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-   -   I got knocked in the head! (http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=22563)

stormymater May 2, 2012 02:01 PM

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...

tjg911 May 2, 2012 02:48 PM

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 03:01 PM

Pictures, pictures....we need pictures! :)

ContainerTed May 2, 2012 03:12 PM

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. :P :)) 8-)

Worth1 May 2, 2012 03:14 PM

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 03:18 PM

[url]http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&client=ms-android-verizon&source=android-browser-type&v=133247963&sa=X&ei=8YehT_HQEYSViAKrveiqBw&ved=0CB4QvwUoAQ&q=tussock+moth+caterpillar&spell=1[/url]

Tussock moth caterpillar

Worth

Sun City Linda May 2, 2012 03:18 PM

[QUOTE=ContainerTed;272019]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. :P :)) 8-)[/QUOTE]


:)):)):)):)):)):)):)):)):)):)):)):)):)):))

Worth1 May 2, 2012 03:21 PM

[url]http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CC4QFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cirrusimage.com%2Fbeetle_eyed_click.htm&ei=2IihT_jNJKe6iwLb7pTkBw&usg=AFQjCNECkdqaCalXOsdWnmx0O3sxuEzlxA[/url]

Eyed click beetle.

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

Worth

FILMNET May 2, 2012 06:28 PM

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

stormymater May 2, 2012 08:49 PM

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 09:00 PM

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

Kudzu beetle - [url]http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/Urban/kudzubug.htm[/url]

Worth1 May 2, 2012 11:21 PM

[QUOTE=stormymater;272069]and they are related to puss caterpillars - just as I had suspected & therefore did not touch! SCORE!

Kudzu beetle - [url]http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/Urban/kudzubug.htm[/url][/QUOTE]

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 2, 2012 11:35 PM

[QUOTE=Worth1;272024][URL]http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CC4QFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cirrusimage.com%2Fbeetle_eyed_click.htm&ei=2IihT_jNJKe6iwLb7pTkBw&usg=AFQjCNECkdqaCalXOsdWnmx0O3sxuEzlxA[/URL]

Eyed click beetle. [/QUOTE]

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

geeboss May 3, 2012 12:23 AM

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 12:43 AM

[QUOTE=Worth1;272126]

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

Worth[/QUOTE]

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


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