I got knocked in the head!

stormymater · May 2, 2012

i surely did - by a 2 1/2 inch long flying beetle! It is MONSTROUS!!! Lokks like a 'click beetle" BUT has gray & black striping along its wings covering its abdomen & has a light gray background w/2 black spots on the top of its thorax - they look like EYES! Creepy, creepy & too big to hold to see if it "clicks".
I have it in a Chock Full o' Nuts can. I will add 1 of the two weirdo caterpillars I have had cruising around here - never seen before & truck over to the Ag Extension Service to see what I have got.

Caterpillar 1 - fuzzy yellow & mustardy stripes with 2 long fuzzy tufts in the front & shorter fuzzy tufts (both sets black) in the back - makes you want to pet it but I suspect it may sting so no touching

Caterpillar 2 - darker brown & reddish striping w/shorted brownis tufts both fore and aft BUT w/ 3 or 4 pairs of wart-like symmetrical saddles in its middle. Thought the first one had a parasitic affliction but have since seen more.

Both these caterpillars are about the size & thickness of those awful tent worm caterpillars.

Any clues as what these 3 are?

We had kudzu beetles show up last week for the first time ever (thanks Atlanta airport & USDA). They are similar to dark olive green flying dog ticks until you count their legs & crush their carapaces (crunch not squish).

Golden web spiders are moving into the area again - last one we had was several years ago & she got as big as the palm of my hand...

tjg911 · May 2, 2012

click beetles are not that large, at least not up here, that's HUGE!

what the heck are "dark olive green flying dog ticks"? ticks don't fly, at least not up here.

tom

z_willus_d · May 2, 2012

Pictures, pictures....we need pictures!

ContainerTed · May 2, 2012

Stormy, I saw some caterpillars like those you describe about two days ago. They were getting out of the flying saucer that lands in the back pasture every couple of weeks. Definitely large ugly things.

Worth1 · May 2, 2012

There are many huge click beetles this size one is called the western eyed click beetle.
The caterpillar is the tussacks moth caterpillar spelled something like that.
I have seen many nof these critters.

Worth

Worth1 · May 2, 2012

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&s...pillar&spell=1

Tussock moth caterpillar

Worth

Sun City Linda · May 2, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by ContainerTed

Stormy, I saw some caterpillars like those you describe about two days ago. They were getting out of the flying saucer that lands in the back pasture every couple of weeks. Definitely large ugly things.

Worth1 · May 2, 2012

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...nmx0O3sxuEzlxA

Eyed click beetle.

Bare with me I'm doing this from my phone.

Worth

FILMNET · May 2, 2012

He or she was jealous with your comment on my plants today???????????? Come grow something I can eat.

stormymater · May 2, 2012

Worth - you got 'em BOTH! Eyed click beetle knocked me upside my head! And I have the first 2 kinds of Tussock moth caterpillars creeping around in the uber hot peppers! You are a real gem!
Looking back on my descriptions one might have thought I was smoking something out in the mater patch but I wasn't!

stormymater · May 2, 2012

and they are related to puss caterpillars - just as I had suspected & therefore did not touch! SCORE!

Kudzu beetle - http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/no...n/kudzubug.htm

Worth1 · May 3, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by stormymater

and they are related to puss caterpillars - just as I had suspected & therefore did not touch! SCORE!

Kudzu beetle - http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/no...n/kudzubug.htm

That is a nasty looking beetle.

My curiosity of bugs goes all the way back to my childhood I was always coming home with critters.
I would then open up my critter identification books to see what it was.

Yes the tussocks caterpillar does sting though I never have had the privilege myself.

Worth

babice · May 3, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...nmx0O3sxuEzlxA

Eyed click beetle.

oh please don't let me see one of these...

geeboss · May 3, 2012

Stormy if you want I can send over my feral cats who love to eat and bugs are like desert. If you got snakes they'll kill them too!!

tjg911 · May 3, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

Yes the tussocks caterpillar does sting though I never have had the privilege myself.

Worth

i always wondered what this cat was, i have seen these from time to time. i never touch cats cuz some have hairs that irritate. if i have to move them i use something to pick them up, never my hands.

tom

May 2, 2012	#1
stormymater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pleasure Island, NC 8a Posts: 1,162	I got knocked in the head! i surely did - by a 2 1/2 inch long flying beetle! It is MONSTROUS!!! Lokks like a 'click beetle" BUT has gray & black striping along its wings covering its abdomen & has a light gray background w/2 black spots on the top of its thorax - they look like EYES! Creepy, creepy & too big to hold to see if it "clicks". I have it in a Chock Full o' Nuts can. I will add 1 of the two weirdo caterpillars I have had cruising around here - never seen before & truck over to the Ag Extension Service to see what I have got. Caterpillar 1 - fuzzy yellow & mustardy stripes with 2 long fuzzy tufts in the front & shorter fuzzy tufts (both sets black) in the back - makes you want to pet it but I suspect it may sting so no touching Caterpillar 2 - darker brown & reddish striping w/shorted brownis tufts both fore and aft BUT w/ 3 or 4 pairs of wart-like symmetrical saddles in its middle. Thought the first one had a parasitic affliction but have since seen more. Both these caterpillars are about the size & thickness of those awful tent worm caterpillars. Any clues as what these 3 are? We had kudzu beetles show up last week for the first time ever (thanks Atlanta airport & USDA). They are similar to dark olive green flying dog ticks until you count their legs & crush their carapaces (crunch not squish). Golden web spiders are moving into the area again - last one we had was several years ago & she got as big as the palm of my hand...

May 2, 2012	#2
tjg911 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: zone 5b northwest connecticut Posts: 2,570	click beetles are not that large, at least not up here, that's HUGE! what the heck are "dark olive green flying dog ticks"? ticks don't fly, at least not up here. tom __________________ I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night He’s gotta be strong And he’s gotta be fast And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the morning light He’s gotta be sure And it’s gotta be soon And he’s gotta be larger than life

May 2, 2012	#4
ContainerTed Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: 6a - NE Tennessee Posts: 4,538	Stormy, I saw some caterpillars like those you describe about two days ago. They were getting out of the flying saucer that lands in the back pasture every couple of weeks. Definitely large ugly things. __________________ Ted ________________________ Owner & Sole Operator Of The Muddy Bucket Farm and Tomato Ranch

May 2, 2012	#3
z_willus_d Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Eastern Suburb of Sacramento, CA Posts: 1,313	Pictures, pictures....we need pictures!

May 2, 2012	#5
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	There are many huge click beetles this size one is called the western eyed click beetle. The caterpillar is the tussacks moth caterpillar spelled something like that. I have seen many nof these critters. Worth

May 2, 2012	#9
FILMNET Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: North Charleston,South Carolina, USA Posts: 1,803	He or she was jealous with your comment on my plants today???????????? Come grow something I can eat.

May 3, 2012	#14
geeboss Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Fairfax, VA Z7 Posts: 524	Stormy if you want I can send over my feral cats who love to eat and bugs are like desert. If you got snakes they'll kill them too!!