Post Cool Bug Pics

Just a note to our North American members: if you want help identifying an unknown insect, https://www.bugguide.net is a great resource.  They also use the uploaded images to create range maps and seasonal distribution information.  I know of some entomologists who both use it to get help with ID's and who help provide ID's.  

We have two plum trees that we brought back as seedlings from Utah 20 years ago.  They have been producing a good number of prune/plums for about 15 years. This year after a very mild  winter we had a very hard frost in April that killed the leaves and buds on our trees.  New leaves grew on the trees but they are kind of sparse and odd looking. Some of the leaves are curled. I took  a couple of photos of the underside of the leaves and they have quite the aphid infestation. This is the first year we've noticed anything like this.    

Not sure what this is...
(Southern Missouri between Black, and Current Rivers).

Pretty butterfly...

M.J. Wayne wrote:Not sure what this is...
(Southern Missouri between Black, and Current Rivers).

I'm pretty sure that's a dobsonfly.  We were just looking at pictures of those in my daughter's bug book.  The larva are aquatic and the pincers are for mating, not biting.  I've never seen one in person so I'm jealous.

Anna Hutchins wrote:

M.J. Wayne wrote:Not sure what this is...
(Southern Missouri between Black, and Current Rivers).

I'm pretty sure that's a dobsonfly.  We were just looking at pictures of those in my daughter's bug book.  The larva are aquatic and the pincers are for mating, not biting.  I've never seen one in person so I'm jealous.

Thank you!!!

Hi Steve, a blast of water will knock most the aphids off and hopefully natural predators will show up to take care of the rest for you.

Today I saw some sharpshooters making holes on a sunflower leaf and a predatory stink bug came over to suck the life out of one. But they also killed other caterpillars I like too.

M.J. you have a eastern dobsonfly (Corydalus cornutus) and red-spotted purple butterfly (Limenitis arthemis). Cool bugs indeed!