The "What is this bug?" thread

[Harvestman]

Chainsaw, you have a black darter and the harvestman is a male Leiobunum rotundum

 

[Bowlander]

Bowlander, I can't make out your insect clearly, but I think it might be a snakefly. I'd like to see a better shot though, or at least an enlargement.

Working on the caterpillar mcniac.

Thanks. Ispot came up with snake fly but the head is in the normal place with the elaborate antennae. I think its a male mosquito but not sure of species.

 

[Harvestman]

mcniac, I've just seen that you are in South America. No wonder I can't identify your caterpillar!

Lovely looking thing, but I've no idea what it is.

 

[mcniac]

Ok, all my searches keep returning the answer Fox moth caterpillar, but I'm not yet convinced. Your specimen is too big and not hairy enough. This might take a while.

In case it makes any difference, I am in Argentina... the region is one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world.

 

[mcniac]

Ok, all my searches keep returning the answer Fox moth caterpillar, but I'm not yet convinced. Your specimen is too big and not hairy enough. This might take a while.

mcniac, I've just seen that you are in South America. No wonder I can't identify your caterpillar!

Lovely looking thing, but I've no idea what it is.

Sorry! I should have said that earlier
maybe it's time to study this kind of stuff myself

 

[Harvestman]

Please keep posting your bugs, as they are great to see, but I have enough trouble with UK and European species without trying to do Argentinian ones as well. I have no reference material at all to use.

Still, someone other than me might know, and I certainly enjoy seeing the creatures that people post, even if I can't identify them.

 

[mountainm]

A couple of fairly recent ones

This long leggedy beastie was super fast...

 

[Adze]

Your spider looks to be the same as the one I posted earlier in the thread which Harvestman ID'd - a male Tegenaria saeva or Tegenaria gigantea (page 12ish)

The caterpillars look a lot like large whites.

 

[Harvestman]

Your spider looks to be the same as the one I posted earlier in the thread which Harvestman ID'd - a male Tegenaria saeva or Tegenaria gigantea (page 12ish)

The caterpillars look a lot like large whites.

And I said all that without moving my fingers

 

[Androo]

A few that have escaped my ID books' range...

I was up the fells the other day and kept seeing lots of these - usually on raised mossy clumps. The closest my Collins' can get is either a Garden Tiger or a White Ermine, but they don't seem to fit the type...

This greeted me when visiting the outside loo the other day, I'm glad I don't live in Oz! I see these alot and my Spider ID book is still in storage - Tegenaria sp. ?

This is a marble gall, yes? Is it an immature specimen? I've seen lots of dull brown ones but never one this red - my son really wants to find out what this is!

And one last one, I'm thinking this is most probably a 3rd instar Juniper Sheildbug or a 5th instar Birch Sheildbug, but I'm not sure (Sorry, best quality shot I could get) To my knowledge there was no Juniper nearby, but there was Birch...

 

[Harvestman]

The moth is a drinker moth caterpillar. Agree shield bug and gall. And yes, a male Tegenaria.

 

[Androo]

Thank you Huntsman. The Drinker brilliant, deffo a male - I wouldn't of guessed that sp. with the lack of spots in the photos.

 

[sandbender]

Also posted on 'pic of the day'.

A pretty moth, quite well disguised too.

 

[Androo]

Looks like a fairly battered Buff Ermine.

 

[Harvestman]

A battered something, certainly. Not convinced by Buff Ermine, but then I don't really know what it is. The markings sort of suggest a Noctuid moth, but that doesn't narrow it down much.

 

[sandbender]

Thanks to you both, lots of bats around there which may account for the battering it took.

 

[Androo]

A battered something, certainly. Not convinced by Buff Ermine, but then I don't really know what it is. The markings sort of suggest a Noctuid moth, but that doesn't narrow it down much.

I agree, probably not an Ermine - wrong coloured legs and no remenants of the spots, which one would expect to see even on a battered one.

Looking through my book, it could be so many! Probably too battered to get a positive ID

 

[Harvestman]

I agree, probably not an Ermine - wrong coloured legs and no remenants of the spots, which one would expect to see even on a battered one.

Looking through my book, it could be so many! Probably too battered to get a positive ID

I'm glad you said that. I couldn't think of a way to word it without sounding like a cop-out, but that is exactly what I was thinking.

I noticed the legs are the wrong colour for Buff Ermine, but I didn't know if it was a reliable character or not.

 

[Mad Mike]

I found a a couple of old pictures

Some sort of Longhorn beetle - in Italy guarding my door key

In Kent a very nice duo

Peacock & Painted lady I believe

Mike

 

[Harvestman]

Right on the butterflies. The extremely handsome and chunky looking longhorn beetle looks like Morimus funereus, or a very close relative. A southern European species, according to my book.