A beneficial insect id

Watch Reply
More
Mark unread Print Skip to new
Vee8ch Palm Bay, FL(Zone 9b) Jul 18, 2006

Somewhere on this forum there was a person that had a hole dug beside a plant and they wondered what it could be. Maybe a mole or vole?
I discovered a hole next to a newly planted brugmansia. Could it be a mole or a snake?
Look what popped out!
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in573
My brother says it is Specius speciosus (Drury) but I'm not totally convinced just yet that it isn't Sphecius hogardii (Latreille). This critter was so huge and it scared me so badly when it crawled out I took the picture real fast and ran. I know I saw alot of rust color on this bug but the description doesn't say the rare rust colored one has yellow on it.
Now that I know it won't attack me I'll be more comfortable to be patient and try to get a better picture.

Anyway .... Specius speciosus (Drury) is pretty common in some parts of the USA. So if you see a hole beside your plant it might be one of these Cicada Killers. Very beneficial!

Thumbnail by Vee8ch
Post #2518863
Quote
Vee8ch Palm Bay, FL(Zone 9b) Jul 18, 2006

tunnel opening

Thumbnail by Vee8ch
Post #2518865
Quote
Vee8ch Palm Bay, FL(Zone 9b) Jul 18, 2006

big ol'critter 1.5 - 2 inches long!

Thumbnail by Vee8ch
Post #2518873
Quote
Zeppy Shenandoah Valley, VA(Zone 6b) Jul 18, 2006

Now I've learned something. Pretty cool. Good pics.

Post #2519656
Quote
southernOhio Proctorville, OH(Zone 5b) Jul 18, 2006

wow he is a big sucker... And us with the 17 year locust on the way in about 3 years... Hope we have a few, too!

Post #2520087
Quote
dovey Columbus, OH(Zone 5b) Jul 23, 2006

Wow, I though all the holes in my garden were from mice... I would love to find out a few are Specius speciosus!

Post #2538301
Quote
White_Hydrangea Aurora, CO(Zone 5a) Jul 23, 2006

I think my holes are from mice or chipmunks. Today I found several holes next to my potato plants. I think they were excavating for buried treasure.

Speaking of treasure, last Friday I put my 50 cents into the vending machine at work, and plucked my Coke out. Then I noticed that there was another Coke. I picked that up. Then I noticed two more Cokes. In all, 12 Cokes came flooding out of the machine!

Karma. Considering all the change I've lost in vending machines throughout the years....

Post #2538832
Quote
dovey Columbus, OH(Zone 5b) Jul 24, 2006

Now if only that would happen at my ATM when I do fast cash!

Post #2540270
Quote

Post a Reply to this Thread

Please or sign up to post.
Back to Forum Homepage

More Garden Pests and Diseases Threads

Go to all Garden Pests and Diseases threads
BACK TO TOP