Buggers

[Undertakerson2.0]

Warming relative - not commenting on cause, but effect

There are other moth species that cause similar affect. 

Perhaps Maniac or MaineJay can add more "field" experience?

https://phys.org/news/2022-02-rash-causing-moth-due-scientists.html

Edited February 27, 2022 by Undertakerson2.0

[Hiramite]

@Undertakerson2.0 moth post reminded me of the need for a “Bug” thread.  I’ll move his post to here.

Not much to report insect-wise yet but there are things on the wing year round. Several moth species (and butterfly species) over-winter as adults.  The butterflies need a bit more warmth than the moths to get going.  Warm days and nights above 40° will get some moths up and about.  
 

Here is a Morrison’s Sallow attracted to the porch light on 2-2-22.

 

[1816]

I smelled a stink bug last night while sleeping for the first time this year last night. ☹️

Edited February 27, 2022 by 1816

[Hiramite]

Just two days after a 2” snow, 60° warmth and filtered sunshine brought out this Compton Tortoiseshell butterfly. It was sipping some sap from a freshly cut Red Maple.  This is one of the species that over-winter as adults…which I find truly amazing!

 

[Iceresistance]

I've spotted a Red Wasp yesterday, I really hate those things. 😬

[Hiramite]

On 4/14/2022 at 7:44 PM, Iceresistance said:

I've spotted a Red Wasp yesterday, I really hate those things. 😬

Never heard of those.  Appears to be a southern species, mostly south of the Ohio River.

[Iceresistance]

On 4/17/2022 at 7:16 AM, Hiramite said:

Never heard of those.  Appears to be a southern species, mostly south of the Ohio River.

Yes, also along the East Coast as well.

[MaineJay]

On 2/27/2022 at 3:24 PM, Undertakerson2.0 said:

Warming relative - not commenting on cause, but effect

There are other moth species that cause similar affect. 

Perhaps Maniac or MaineJay can add more "field" experience?

https://phys.org/news/2022-02-rash-causing-moth-due-scientists.html

Lucky for me, I haven't got a rash, but I've seen what it can do. A friend's mother got it on her face, one eye swelled shut, and the rash was striking.

  My old house had a couple small apple trees that I had to keep an eye on because they would spin up a couple nests every year.  

  It feels like we have become ground zero for tick-borne diseases too.  Babesiosis, Lyme, anaplasmosis, Erlichia, even Powassam which might be the rarest, but scariest.  

  Someone just died the other day from Powassam in Maine. It may take as little as 15 minutes for the tick to transit, and it's often deadly.

https://www.livescience.com/death-powassan-virus-maine-ticks

[MaineJay]

Found this shell of an insect. Probably an inch long.

[1816]

25 minutes ago, MaineJay said:

Found this shell of an insect. Probably an inch long.

Ah it's a Maine nightmare beetle. Small price to pay for never worrying about snow. Ever. These things and the flies mosquitoes etc. Shit that thing is so ugly I think I'd rather keep our stink bugs. 

[Iceresistance]

I once had an invasion of certain beetles that come out on warm nights a few nights ago, they were flying everywhere!

[Hiramite]

On 4/27/2022 at 7:42 PM, MaineJay said:

Found this shell of an insect. Probably an inch long.

Sure looks like a Cicada. But….way early for an annual cicada and Maine isn’t supposed to have periodical cicadas that hatch earlier, but still not this early.   Interesting.

[MaineJay]

14 hours ago, Hiramite said:

Sure looks like a Cicada. But….way early for an annual cicada and Maine isn’t supposed to have periodical cicadas that hatch earlier, but still not this early.   Interesting.

It was long "dead" (fell out of a soffit I was replacing) and there was a hole in the back, and it almost looked like it had molted. Or, something punctured it's back and suck the innards out.

[Hiramite]

4 hours ago, MaineJay said:

It was long "dead" (fell out of a soffit I was replacing) and there was a hole in the back, and it almost looked like it had molted. Or, something punctured it's back and suck the innards out.

That makes more sense.  Probably an annual cicada from last year or previous years.

The cicadas emerge through the back of the "shell", here's the process.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTrABYFvPHY

 

[Iceresistance]

Saw some Mayflies in Florida while on the way back home (Stopped in Spanish Port, AL for the night)

[Hiramite]

A sample of some moths I observed recently. The diversity is astounding!

[MaineJay]

Ticks are the absolute worst creatures.

Quote

Winter ticks wiped out nearly 90% of the moose calves scientists tracked in part of Maine last year

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mainepublic.org/environment-and-outdoors/2022-05-18/most-moose-calves-in-part-of-maine-died-this-year-as-a-tiny-predator-benefits-from-warmer-weather%3f_amp=true

[MaineJay]

Google tells me this is a pink spotted hawkmoth. It was huge, especially the body. Found it pinned under an extension cord, should've took a pic before it took off, but the the phone, while not the best focus, did manage to catch a decent enough picture.  Really shows how big it is. Not cropped.

Edit: upon doing further research, it appears it's a Modest Sphinx

 

[Hiramite]

On 6/6/2022 at 11:17 AM, MaineJay said:

Google tells me this is a pink spotted hawkmoth. It was huge, especially the body. Found it pinned under an extension cord, should've took a pic before it took off, but the the phone, while not the best focus, did manage to catch a decent enough picture.  Really shows how big it is. Not cropped.

Edit: upon doing further research, it appears it's a Modest Sphinx

 

 

That's quite a picture....and a moth.  I haven't had the pleasure yet.

For others, (assuming others look at this thread, lol) here's what they look like.

http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/species.php?hodges=7828

BTW, this moth has two common names including Big Poplar Sphinx.  One scientific name...Pachysphinx modesta

Edited June 16, 2022 by Hiramite

[Iceresistance]

I once had a Giant Cicada that drowned in a pet waterier when I was cleaning it up, made it take longer to do so! 😠

[Hiramite]

Here’s a screenshot of just some of the recent variety of moths that visited MBY.

 

[Hiramite]

Two of the endless variety of moths that visited me this past week.  Chickweed Geometer and a Large Tolype.

[Hiramite]

I'll post this here...

I enjoy watching Maine Cabin Master.  Someday I hope to see @MaineJay on there helping out, lol.   Anywayyyyyy, a recent episode had damage from Powder Post Beetles.  I never heard of such a bugger although there are other species that do/act similar  I know of but don't do near the damage.

Jay, how prevalent are they up there?  Ever run across them?

Interesting the they like/inhabit only the US coastal areas.  They appear to be a native species.

[clm]

On 2/10/2023 at 9:13 AM, Hiramite said:

I'll post this here...

I enjoy watching Maine Cabin Master.  Someday I hope to see @MaineJay on there helping out, lol.   Anywayyyyyy, a recent episode had damage from Powder Post Beetles.  I never heard of such a bugger although there are other species that do/act similar  I know of but don't do near the damage.

Jay, how prevalent are they up there?  Ever run across them?

Interesting the they like/inhabit only the US coastal areas.  They appear to be a native species.

On Long Island, we have them here but I don't see them as much.  Termites are more prevalent than the powder beetles as far as I have seen here.

[MaineJay]

On 2/10/2023 at 9:13 AM, Hiramite said:

I'll post this here...

I enjoy watching Maine Cabin Master.  Someday I hope to see @MaineJay on there helping out, lol.   Anywayyyyyy, a recent episode had damage from Powder Post Beetles.  I never heard of such a bugger although there are other species that do/act similar  I know of but don't do near the damage.

Jay, how prevalent are they up there?  Ever run across them?

Interesting the they like/inhabit only the US coastal areas.  They appear to be a native species.

I've never encountered them, at least knowingly.  If I've heard of them, I forgot. 🙃