July 2013 Photo Challenge: Bug Off!!

Thu Jul 11, 2013 10:03 pm

Kelly wrote:I don't know what this one is called, but it seems to have a cream cheese filling!

never seen anything like this... my guess would be beetle larvae out of water, but could be something on the primitive side, related to earwigs perhaps.

Thu Jul 11, 2013 10:09 pm

Kelly wrote:

Although it looks like a bee, it's a Hover Fly. Can't sting or bite. Has fly mouth parts and feeds on sugary things.

Thu Jul 11, 2013 10:14 pm

Kelly wrote: But he has a cool whisker!

Cool looking candy-striped leafhopper. A pest though (it has a toxin that kills fragile plants).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphocephala_coccinea

Fri Jul 12, 2013 7:15 pm

Thanks for all the bug IDs, Matt! My first field guide arrived today so I'm slightly better equipped to get them figured out myself. I am glad to finally know that these guys are rosy apple aphids. I've only ever seen them on one plant.

Kind of a side note......my girlfriends want to know why I don't want to come to their week night rug hooking classes. I told them I'm too busy photographing bugs. Nothing but perplexed looks!

Still don't know what that armadillo looking guy is though...

Brenda · Sat Jul 13, 2013 8:50 am

Kelly wrote:Kind of a side note......my girlfriends want to know why I don't want to come to their week night rug hooking classes. I told them I'm too busy photographing bugs. Nothing but perplexed looks!

Still don't know what that armadillo looking guy is though...

I'd rather take photos of bugs too!

I did try to find out what your armadillo guy is...to no avail. I was thinking a member of the tortoise or leaf-mining beetle families, but no luck.

Sat Jul 13, 2013 8:55 am

Hee Hee. Thanks, Brenda! Glad you agree. Bugs over hookers any day!

Sat Jul 13, 2013 9:10 am

The problem with Bug ID guides is that they cover the most common species, which happen to be less than 1% of species.
Then with bugs changing shape/color/size 2, perhaps 3 or 4 times in their life cycle. So, just getting the right family is impressing.
This site is helpful, but i found a lot of errors (wrong photos) http://www.insectidentification.org/ and I don't believe their classification of a group of "real bugs" is helpful or responsible (these types of people say that true "bugs" have to have stinging/sucking mouthparts - get it.. to "bug" you--- it's complete bullshit-- none of these species are related to each other.. and a lot more species bug the shit out of me and other people just because they fly in my face when I am outside).
Having a book in the field is great. Identify on the spot, then shoot more photos which highlight the identifiable features of the species.

But, for finding common bugs, in upstate NY, with our crops homogenized down the 20 or so types, streams choked with algae, and grass-and-wetlands limited to small patches, we have all but eliminated large spiders, beetles, and butterflies and the most diversity is going to be found very small and very hidden. The possibility of finding a new species or subspecies is still a real possibility. My recommendation is to take multiple angles on each specimen, especially underneath if you can get it.

Sat Jul 13, 2013 9:39 am

Matt wrote: My recommendation is to take multiple angles on each specimen, especially underneath if you can get it.

Yeah. I have lots of views of the armadillo bug. Decided it wasn't ideal to post them here, but will post to an appropriate "ID this thing" topic when I get time.

Here's a sweet little guy.....something on the order of an apple maggot fly?