What kind of Beetle? - Pycnoscelus surinamensis

Roach

and a handsome one at that. Possibly Pycnoscelus surinamensis.

… Jim McClarin, 12 February, 2006 - 12:59pm

Wow

That was quick! I just got done adding the second photo! Thank you so much. Roach, ick!
Carla Finley
Venice, FL
http://community.webshots.com/user/CarlaFinley

… Carla Finley, 12 February, 2006 - 1:12pm

I can confirm Jim's ID

- if you look on the info page you'll see that the pale front edge of the pronotum (behind the head) is characteristic of this species.

… Hannah Nendick-Mason, 12 February, 2006 - 2:03pm

Thank you Hannah

I did look at the page after I found out it was a roach and not a beetle. Boy, do I feel dumb.
Carla Finley
Venice, FL
http://community.webshots.com/user/CarlaFinley

… Carla Finley, 12 February, 2006 - 2:14pm

Nice image

Nice image, as always, Carla. No need to feel dumb. The great thing about BugGuide is we're all learning so much.

One thing that you'll almost always see in a beetle picture is a perfectly straight line down the back where the two elytra (wing covers) meet.

I say almost always, because rarely it may be hard to see, or it may be a wingless female. I just got through printing a photograph of a Warty Leaf Beetle where the suture (the line where the elytra meet) was straight for half its length, then changed to a serrated zigzag pattern.

But still, in 99% percent of beetle photos, look for that straight suture in the middle of the back.

I enjoyed looking at your other images. The Burrowing Owls are priceless!

--Stephen

Stephen Cresswell
Buckhannon, WV
www.stephencresswell.com

… Stephen_WV, 12 February, 2006 - 3:08pm

Thank you

Thank you Stephen for how to tell beetles from roaches and for your nice comments about my photos. I also love the Owls. To think, I was 3 feet from them laying on the ground. :-)
Carla Finley
Venice, FL
http://community.webshots.com/user/CarlaFinley

… Carla Finley, 12 February, 2006 - 4:20pm