I was sitting at my daughter's computer, staring at the wall, when I saw movement. A spot of cream, barely lighter than the wall, that's all it was. But it was crawling.
I got out the camera and took a few quick photos first. Then I reached for the desk lamp to turn it around to shine on the wall. When I looked back, my spot of cream had left. I couldn't find it again.
These are the two photos that turned out, blown up to their maximum size. The bug would be barely a millimetre or two long, I think.
I think it's a larva of some kind, but what kind? Where do I start looking?
Help!
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It's some sort of beetle larva - looking at the general shape, my first guess would be a ladybird (Coccinellidae).
ReplyDeleteQuick (and not universally reliable) guide to identifying insect larvae: fly (Diptera) and Hymenoptera larvae both lack legs, but Hymenoptera larvae are generally confined to a nest and aren't out and about like fly larvae. Beetle and Lepidoptera (caterpillars) larvae both have six legs, but caterpillars have prolegs (leg-like stumps) in the back while beetle larvae don't. Lacewing larvae (such as antlions) have six legs and no prolegs like beetles, but can be distinguished from beetles by their enormous mandibles. The head of antlions also attaches to the first segment of the thorax very low down, which gives them something of a "flip-top head" appearance.
Boy, you're fast! I barely loaded this, checked to make sure it was there, went to my e-mail, and there's your comment!
ReplyDeleteAnd very helpful it is: I'll remember that.
Now I'm off to look at ladybug larvae.
Thanks!
lol, as a kid, i saw those everywhere, only after they turned orange and black, and i always joked that they were baby ladybugs, and it was just last year i too, found out that they actually were LOL!
ReplyDeleteGlad you got a response.