Bug ID

By an edhat reader

What the heckizzit?

I found this cool beetle in my carport this morning. It looks sorta like a potato bug. Does anyone know for sure?

bjgreen

Written by bjgreen

Betsy J. Green is a Santa Barbara historian and author. Her books are available in local bookstores, and at Amazon.com. (Shop local if you can.) Learn more at betsyjgreen.com.

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20 Comments

  1. I remember someone saying “What next Locusts?” After the Fire than the Flood and the Poster said “It came in with the Wind.” Kinda Weird man don’t ya think?

    • Ants don’t remove the aphids, they actually protect them from predators so they can feed off the ‘honeydew’- aka aphid poop- that is produced as aphids feed. Invasive Argentine ants are definitely not your friend in the garden, though they do attack termites to a small degree.

    • Sorry, Karmasb, that’s the opposite of what ants actually do. They encourage as much aphid activity as possible, and that can lead to severe damage. If you see ants on your plants, they are either farming aphids or mealybugs or some scale insects, and it is not good news!

  2. Are June beetles harmful?
    No – June Bugs are harmless to humans, as they do not bite, sting, or carry any diseases.
    The adult’s time of emergence generally occurs from late June through September, and it will often inhabit gardens, orchards, forests and crop fields. Even though the adult’s diet consists of tree foliage, they cause little or no damage. (gleaned from various sources online)

    • BJGREEN: Bugs have always fascinated me. I have never seen one of these beetles in my yard, so I admit to being a bit jealous. And I looked up the hissing part: “This sound is made by their wings pushing down, forcing the air out between their wings and back.” Amazing. ——– There are a lot of critters that feign death (or maybe your June bug was just catching some Zs?). There are so many times I’ve watched spiders in my garden pretend to be dead. It’s immensely entertaining. I wish they could know I mean them no harm.

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