Comments on: The Bug

By: Tony

Tony — Thu, 21 May 2009 06:27:03 +0000

OH GROW ME SOME NICE RED TOMATOES SO I CAN MAKE SOME HOMEMADE PASTA SAUCE!!! You always did have the green thumb! I’m baaaaack.

By: more cowbell

more cowbell — Fri, 08 May 2009 05:50:36 +0000

great pics and nice way to show him off with the pale background.

I’m glad he got set free.

By: Tony

Tony — Sat, 02 May 2009 11:17:20 +0000

Glad to have you back! I’m also happy to hear you’ve been bitten by the gardening bug and not the other variety.

It sounds like you are going at it hammer and tongs. I am still trying to work up some enthusiasm for my little patch. Hopefully, it will happen soon, since spring has hit the northeast like a sledgehammer and I am in the midst of allergy season.

I’m looking forward to hearing how your gardening efforts come along this year. And seeing any interesting insect life that comes your way.

By: spamwise

spamwise — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:47:22 +0000

*waves*

By: Doug T

Doug T — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 01:32:57 +0000

Possibly a grasshopper or a dragonfly- both fade after death. The kinds of colors that fade this way are sometimes referred to as “fugitive colors.” I’ve always enjoyed that term.

By: rodger

rodger — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 23:06:31 +0000

Thanks again Doug. I guess I was thinking of some other insect that lost it’s color, perhaps a grasshopper?

If I ever find another Buprestis aurulenta…I’ll freeze him for you…and send him your way.

By: dorellostreet

dorellostreet — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:45:07 +0000

I have never ever seen a beetle like that before. Its very pretty and looks great in your photos. I am in the middle of getting my garden ready so if I come across anything as exciting as that I will post photos too

By: DougT

DougT — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:35:00 +0000

The ridges are not an illusion. Species identification keys frequently refer to species like this one as having sculptured elytra. The elytra (sing. elytron) are the wing covers that form the shell-like back of many beetles.

Although my first impulse was to completely covet the specimen, I would not want to deprive you of the pleasure of setting this beautiful creature free. Most buprestid beetles retain their colors when dead. That’s one of the reasons that they are so widely collected.

By: Urspo

Urspo — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 05:33:14 +0000

I was happy to see you posting!
It is always good to hear about your gardens.

I am prepping my new vegetable bed, hoping to grow something this year. Wish me luck

By: rodger

rodger — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 05:08:28 +0000

Thanks Doug!

I let this little guy go, should I have frozen him and called? I believe you said once that they lose their color when they’ve been euthanized. No?

I was so thrilled to have saved him I just couldn’t put him down, especially if he would lose his brilliance.

Also, are the ridges just an illusion? I didn’t notice them until I looked at the pictures and by then he’d been liberated.