Found under the pot - friend or foe?

Grayson · April 18, 2016

As I was cleaning one of the plants with fruit, I saw two of these beetle-like things wandering about when I tilted the bottom of the pot.

dmforcier · April 19, 2016

So are you in the Philippines, or Japan?

Worth1 · April 19, 2016

What ever it is dont send it here.
It seems like everything that comes from the neck of the woods turns into a nightmare here.

Worth

Grayson · April 19, 2016

Hahahaha! I'm based in the Philippine Islands now and will be here for 14-16 months before I fly back. I've been trying to acquaint myself with the local pests here, but there is no comprehensive website for them.

So far, these were the ones that have been useful:

http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/st...seases/insects

http://www.rentokil.com.ph/pest-guid...plant-insects/

Leaving the links here in case someone decides to grow plants in the tropics.

bower · April 20, 2016

Looking for a useful page about the identifying features of beetles - Besides the overall body shape I always look at the antennae first because they are useful for ID. Mandibles - mouthparts - also tell something about the animal but I need glasses to see them! Or hand lens, or both.
You need to take a closer picture of this fella...
But I can see club shaped antennae - as shown here type C I think?:
http://www.kerbtier.de/Pages/Themens...oerperbau.html
That might narrow it down to about 25 possible different families of beetles.

Total SWAG: with no idea of the size of your beetle either!!
Overall for body and antenna shape alone and without more detail, your beetle looks a lot like this grain beetle:
https://www.grainscanada.gc.ca/stora...fgb-cg-eng.htm
http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/foreign...fers_new_homes
or one of these flour beetles: see antenna detail in figure 19 and check with a hand lens.
http://pbt.padil.gov.au/pbt/index.ph...e/15&pbtID=201
If so, like Worth said!

And may as well crush the bugger.
But if you turn it over and find it actually has big scary mandibles, rest assured it is likely a predator and a friend.

Here's a link to some online beetle keys: As the man says: "Keys are made by those who don't need them for those who can't use them."

Insect keys are the hardest things on earth to follow IMO...

Very tiny details.
http://www.coleoptera.org/p1488.htm

April 18, 2016	#1
Grayson Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Philippines, Osaka Posts: 47	Found under the pot - friend or foe? As I was cleaning one of the plants with fruit, I saw two of these beetle-like things wandering about when I tilted the bottom of the pot.

April 19, 2016	#2
dmforcier Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,825	So are you in the Philippines, or Japan? __________________ Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out? - Will Rogers

April 19, 2016	#3
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	What ever it is dont send it here. It seems like everything that comes from the neck of the woods turns into a nightmare here. Worth

April 20, 2016	#5
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	Looking for a useful page about the identifying features of beetles - Besides the overall body shape I always look at the antennae first because they are useful for ID. Mandibles - mouthparts - also tell something about the animal but I need glasses to see them! Or hand lens, or both. You need to take a closer picture of this fella... But I can see club shaped antennae - as shown here type C I think?: http://www.kerbtier.de/Pages/Themens...oerperbau.html That might narrow it down to about 25 possible different families of beetles. Total SWAG: with no idea of the size of your beetle either!! Overall for body and antenna shape alone and without more detail, your beetle looks a lot like this grain beetle: https://www.grainscanada.gc.ca/stora...fgb-cg-eng.htm http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/foreign...fers_new_homes or one of these flour beetles: see antenna detail in figure 19 and check with a hand lens. http://pbt.padil.gov.au/pbt/index.ph...e/15&pbtID=201 If so, like Worth said! And may as well crush the bugger. But if you turn it over and find it actually has big scary mandibles, rest assured it is likely a predator and a friend. Here's a link to some online beetle keys: As the man says: "Keys are made by those who don't need them for those who can't use them." Insect keys are the hardest things on earth to follow IMO... Very tiny details. http://www.coleoptera.org/p1488.htm