Subject: Huge black beetle
Location: New York, US
July 9, 2014 9:25 am
Hello!
While hiking along a trail in Harriman State Park, New York, I came across this monster. It was about 2-3 inches long, and holding its rear end up in the air. It also looked extremely swollen. Any ideas as to what it could be?
Signature: Brittany

Broad Necked Root Borer

Hi Brittany,
July is the month we get the most sightings and requests for the identifications of Longicorns in the subfamily Prioninae, and your Prionid is a Broad-Necked Root Borer, Prionus laticollis.

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Subject: it’s not safe to go outside anymore
Location: Langford, British Columbia, Canada
July 14, 2014 7:10 pm
Hi Bugman,
This was taken today (June 14/2014) in Langford, BC (suburb of Victoria, BC).
It’s HUGE. A kind stranger took the photos for me because I didn’t want to get close. This was a minimum of 3 inches in length – perhaps between 3 inches and 4 inches long. There are dead ten-lined June beetles all over the garage floor (just outside of photo), and they look like ants compared to this monster.
Can you tell me what this is? Does it fly? And when do these start dying off?
I have a hard time enough coping with June Beetles….. discovering this next to my car has has challenged my very being.
Thanks.
Nicole
Signature: nicole

Possibly Female California Prionid

Dear Nicole,
While we fully understand your irrational fears, we feel compelled to try to educate about this remarkable female California Prionus, Prionus californicus.  BugGuide has a noticeable lack of images of female California Prioni, but this single image illustrating the pronounced sexual dimorphism is worth the dearth.  The female is the larger individual on the right in the bugGuide image.  You don’t really need to fear California Prionids, but we would caution you to refrain from handling them with anything less than the utmost care as they have powerful mandibles needed to chew their way quickly out of the trunks and roots they have been feeding within as grubs.  They fly for a maximum six week period in the summer during which time the male’s only interest is finding a female and the female’s only interest is to deposit eggs on a suitable larval food source.  They will not attack you.

The post Root Borer terrorizes Canadienne appeared first on What's That Bug?.

Subject: Broad Necked Root Borer?
Location: Doylestown, PA
July 16, 2014 8:07 am
Hello! Love your site!
My co-worker and I found this beetle on one of Heritage Conservancy’s preserved properties in Doylestown, PA! It totally caught me be surprise as I’ve never seen a beetle so large.
It was located in a garden bed under some maple trees – a large, very shaded, and mulched bed with some skip laurel and other shrubs scattered around. After a little photo session, we returned it back to where we found it.
It has mandibles but the coloring looks similar to the female photos you have featured here, so i’m trying to confirm species as well as male or female. If it’s a male – I can’t imagine what the female must look like!
Thank you so much for any info and keep up the good work!
Signature: Erin H

Broad-Necked Root Borer

Hi Erin,
We concur that this is a female Broad-Necked Root Borer.  Male Broad-Necked Root Borers have much more developed antennae.

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Subject: American Cockroach Poser
Location: Dobbs Ferry, New York
July 15, 2014 6:56 pm
Hi!
So the other night (low 80 degree night, pretty humid, on July 14th) I was sleeping in my basement when I woke up to an insect crawling over my face and on my body. I proceeded to jump out of bed, scream and run to my couch (I’m not a huge bug fan) about 30 seconds later the bug crawled across the bed and took flight (clumsy flight) towards a different part of the room. We’ve been living in Westchester, NY (about 17 miles north of new york city) for over 17 years and have never seen a cockroach, our basement is pretty dry as far as basements go and we keep it pretty clean, however, there are a number of american cockroaches in my local middle and high school. When inspecting the bug after we had caught it a day later I noticed its antennae did not match the american cockroach. Is this a beetle? Or possibly another species of bug? I’m extremely curious and confused, any information would be greatly appreciated.
Signature: Clara Winder

Brown Prionid

Dear Clara,
This impressive beetle is a Brown Prionid.  Though they are not considered dangerous, they have strong mandibles that may give a painful bite, possibly even drawing blood, if they are carelessly handled.

The post Brown Prionid appeared first on What's That Bug?.

Subject: Not sure what this is
Location: Tacoma, WA
July 18, 2014 6:06 pm
I found this beetle early one morning. I thought it was a root beetle but the antennea were diffrent. It was bigger than my thumb and had wings. I collected it and put it in a glass bowl with a wet papertowel as I had to leave town for a couple of days. My wife was scared of it and had to let it go before I could take more pictures of it.
Signature: Steve

Ponderous Borer

Hi Steve,
Your image is not very sharp, but this appears to be a Ponderous Borer, Trichocnemis spiculatus, a member of the subfamily Prioninae that includes the Root Borers.  See BugGuide for additional images of the Ponderous Borer.

The post Ponderous Borer appeared first on What's That Bug?.

Subject: Ash borer?
Location: Cook County, IL
July 20, 2014 8:34 am
Hi bugmen and bugwomen,
I took this photo of an insect sunning itself on the side of my house. I searched your files and online.
the closest I could narrow the ID was to the BANDED ASH BORER beetle, but all the photos I found lacked yellow stripes across the thorax. Otherwise, it seems to be a close match.
is this a banded ash borer, or perhaps a relative?
We have been losing trees in the Chicagoland (IL) area at an alarming pace. (mostly elms and ash), and work crews were in my neighborhood felling diseased trees last week.
My guess is this bug is in the process or relocating to new food source.
Many thanks for all you do.
Signature: Jill A

Neoclytus scutellaris

Dear Jill,
You are quite astute to observe the similarities between your insect and the Banded Ash Borer, Neoclytus caprea, since they are in the same genus.  According to BugGuide, there are 25 members in the genus Neoclytus in North America, and many look quite similar, probably requiring the actual examination of the specimen by an expert in the family Cerambycidae to determine the actual identity.  Based on the striping pattern on the thorax and head, we believe your individual is Neoclytus scutellaris, based on its similarity to this individual posted to BugGuide.  The species has no common name, and according to BugGuide:  “Larvae feed in sapwood of (dead?) oaks, hickories, also grape.”  It is also worth noting that adults do not feed on wood, and they are most commonly found taking nectar from flowers, sap, fruit and other sweet substances.

The post Longhorn: Neoclytus scutellaris appeared first on What's That Bug?.

Subject: Dull green (beetle?) with spots
Location: Montreal, QC
July 20, 2014 4:13 pm
Hello, we were intrigued by this bug spotted on our cedar tree. We wondered what it might be. It’s about an inch long, it’s a dull olive green and has four faint black spots.
We think it’s a beetle because of the elytra?
Cheers and thank you!
Signature: Snowpea

Longicorn

Dear Snowpea,
This is a Longhorned Borer Beetle or Longicorn in the family Cerambycidae.  We will attempt to determine a species for you.

Longicorn

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Subject: Confused Californian
Location: Stream in Northern Sierra Nevada Mountains
July 21, 2014 10:17 pm
Hello!
I found this guy on a dry rock in a small stream in the far northern Sierra Nevada mountain range. One of my friends said it looked like a “cross between a bee and a long horned beetle.” then he quipped that was not possible. I was surprised as he is hard to stump!
Signature: S. Dykstra

Lion Beetle

Dear S. Dykstra,
When we first received some excellent images of a Lion Beetle, Ulochaetes leoninus, in 2009, we were quite confused and amazed ourselves.  BugGuide now has many more images of this unusual Cerambycid, but there is still no information posted on the Info page.  According to the Introduction to California Beetles by Arthur V. Evans & James N. Hogue:  “The Lion Beetle … looks and behaves just like a bumblebee, even attempting to sting with its ovipositor.  When disturbed, the Lion Beetle raises its abdomen forward over its back while flapping its wings, reinforcing its bee-like appearance.”

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Subject: Huge Beetle Found! Invasive or Not?
Location: Eastern United States, DE
July 22, 2014 11:06 pm
Hello! I’ve got a bug on my hands – well, in a jar – and I don’t know what to do with it.
I have lived in this area for 20+ years and am an avid outdoorswoman. This critter was trying to get into my house through the window screen, and I’d like some expert help figuring out just what it is. Because I’ve never, ever seen it before.
This beetle is large, nearly two inches long, with a slender body about half an inch wide. It’s a rusty reddish brown color, with black mandibles and antennae about an inch long. There are no discernible markings.
I’ve confirmed that it is not a cockroach of any variety, and if it didn’t have terrifying looking mandibles I’d be picking it up to take better photos.
I’d like to know if it’s a type of boring beetle or not, so I can know if it’s invasive or not. I’ve never seen it before and it’s rather concerning to see something this…enormous on my window trying to nibble the screen.
Any info pointing me in the right direction would be awesome.
Signature: ~ Kat of the Coast

Brown Prionid

Dear Kat of the Coast,
Root Borers in the family Prioninae are quite impressive beetles and there are several native species found in Delaware, even if they have managed to avoid detection by you in the past.  This is a Brown Prionid, Orthosoma brunneum, and you are wise to avoid its mandibles.  The grubs of Root Borers live feeding on wood for several years and the mandibles of the adults need to be strong enough to chew their way to the surface once metamorphosis is complete.  We suspect this individual was attracted to light, and that is why you discovered it on your screen.  See BugGuide for additional information on the Brown Prionid.  We would urge you to release your captive Brown Prionid.

The post Brown Prionid appeared first on What's That Bug?.

Subject: beetle on screen door
Location: Princeton, NJ
July 25, 2014 7:21 pm
I found this guy hanging on my screen door in Princeton, NJ last night. Never seen one like it before! Some type of beetle, obviously. It’s about an inch and a half long, reddish-brown, with a orange stomach. Got any ideas?
Signature: Lynn

Brown Prionid

Dear Lynn,
It seems we have fielded more than the usual number of Brown Prionid, Orthosoma brunneum, identifications this summer.

The post Brown Prionid appeared first on What's That Bug?.

Subject: Beetle I think?
Location: Thunder Bay, ontario, Canada
July 25, 2014 5:08 pm
Hey there. I live in a little town in the bush in ontario and I’ve never seen one of these around. Happen to know exactly what this one is?
Signature: Vicki

Poplar Borer

We certainly do Vicki,
This is a Poplar Borer, Saperda calcarata.  According to BugGuide:  “This species is of considerable economic importance on account of its serious injury to the trunks and larger branches of poplars. These trees rarely attain any size in New York State before showing the operations of this insect, and in not a few instances very serious injury is inflicted. This applies not only to neglected trees along road sides and in forests but also to magnificent specimens grown for ornamental purposes in parks.  Professor Riley, in his early writings, states that this insect has been universally destructive to cottonwoods and poplars in the western states, and Professor Bruner, in his paper, ‘The Insect Enemies of Ornamental and Shade Trees,’ states that this borer is by far the most destructive enemy of poplars and cottonwoods in the west. He further adds that it is almost impossible to grow these trees of any size in cities and towns of Nebraska away from the friendly care of birds and parasitic insects. (Felt and Joutel, 1904).”  With that stated, it is important to understand that this is a native species, and that it does fill an important place in the web of life associated with poplar trees.

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Subject: brown beetle?
Location: currently in IL, but not where it came from
July 27, 2014 10:40 am
We just returned from a two week trip that took us through Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia, and Kentucky. It was hot and humid, with a few big storms that rolled through. When we got home, this bug was in our van. It is about two inches in length, not including the antennae, which add another inch (if pulled straight). It flies and seems attracted to light. Wondering what it is. We live in central IL and aren’t comfortable with just letting it go, without knowing if it’ll cause harm.
If we can’t let it go back into the wild, then we need to know what it is so we can care for it. Thank you!
Signature: Heather

Brown Prionid

Dear Heather,
We have received more than the usual number of Brown Prionid, Orthosoma brunneum, identification requests from eastern North America this summer.  According to BugGuide, Illinois is well within the sighting range of the species, which is native.  Local populations may vary from place to place within the range.

The post Brown Prionid appeared first on What's That Bug?.

Subject: Beetle in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
Location: Marquette County, Michigan
July 28, 2014 9:16 am
Found this beetle last week on bedrock at Wetmore Pond, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in boreal habitat. Appears to be a longhorn or some type of sawyer?
Signature: Mike Sherman

Round Headed Apple Borer

Dear Mike,
This beautiful Longicorn is a Round Headed Apple Borer, Saperda candida, and according to Arthur V. Evans in his new book Beetles of Eastern North America: “Larvae attack many deciduous hardwoods, including orchard and ornamental trees.”  According to BugGuide:  “Larvae feed on the wood of apples (Malus) and related trees in the rose family, such as pear (Pyrus), hawthorn (Crataegus), mountain ash (Sorbus) and Saskatoon (Amelanchier). Also: Aronia, Cotoneaster, Cydonia, Prunus” and “These insects seek out trees which are already weakened due to some other stress. A heavy infestation can kill a tree.”

The post Round Headed Apple Borer appeared first on What's That Bug?.

Subject: Long Horn Beetle?
Location: Massachusetts
July 28, 2014 4:35 pm
Found this outside my house and would like to know a little more about it. Bit of a Asian Longhorn beetle scare round here and I know this is not one but now my kids and I have caught the bug (pun intended) and want to know what it is.
Thanks for time!
Signature: Sean

Red Banded Pine Borer

Hi Sean,
This pretty beetle is a Red Banded Pine Borer, Stictoleptura canadensis, and according to bugGuide:  “The normal colouration of Stictoleptura c. canadensis (Olivier) is with banded antennae (male and female). Rarely the antennae are all black.… Christopher Majka, 31 January, 2013.” 

The post Red Banded Pine Borer appeared first on What's That Bug?.

Subject: Beatle identification
Location: Truckee Ca
July 29, 2014 8:57 am
Was on vacation in Truckee CA and found this large beatle under a cushion for the patio chair. It was between the size of a quarter and a fifty cent piece. Slow moving and seemed to be waiting for the morning sun. A bit of a shocker!
Signature: Warrren

Yellow Douglas Fir Borer

Hi Warrren,
This impressive beetle is a Yellow Douglas Fir Borer, Centrodera spurca, and we have sporadic sightings as postings on our site.  According to the Oregon State University Insect ID Clinic site:  “This is a common long horned beetle in the west that feeds under the bark of Douglas-fir as a larva. The black spots on the sides of the beetle distinguish it from some of the other species that occur in Oregon .”

Daniel,
Thanks for the information. So this is the Beatle that we have had trouble with killing the trees.  Right?
Warren

Hi again Warren,
You dropped an “r”.  To the best of our knowledge, the Yellow Douglas Fir Borer is not considered a significant problem regarding killing trees.

The post Yellow Douglas Fir Borer appeared first on What's That Bug?.

Subject: What is this?
Location: Central New Jersey
August 3, 2014 8:13 pm
We found this bug in our house upon returning from vacation. It was just lying on the floor in our family room. We were glad that it was already dead and we weren’t here when it entered. Neighbors have mentioned finding similar ones in the neighborhood, but no one seems to have seen them before this year. Seems to look like a lot of other beetles out there, but the tail stinger is throwing us off.
Signature: Jeanette

Brown Prionid

Hi Jeanette,
It seems like this year we have gotten a few more reports of Brown Prionids, Orthosoma brunneum, than we have in previous years, but mid summer is the peak time for sightings of this species and its relatives.  What you have mistaken for a stinger is the ovipositor of the female, an organ used to lay eggs.

The post Brown Prionid appeared first on What's That Bug?.

Subject: Please help identifying this little guy
Location: Hong Kong
August 4, 2014 5:13 am
Hi, I was riding on a train and suddenly I felt something landed on the back of my neck. I reached back and felt something like a bug sitting on my back collar.
Anyway, I waited to get off the train and took my top… and I found this little guy on my collar.
I am really curious about what this is.
I would be most grateful if you could help me identifying this little guy.
Location: Hong Kong. Time of the year: August.
Thanks!
Signature: Randy

Longicorn

Hi Randy,
This is a Longhorned Borer Beetle or Longicorn in the family Cerambycidae.  We will attempt to identify the species for you.

The post Unknown Longicorn from Hong Kong appeared first on What's That Bug?.

Subject: Unknown Beetle?
Location: Lebanon, Maine
August 4, 2014 5:43 pm
Hello, I was searching in my basement for old things and I came across this big guy. My basement is rather moist from the humidity and has a lot of old cardboard boxes around. This creature is about one inch in length excluding the antennas and looks around 2 millimeters in width. It has six legs and a nice little jaw bone look that normal beetles have. Looks along the lines of a soldier beetle but different colors. I’d appreciate it if you could help me out here. I’d be pretty freaked if it were a cockroach.
Signature: Yours truly.

Brown Prionid

Dear Yours truly,
Images of Brown Prionids, Orthosoma brunneum, like the one you submitted, continue to pour into our site for identification.  Though they are not considered dangerous, Brown Prionids, like many other members of the Longhorned Borer family Cerambycidae, have very powerful mandibles and they might draw blood from a bite if carelessly handled.

The post Brown Prionid appeared first on What's That Bug?.

Subject: Bug Picture from Oregon
Location: Oregon
August 4, 2014 10:17 pm
Dear bugman,
I love your site! A couple years ago I saw a very strange bug and sent it into this site, and got a response almost immediately (it was a dragonfly naiad), thanks!
I only have one picture of this bug. It was taken in Oregon, if that helps.
Signature: Nathaniel Clucas

Possibly Spotted Pine Sawyer

Hi Nathaniel,
This is a Longhorned Borer Beetle in the family Cerambycidae, and there isn’t enough detail in your image to be certain, but it appears it might be a Spotted Pine Sawyer, Monochamus clamator.  You can compare your individual to the images posted to BugGuide.

This is amazing thank you so much for your prompt response. You guys are truly amazing!
-Natty

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Subject: What’s this big in my kitchen?
Location: Kentucky
August 4, 2014 7:44 pm
Found this big in the kitchen, kind of pretty and quite large, but I wasn’t sure what it is.
Signature: Miri

Ivory Marked Beetle

Dear Miri,
We suspect this Ivory Marked Beetle was attracted to the light in your kitchen.

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