How One Entomologist Works to Bridge Molecular Mechanisms With Evolutionary Processes | Entomology Today

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Meet Amelia Lindsey, Ph.D., whose research on how the bacterium Wolbachia drives parthenogenesis in parasitoid wasps, earned her a spot in the Early Career Professional Recognition Symposium at Entomology 2021. Learn more about Lindsey and her work in the next installment of our "Standout Early Career Professionals" series.

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Muskmare and her mate

Subject:  Unidentified Insect
Geographic location of the bug:  Southern Pope County, Arkansas
Date: 09/25/2021
Time: 12:14 AM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  I saw these bugs on my doorjamb at about 8PM 9/25/21. The temperature was about 65 F/18.3 C degrees. For reference, my thumb in one picture is 3/4 inch/18mm wide. I’m in a small neighborhood built on a reclaimed swamp. Some remaining wetlands, open fields, and a small patch of woods are also nearby.
How you want your letter signed:  Miah

Muskmare and her diminutive mate

Dear Miah,
These are Striped Walkingsticks in the genus Anisomorpha, a group that are commonly called Muskmares because mated pairs, with the considerably larger female carrying her diminutive mate, resemble a horse and its rider.  Approach with caution.  Striped Walkingsticks are able to shoot a noxious substance into a predator’s eyes with amazing accuracy.

 

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Unknown Orange Katydid Nymph Found in Scotland

Subject:  Jumping bug found in my home
Geographic location of the bug:  Edinburgh, Scotland, uk
Date: 09/29/2021
Time: 01:38 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Hi!
I recently was visited by this mystery bug. I have never seen anything quite like it in the uk. I submitted it to Reddit, but the closest they got was determining that it was a Katydid Nymph. We were unable to nail exactly what it is.
How you want your letter signed:  Scott.

Katydid Nymph, but what species???

Dear Scott,
We agree with Reddit that this is a Katydid nymph, and like Reddit, we cannot make a conclusive identification.  We do not believe this is a species native to Scotland.  We will attempt to contact Piotr Naskrecki, renowned Katydid expert, to see if he can identify the species.  This would also be an unusual time of year to find a Katydid nymph of any species in Scotland as winter is approaching.  This is the time for adult Katydids in Scotland.

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Banded Orbweaver

Subject:  Siver-ish Giant Spider?
Geographic location of the bug:  Eastern Ohio
Date: 09/29/2021
Time: 03:44 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  There’s this very big scary spider outside my house, what is it?
How you want your letter signed:  Cidrew

Banded Orbweaver

Dear Cidrew,
This is a Banded Orbweaver, Argiope trifasciata, which is pictured on BugGuide.  Like other Orbweavers, they are not considered dangerous to humans.  Most Spiders have venom, and the venom is used to subdue prey, but very few Spiders have venom that is strong enough to adversely affect people.  Orbweavers rarely bite, but in the rare occasions when a bite occurs, it will only produce a localized soreness near the bite area.

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Cricket

Subject:  Weird jumping bug
Geographic location of the bug:  Phoenix arizona
Date: 09/29/2021
Time: 02:43 AM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  These hugs appeared in my back yard. They jump not fly. Worried they bite
How you want your letter signed:  Not a desert girl

Cricket

Dear Not a desert girl,
This is a Cricket.

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Why Did the Male Preying Mantis lose his Head?

Subject:  Please ID bug
Geographic location of the bug:  Long Island NY
Date: 09/26/2021
Time: 08:03 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Hi,
I found this bug dead on my porch in Long Island, NY.
It is about 2.5 inches long.
Would you please let me know what type of bug this is?
Thank you very much!
How you want your letter signed:  Jim H.

Headless male Mantis

Dear Jim,
This is the body of a male Mantis, and considering that it is well documented that the female will eat the head of the male as he is mating with her.  Once he has initiated the mating and, if he is decapitated, he no longer has the instinct to escape danger, the coupling will continue for hours or possibly days.  We have images of decapitated male California Mantids mating in our archives.  Here is another.  We cannot be certain that a female Mantis caused this, it is our best guess, though we would not want to discount that there was another cause, possibly a predator.

Dear Daniel,

Thank you so much!!!

Take care,

Jim

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Green Darner resting on Marijuana

Subject:  What’s this bug??
Geographic location of the bug:  East Los Angeles
Date: 09/28/2021
Time: 07:51 AM PDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Look at this guy! I think it’s high.
How you want your letter signed:  Fabian

Green Darner

Hey Fabian,
This awesome Dragonfly is a Green Darner.  There are many images of the male Green Darner using his anal claspers to grab the female by the neck during mating on the Natural History of Orange County website.  Dragonflies frequently rest on foliage, and your marijuana plant may have been the most convenient location for this individual to rest.  As to whether it got high, we cannot say, but we would never discount the possibility.

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What’s That Termite? Artificial Intelligence Might Have the Answer | Entomology Today

This post What’s That Termite? Artificial Intelligence Might Have the Answer appeared first on Entomology Today - Brought to you by the Entomological Society of America.

A team of researchers in Taiwan has developed software driven by machine learning to accurately identify specimens—both soldiers and workers—of four different termite species. Their goal is to enable smartphone app termite ID for pest management pros and adapt the software's use to additional species.

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Possibly Hubbard’s Small Silkmoth Caterpillar

Subject:  Caterpillar ID
Geographic location of the bug:  SW North America (AZ desert)
Date: 09/28/2021
Time: 12:11 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  We found this Sept, 27 early evening in New River, AZ (2,000 ft elevation).  I have not found anything like it in my searches.  The shiny silver barbs on its back come out when agitated.
How you want your letter signed:  DC

Possibly Hubbard’s Small Silkmoth Caterpillar

Dear DC,
This is a Silkmoth Caterpillar in the genus Syssphinx, possibly a Hubbard’s Small Silkmoth Caterpillar.  Here is a BugGuide image for comparison.

The post Possibly Hubbard’s Small Silkmoth Caterpillar appeared first on What's That Bug?.

Lace Bug on Cannabis

Subject:  Bug on Cannabis
Geographic location of the bug:  Mount Washington, Los Angeles, California
Date: 09/28/2021
Time: 02:19 PM PDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Dear Bugman,
While inspecting my maturing marijuana buds in anticipation of harvest, I noticed this solitary insect on one of my bugs.  Can you identify it for me?
How you want your letter signed:  Constant Gardener

Lace Bug

Dear Constant Gardener,
This is a Lace Bug in the family Tingidae, and according to BugGuide:  “Feed mainly on leaves of trees and shrubs, causing yellow spotting and sometimes browning and death of the leaves.”  We did find a posting on Invasive.org of a Lace Bug and eggs on marijuana, and it contains the caption:  “Adult lace bug and eggs on the underside of a hemp leaf. Note: The nymphs failed to establish on the plant. ”  The University of California Pest Management System does not mention Cannabis as a host plant.

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Immature Bush Katydid

Subject:  What’s this bug??
Geographic location of the bug:  Southern California (foothills near Los Angeles)
Date: 09/28/2021
Time: 05:25 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Hi,
I’m trying to figure out if this bug is the reason my basil appears to be suffering. I’ve never seen one before! Know what it is? Thank you!
How you want your letter signed:  Kristin

Bush Katydid Nymph

Dear Kristin,
This is an immature Bush Katydid in the genus Scudderia, and you can verify our identification on BugGuide.  Katydids will eat leaves and flowers, but they do not feed enough to defoliate the plants.  You did not describe the malady affecting your basil.  If it is chewed leaves, you can probably blame the Bush Katydid nymph.  If it is brown spots, wilting or some other malady, look elsewhere for the culprit.

Thank you, Daniel! It is chewed leaves, which is a problem since that’s what I want to chew on basil! Haha. This was very helpful, I appreciate it!
Kristin DuFresne

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Orbweaver

Subject:  Orb weaver spider
Geographic location of the bug:  Southwestern pa. South of Pittsburgh
Date: 09/28/2021
Time: 07:00 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  I love this site… Your amazing… We have had this little lady living on our front window for a whole now. We named her Muffet. I’m pretty sure it’s a furrow orb weaver… Just wanted to get your opinion. Thanks again
How you want your letter signed:  Robert

Orbweaver

Dear Robert,
Thanks so much for your kind letter.  Alas, we do not feel confident that we are able to conclusively identify your Orbweaver accurately to the species level.

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Scentless Plant Bugs on Rose of Sharon: Niesthrea louisianica

Subject:  Weird beetle?
Geographic location of the bug:  Northwest Georgia
Date: 09/29/2021
Time: 04:48 AM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  I found these weird bugs all over my rose of Sharon tree in clusters on the buds that never opened. What are they?
How you want your letter signed:  Jms

Scentless Plant Bugs: Niesthrea louisianica

Dear Jms,
These are not Beetles.  They are Scentless Plant Bugs, Niesthrea louisianica, and all of our reports are on Rose of Sharon.

The post Scentless Plant Bugs on Rose of Sharon: Niesthrea louisianica appeared first on What's That Bug?.

Unknown Thing from China

Subject:  Unidentified bug
Geographic location of the bug:  China, Hong Kong, Tseung Kwan O Village
Date: 09/29/2021
Time: 07:17 AM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  I have this huge bug, or maybe two bugs with sixteen legs in all on top of each other, rising and falling. I don’t know if the strands are cocoon silk or legs. The top has bristly hair, dark grey.
How you want your letter signed:  Ｕｎｉｄｅｎtiｆｉｅｄ　ｂｕｇ

Thing

We have no idea what this thing is, but it is not an insect.  We somehow suspect humans were involved in the creation of this thing.  Perhaps our readers will be willing to speculate on its identity, and perhaps someone with some knowledge about this thing will write in with information.  Is this thing on the wall, on the ceiling, on steps or on the floor?  The location in your image is quite ambiguous.

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Jerusalem Cricket in Wyoming!!!

Subject:  Large insect I spotted.
Geographic location of the bug:  Lincoln County, Southwest Wyoming
Date: 09/28/2021
Time: 06:08 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Dear Bugman,
I was hiking on a hill and spotted this large bug on the ground. I searched through a site with pictures and categories, but couldn’t get a match.
I took this photo with a Moto smartphone zoomed out, about 4-5″away. Bug is about 2″ long.
Location:
On a foothill just East of Kemmerer, Wyoming.
Elevation: about 7000 ft.
Season:
September 27, 2021 at 5pm
I would appreciate any insight. Thank you!
How you want your letter signed:  Bill R.

Jerusalem Cricket

Dear Bill,
This is a Jerusalem Cricket or Potato Bug, two common names that really do not adequately describe an unusual group of insects in the only genus found in North America, Ammopelmatus, in the family Stenopelmatidae.  Sightings of Potato Bugs are quite common in the Los Angeles area, and when Daniel began writing What’s That Bug? in print over 20 years ago, he thought, as many naturalists thought, that these critters were limited to the American Southwest.  Internet reporting by regular folks like you have caused scientists to realize that the range of Potato Bugs includes many other western states.  BugGuide reports previous sightings from Wyoming, but we speculate they are not too common at the edge of their reported range.  Potato Bugs are subterranean dwellers that often come to the surface after a rain.  According to BugGuide they:  “Live in burrows and under rocks, logs, may wander on surface at night. Adults, and sometimes nymphs, strike ground with abdomen to produce species-specific drumming patterns (1). Female makes depression in soil for masses of oval, white eggs. Female often devours mate.”

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Common Jassid from Australia

Subject:  Black beetle on princess gums
Geographic location of the bug:  Southern Victoria Australia
Date: 09/28/2021
Time: 09:50 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  I cannot find a picture anywhere of this beetle .. four white spots on its back .. non on it’s head
How you want your letter signed:  corobin knox

Common Jassid

Dear Robin,
We believe we have correctly identified your Leafhopper (not Beetle) as a Common Jassid, Eurymela fenestrata, thanks to the Brisbane Insect site where it states:  “Common Jassid is one of the largest size leafhopper in the Eurymelinae. We sometimes call them Large Gum-treehoppers, The adult is brown and dark violet under sunlight. There are some white spots on its wings. Nymph has the reddish-brown body with black markings. Gum-leafhopper sometimes called Jassid because they were classified as family Jassidae before, then now the family Cicadellidae.“

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Gray Bird Grasshoppers on Cannabis

Subject:  Gray Bird Grasshoppers on Cannabis
Geographic location of the bug:  Mount Washington, Los Angeles, California
Date: 09/25/2021
Time: 01:36 PM PDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Dear Bugman,
This past weekend I observed this male Gray Bird Grasshopper just sitting on a AI Cannabis plant and I marvelled at how my gardening style towards Grasshoppers has changed recently.  As I watched this guy just relaxing on the plant, sprawled across one of the smaller leaves and I realized that I have never witnessed Grasshoppers eating my buds.  I find leaf damage but never damage to the buds other than that caused by dreaded Budworms.  The decision I made after realizing this is that, especially later in the season, there is no longer a need to relocate the Grasshoppers.  Earlier in the summer I relocated 6-8 immature Gray Bird Grasshoppers I found on my plants to a native willow trees about 30 feet away.  Relocating nymphs might still be a good idea because when the plants are younger, the leaves are needed to supply strength to the woody plant as it is growing.  Once the leaves begin to yellow they no longer positively contribute to the health of the plant, so it is the prefect time to allow the Grasshoppers to munch on the leaves.
How you want your letter signed:  Constant Gardener

Male Gray Bird Grasshopper on Cannabis

Dear Constant Gardener,
Thanks for your wonderful posting and images.  We loved hearing about your growth in the area of gardening.

Gray Bird Grasshopper nymph on AI

Gray Bird Grasshopper nymph relocated to Willow

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Golden Silk Spider

Subject:  What is this?
Geographic location of the bug:  Alpharetta GA
Date: 09/28/2021
Time: 12:16 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  What is this? They’ve recently popped up everywhere!
How you want your letter signed: Regards, Devon

Golden Silk Spider

Dear Devon,
This is a Golden Silk Spider, Nephila clavipes, a species known for its very strong silk webbing that is golden in color.  Because of their shape and color, they are sometimes called Banana Spiders, a common name also shared with an unrelated Huntsman Spider.

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