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Insects are prone to unnecessary slaughter, be it from an
overzealous homemaker who doesn't want to see bugs, or from
a strapping he-man who is a closet arachnophobe, or from a
youngster who likes to torture. At any rate, we get a goodly
amount of photos of poor arthropods whose lives ended prematurely.
In an effort to educate, we present Unnecessary Carnage. This
page is not intended for the squeemish.
Assassinated Assassin Bug from Singapore
(04/20/2007) what is this?
hi there
i found this bug in my home yesterday and 3 more today. it's
about half an inch long. it's got a bright orange body and
black head and legs. it looks scary because it's really bright
warning orange and i'm afraid that it's poisonous. i live
in singapore (in south east asia) which is hot and humid all
year round. i've never seen a bug like this before in my home
and i hope it isn't poisonous because i've got cats. the pictures
should show a good morphology but the color isn't so good
so i attached a little swatch of digital color closest to
the color of the insect. there are no white dots on the insect,
it's just the light from the camera. if it's poisonous, what
can i do to get rid of it? the bug in the picture is dead
btw. thanks in advance!
cheers
samantha
Hi Samantha,
This is an immature Assassin Bug. They are not poisonous,
but can bite.
Camel Cricket Carnage
(11/25/2006) Help !!
Dear Bugman,
Here are a few pics of the bugs I would like to have identified,
We live in NJ and have no basement. The bugs started to appear
about a day or two after we opened a carton with a new bed
frame in it. ( Maybe just coincidence )So far there have been
about 10 of the critters, none for a few days now. I would
like to know if possible what it is and where it came from.
My closest guess it is some sort of cricket although it did
not make any sounds as crickets usually do. Thanks for you
anticipated help.
Arnie G
Hi Arnie,
This is a Camel Cricket or Cave Cricket. They are frequently
found in basements as they like damp dark places. As your
home has no basement, and since you did just have a carton
delivered, it is possible that the crickets entered the carton
at the storage facility. They are benign creatures that often
startle homemakers when they are found in numbers in basements,
bathrooms, garages, sheds and other favorable habitats.
Slaughtered
House Centipede
(11/09/2006) eek, a bug!
Hello bugman,
My name is Jessica. Attached, you will find an image of a
bug that i've unfortunately encountered many a time since
moving into my apartment. The maintenance folks here at the
complex have told me it's a centipede, but i don't buy that.
I've googled every possile description of the thing that i
could concoct, to no avail. However, with much luck I did
stumble upon your site. In the photo, the little guy is missing
some legs. I tried for a live shot, but these things are quick!
I live in Irvine, California and have been told that my monstrous
friends come from underground. Also, rumor has it they have
a "nasty bite." So, dear bugman, I am desperately
curious. Can you tell me who this mystery bug is? Sincerely,
Jessica
Hi Jessica,
If you had just believed the maintenance folk and typed "Centipede"
into your search engine, you might have gotten your answer.
When we tried that tactic, the
first site that came up was devoted to the House Centipede,
your creature. Perhaps your perspective on the House Centipede
was different than ours, hence your lack of googling success.
Perhaps your description was something akin to "flying purple
people eater" or maybe "sea monster from the depths" and that
led you astray. We tried "insect many legs fast" (even though
the House Centipede is not an insect) and were led to several
sites with the correct answer, including our own Centipede
page. All we can advise in the future is for you to choose
your descriptive words carefully and accurately. Mastering
search engines is a wonderful talent, and we can't imagine
how today's students could complete research papers without
the skill now that classics like Encyclopedia Britannica are
no longer readily available in homes. House Centipedes are
harmless predators, and the poor arthropod did not warrant
your wrath. There was no need for such Unnecessary
Carnage.
Pseudoscorpion Carnage in Germany
(10/26/2006) Odd German bug...
Dear Bugman,
I'm currently studying abroad in northern Germany, in the
vicinity of Bremen, and I did a search on the internet in
hopes of identifying a bug I just saw. I found your website,
and I was wondering if you could help me. I'm especially interested
to know whether or not it's harmless. I'm afraid I squished
it in fear before I could take a picture of it while it was
alive. I've attached a couple of pictures of it dead, though...
(And I'm sorry I squished it, it's just that I have a skin
condition that causes me to react negatively to ALL bug bites.
Even mosquito bites cause baseball sized reactions on me.
If it doesn't bite or sting, I remove it nicely from my house.
My host parents here even taught me how to catch flies without
hurting them.) In case the picture doesn't tell all, I will
describe it... It was really really tiny, to begin. It dropped
onto my hand as a fly buzzed around my hand (at first I thought
it was fly poop, that's how small it was). When I looked closer,
it appeared to have the body shape of a tick (though it squished
much easier than a tick), and the body was brown. It's legs
were tiny and comparable to a typical beatle's legs. Attached
to the front end of it, by the head, where these long stinger
like things. Two of them. One on each side, extending out
in front of the bug. They were more of a reddish brown color,
and looked very much like scorpion tails. These scorpion-like
stingers were very large in comparison to the bug, and I would
say they were three quarters the length of the body. If you
can identify this bug, I would really be interested to know
more about it. And feel free to publish my photos (though
they're not the greatest). Thank you!!
Penninah Jones
Hi Penninah,
There was no need to kill the harmless Pseudoscorpion. These
fascinating creatures have a nearly worldwide distribution.
They sometimes hitch rides on flying insects, a phenomenon
known as Phoresy.
Ground
Beetle mistaken for Cockroach: Successfully Exterminated!!!!!
(09/07/2006) corn beetles
Hi,
I work for Northern Illinois University Residential Facilities
and we have had serveral of students in the Residence Halls
complaining of cockroaches. We found the bug which is not
a cockroach but a corn beetle, according to our exterminator.
What could you tell us about this bug? I know you are a busy
bug group, but a quick response would be much appreciated.
We are having a panic here, with many residents fearing cockroaches.
Tracey Ward
Northern Illinois University
Housing and Dining
DeKalb, IL
Hi Tracey,
Congratulations. You have successfully exterminated a harmless
Ground Beetle in the Family Carabidae. These predators hunt
many serious pests and reducing their numbers will help the
other harmful creatures proliferate. Additionally, your extermination
attempts have now exposed the students to some potentially
harmful chemicals which will enable them to sign up for cancer
and disease studies in the future.
Smashed
Potato Bug Approached Infant
(09/02/2006) sand puppie photo
bugman, I noticed you have a few letters about sand puppies
on your web page, so I took photo's of a dead one, (it got
too close to my 1 year old baby, its slightly destroyed, but
if you can identify the species, I'm pretty sure you can find
another photo somewhere. it may come in handy when someone
wants to ask about this particular solpugid. hope its useful!
D
Hi D,
We have heard the term Sand Puppy applied to Potato Bugs or
Jerusalem Crickets as well, and that is what your specimen
is. Though we will be posting your letter and photo on our
Unnecessary Carnage page, we do not really blame your infant
for the slaughter. Children just don't understand how strong
they are when they squash things. Children really don't realize
the importance of respecting life and hopefully your toddler
will soon be cognicent enough to learn this important lesson
from you.
Ruminations on Cohabitation
(09/03/2006) Unnecessary killing of living things
Dear Bugman,
I totally sympathize with the family who killed bugs they
thought might harm someone. Unfortunately, their philosophy
is harming their children. Children need to learn how to live
with, not how to kill, other living things. I have been in
the education field for over 30 years and worked with children
and animals in a Science Museum for many years, and I saw,
daily, people who grew up with phobias about animals. It wasn't
pretty. We teach children how to look both ways before crossing
a street--we don't teach them to kill cars. Children can be
taught how to live with animals, not kill or be afraid of
them. I agree that on very rare occasions we must protect
and defend our own. 2 weeks ago my husband violated our no-kill
policy and shot a copperhead that was about 6 feet from our
front door. (I didn't even know we had a gun!) We live in
the woods of the NC piedmont area with skunks, foxes, brown
bats, black widow spiders, poisonous centipedes, etc., and
this is the only animal I felt truly threatened us. The point
is, our education policy worked, because my son was able to
identify the snake for his father ( I wasn't at home) and
did not panic. My son has been taught to deal with the animals,
including what to do if you or someone else is stung or bitten.
We have found out over the years that the best thing to do
is learn to live in their environment. We don't wear heavy
scents like perfumes, scented deodorants, etc when outdoors,
we don't swing at and make animals defend themselves by hurting
us, We also don't use pesticides and insecticides unless a
wasp or hornet nest is near house entrances. We also use nature
to help us. Every time we find a praying mantis egg case,
it goes in my herb garden. It's much healthier to use my mantis
army to prey on harmful insects than to poison my family with
insecticide laden food. In short, if you don't want animals
around, go back to the city and live in a condo. But in the
meantime, stop the lazy parenting ( a cheap blow, I know,
but I'm tired of the "kill" policy of these people)
and educate yourselves and your families. Use this most excellent
website, visit your local science museum, and take a walk
through the woods with your child and a nature book. Also,
look for natural ways to deal with problems. One great idea
I was given by a naturalist was about yellow jacket nests.
We have many in this area. Instead of spraying with poisons
which stay in the environment and will ultimately prove more
harmful to our children than the bugs we are trying to kill,
we sprinkle dry cat food near and if possible on top of the
nest. Skunks will come out at night, eat the cat food and
be led to the nest, where they treat themselves to the larvae
"dessert" in the nest , ultimately destroying the
nest. If you have bats in your house and want to remove them,
make sure you correctly mount bat houses outside before removing
them from your current home. Remember, one bat consumes a
few thousand insects (including mosquitoes) each night. We
need bats. Last comment, and I may as well discuss religion
since I'm sure many people at this point would like to burn
me at the stake anyway. God also gave us "dominion"
over our chidren. That means we love and protect and nurture
them. It doesn't mean we have God's approval to destroy them.
God made everything in nature, and it is beautiful. Every
animal God made has a purpose - it has a job to do. All we
need to do is leave the animals alone and let them do their
job. Please continue to love, protect, and nurture nature.
Thanks for letting me vent. Please feel free to contact me,
use my name on your web site, but do not release contact info
to the public. I don't need the hate mail. Thanks.
Jan Glenn
Ichneumon Soap
(08/03/2006) Anecdote
An humorous, albeit tragic, anecdote that I thought you might
enjoy: I work in a paving/construction office which is connected
to a large open garage/storage area which is rather exposed
to the outside. Our safety director needed some papers that
had been stored away in the mezzanine area above the garage.
While in the mezzanine, she encountered this Giant Ichneumon,
which repeatedly "dive-bombed" her. Not knowing
what this bug was and mistaking its ovipositor for a monstrous
stinger, she screamed, tripped and fell, wet herself (luckily
she had a pair of extra pants downstairs), and continued screaming,
drawing a small crowd of concerned coworkers who gathered
at the bottom of the stairway to the mezzanine. One brave
individual ran upstairs and, sadly, killed the poor bug as
our safety director ran down the stairs ranting about its
gigantic proportions and "prehistoric" features.
Intrigued by her tale of wonder, a coworker and I went up
to look at the dead bug, and were intrigued but unimpressed.
There were many guesses as to what the bug was, ranging from
a mayfly, to a cicada wasp, to a robber fly, but thanks to
your website I was able to determine that it was a Giant Ichneumon.
My coworker took the dead bug home and placed it into some
heated glycerine to form the bar of soap pictured, so that
it could preserved and returned to our safety director to
commemorate the event. While I know the insect's untimely
death is saddening, I found this story to be too ridiculous
to not send to you. Thanks for your amazing website!!!
Jen Price
Hi Jen,
We are greatly amused at the irony that your safety director
tripped and fell running from a totally harmless Giant Ichneumon.
Surely, thousands of needless accidents occur, perhaps even
daily, because of the fear generated by arthropod encounters.
We are also amused as we toyed with the idea of having homemade
soaps with plastic insects imbedded inside made available
on our giftshop page.
Cicada Killer Wasp killed unnecessarily and possible
Diabetes Diagnosis (read on)
(07/04/2006) Cicada Killer Wasp
I live in Carrollton Texas , a suburb of Dallas . In June
every year I see Cicada Nymph shells everywhere in my yard
and attached to my house and the adults singing to find mates
are thoroughly annoying and even though Cicada's are not dangerous
no one wants them flying near them making that noise . This
Cicada wasp had a borough right next to my house in the edge
of the grass and the driveway , too close for compfort . I
saw her dragging a Cicada into her burrow and it was pretty
creepy looking . These wasps fly way to close to people and
with their four wings can hover like a dragonfly . They are
scary and I wish the Cicada's and the Wasps would find another
place to live . Periodical Cinada's are only supposed to come
every 13 years but of course we have to have the annual variety
so the wasps are here to stay . If they are hunting Cicada's
, why are they flying into my garage and way too close to
me ?
Chris from Carrollton
Happy Independence Day Chris,
Sadly, we don't know why the Cicada Killers are flying into
your garage. We feel compelled to preach a bit of tolerance
here in light of the unnecessary carnage depicted in your
photo. Try to remember both the Cicadas and the Cicada Killer
Wasps were in Texas long before either you or your ancestors.
Independance is not about global domination, but about peaceful
cohabitation.
Oh , and I forgot to tell you I stepped on a Fire Ant Too
! No really I had no idea what the wasp was until I spent
a while investigating and ended up on your site . I also have
to tell you that all my life wasps and bees have been attracted
to me like a magnet and if 10 people were standing in a row
the Bumble Bee would fly right at me and leave all the others
alone . I once was tormented by four Dragonflies mowing the
yard so bad I had to go inside and wait for 20 minutes and
they were still waiting for me . Now I'm older and these sort
of things don't happen as often and I try to investigate the
bugs and catapillars eating my garden but I'm still leary
about anything with a stinger like the Scorpion I found walking
across the living room floor under the blanket my dog was
napping on . I now understand benificial bugs and what the
world would be missing without them but I thought the wasp
was a huge Hornet with too much bold curiosity . Now I know
what they are and I promise to attempt to tolerate them especially
since they kill those noisy irritating Cicadas . And please
write back just one more time because you are so well spoken
and your witt is so very entertaining.
Chris
Hi again Chris,
We should probably clarify that there are limits to our tolerance.
We draw the line at invasive species. The Fire Ant is an introduced
species, believed to have been "imported" from South America
to Mobile Alabama in the 1930s via a cargo ship. Here in Los
Angeles, we have our own imported ant, the Argentine Sugar
Ant. We will wage war on Argentine Sugar Ants and the only
time we ever use pesticides is when armies of Sugar Ants invade
the kitchen or bathroom. Once they tried to carry off the
turkey after Thanksgiving.
Regarding your being a magnet for stinging insects, and this
is not a joke, perhaps it is your brand of antiperspirant
or cologne. Stinging insects are often nectar and pollen feeders
and might be attracted to certain ingredients in toiletries.
Finally, there may come a time when you are forced to welcome
the Cicadas. In the event of a global famine, if humans are
to survive, we might be forced to eat unconventional foods.
Check out our Edible Insects
page to see some possibilities, including Cicadas.
Update (08/23/2006) Grammatical Clarification
Required
Chris from Carollton
I would love to know how Chris from Carrollton convinced four
dragonflies to mow his lawn! And may I use them when he is
finished with them? - "I once was tormented by four Dragonflies
mowing the yard..."
Ken
Update (07/17/2006)
I saw your response concerning Cicada Killer wasps:
You people make me sick. So, I am supposed to keep my kids
inside all summer or risk them getting stung by the hundreds
(yes, hundreds) of these flying around my yard. I think I
would rather KILL THEM ALL then sacrifice my 2 yr old to multiple
stings. Idiot. We, Humans, are the dominant Species, NOT the
wasps.
glimmertwin70
We are so stunned at this vehemence that we have chosen
not to respond directly.
Response to glimmertwin 70 (08/07/2006)
I'm sorry you guys have to deal with people like this, And
it shows your character for putting it on your site. I just
found your site today, And I feel it is one of the best sites
on the web today!! Thanks for the good info
Travis
Update (08/23/2006) Another response to the
verbal abuse we received!!
Response to glimmertwin70 07-07/2006
Hi, Just read your posting from glimmertwin70. Some people
really ought to give their head a shake. Talk about going
over the deep end! Where does this person get off about humans
being the dominant species. Actually it's people like this
person who is being over dramatic. We might be the dominate
species, but I would rather be in the company of nature and
the animal species for sure! Lorraine from Toronto, Ontario.
Canada.
Cheers, Lorraine
Diabetes Diagnosis?????
(08/07/2006) The bee-attractor.
I was reading regarding the person who finds bugs (specifically
bees and wasps) are disproportionately attracted to him, and
a thought occured to me. For thousands of years, one of the
tests physicians used to test for diabetes was to see whether
the subject's urine attracted ants, thus testing for the precense
of sugar in the urine. A diabetic with high blood sugar will
also have a very sweet breath. Is it possible the person who
wrote you is diabetic, and that the scent of sugar in his
blood and on his breath is what's fooling the bugs into thinking
he's a giant flower?
Very interesting, We are intrigued by the folk medicine
potential of Cicada Killers.
Additional Insect Support
(08/29/2006) unnecessary carnage
Dear Bugman,
Hopefully the vehement bug-hater's attitude arises from insecurity,
which can be overcome by the information and awareness you
provide. I suggest that bug-hater put nontoxic citrus-based
repellent on his/her 2-year-old, and keep the child under
closer supervision. As a mother, I can say that my sons have
benefited far more from learning about bugs than by being
"protected" from them. Bugs used to scare me, too, but killing
them seemed wrong so I'd just avoid them. That was when I
lived in Virginia, where it was much easier to avoid bugs
than it is where I live now - Florida, which is made up entirely
of bugs! Years in Florida and efforts to be more rational
have desensitized me of my fears. I'm not telling bug-hater
that I'd choose to snuggle with bugs, but respecting them
does make me feel better.
Lane
Elephant
Stag Beetel: Unnecessary Carnage
(06/13/2006) Beetle
Woke up one morning and went out to get the paper, only to
find this sucker crawling on my front porch. Fearing for my
dog's life :-), I made a snap decision and swatted it. Took
these pictures when I got home. It's a pretty specimen, and
I'm dying to know what it is. Can you help?
-j
Hello J.,
We hope "When in doubt, Kill" is not a motto you live by.
In the interest of education, we feel compelled to lecture
you on this textbook Unnecessary Carnage. The Elephant Stag
Beetle is an elegant insect and not at all harmful despite
its fierce appearance. Your photo has saddened us.
Whipscorpion
(05/01/2006) Is this a scorpion?
Dear Bugman,
I live in central Thailand, and I just killed this thing in
my bathroom last night. Is this a real scorpion? A friend
just refered me to your site, and I think it might be a tailless
whipscorpion. The body of this one was about 2-3 inches long,
but we killed a little one a couple weeks ago that was probably
only a centimeter long.
Thanks,
Kristen
Hi Kristen,
This is not a Tailless Whipscorpion, since it has a tail.
It is a Whipscorpion in the order Uropygi. They have a long
whiplike tail instead of a stinger. They have no venom so
are not harmful to people. We have a single species in the
U.S. that is known as a Vinegarone. Most species in this order
can secrete acetic acid, the mild acid found in vinegar, and
this lead to the common name. Since they ravenously eat cockroaches
and other insects, they are beneficial, and your killing spree
amounts to Unnecessary
Carnage.
Earwigs:
Dead of unknown causes
Unidentified Beetle??
Hi,
I need help identifying this beetle. I looked through the
beetles on your site and couldn't find one quite like this
one. I started seeing larvae in our bedroom in late September.
(About the time my antique bedroom suite came back from being
refinished and stored in a warehouse. I was worried that they
came with the bed.) The larvae looked similar to carpet beetle
larvae. In fact the people who came to spray suggested that
is what they were. Then they started to get larger. They are
now crawling around the house. (They are not in any cabinets.)
We had them come spray again and they could not identify the
bug. We clean and vacuum all the time and they seem to keep
coming back. Can you help us identify the bug so that we get
rid of it? We live in a rural area near Memphis, Tennessee.
The bug varies in size from .5 centimeter to 1.5 centimeters.
The legs have are brown and varied. Please help! My son will
be crawling soon and I want these critters gone!
Thanks!
Laura
Hi Laura,
The insects in your photo are Earwigs, not Beetles. They often
enter homes, being attracted to lights, but they are basically
harmless. The pincers can give a slight nip, but really can't
break the skin. According to Eric Eaton, they are Ring Legged
Earwigs.
WTB? is Chastised!!!
(05/06/2006) earwig carnage answer
Mr. Bugman,
I am almost totally impressed by your site and your knowledge.
Way cool nonetheless. "Almost" because I'm a bit disappointed
by your answer to the person in Tennessee who hired a pest
sprayer who couldn't even identify an earwig (not high standards
there fer sure). It seemed like a teaching moment, especially
since she was more concerned about the presence of a harmless
insect than the fact that she is spraying her house needlessly
with a baby around. And she shouldn't be hiring a total ignoramous
to deal with her bug issues. Or maybe the carpet bug ID was
a deliberate ruse to encourage her to spray.
Dave Tamayo
Sacramento, CA
Botany Bay Weevil: POISONED and survived!!!!
(12/22/2005) Fluoro green bug from Australia, or is it?
Attached to this email is a photo of an unidentified insect
beside some coins for size reference. I found this bug below
my sink. I am from the south east coast of Australia and I
am curious to know:
1. Is this insect venomous/dangerous (stings, itches, etc,
possible cause of bed bugs? If so... Its a wonder I haven't
missed them the first time!). As you can see by the pics its
is fluoro green in color with black spots. Perhaps like many
of the insect life on the Australian east coast, maybe its
one of those insects that have this black spotty coat to warn
predators of itself? Would slightly than normal summer temperatures
be bringing this insect to our doorstep, or would any of the
garden plants we have here in our backyard be attracting it?
The temperatures we have been experiencing recently have reached
around 100 degrees Fahrenheit (30+ degrees Celsius) you see.
2. Is it an Australian native insect? If it isn't I will strongly
consider destroying it, seeing that native flora and fauna
has enough trouble trying to cope with many introduced species,
and finally... 3. ...why are it's legs still slowly moving!?
We have recently scattered some insect poison around the toilet
floor to kill some roaches. This insect seemed to have been
affected, as it seemed lifeless, at first. It seems though
to be sort of waking up, as if it was recovering from a hangover
or something! (yipes!)
Please respond when you can.
Regards,
Joe Baez
 
Hi Joe,
This is a Botany Bay Weevil which we located on an Australian
Beetle Site. According to the site: "the Botany Bay weevil
Chrysolopus spectabilis - up to 25 mm long - is active at
this time of the year feeding on acacias. Despite the name,
it lives right throughout south east Australia. The Botany
Bay Weevil, was one of the first Australian insects to be
described from material collected in 1770 by Joseph Banks,
a naturalist who landed at Botany Bay with Captain Cook."
So it does not sting or bite. It is native. The acacias are
attracting it and we have no comment on poison.
To whom it may concern at WhatsThatBug.
My father and I have set the Botany Bay weevil free. As soon
as took it out of the pouch i was keeping it in, it wiggled
all its limbs and slowly crawled away! Talk about a miracle
of Christmas! :-D Thanks heaps for the advice, and I'll be
sure to refer your site to others.
Regards,
Joe Baez.
Weta
Carnage in Australia
(12/21/2005)Scary Australian bug
Hi,
I saw your site listed as a Bonzer site on This Is True a
little while back. When my wife found this terrifying bug
last night, I immediately thought of you in trying to identify
it. My wife went to the loo last night and saw this thing
sitting on the top of the doorframe. She exited as quickly
as possible and called me. After about ten minutes of spirited
discussion we summoned up the courage (and tools) necessary
to approach it. I took the first photo after we'd managed
to knock it on to the toilet floor. After that I took it outside,
emptied it from the container we'd captured it in and executed
it. I took the second photo this afternoon, just so that you
could see the bottom of this creature in case it helps with
identification. I've failed to identify it from anything I
could see on your website. I had a look on BugGuide, and I'm
*guessing* that it fits in the subclass Apterygota. I live
in Lauderdale, Tasmania, Australia. The bug is roughly 4cm
from the head to the end of its abdomen, and the terrifying
spike thing on the back adds almost another 2cm. I'm not sure
whether I want you to tell me that it's dangerous, and that
I'm therefore justified in killing it, or that it's harmless
so I can sleep at night without worrying that more will turn
up. We found a dried up husk on our front porch which obviously
belonged to one of these, so we know there are more around.
Anyway, I hope you like the pictures, and I hope you can tell
me what it is!
Yours,
John
 
Hi John,
We can assure you this gal was perfectly harmless. It looks
to us like a Weta, a primitive Orthopteran that is endangered
in New Zealand. There are close relatives in South Africa
and Australia, and the North American relatives are the Potato
Bugs. In New Zealand, the Giant Wetas can grow to 8 inches.
Here is the Wikipedia
page with more information.
Mashed
Potato Bug
(12/14/2005) Note from bug central
Daniel,
First of all, I apologize for the first photo I send you being
of carnage. Yesterday my sister, who lives in San Rafael,
CA, eMailed me and mentioned she had murdered a 3 inch long
termite in her garage the evening before. I am not a bug expert,
but I quickly told her it wasn't a termite, ha ha! Meanwhile
I visited your website to quickly compare visually what her
bug may have been with what I would picture my sister thinking
would be a gigantic termite. After seeing the Potato Bug I
knew right away this was her bug. After finding out that she
performed this act by dropping a brick from waist high, wearing
knee high rain boots while her husband protected their family
dogs from this horrible monster!...I broke the news as to
what kind of bug it probably was. I gave her the link to your
Cricket pages and she thought I may be correct. I told her
next time to make sure she gets a photo of the bug, preferrably
alive. Just as I told her this, she went to the outside trash
can and believe it or not found the bug right on top of everything.
She snapped a photo and proved to both of us her giant termite
was indeed a Potato Bug or Jerusalem Cricket. I promise the
next photo(s) I send you will not be of carnage. I just had
to send this one.
Great site, thanks.
Bald John of Tucson
Hi Bald John of Tucson,
While we feel sorry for the poor Mashed Potato Bug, we can't
help but chuckle at your colorful story. We wish there was
a photo of your brick wielding sister in her boots with the
cowering husband and dogs, preferably from the Potato Bugs
point of view. A dramatic recreation is in order.
Oil
Beetle: Exterminated ???
(12/05/2005) oil beetle
my boss [runs a tree-trimming, spraying etc company] found
a bug ... i've attached a photo - not the best photo
= i took it. do you think it is an "oil beetle"?
we are located in stockton new jersey, but do tree work in
new jersey and pennsylvania, so is it possible that oil beetles
are in our area?
thanks for your help?
lynnie
Hi Lynnie,
Yes, this is an Oil Beetle. They are also known as Short Winged
Blister Beetles and are in the genus Meloe. They are found
in your area. According to the Audubon Guide: "If disturbed,
this beetle feigns death by falling on its side. Leg joints
exude droplets of liquid that cause blisters." We are hoping
your photo shows this feigning death behavior and is not the
result of extermination.
House
Centipede
(11/15/2005) Monster in my bathtub!
I found this freaky creature in my tub on November 15th 2005.
I live in Redlands, California which is located in
the southern part of the state. It had tenticles out
either end and has stripes going lengthwise down it's body.
It had many legs, I'd say about 11 or 12 legs on each side.
It was about 2 inches in length total from antenna to
antenna. I think I have possibly seen relatives of this
bug in my toilet when I've come home from vacation, but I
could be wrong.
Christina Coffield
Hi Christina,
Somehow, we don't think your House Centipede died of natural
causes. We do find the Disney ruler somewhat amusing.
Mashed
Potato Bug
(11/10/2005) Any idea about this spider like creature
Hello again,
My name is Susan and I recently sent you a message about a
garden orb spider. Thank you again, for your research.
The attached photos were taken in Long Beach, CA at a
horse barn. I accidentally found him under a patch of
hay that had been tossed out of a stall. I went to pick
up the hay, and this thing touched my finger and very much
surprised me. After we kind of mushed it, I decided
to take the attached photos in hopes that you might be able
to help me determine what it is. I'm only guessing that
it might be of the crab spider family.
Hope to hear from you,
Susan
Torrance, CA
Hi Susan,
We haven't had a posting on the Unnecessary Carnage page of
our site in a month. Your Mashed Potato Bug is also called
a Jerusalem Cricket. We get 100's of letters per year with
requests for their identification. They are harmless, but
people fear them and are grossed out by their appearance.
We at What's That Bug? are much more grossed out by the gore.
House
Centipede: dead by unknown causes
(11/10/2005) Can You tell me is this ....... Hi
My Name is Osiris and I live in NY and live in ah private
home recently I have been spotting and killing ah type of
bug of which I find very repulsive because it has very
long legs and 3 tails on both sides, I have found then in
my basement near de boiler room and also in between doorways.
I have killed about 6 of them and of which 4 were very
big like about ah inch long and the rest were half inch non
the les I found something similar to it called ah silver
fish but as I see the pictures it does not exactly look like
the ones in my house. I hope you can tell what kind
of bug it is I took some pictures of it.
Hi Osiris,
House Centipedes are your friends. They will kill and eat
Roaches.
Unnecessary
Slaughter of an American Cockroach or
Pondering the Meaning of Life!!!
(10/15/2005) Cockroaches will definetly outlive humans.
I found a large American Cockroach in my bedroom, as they
tend to freak me out, I grabbed a large knife from my
dresser and sliced it alongside the upper abdomen. Both
parts continued to move. It laid still for a moment,
but when I went to pick it up, the body made a run for it.
It ran about 5 feet and stopped. I picked it up again and
put it on my dresser, with the head. The head was moving
it's mouth and little mandible things quickly, it looked very
mad. I took pictures of it, and a video so I could prove
it was still moving. Then I started to feel bad for
it and cut it's head from it's abdomen, thinking that would
surely do it in. Of course it didn't, because apparently the
brain doesn't have much to do with it. I packed it into
a plastic bag, went on the internet to investigate (make sure
it was really a cockroach). I found your site. Now,
I read the cockroach page, the unnecessary carnage page, and
the bug love page. I felt much worse for killing it.
Then I got up to get a soda, walking past the plastic bag
I noticed the one of the cockroach's legs is still moving.
It's been at least 30 minutes now since I first killed it.
Is this normal? I think I may have some super cockroach
strain. I know the praying mantis males compulate without
their heads, but how long can an insect go without a head?
Patrick
Hi Patrick,
I'm not sure I can answer your question accurately. Death
of the Cockroach is imminent. The exact moment of death in
any being is definitely a hot topic worth debating, and science
and religion are often at odds. Chickens run about without
heads but that is usually a matter of seconds or minutes at
most. I think the Cockroach accomplished quite a feat by provoking
both your sorrow, your pondering and your subsequent webwearch.
We believe much of what you observed was reflex reaction.
Our question to you is "What is a large knife doing on your
bedroom dresser?"
Update (02/06/2006)
Hey Guys!
This is just a comment for the carny page. The decapetated
roach that was still moving after 30 mins is quite normal.
I read once that a roach is able to live
for 7 days without a head and will thus eventually die
of hunger. This was proven with a test I did, my headless
roach lasted 5 days. I think the 30 min roach didn't make
it for that long cause of the fact that the knife took more
that just the head. I'll see if I can find the articel for
you again. Nways, Great Site! Love it!
Hardus Swanepoel
False
Bombadier Beetle Impailed
(10/01/2005) Beetle Ant?
Dear, Whats That Bug,
Hello, my name is Joshua and I need some help identifying
this bug. It looks like it is half beetle, half ant,
and is about an inch and a quarter long. I live in Huntsville,
Alabama attached are some pictures that i took of the bug.
Note: The large yellow spot is part of the pin I used
to hold the bug.
Hi Joshua,
We feel the pain being endured by the poor impailed False
Bombadier Beetle, genus Galerita. These are Ground Beetles
and they are predatory. They are not at all harmful to you
or your pets or your lovely beige carpet.
Smooshed
Potato Bug
(09/08/2005) Hold your stomach.
I have NO clue as to what kind of bug this is. I searched
your site and there is nothing there. I Googled without
luck. I'm sending a picture (I guess this will end up
in your Carnage section....sorry) hopefully you can identify.
The bug was about 4 inches long I'm in Nevada, Reno.
I have never seen this bug before. Any ideas?
Thanks for your help.
Teri D.
Hi Teri,
Your poor smooshed Potato Bug or Jerusalem Cricket could easily
be the poster child for our Unnecessary Carnage page.
Giant
Ichneumon Swatted with a Broom!!!
(08/15/2005) is this a Pigeon Horntails, Tremex columba???
This thing came flying in my house this morning and scared
me and my dog! i grabbed the broom and killed it! then brought
it to work to see if anyone had see anything like it before.
no one had a clue. so i googled and found your website and
after looking around the site, i'm guessing it's a Pigeon
Horntails, Tremex columba? can you confirm that? I live
about 30 miles north of Houston in The Woodlands, Texas and
I have never seen anything like it. Please let me know your
thoughts.
Thanks, Jeanie
Hi Jeanie,
While we understand how that long ovipositor can be off-putting,
the Giant Ichneumon, Megarhyssa atrata, is harmless to humans.
She uses the ovipositor to deposit her eggs in the burrows
of wood boring insects, the larval food source. With all the
recent publicity about Asian Longhorn Beetles possibly decimating
our forests after arriving in this country in wood palettes,
the Giant Ichneumons might be our only salvation. I guess
your specimen will not be providing any future generations
of pest control.
Flattened
Wheel Bug
(08/10/2005) big strange bug
First I am very sorry but I do not like bugs. I am honestly
afraid of them. They give me the chills. I found
this crazy bug on the top of my chair. It looks like
a saw on its back and honestly a little prehistoric. It
resembles some sort of stink bug. It is rather large.
Atleast on my bug standards. lol Thought you may know
what it is.
Thanks,
Michelle
Hi Michelle,
Your poor flattened Wheel Bug was a beneficial predator in
your garden before meeting with an untimely demise. In your
defense, they will bite painfully if provoked.
The
Cat Did It!!!
(08/09/2005) "Carnage" for your site
Hi there,
Thanks for your informative site, which I found when trying
to ID an
insect shell we found on our fencepost. It was a Cicada, and
your site was the best information I found on the web, leaving
no question that I'd gotten the right answer. Then I was pulled
into looking at all the photos and reading about all the bugs.
Fascinating! Attached is a photo for your "Carnage"
page, and it leads me to a question you may not be able to
answer because it's about a cat. We live in an old house and
have always had an ample supply of House Centipedes in our
basement. When we got a cat, our Centipede population dwindled
remarkably. The thing is, though, the cat doesn't just squash
the Centipedes, and she doesn't eat them. She pulls off their
many, many legs and leaves the bodies and antennas behind!
She's incredibly neat about it, clearing all the legs (on
the attached photo she happened to leave one behind, which
is unusual) without marring the body or disconnecting the
antennas. Is this typical cat behavior, or do we have a psycho-kitty
on our hands? Should we sleep with one eye open?
Tammy
Minneapolis, MN
Hi Tammy,
I was very off-put by your subject heading and have been avoiding
opening your letter. I was pleasantly surprised that some
bug hater hadn't squashed some poor critter just to get the
image posted online. We are not the best choice for advice
on normal cat behavior since our own Mathilda is the most
neurotic cat on the planet, and the little monster brought
two mice into the house this week and bit off their heads.
Swatted
Robber Fly
(07/23/2005) We had this flying around our work and finally
killed it. What in the world is it?
Poor Dead Robber Fly. This is a beneficial insect that
often kills and eats other pestiferous flies.
Cicada
Killer Killed!!!
(07/19/2005) Question
I know these pictures are not the greatest but it’s
the best I could do at the time. This is what I know to date:
I live in Detroit, MI. I have seen about 5 of these in our
area. I have lived in MI my entire life 45 years and in this
house location for 10 years and I have never seen one of these
bugs or their tunnels in the area. They tunnel in the dirt
that is between the sidewalk and the grass. Their tunnels
seem to always be on a 45 degree angle through the dirt. They
mound the dirt up outside the tunnel, it’s a huge mound
about as big as my shoe. Could you please help in identifying
this creature? Thanks for your help.
Byron E. Freshwater
Hi Byron,
I hope this Cicada Killer met a death by natural causes. The
Cicada Killer, Sphecius speciosus, is a large solitary wasp.
A female digs a burrow and provisions it with cicadas. The
cicadas are often larger than the Cicada Killer. She stings
the cicada oftne in a tree, and then flies down toward her
nest while carrying the large cicada. If she does not reach
the burrow, she climbs another tree lugging the cicada and
then attemps again to fly to the burrow. The cicada is only
paralyzed by the wasp and once the cicada is buried an egg
is layed. When the larva hatches, it feeds on the still living
cicada, a source of fresh meat. I would guess that an unusually
large population of cicadas in your area this year is also
responsible for the increased numbers of Cicada Killers.
Caterpillar Hunter Larva: Stop the Carnage
(07/16/2005) PLEASE help! Please identify this bug.
Dear Bugman,
I found two of these so far. I think it is a beetle
larva. Not sure if it is or not, and if so not sure what kind
it is at all. They have six legs up front that seem
short and it has VERY strong pincers up front/mouth area.
The first one bit/pinched a plastic fork pretty good as I
tried to pick it up to inspect, and the second one bit/pinched
my dog on the tongue when he picked it up with his mouth.
They are shiny black on the back and a grayish white color
on the complete underside. PLEASE see attached photos. I am
asking because I have disposed of both of them and do not
want to kill a non destructive insect.
Thanks you for your time!!
Matt A.
Hi Matt,
Stop the Carnage. This is the larva of a Caterpillar Hunter,
Calosoma scrutator, one of the larger Ground Beetles. Both
the beautiful green adult and the larvae devour quantities
of harmful insects, including the introduced pestilence, the
Gypsy Moth.
Sugar
Maple Borer
(07/15/2005) Bug
Found this bug on the dock at our family cottage near Bancroft
Ontario. Any ideas?
Oh, the carnage. This is a Sugar Maple Borer, Glycobius
speciosus. This beautiful beetle lays eggs in the bark crevices
of hard maples and the larvae mine between the bark and the
wood.
Information
Came Too Late!!
(06/30/2005) red legged purseweb
Great site!!! Thanks for helping me to identify this scary
looking spider. Since your '03 description says this spider
is very rare, I figured I'd let you know that they seem to
like my yard... We live in Atlanta, GA - in Buckhead to be
precise, very close to high rise buildings in an old residential
neighborhood. I saw one of these spiders last year, but my
baby-sitter squashed it beyond recognition, so I couldn't
really tell what it was. I saw another 2 days ago crawling
VERY fast near my trash bins. And, today, one was right up
next to the house, crawling right towards me and the girls. Sorry,
I squished it. But, with the killed picture and memory, it
was definitely the 'red legged purseweb'. I'll keep an eye
out for the webs. Is it still endangered?? I'll try not to
stomp so quickly in the future.
Margaret
Hi Margaret,
We have gotten numerous letters in the past week with Red
Legged Purseweb Spider sitings. Guess they are making a comeback.
Mole Cricket
(05/08/2005) Interesting one...
Hey "Bugman",
I must tell you that I was pretty surprised (And happy) to
find a site where I could just send a picture of this interesting
bug I just found, and someone would identify it for me.
I'm not naturally particularly interested in bugs, but this
site is still going on my "Favorites" list.
Anyhow, I live in South Carolina, and last night I saw this
interesting looking bug, about 1.5'' long running around on
the sidewalk. I went to push it with the side of my
foot into the middle of the sidewalk so I could see it better,
but I accidentally squished it's abdomen, and to my surpise
it made a loud popping sound, just like those little white
paper things that pop when you throw them on the ground (That
you can get around 4th of July, usually...I hope you know
what I'm talking about). Well, when I realized that
it had something that looked quite a bit like claws, I decided
I had to find out what it is. Here are a couple of pictures
of it. Thanks for your time.
Gabriel
 
Hi Gabriel,
You accidentally trampled a Mole Cricket, Family Gryllotalpidae.
These insects are usually found burrowing in the ground. Some
species can fly.
House
Centipede
(04/08/2005) What's this bug?
We sprayed our basement last night and this morning found
this, probably dead...I haven't checked...laying on my daughter's
play mats so I'd like to know what it is, and if it's dangerous. Thanks! I
have more pictures if needed. The bug is approximately
2 1/2 inches long, not including legs.
Cathie
"Mushroom Fluff!"
Hi Cathie,
The poor dead House Centipede is harmless to you and your
daughter, though when they rapidly dart across the room, usually
at night, they often startle people who tend to fear them.
They are common enough in homes where they eagerly dispatch
other unwanted household intruders by devouring them. They
feast on roaches, flies, spiders and many other small invertebrates.
Dead
House Centipede
(02/13/2005) Rude Bug
Heyas!
I have seen several of these little creepy things. I live
in Houston, TX right next to a bayou and have all kinds of
bugs dropping by for tea. This one gave me a dirty look (and
I think a middle finger). My brother says he thinks it is
a silverfish but I think it might be a type of centipede.
Either way, it was rather rude! Any idea what it is?
Thanks,
Sarah
Hi Sarah,
Poor, harmless, dead House Centipede never did anything to
harm anyone.
Dead
Camel Cricket
(10/15/2004) Hi there!
I just killed this bug in my office (sorry, I know that is
bad), and I just saw another one hopping around...
Poor dead Camel Cricket.
Oil
Beetles mashed in the heat of passion
(10/13/2004) 2 Shiny Black Bugs (Pic included)
Dear Bugman,
Before you view the picture...I have to apologize. I fear
I did not see them till it was too late. On top of that...it
looks like they were enjoying one of the finer things in life
right before I took it. I am really sorry. But I'm still curios
as to what they are. I'm 25, and have lived in Pennsauken
all my life, but never seen anything like them.
They have what seem to be wings (or maybey they're just the
shell covering the real wings)...a shiny black carapace with
a hint of turquois. Their Antennae are segmented. (I know
there is a significant difference between Segmented and smooth
antenna...but I forgot what) I didn't get a frontal shot...
But their mouth-parts didn't have any substantial mandibles.
The mouth-parts resembled that of a common grasshopper...for
lack of appropriate term. This picture was taken in Pennsauken,
New Jersey...about a 20 min drive from Philadelphia, PA. Again,
I apologize for their demise. It was not intentional. Hope
you can shed a little light on it.
Thanks in advance,
Russ
Hi Russ,
You have an awesome photo of a pair of Oil Beetles who met
a tragic end while procreating. Another common name is Short
Winged Blister Beetle, Meloe angusticollis. The beetle is
found in Southern Canada and the Northern United States. It
is usually found in crop fields and meadows where it eats
herbaceous foliage being particularly fond of potatoes. If
disturbed, the beetle feigns death by falling on its side.
The leg joints exude droplets of liquid that cause blisters.
Squashed
Fishing Spider
(09/05/2004) Wondering
I found your website after finding and killing this wonder
in my yard. The body is almost an inch long and the
legs are just over an inch long. His smaller top part of his
body reminds me of a crab as you can see it's a little flatter.
I'm in North west Georgia and found him on the side of my
house. I found no web near him. I was petrified
at first then after finding your site I feel bad that it might
be perfectly harmless. Please let me know in case I
come across more then I can be more informed.
Big doesn't necessarily mean bad.
Thanks,
Annette Fox
Hi Annette,
Yes, big does not mean bad. You have squashed what appears
to be a Whitish Dolomedes, Doloemedes albinus, or possibly
a color variation on one of the other Dolomedes. These are
sometimes called Fishing Spiders or Nursery Web Spiders. They
will not harm you. They do not build webs to capture prey,
just to lay eggs.
Dead
House Centipede
(08/11/2004) What in the world is this thing?
Hello! I hope you'll be able to help me out here.
A friend of mine took a picture of this...insect in her basement,
and from the description and the photograph (link included
in this message) it looks to be some sort of caterpillar.
Of course, that is a maybe. I've never seen anything
like it before and neither has anyone else I've questioned.
Location: Minnesota (St. Paul area)
Thank you for your time and patience.
Sincerely,
Michelle y. Richardson
Hi Michelle,
Sorry for the delay. I am very amused that your friend named
her poor dead House Centipede "Satan" which might explain
why it is dead. They are harmless, though they often startle
people when they run across a floor at night. They are very
fast, but will kill and eat spiders and cockroaches and other
undesireable household intruders.
(05/06/2004)
Caterpillar Hunter
Hi, Bugman. I love your site, although I'm glad I don't have
any of those bugs at my place! The one I found is bad enough. I
found it in my front yard in suburban Chicago. Can you ID
it?
Jerry Palm
Dear Jerry,
You have photographed a dead Caterpillar Hunter, Calosoma
scrutator, one of the Ground Beetles from the family Carabidae.
They are predaceous, feeding on insects and other small animals.
They are especially fond of caterpillars. They help to control
Gypsy Moths and Tent Caterpillars. Adults will climb trees
and they can also fly, often being attracted to lights in
the spring. They are beneficial and should not be killed.
(10/11/2003)
My wife is finding these bugs and is getting all worked up
about it. I told her it was a beetle but she is not convinced.
Poor squalshed thing. It is a member of the Beetle
Family Caribidae, known as Ground Beetles. They are beneficial
as they are predators of other insects and arthropods as well
as snails, bane to the home gardener. They also love eating
caterpillars and cutworms. They generally are active at night,
and will run quickly when disturbed.
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