bugs, Plecia nearctica,
get so plentiful, and are often found copulating, so there
is much information available online including on Wikipedia.
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.
First Luna Moth of the Year!!!! and Mating Cecropia
Moths
(03/05/2008) Moth Pics
Found the Luna on my back deck this morning (March 5).
I live in South Georgia, but the temperature was in the low
50's. My daughter and I found the others on our fenceline
several years ago.
Rudy Gordon
Hi Rudy,
We are so thrilled to be able to post the first Luna Moth
of the year. Your photo of mating Cecropia Moths is also quite
welcome.
Mating
Antheraea yamamai from Slovenia
(02/27/2008) Antheraea mylitta
Dear Experts from Whatsthatbug,
what a great webpage! I often enjoy the nice pictures and
comments - it is such an explosive mixture of interesting
details and beauty, congratulations! It is also a very nice
and important medium for the evidentation of where the species
occur... For the nice insert from 10.10.07 written by Ibrahim
TMC, Kasargod, Kerala - I have another proposal; though the
colour is really very much like that of A. yamamai from Japan
or Russian Far East (specially in females, I am close to confuse
the specimens too), what is quite surprising indeed - it should
be an Antheraea mylitta female, with regard to the much bigger
eyespots on the wings; a very fascinating species, similar
to A. yamamai, but with the caterpillars spinning a much larger,
splendid egg-shaped cocoon hanging on a strong peduncle from
a twig. (Some subspecies are cultivated for silk in the region.)
On the other hand, the information about A. yamamai occuring
in India (as introduced species, like in Slovenia where I
come from, since 1865) can be found in several sources of
Lepidopterological literature - and I am wondering very much
how it should be able to survive in a tropical climate, as
coming originally from a quite winter-cold region (northern
Japan) - except, maybe, in high mountains... (They overwinter
as eggs and can only have one generation per year - needing
therefore a colder climate.) Do You have any additional information
about the Indian A. yamamai population and where they occur?
(Attached is a photo of A. yamamai from Slovenia, making love
on the window, the female is on the right.) Many Thanks in
advance and nicest wishes to You and to Ibrahim, from Berlin,
Bostjan Dvorak
Hi Bostjan,
Thanks for your wonderful letter with all of its information.
Sadly, we have no additional information on the image from
India, and we no longer have contact information on Ibrahim
or his moth. We are thrilled to have your image of mating
Antheraea yamamai.
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
 
Mating Green Bird Grasshoppers
(02/18/2008) Bug Love (Grasshoppers, Moriarity, NM)
Hello,
Attached is an image of a couple of amorous grasshoppers taken
early October of 2007 near the town of Moriarity, NM; 40 miles
east of Albuquerque. I am assuming the larger one is the female.
She is almost as large as the index finger of a working
man's hand. The male had, what appeared to be, a defense behavior
of springing its legs backwards if I got too close for its
comfort. The broadside image was somewhat difficult to
take because the female would rotate about the wire she was
hanging on as I tried to position the camera; always
positioning her belly toward the camera lens. I particularly
like the bright red, yellow and black coloring of the male's
spiny legs; not to mention the vivid greens of their bodies.
These bugs were everywhere and I can only guess they provided a
substantial protein source to their natural predators for
weathering the coming winter. Hope y'all enjoy. Regards,
Dan
Hi Dan,
The grasshoppers in your wonderful photo are Green Bird Grasshoppers,
Schistocerca shoshone, also known as the Green Valley Grasshopper.
According to BugGuide,
they are found in "streamside (riparian) and desert habitats;
also frequently found in cornfields or other tall growing
vegetation."
End
Band Netwing Beetles Mating
(02/17/2008) Bug with orange and metallic blue wings
Dear Bugman,
I have another strange insect we can't identify.
My husband took this picture in Sept 2006 of this bug on the
leaf of an iris. I tired to find this one on the
web and did not have much luck. I figured with such
beautiful and distinctive wings that it would be easy, but
I don't even what basic type of bug this is. Thank you for
your help.
Peggi Wolfe
Natchez, MS
Hi Peggi,
Judging by the number of visible wings, there is a second
End
Band Netwing Beetle, Calopteron terminale, hidden behind
the visible one. We can only deduce that they are in the process
of mating, or attempting to mate. You shouldn't feel badly
that you couldn't identify them, since Netwing Beetles resemble
moths more than typical beetles.
Mating
Red Shouldered Bugs
(02/09/2008) Another bug in love
Hi, Bugman!
I am finding lots of these beetles in the redwood bark in
my front garden. What are they? I’m assuming
these are more candidates for the “bugs in love”
page? They have wild looking red eyes, which I didn’t
even notice until I took a picture to send to you. Many thanks,
Joan
Goleta, CA (near Santa Barbara, on the southern CA coast)
Hi Joan,
Your mating insects are Red Shouldered Bugs, Jadera haematoloma.
They are probably feeding on seeds that have fallen from your
trees into the redwood bark. One of their favorite food plants
is the Golden Rain Tree and they are sometimes called Golden
Rain Tree Bugs.
Grapevine Beetles: Eating and Mating
(01/27/2008) identify beatles
Please help us identify these beatles. They landed on our
grape vine this summer and consumed it rapidly. We never
saw them again. They were very large - an inch or so. This
is the best photo we have of them. We live in Teaneck, NJ.
Thank you,
Ivy
Hi Ivy,
Believe it or not, these are called Grapevine Beetles, Pelidnota
punctata. The pair in the lower right is mating.
Mating Cotton Stainers
(01/13/2008) Unidentified insect
I live in Fort Myers, Florida. Today I was at
Caloosahatchie Regional Park and was photographing butterflies
when I saw movement on a plant. When I zoomed
in, I realized it was two insects, hooked together like Love
Bugs do, but they had a lot more red on them than Love Bugs,
and they had an interesting pattern on their backs.
What bug is that? Thanks in advance,
Greg Hill
Hi Greg,
These are mating Cotton Stainers, Dysdercus suturellus. BugGuide
cites the University of Florida as the source of the explanation
of the common name: "The feeding activities of cotton stainers
on cotton produce a stain on the lint which reduces its value.
A few authorities have reported the stain comes from excrement
of the bugs. However, most have stated that the stain primarily
is a result of the bug puncturing the seeds in the developing
bolls causing a juice to exude that leaves an indelible stain.
Feeding by puncturing flower buds or young cotton bolls usually
causes reduction in size, or the fruiting body may abort and
drop to the ground."
Mating Mantids from New Zealand: Natural Selection
at its finest!!! ...
(12/27/2007) Mantis awesome foursome
Hi
I just found your site, when trying to find out how to recognise
whether a mantis egg case had hatched or not. How do
you tell? Anyway, I see that you accept bug photos, so thought
you may like this one for your site. The female has
three males "in close attendance" - they stayed
like this on a flat leaf parsley plant for ages. I suspect
the mating was successful because we had a lot of small mantis
offspring in our garden the next season. I did not want
to disturb them, so am not sure if they are the New Zealand
native variety or the South African variety that arrived in
NZ about 1978. I suspect it is our own native, judging
by the egg cases in the garden, and I am sure the ones I have
seen have the blue spot on the legs (missing in the SA variety).
I think you can see it on one of the males in the picture.
Best wishes
John
AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND
Wow John,
What an awesome image. We really like the education we receive
from our international readership. We had no idea that the
native New Zealand Mantis, Orthodera novaezealandiae, was
being threathened by the imported South African species, Miomantis
caffra. We found a link
that has some information. We agree that the distinctive blue
spot on the inner surface of the male's foreleg identifies
your randy group as the New Zealand Mantis.
... and Survival of the Fittest as the Greatest Detriment
to Species Diversification
Hi Daniel
Thanks for the response and post. Yes, our native wildlife
of all kinds is under attack from visitors from offshore,
whether introduced deliberately or by accident. Immigration
from Europe only began in earnest in the mid 19thC, and all
sorts of beasties came then, to find a country where the indigenous
life was ill-equipped to cope. Introductions have intensified
in recent decades with air travel an increased inward migration
from many parts of the world. We are currently having major
problems trying to eradicate various mosquitos that have arrived
in recent years - these bugs are capable of carrying all sorts
of nasty diseases that don't exist here - yet. Of course
none of them have natural enemies in this country so they
flourish. Asian paper wasps are another pest, and other wasps
that thrive on beech forest honey dew have caused depletion
of native birds as well as native insects, not to mention
making many popular places unsuitable for picnics or tramping
(hiking or bush walking). Congratulations on your site. This
may be a useful link for you: http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/
John
Hi John,
Thanks so much for your touching update. We are constantly
having to justify our own disdain for travel as well as having
to explain why we have chosen not to visit each and every
one of the wonderful places in the world there are to see.
We are appalled at the number of environmentally concerned
individuals who want to travel to pristine endangered habitats
to see the wildlife without realizing that their visit can
do grave damage. People need to just "Stay Home" and preserve
what they can.
Comment: In Defense of Ecotourism from Eric Eaton
(12/31/2007)
Hi, Daniel:
I do have to politely disagree that ecotourism is always a
bad thing. There is no substitute for international travel
to gain a full appreciation of the natural and cultural history
of other places on the planet. One has to travel responsibly,
of course, and obey the rules and wishes of the host country.
Hopefully, those who travel abroad bring back many valuable
experiences that they need to share with others. Unrestricted
trade in international commodities really IS a bad thing!
Few protocols are in place to prevent infiltration by hitchhiking
flora, fauna, and pathogens, and enforcement of those few
existing regulations is even more pathetic. That is how most
invasive species enter countries. Not with human travelers,
but with imported goods.
Eric
Mating
Wood Nymphs
(12/23/2007) Bug Love
Hi Bugman,
I again viewed your Bug Love postings and did not see these
guys whom I believe to be Large Wood Nymph butterflies. Photo
from central WI. May 2008 bring you unimaginable riches,
Dwaine
Hi Dwaine,
Until now, Wood Nymphs, mating or otherwise, have been sadly
under-represented on our site. Wood Nymphs, which are also
known as Satyrs, are in the subfamily Satyrinae. They are
feeble flyer that are found in wooded areas and they rarely
visit flowers. Your image is probably of the Common Wood Nymph,
Cercyonis pegala. Jeffrey Glassberg in his book Butterflies
Through Binoculars: The West, writes that the Common Wood
Nymph "comes in two basic color forms, each with many variations."
Cerisy's Sphinx: Mating adults and Caterpillar
(12/23/2007) Sphinx Moths?
We found these two on our garage in San Pablo CA. My guess
was either some species of Sphinx moth or Hawk moth. What
do you guys think?
(12/22/2007) What species is this?
We found this Caterpillar in Our driveway. We live in San
Pablo California which is part of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Can You tell me what species it is?
 
Your mating adult moths and the caterpillar are the same
species, Cerisy's Sphinx, Smerinthus cerisyi, which is pictured
on Bill
Oehlke's excellent website.
Black Widow Mating
(12/15/2007) Blackwidow Love
Thought you might enjoy. This gal hung out on the window for
months and then this little dude showed up - I though she
would eat him right away but after 2 weeks I looked him up
on the internet. He is her male counterpart, funny I thought
he would look like her. Anyway they finally got to business
many many times. I took tons of shots of them and then, a
day latter, he was lunch.
Robin
Hi Robin,
Thanks for sending your awesome documentation of the mating
of a Black Widow. Black Widows are sexually dimorphic, meaning
the sexes do not look alike.
Mating
Robber Flies
(12/09/2007) What in the World!!! Please Help!
Dear Bugman,
I found your site about two months ago after being pinched
by a beetle. Great photos, and descriptions=hours of
fun. Anyway, these guys were flying around having a
good time scarring my niece. I haven't seen any like
this before (we live in Central Illinois). I looked through
your pages on bees, wasps and dragonflies, but couldn't find
a match. Any help would be much appreciated (and also
end a family discussion on the bugs identity)! Thank you,
keep up the great work and have a great day!!!!
Kim B.
Hi Kim,
Your mating insects are Robber Flies in the family Asilidae,
possibly Giant
Robber Flies in the genus Promachus.
Mating Stilt Bugs
(12/04/2007) Not sure about this bug
I thought it was some kind of walking stick, but someone said
to me it was more of a true bug. I am perplexed now as I haven't
found anything like it in various books for insects in our
area. I thought it might be a North American walking stick
but I realize it is way too small for that. I caught those
two lovebirds in my backyard in Beloeil, Qc, Canada. The berries
will give you an idea of their size. If you can give me a
pointer in some direction on this one? Thank you for your
lovely site!
Frederic
Hi Frederic,
These are mating Stilt Bugs, not the Thread Legged Bugs we
originally thought when we wrote back to you. Stilt Bugs are
True Bugs in the family Berytidae. Some species are predators
and others feed on plants according to BugGuide.
We are very happy to post your images since this is a new
family for our site.
Mating
Fireflies
(12/01/2007) sparks fly for lightning bug lovers
hi!
Love love love your site!! Provides daily education
and entertainment & has helped me id many insects
in my little Brooklyn NY garden. Who knew so many interesting
and cool bugs exist in urbania!? Anyway, wanted to contribute
to your "Bug Love" page with these mating fireflies
captured a couple nights ago
Patrice
Hi Patrice,
Oddly, though your email arrived today, it was dated July
8. July is the more appropriate time of year to see Fireflies.
At any rate, we are thrilled to have your photo of mating
Fireflies.
Mating
Banana Spiders, Argiope appensa, from Guam
(11/27/2007) Argiope and suiter, strange behavior, and Proud
momma mantid
Bugman,
Thought you might like some pics from Guam. 12 is one of my
many Orb-weavers (not sure of the species) and the first time
I’ve seen one with a room-mate so far. 15 is the same
female hanging upside down from the web in the rain. I’ve
seen her do this a couple of times when it’s raining.
I’m guessing it’s to prevent drowning? I thought
it was dead the first time I saw it, but she was back in her
web after the rain stopped. Again tonight, she was hang-drying
herself. I particularly like this picture, the raindrops clinging
to her body are pretty sexy don’t you think? 14 is a
manti(s/d, which is plural?) taking a breather after laying
eggs. We never have to worry about the temp dropping so far
as to cause the eggs to go dormant. What is the incubation
period if the temp stays at hatching temperature?
Charles
Hi Charles,
Time will only allow us to post one of your images, and we
are very fond of the mating Argiope appensa, commonly called
the Banana Spider on Guam. The female spider has much greater
mass than her dimutive mate. Spiders in the genus Argiope
nearly always hang up-side-down in the web, regardless of
rain.
Mating Painted Arachnis
(11/16/2007) What's this bug?
Thanks,
Richard Finn
510-XXX-XXXX
Hi Richard,
We see from your telephone area code that you live east of
San Francisco bay, and that is consistant with the range of
the Painted Arachnis, a lovely Tiger Moth. The caterpillars
are familiar Woolly Bears.
Mating Hollyhock Weevils
(11/13/2007) Hollyhock Weevils
Hi there! Just a follow-up to my recent e-mail …I’ve
been completely mesmerized by your site. I ’ve
re-discovered my “inner child ”and bugs with a
macro lens I picked up this spring. You have some wonderful
pic tures and information on your site! Inspired by
your “Love Bug ”section, h ere ’s one of
my first macro shots from earlier this year of a pair of very
tiny Hollyhock Weevils doing what it seems like they ’re
alw ays doing
J
Hi J,
Thanks for sending us your great image of mating Hollyhock
Weevils, Apion longirostre. We did some internet research
and found a page devoted to them when they were the Bug
of the Month back in August 1998. Your letter has us a
bit confused. Your email address matches the person who signed
another letter with a Brown Lynx Spider, but from a different
email address, and your mysterious initial only signature
seems to match the name on the other email.
Mating Harlequin Bugs from Australia
(11/10/2007) Funny bugs
Hi,
I live in Melbourne, Australia. We were tidying up our
backyard and came across a bunch of these bugs, there are
about 20 of them living together and all of them seem to be
joined at the bottom! From what I can tell after looking through
your site, they are Hemipterans. As they crawl,
they remain attached and one is always walking backwards!
Are they in a constant state of mating?? Will they stay this
way all the time? I have been watching them for
5 days now and they have remained in this position. They have
beautiful colours under their bellies and seem to have a great
sense of knowing when I am near them as they run the other
way (always joined at the bum!)
Ally
 
Hi Ally,
We can narrow the identification to Seed Bugs, either in the
family Lygaeidae
or Largidae,
but sadly, the GeoCities site has failed to provide us with
an exact identification of your very distinctive Seed Bugs.
We also don't know how long they will stay attached. Perhaps
one of our readers will have better internet luck than we
are having.
Correction: (11/11/2007)
Thanks for the reply Daniel. I managed to look around myself
and finally found a local bug person who told me these little
guys are called Harlequin Bugs! He told me to do a google
search for " Dindymus versicolor " which I suppose its it's
proper name...Seems these guys are pests: "Dindymus versicolor
(Herrich-Schaeffer) is a minor pest of soft fruit orchards,
Market gardens and home gardens in southeastern Australia
and Tasmania (French 1891; French 1933; McKeown 1942; Evans
1943), but the nymphs have not been Described even though
they contribute directly to the pest status of this species.
Further, Dindymus versicolor, as the major representative
of the family Pyrrhocoridae In southeastern Australia (Tillyard
1926), has been neglected compared to the family’s Northern
Australian representative, Dysdercus sidae Montrouzier, once
considered To pose a serious threat to the cotton industry
(Froggatt 1923; Gurney 1924; Ballard And Evans 1928)." BUT,
I am still searching on information WHY these guys are "stuck"
together!!! It's really, err, bugging me!! LOL Thanks again!
Ally
Hi Ally,
Thanks for the correction. We had also considered the family
Pyrrhocoridae, known as Red Bugs or Cotton Stainers, as a
possibility. Sorry we didn't include it in our original guess.
Mating Palamedes Swallowtails
(11/06/2007) Palamedes swallowtail mating before wings open
This Palamedes swallowtail just emerged from the chrysalis.
He doesn' t even have his wings open yet.
Liz Stalvey
Winter Springs, FL
Hi Liz,
Thanks for sending in your awesome documentation of a Palamedes
Swallowtail "chrysalis robber" and his mate.
Sierra
Dome Spider
(11/06/2007) Unusual web . . .
Hello from the redwoods!
I live in La Honda, which is in the redwoods south of San
Francisco. My neighbor called me over this morning to take
pictures of these amazing webs she found on the front of her
trailer. The are dome-like and we haven't seen this type of
web before. Sorry about the quality of the pictures. I couldn't
get any closer without breaking the anchoring strands of the
web. While I was taking pics a "gentleman caller"
came to visit, but Miss ran him off by bobbing up and down
in her dome. I did manage to get a shot before he was gone.
Again, sorry for the quality. Anyway, can you identify this
spider for us? Thank you,
Sharon Carthy
 
Hi Sharon,
The spider photo does not have enough detail to be certain,
but indications are that this might be the Marbled Cellar
Spider, Holocnemus pluchei, which is pictured on BugGuide.
There is no mention of the distinctive web there, but other
sites mention the dome web and one research paper by Elizabeth
M. Jakob posted online indicates the species was introduced
from the Mediterranean to California in the 1970s. We will
contact Eric Eaton for verification. Eric provided this correction:
"Hi, Daniel: Neat images! The spider is likely the "Sierra
dome spider," Neriene litigiosa. Something in the genus Neriene
at any rate. They seem to be locally common where they occur.
Keep up the great work! Eric"
Update(11/07/2007)
Found some info on Sierra dome spider here (as well as many
other places, but this seemed the most "accessible" to me,
the common lay-person): http://biology.unm.edu/biology
/pwatson/public_html/pjw_cv.htm No pictures of the dome
webs, though. I wonder if the SDS normally builds out in the
open like these two did?
Sharon
Hi Sharon,
While there were no photos of the webs, there were photos
of the spiders, and they do resemble the spider in your photo.
Interesting that the article discusses the energy used during
the elaborate mating ritual and that your original observations
included the mating ritual.
Cassius
Blues Mating
(10/14/2007) Whats my Moth/Butterfly????
I live in Port Charlotte, FL. I was taking my dog out
back when I came across, and apparently disturbed these two
moths, or butterflies. Can you tell me which it is.......Thanks
Megan
Hi Megan,
We believe these are mating Cassius Blues, Leptotes cassius,
based on an image we located on BugGuide.
They are Gossamer Winged Butterflies in the family Lycaenidae.
Mating Oil Beetles
(10/10/2007) PLEASE IDENTIFY
Hi ...
Attached is a photo I took of some beetles around the first
of October. There were literally hundreds of them mating on
that particular day. I haven't seen them before and
the next day they were gone. The location is in Southern Ontario,
Canada (Toronto) and the landscape is close to a river and
in one of the last remaining Oak Savanahs in Canada. Our concern
is that in Western Canada there is an infestation of Long
Horned Asian beetles which has been killing many trees. We
hope these are not related. Please identify and reply at your
earliest convenience. Thanks in advance,
John Morrow
Hi John,
These are mating Oil Beetles or Short Winged Blister Beetles
in the genus Meloe. There is some very interesting information
found on BugGuide
regarding these beetles including this by Jim McClarin: "Meloe
life cycle can be very complex In at least one Meloe species,
the larvae climb to the top of a grass or weed stalk as a
group, clump together in the shape of a female solitary ground
bee, exude a scent that is the same as, or closely resembles,
the pheromones of the female bee, and wait for a male ground
bee to come along. When he does, he tries to mate with the
clump of larvae, whereupon they individually clamp onto his
hairs. He then flies away, finds and mates with one or several
real female bees, and the larvae transfer to the female(s).
Each impregnated female bee then flies off and builds one
to several nests in burrows she digs in the soil, and the
larvae transfer again to the new nests. The female bee stocks
these nests with honey and pollen for her own young, but the
hungry blister beetle young are there to gobble up the provisions.
They eventually pupate and finally emerge as adult flightless
beetles. Brothers and sisters find each other and mate, produce
eggs and the hatchlings start the process all over. Then there
are male beetles from a couple other beetle families who seek
out blister beetles, climb onto them and lick off the cantharidin
the blister beetles exude. Not only have these other beetles
developed a resistance to the cantharidin, they use the blistering
agent to impress a female of their own species who then mates
with them, whereupon most of the cantharidin is transfered
to the female in the form of a sperm packet. The eggs the
female subsequently lays are coated with cantharidin to protect
them from being eaten before they hatch. Then there are the
bipedal primates who use cantharidin from blister beetles
to manufacture the notorious date rape drug, Spanish Fly...
"
Mating Assassin Bugs
(10/07/2007) mating Pselliopus Assassin bugs.
I thought I would contribute an image for your bug love page.
I think these are assassin bugs in the genus pselliopus. please
correct me if im wrong though. I hope you like the picture.
I love your website!!!
Mike D.
Hi Mike,
No correction is necessary. Your identification Pselliopus
Assassin Bugs mating is correct. BugGuide
calls them Sycamore Assassin Bugs and mentions two species:
"In the southeastern United States, there are two widespread
species: P. cinctus and P. barberi. Photographs identified
as P. barberi are very orange, without much marking on the
scutellum. Others from the same area are very brown, with
some markings on the scutellum. It is possible the orange
individuals are P. barberi and the more brown ones are P.
cinctus . This needs investigation. " If this is correct,
it appears you have photographed Pselliopus barberi.
Mating
Oakworm Moths
(10/04/2007) Mating Moths
I've attached a photo of two moths who were mating at high
noon in the middle of the street last summer. I live
in Gainesville, Florida, and haven't been able to identify
them. Would you be able to help me ID them, and determine
which is the male and female? P.S. I think this would make
a nice addition to your Bug Love gallery. Thanks,
Krista
Hi Krista,
These are Oakworm Moths in the genus Anisota. There are several
species that closely resemble one another, and we don't feel
comfortable trying to identify the exact species. The smaller
moth is the male.
Mating
Buckmoths: Splendor in the Grass
(10/01/2007) hemileuca buckmoths?
Scanned your pix to try to ID this mating pair I spotted tangled
in the grass at Shohola Lake in northeast PA. Thought
you might like the picture -- never saw these before.
Your site is a national treasure!
Paula K.
Hi Paula,
Your letter cheered us tremendously after a long hard day
at work. Not only is your photo of mating Buckmoths quite
spectacular, calling our site a National Treasure is one of
the nicest compliments we have ever received.
Hello Daniel,
Spreading knowledge and furthering us layfolks' appreciation
of the natural world is truly good work. After years of finding
such interesting critters in the field, I can take a creaky
digipix, send it to you, and have a whole new corner of the
world opened up to me. Who would figure such cute little
furry moths came from venomous spiky caterpillers? It's most
helpful knowledge too, should we ever encounter the caterpiller!
Thanks again,
Paula K.
Monarch
Butterflies: Rough Sex
(09/28/2007) Battering Butterflies
Hello Bug Man!
We love your site in this house! While at the shore
each year I enjoy photographing butterflies. I am attaching
several photos of two butterflies that appeared to be wrestling
on the ground. This went on for a few minutes with the
two ultimately flying off in different directions. I
have never seen such aggressive behavior. Is it associated
with mating? Any help appreciated. Thank you in advance.
Tracey Hynes
 
Hi Tracey,
This is a pair of Monarch Butterflies. A mating pair will
stay engaged for a lengthy period of time. Perhaps what you
witnessed was a difficult "uncoupling".
Mating Milkweed Assassin Bugs
(09/24/2007) mating milkweed assassin bugs
A couple of weeks ago, I was working in my garden in Charleston
,SC when I was stung by one of these critters. I had seen
them around from time to time and was always fascinated by
their appearance. They could easily have been “stars”
in a Dr. Seuss book! And since I am not a native of
the southern US, they were alien to me. The sting was
perhaps the worst I have ever experienced in my 60+ years
on the earth! When he/she stung me, the immediate pain was
intense enough to make me crazy. I swatted at the critter,
attached to the inside of my left upper arm, and it STUCK
to me through three blows to it. After I dislodged it,
I couldn’t find its corpse. But then I found this mating
pair after a few days and snapped these shots so I could send
them to an entomologist at Clemson University for purposes
of identification. These are yours to use as you see fit.
Tom Bradford
Hi Tom,
Thanks for sending in your photo of mating Milkweed Assassin
Bugs, Zelus longipes. As a point of clarification, they bite,
not sting.
Mating
Muskmares
(09/21/2007) Anisomorpha buprestoides
Hi,
I was going to ask for an ID, but I found them in the Insect
Love section...Still, I think I have some nice pics! I
guess I'm lucky that with all the messing around with them
that photographing entailed, she didn't spray me! They
are released into my tortoise pen. I'm in Alachua, Florida.
I see these every once in a while.
Nanci
Hi Nanci,
You did a great job of properly identifying your mating Muskmares
or Two Striped Walkingsticks. It is also evident that you
read that they will spray a noxious, irritant into a person's
eyes with amazing accuracy if they are disturbed. We especially
love your choice of a location for your image, the ceramic
plate with a sphinx moth underglaze.
Mating Eastern Leaf Footed Bugs
(09/20/2007) leaf-footed true bugs MATING & all over my
tree!
Hi Bugman,
Thank you for your website! You have helped me identify these
leaf-footed true bugs. I didn’t realize there were so
many of them until I trimmed a few branches off my tree today
and saw just how many flew off the trimmed branches! They
are ALL OVER my Chinese Pistache tree here in McKinney, TX.
I have never seen these before and all of the sudden they’re
having a huge “orgy” in my backyard, so I thought
I’d get some great pics for your website. If you play
“Where’s the True Bug?” with the last picture,
you’ll find at least 7 of them gathered on the tree
branch. I hope these will make a great addition to your site!
Thanks again!
Diana Thiessen J
September 20, 2007
Hi Diana,
Thank you for sending in your photos of Mating Leaf Footed
Bugs. They are in the genus Leptoglossus, probably Leptoglossus
phyllopus, the Eastern Leaf Footed Bug. According to BugGuide,
by "The straight white or pale yellow bar crossing the back
is distinctive to this species. In other Leptoglossus species
it may be zig-zagging or broken into dots."
Mating
Luna Moths
(09/19/2006) Luna Moths Mating
Hey!
I got this great shot of two luna moths mating at work today.
They stayed together for a very long time. Thought you’d
enjoy it. Love your website! It’s always
the first place I go to when I’m researching bugs.
Sheila Bragg
Rincon, GA
Hi Sheila,
What a positively beautiful image of mating Luna Moths. Thanks
for sending it to us.
Mating
Wheel Bugs
(09/15/2007) Exhibitionist Wheel Bugs
Hi!!
Your site taught me so much this evening! I found these
bugs on my sunroom screen in central Indiana. I had
never seen either a male or female before, so imagine my surprise
to catch both in the act. Please excuse my camera's
blur. They have been in the same spot for at least four
hours (the exhaustion!! J). Are wheel bug nymphs very tiny
(2 or 3 mm)? I saw a pic of one on your site as well.
I may have been enthralled with one a few months ago.
I must have watched it clean (?) its little antennae
for 20 minutes on my fiancé's lease property in southern
Indiana last spring. Thank you for the great information.
By the way, I read about both of you. How in the
world did two photography instructors working on an art project
(too cool) find time to become bug experts??? Blessings,
Carly
Hi Carly,
We have posted several photos of Wheel Bugs the past few days,
but we can't resist also posting your documentation of the
procreative act. To be honest, we don't really consider ourselves
experts just yet, but we have gotten very good at research.
Mating
Gulf Fritillaries
(09/11/2007) bug love
Greetings Bugman.
I took the attached picture at the Northrop pine rockland
preserve located on the southwest of Miami-Dade County. I
had shared the picture with a colleague who pointed me to
your website. What a cool site! I would like to share my bug
love picture with you guys since it is not often that you
get to come across such love for nature and bugs. Thanks colleague!
Joaquin
Hi Joaquin,
Thank you for your kind words and for contributing your lovely
image of Gulf Fritillaries mating to our site.
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