Big Bug!

“Last week a huge coccoon got knocked out of a tree during a thunderstorm, and I brought it in. Well, the moth has emerge! It's brown, and each main wing is 3.25 inches long. The wings aren't even fully inflated yet!
The hard part will be getting it outside without hurting it and without the cats noticing.”

“Okay, it's a very large Polyphemus female moth. Nice!”

“Just don't stuff it into some girl's mouth...”

“Oh ha ha.”

“NOOOOO!!! It's MOTHRA!!!

Someon call GODZILLA quick!”

“WTH IS THIS!? It is crawling around in my garden. Looks like its about an inch and a half long, has something that comes out it's butt, like a stinger, maybe? WTH is IT!!!???

”

“And I have no clue where it's sixth leg may be. I never touched it and don't plan to.”

“Looks like some type of beetle. I will pull a guide and see if I can ID it.”

“I bet it's a leaf beetle of some kind. Looks a little like the kind that is so destructive to elm trees.”

“Eyed Elator
(06/06/2004) Beetle with EYES!
Hi Daniel, We have many different beetles on our land. The one we saw today (photo attached) is by far the most interesting. The body is around 3cm long. Do you have a good online source recommendation to ID future beetles that we find? (Besides your fab site, of course!)
Thanks, Sandra



Hi Again Sandra,
We are still trying to get a positive species identification on your green horsefly. Your beetle is an Eyed Elator, Alaus oculatus. These are members of the Click Beetle family Elateridae. According to Dillon and Dillon: "If, by accident or through human agency, one of these beetles finds itself upon its back, it has a very singular method of righting itself. The body is bent upward on a loose hinge between the pro- and mesothorax. Then, with a sudden snap, it bends itself in the opposite direction with such force that the whole insect is tossed several inches into the air, turning over and over as it goes. Occasionally several trials are necessary, but it is amazing how frequently the insect will land upon its feet the first time." The "eyes" are not true eyes, but in fact markings which might startle birds or other predators into thinking the beetle was larger or fiercer than it actually is. The larvae are called wireworms. Adults are usually found beneath the bark of dead pine trees and are common in the southern states. Though we do much online searching for identification, we don't really have a beetle site we visit.
http://whatsthatbug.com/beetles2.html
Page down”

“Very cool bug!”

“Thank you! Now, how the hell did it get up here if it's found in the southwest?”

“Did you just dump woodchips in your garden?”

“We get those click beetles here too, but it sucks if a big one gets stuck in an aluminum framed window in the middle of the night. One of those trying to get loose sounds like someone's throwing rocks at your window.”

“Alaus oculatus lives primarily in the eastern United States. It has been recorded in the mid-Atlantic states, Georgia, Texas, Florida, New York, and Indiana, although it is rarely seen north of the Ohio River (Woodruff 1999).”

“http://www.flickr.com/photos/showmeeuphoria/278635073/in/photostream/

Here's a very cool mantis photo”

“HOLY COW, THAT'S AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

“Caption: "I'm thuper thankth for athking!"”

“Man! Just imagine the fish you could catch with a bug that size! Then again,it might just be the other way around!”

“Your tiger style kung fu is weak. You are no match for my mantis style.
last edited: 4/24/07 11:46:04 AM”

“LOL, it looks like he's marching in a "pride" parade”