Tuesday, April 18, 2006

What's that bug?

Discovered peeking out from under the closed lid of the toilet:

Pretty pattern on the back.

I decided I could wait to use the facilities until after I'd snapped a pic and moved the critter outside. I don't know what it is, and don't know how to begin to find out. It climbed onto my hand fairly willingly for a ride to the great outdoors--where it sat on the doormat until I came out again and moved it to the garden.

I have a feeling it might be some species of assassin bug--but that might be entirely wrong. I'll ask the folks at What's that bug?, if I can't find it on their site, and report.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well it is definitely a bug. I mean one of the true bugs, as opposed to the vernacular "bug". But other than that I can't help.

Muad'Dib said...

hmm.. I've seen them many times in Kingston and Stirling. Its not an assasin bug is it?

http://whatsthatbug.com/

Muad'Dib said...

Other good site:

http://bugguide.net/node/view/15740

AHA: assasin bug
http://images.google.ca/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=assasin+bug

Endment said...

Great photo - hope he stays up your way. :)

Anonymous said...

Could be some kind of stink bug. Here's a link to some photos:
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/icm/2001/9-17-2001/stinkbugs.html

Good luck!

Anonymous said...

a better photo:

http://www.modernpest.com/Bugpages/stinkbug.htm

Wish I'd found it on a different site.

Pamela Martin said...

Thanks to all for the comments. Sean, I thought assassin bug too--but I think Homebird has got it, stink bug sure looks like my bug!

I know what you mean about the regret that you found the bug on a pest control site--but the pest control people do have a lot of good information on insects, so we who appreciate the bugs might as well take advantage.

AYDIN ÖRSTAN said...

If you found it in the toilet, it's got to be a stink bug!

Pamela Martin said...

Well said Aydin!
Turns out that this is a western conifer seed bug--see That bug is a western conifer seed bug. And they are apparently stinky if squashed--as is in the circumstances.

Anonymous said...

I looked Up on the web that's a stinkbug.
DeepToot

Anonymous said...

I looked Up on the web that's a stinkbug.
DeepToot

Anonymous said...

Found this bug today - dead. It is a Western Conifer Seed Bug. We believe it came in attached to a milk bag from the store - it was found dead on the shelf in our fridge - not good! Hope this helps!