beetle

Oil Beetle

Submitted by cfox@mit.edu on

cfox@mit.edu's picture

I climbed Mt. Monadnock with the kids today. More about that another time, but it was nice and we had a good time. On the way back on Birchtoft trail, I saw this rather imposing beetle wandering slowly along the ground trail-side. Picked it up to get a better look, and noticed it ooze a drop of yellow liquid out a leg joint (shown in the second picture), which I had the good sense not to touch (it apparently contains a blistering agent). It's an oil beetle, but it's not quite clear to me which species - maybe (Meloe impressus)? Jaffrey NH, 09/17/2016.

Uploadable Image: 

chunky blue-black beetle on twig
chunky blue-black beetle with hand for scale

Tomentose Burying Beetle

Submitted by cfox@mit.edu on

cfox@mit.edu's picture

Out hiking in Carey park in Jaffrey, I came upon several of these brightly colored beetles at a mouse carcass. They were quite busy, often running out from under the mouse and taking little loops around and back to it - the carcass moved quite a lot when they went under, and I think the twigs on top had been recently placed there by the beetles.

I think they are Tomentose Burying Beetle (Nicrophorus tomentosus). Jaffrey, NH, 2016/08/28.

Uploadable Image: 

beetle, half-hidden under dead deer mouse, partly covered wtih debris
beetle, alone on sandy ground

Longhorned Beetle

Submitted by cfox@mit.edu on

cfox@mit.edu's picture

I dropped Denton off at camp for three weeks, yesterday. We went up to NH on Saturday, stopped to go blueberry picking, then camped at Pine Haven Saturday night, before dropping off Denton on Sunday afternoon. I had been intending to moth hunt with the light, but had left a crucial part behind, which was disappointing (I have some moths, but not a huge quantity). On the other hand, it rained, so I'm not sure I really wanted to deal with the soggy white sheet, etc.

Uploadable Image: 

Longhorned beetle (Parelaphidion aspersum)

Eastern Red-bellied Tiger Beetle

Submitted by cfox@mit.edu on

cfox@mit.edu's picture

One of the bugs that got our attention at the Fells yesterday was this Eastern Red-bellied Tiger Beetle (Cicindela rufiventris). They were actually quite common - I saw another further along after we were done taking pictures of this one. It moved like a fly, very light on its feet, and no obvious pause before taking flight.

Uploadable Image: 

Eastern Red-bellied Tiger Beetle
Eastern Red-bellied Tiger Beetle (Monty's picture)

Another Grapevine Beetle

Submitted by cfox@mit.edu on

cfox@mit.edu's picture

Well, it turns out the huge grapevine beetles are everywhere; this one came flying into the dining room at about 8:15 last night, and I retrieved it from the top of a door frame with a ladder and my cupped hands. (Somerville MA, 7/26/2014)

Uploadable Image: 

Grapevine beetle, on Monty's hand

Twice-stabbed Lady Beetle

Submitted by cfox@mit.edu on

cfox@mit.edu's picture

Tonight, we're taking a break from our usual moth-related programming, for a beetle. I think this is Twice-stabbed Lady Beetle (Chilocorus stigma). Somerville MA, 7/5/2014.

Uploadable Image: 

Twice-stabbed Lady Beetle on lined paper
Subscribe to beetle