The "What is this bug?" thread

[Harvestman]

This flew across the road in front of us in the Ardeche a couple of years ago - at first we thought it was a small bird it was so large, approx 4 to 5 inches wingtip to antennae.

Don't know, but Egyptian grasshopper is a distinct possibility.

[Adze]

I think you've nailed it with the Egyptian grasshopper... having zoomed in pretty close on the original image the eyes are really similar, very unlike locust eyes as I recall them from school . Narrowed the date down to 2005 too... so more than a 'couple of years ago' but right inline for the locust hatch they had in the South of France. Cheers!

[Harvestman]

Had to show this, linked from elsewhere.

Trogloraptor; new sort of cave spider from caves in the US.


I like that so much!

[JonathanD]

Hey, that's nearly as cool as the new viper just found...



Particularly cool because a certain herpetological genius is part of the protection project. Which is why I've not been around as of late.

[Harvestman]

Hey, that's nearly as cool as the new viper just found...



Particularly cool because a certain herpetological genius is part of the protection project. Which is why I've not been around as of late.

Stalking him, were you?

Nice yellow snake. What is it?

Not as good as a whole new family of snakes, but hey, each to their own. That's a lovely looking best.

[JonathanD]

Google - Matilda’s Horned Viper. It was only a few seconds away from being called Deval's Viper, but the kid won out... grump grump grump.

[Harvestman]

A viper called Deval somehow seems more appropriate than a viper called Matilda.

[Harvestman]

So Jon, will you shortly be ordering you own personal needle-felted Matilda's Horned Viper?

I have to say it's inclusion on 'Endangered ugly Things' is a bit harsh though.

I wonder if they'll do me a knitted Trogloraptor...?

[JonathanD]

Yeah, you are so right!

But back to bugs....

[JonathanD]

So Jon, will you shortly be ordering you own personal needle-felted Matilda's Horned Viper?

I have to say it's inclusion on 'Endangered ugly Things' is a bit harsh though.

I wonder if they'll do me a knitted Trogloraptor...?

A knitted Trogloraptor would no doubt be offered in the future. Maybe even a female for you arachnopervs.

[HillBill]

Posted these before



The Giant house spider (Tegenaria duellica)


Cockchafer Beetle


Walnut Orb Weaver

[Harvestman]

You might, just might, want to check those picture labels again.

[HillBill]

Already did

[JonathanD]

You can get rid of cockchafers by making sure your jeans are always dry.

I remember when these were quite rare in the late eighties/early nineties and that rarity threatened the survival of Horseshoe bats. You never saw cockchafers up here at all, but now they are really common all over the place. Good news.

[Harvestman]

Thanks for the pics Hillbill.

Just to add that the spider is Tegenaria, but species is not determinable from the pic.

(and I won't bite this time about the taxonomy...)

[HillBill]

You could tell what it was when it was here in front of me. The thing must have had a 3 to 4" leg span spread out. Bigger than any other spider i have seen in the UK. It was hiding in my jacket. I put it on and it came running out of my collar. Looked the size of a small car then Did i brick it? Damn right i did for a sec lol

There was another on the cellar steps. Horizontal web, funnel ( hammock ) in the corner. I left it there to keep Rachael out of man cave sub level 1

Thanks for the pics Hillbill.

Just to add that the spider is Tegenaria, but species is not determinable from the pic.

(and I won't bite this time about the taxonomy...)

[xylaria]

Large black ground beatle with vibrant purple shine. i found the poor thing in my hair after coming back from a meet with thebushcraftforum on the edge of dartmoor, it must been in there for about two hours. It was about 2-3 cms long. It was a really pretty colour, though it did leave me rather startled when i pulled it out. Sorry no photo, after two plus hours crawling about my ginger head it was promptly put outside.

On a grosser note can anyone tell the differance between various types of ticks? I would be interested to the origin of what my ferrets pick up.

[Bowlander]

Violet ground beetle?

Id'ing ticks is tricky. My ferret had one and it was a hedgehog tick but there are loads of types.

[shortymcsteve]

Took this a few years ago and still have no idea what it is. Anyone know what this thing is?

[HillBill]

It looks like a shield bug (Pentatomoidea,) could be wrong, not the best angle.

According to wiki there are over 7000 species of them in 14 or 15 families.

[JAG009]

Took this a few years ago and still have no idea what it is. Anyone know what this thing is?

Forest Shield-bug (Pentatoma rufipes)


Jason

[Harvestman]

Forest Shield-bug (Pentatoma rufipes)


Jason

I second this identification. Thanks for helping out, Jason.

For those that don't know, the Bugs are a particular goup of insects - in fact two groups - with sucking mouthparts. They include the shield bugs, as above, leafhoppers, aphids, and Cicadas. They are one of the largest groups of insects, after the beetles.

People just tend to call anything vaguely invertebrate 'a bug'. hence the title of this thread.

[ReamviThantos]

You can get rid of cockchafers by making sure your jeans are always dry.

I remember when these were quite rare in the late eighties/early nineties and that rarity threatened the survival of Horseshoe bats. You never saw cockchafers up here at all, but now they are really common all over the place. Good news.

i'm not quite sure if you're not joking with the first part of this post (ohh a double negative now i'm confused as to what i mean also).

Harvestman re the Trogloraptor any opinion on what the palps are coming out at right angles from its fangs are, male sperm sacks?

[Mad Mike]

This one took me ages to ID last year.



and just for scale as its not very big



Have a go before checking the picture lables

Mike

[Mad Mike]

Some species are inconveniently variable





Same species do you think?

Mike

[Harvestman]

Some species are inconveniently variable





Same species do you think?

Mike

Same species indeed. Common gargen spider, Araneus didematus.

of course, not so many years ago there was considerable debate among arachnologists as to whether this was in fact a complex of several very similar species, but in the end they decided it was still just one species,

That pale specimen is one of the most extreme examples that I have ever seen. Fantastic photographs. Thanks.

[shortymcsteve]

Thanks guys! Not saw one since actually. Every time i go into the woods i always seem to find something new & im always wondering what im looking at, haha, maybe i should take more pictures! It's pretty amazing really how many things even live in your own garden, nevermind the local woods.

[Harvestman]

This one took me ages to ID last year.



and just for scale as its not very big



Have a go before checking the picture lables

Mike

I haven't peeked, and moths, especially micro moths as that looks like, are way out of my field, but based on looking it up in my book, my first guess might be Pyrausta aurata. Not completely convinced though, as the forewings don't look quite right.

[daveO]

Not the best picture for ID I'm afraid but there seem to be a lot of these in my garden this year.

[Harvestman]

Metellina spp, probably Metellina segmentata, one of the False Orb-Weavers. very common, and exceptionally variable. When I try to teach spiders to people, the Metellinas (Meta sp. if you try to look it up in most books) are the ones people have the most trouble with, even after months and seeing loads of specimens. The one in the picture, which is excellent, looks like a juvenile to me.

If you look at the very centre of their orb web, there is a hole. True orb weavers fill this hole in.