Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada

Bug Guide firsts list for Latin American Bug Guide project

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I have moved to Ecuador to find and photograph the rich diversity of neotropical beetles. Other Bug Guide contributors have also gone and will go on Latin American forays in quest of arthropod photo subjects. We need a central site like Bug Guide to post our images and get them identified. I therefore hope to see a Latin American version of Bug Guide created, with a similar mixture of amateur and credentialed volunteer editors. (I may ask if Bug Guide creator Troy Bartlett will permit direct use of his BG software as a base for it.)

I haven't followed other Bug Guide taxons but Vasily Belov's tireless efforts the past couple years, plus the specialists he's recruited to help, have made the site an excellent resource for coleopterists. I frequently get requests to use my Bug Guide images for ID handouts, Web sites, and visuals in conference presentations, and I'm sure many others on BG have received similar requests. My guess is that the Lepidoptera section is similarly valuable.

Besides providing ID images, Bug Guide exists as a virtual "moth sheet" where new material is constantly showing up. By new I mean to include those species new to Bug Guide but also completely undiscovered species, new adventive species to the region, new state and provincial records, and new larval, nymph, sex, and host associations. I don't know if anyone has made any tallies but I posted a new ciid beetle found by Richard Lareau and a new eucnemid beetle found by me, both un-published in the scientific literature as yet, and I think images of Hydroscapha redfordi, discovered in Idaho by Crystal Maier, were first published on Bug Guide before it was named. I also reportedly was first to associate and publish (on Bug Guide) images of the larvae of Eleates depressus. There must be many such Bug Guide discovery stories by now.

In order to sell the idea to a hosting university or museum, and possibly for grant funding, I would like to develop a list of discoveries in connection with publication of images on Bug Guide. The prospect for undescribed taxa and host and larval associations is enormous in South and Central America, the Caribbean, and Mexico, so if Web site discoveries are well documented for the US and Canada, the usefulness of a similar one in Latin America should be axiomatic.

Please post BG-related taxon discoveries and other useful data you are aware of as comments below for me to add to the list. Please include Bug Guide links. I am seeking data in the following areas:


__"New" undescribed species first posted on Bug Guide

__Adventive species to the Bug Guide region first posted on Bug Guide

__State or provincial records first posted on Bug Guide

__Adult/immature/sex associations first on Bug Guide

__Host plant/tree/diet associations first posted on Bug Guide

__Parasite/host associations first posted on Bug Guide

__Textbook images taken from Guide submissions

__Instructors who have used Bug Guide submissions in classrooms

__Image use requests for scientific papers and presentations

__Scientific publications mentioning Bug Guide

__Government agencies posting on Bug Guide

__ PhD entomologists who are contributors or editors on Bug Guide



While some of this data will necessarily be anecdotal, some will be voluminous and impossible to pin down precisely as numbers will constantly be changing. However, assembling counts in these areas will serve the purpose of providing evidence concerning the value of Bug Guide and the projected value of a Latin American version. This will be important in the search for a hosting university or museum and in the quest for funding.

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Here is a starter list:

"New" undescribed taxa first on Bug Guide:

Coleoptera
Ciidae:Octotemnus
Curculionidae: Conotrachelus sp.
Eucnemidae: Dirrhagofarsus sp.
Hydroscaphidae: Hydroscapha redfordi
Meloidae: Meloe sp.
Staphylinidae: Leptotyphlinae

Hemiptera
Cicadellidae

Hymenoptera
Colletidae: Colletes (undescribed) world (Florida)
Ichneumonidae: Phygadeuontini: genus unknown
Megachilidae: Osmia sp.
Vespidae: Euodynerus sp.

Araneae
Salticidae: Maevia a



Western Hemisphere ("The Americas") taxon records first on Bug Guide:

Coleoptera
Genus: Aderidae: Euglenes pygmaeus
Species: Ciidae: Octotemnus sp.
Species: Curculionidae: Larinus turbinatus
Species: Latridiidae: Enicmus brevicornis
Species: Nitidulidae: Epuraea ocularis
Genus: Silvanidae: Airaphilus
Genus: Tenebrionidae: Gonocephalum

Diptera
Species: Syrphidae: Myathropa florea

Hemiptera
Genus: Coreidae: Centrocoris variegatus
Genus: Miridae: Bryocoris pteridis
Species: Pyrrhocoridae: Scantius aegyptius

Hymenoptera
Species: Halictidae: Halictus tectus



North American taxon records first on Bug Guide:

Coleoptera
Species: Carabidae: Elaphropus quadrisignatus North America
Species: Coccinellidae: Cycloneda sp.
Species: Latridiidae Dienerella pilifera

Hemiptera
Species: Cicadellidae Deltocephalus nigripennis
Species: Cicadellidae: Eupteryx decemnotata
Species: Cicadellidae: Iassus lanio
Species: Cicadellidae: Protalebrella tertia



Country taxon records first on Bug Guide:

Coleoptera
Species: Carabidae: Apenes parallela, United States
Species: Coccinellidae: Hyperaspis sp., United States
Species: Cryptophagidae: Telmatophilus typhae, United States

Species: Curculionidae: Gerstaeckeria porosa Canada
Species: Curculionidae: Microplontus campestris, United States
Species: Hydrophilidae: Cercyon laminatus Continental United States
Species: Latridiidae: Enicmus histrio United States
Species: Silvanidae: Nausibius sp., United States
Species: Staphylinidae: Atheta novaescotiae United States
Genus: Staphylinidae: Mimogonia sp. United states
Species: Tenebrionidae: Ammodonus fossor, Canada

Diptera

Species: Agromyzidae: Ophiomyia kwansonis United States
Genus: Bombyliidae: Aldrichia ehrmanii Canada
Species: Bombyliidae: Ligyra cerberus US

Hemiptera
Species: Cicadellidae: Balclutha rubrostriata Continental US
Species: Cicadellidae: Idiocerus fulgidus, United States
Species: Membracidae: Philya lowryi United States
Species: Pentatomidae: Pharypia nitidiventris, United States

Hymenoptera
Species: Scoliidae: Campsomeris dorsata, United States

Miscellaneous
Genus: genus not recognized, not known from US (Psocodea: Pseudocaeciliidae), United States
Species: Dicyrtomina ornata according to European taxonomy (Symphypleona, Dicyrtomidae), United States
Species: Ptenothrix flavescens (Symphypleona, Dicyrtomidae), United States
Species: Willowsia platani (Collembola, Entomobryidae)



State/province/region taxon records and range extensions first on Bug Guide:

Coleoptera
Species:
Anthicidae: Acanthinus argentinus South Carolina
Species: Anthicidae: Acanthinus argentinus Mississippi
Species: Anthicidae: Acanthinus argentinus Texas
Species: Buprestidae: Acmaeoderopsis prosopis Nevada
Species: Byrrhidae: Simplocaria semistriata, North Carolina
Species: Carabidae: Apenes lucidula Arizona
Species: Carabidae: Clivina rufa Massachusetts
Species: Carabidae: Elaphropus parvulus, Massachusetts
Species: Carabidae: Lebia variegata Arizona
Species: Carabidae: Paratachys rhodeanus, Massachusetts
Species: Carabidae: Pentagonica picticornis Georgia
Genus: Carabidae: Rhadine lindrothi, North Dakota
Species: Carabidae: Somotrichus unifasciatus North Carolina
Species: Carabidae: Somotrichus unifasciatus, South Carolina
Species: Carabidae: Zuphium americanum Pennsylvania
Species: Cerambycidae: Archodontes melanopus, Utah
Species: Chrysomelidae: Pachybrachis picturatus Georgia
Species: Chrysomelidae: Sphaeroderma testaceum, Quebec
Species: Curculionidae: Anthonomus eugenii, New York
Genus: Curculionidae: Barilepton sp. (known from Mexico, AZ, but undescribed) Texas
Species: Curculionidae: Cryptorhynchus fuscatus, Maine
Species: Curculionidae: Cryptorhynchus helvus Massachusetts
Species: Curculionidae: Glocianus punctiger, California
Species: Curculionidae: Lignyodes helvolus, Oklahoma
Species: Curculionidae: Listronotus debilis, North Dakota
Species: Curculionidae: Listronotus scapularis Louisiana
Species: Curculionidae: Magdalis barbicornis, California
Species: Curculionidae: Micromimus corticalis Virginia
Species: Curculionidae: Otiorhynchus meridionalis, Arizona
Species: Curculionidae: Pandeleteius cinereus, Arizona
Species: Curculionidae: Sitona lineatus, Texas
Species: Curculionidae, Sphenophorus cicatristriatus California
Species: Curculionidae: Sphenophorus coesifrons, California
Species: Curculionidae: Sphenophorus coesifrons Kentucky
Species: Curculionidae: Sphenophorus destructor, Maine
Species: Curculionidae: Tyloderma laporteae, Kentucky
Species: Dermestidae: Megatoma variegata, Montana
Species: Dermestidae: Novelsis aequalis, New England
Genus: Elateridae: Agriotella sp. Saskatchewan
Species: Erotylidae: Tritoma tenebrosa, New England
Species: Eucnemidae: Dromaeolus badius, North Dakota
Species: Histeridae: Bacanius punctiformis, New England
Species: Histeridae: Spilodiscus arcuatus New Brunswick
Genus: Laemophloeidae: Charaphloeus sp., Alberta
Species: Latridiidae: Dienerella pilifera United States
Species: Melandryidae: Microscapha clavicornis Ontario
Species: Melyridae: Attalusinus mexicanus, Texas
Species: Nitidulidae: Glischrochilus vittatus Saskatchewan
Species: Scarabaeidae: Ataenius gracilis, New Hampshire
Species: Scarabaeidae: Cremastocheilus squamulosus, Maryland
Species: Scarabaeidae: Onthophagus taurus, New Hampshire
Species: Scirtidae: Ora discoidea, Texas
Species: Staphylinidae: Coryphium nigrum, Virginia
Species: Staphylinidae: Myrmecosaurus ferrugineus South Carolina
Species: Staphylinidae: Xantholinus linearis New York
Species: Tenebrionidae: Gondwanocrypticus platensis, California
Species: Tenebrionidae: Megeleates sequoiarum, Washington
Species: Tenebrionidae: Pseudocistela brevis, New England
Species: Tenebrionidae: Strongylium crenatum Kentucky
Species: Trogossitidae: Tenebroides bimaculatus, New Hampshire
Species: Tenebrionidae: Uloma retusa west coast of Florida

Hemiptera


Family: Xylococcidae North Carolina
Species: Acanaloniidae: Acanalonia pumila Pennsylvania
Species: Anthocoridae: Amphiareus obscuriceps Massachutetts
Species: Anthocoridae: Amphiareus obscuriceps New Hampshire
Species: Anthocoridae: Amphiareus obscuriceps North Carolina
Species: Anthocoridae: Amphiareus obscuriceps Virginia
Species: Anthocoridae: Amphiareus obscuriceps Rhoad Island
Species: Anthocoridae: Amphiareus obscuriceps Wisconsin
Species: Acanaloniidae: Acanalonia servillei, Texas
Species: Aradidae: Neoproxius gypsatus Alabama
Species: Cercopidae: Aphrophora alni Massachusetts
Species: Cercopidae: Lepyronia coleoptrata, Massachusetts
Species: Cicadellidae: Alconeura dorsalis, Texas
Species: Cicadellidae: Alebra wahlbergi, Tennessee
Species: Cicadellidae: Alebra wahlbergi, Wisconsin
Species: Cicadellidae: Anoscopus serratulae Kentucky
Species: Cicadellidae: Anoscopus serratulae, Montana
Species: Cicadellidae: Arboridia pfrimmeri, North Carolina
Species: Cicadellidae: Balclutha neglecta, West Virginia
Species: Cicadellidae: Draeculacephala savannahae Georgia
Species: Cicadellidae: Draeculacephala septemguttata, Texas
Species: Cicadellidae: Eratoneura stephensoni South Carolina
Species: Cicadellidae: Erythridula similalis South Carolina
Species: Cicadellidae: Flexamia areolata, Massachusetts
Species: CicadellidaeGraphocephala rufimargo Texas
Species: Cicadellidae: Hamana manifesta, Florida
Species: Cicadellidae: Latalus ocellaris West Coast (British Columbia)
Species: Cicadellidae: Macropsis rufocephala, Iowa
Species: Cicadellidae: Mendozellus laredanus Florida
Species: Cicadellidae: Omolicna uhleri, Florida
Species: Cicadellidae: Spangbergiella vulnerata, Iowa
Species: Coccoidea: Phenacoccus aceris Pennsylvania
Species: Delphacidae: Megamelus gracilis, Texas
Species: Delphacidae: Metadelphax wetmorei, Texas
Species: Delphacidae: Stenocranus brunneus, Texas
Species: Flatidae: Cyarda melichari, Texas
Species: Fulgoridae: Poblicia texana, Georgia
Species: Fulgoridae: Sogatella kolophon Quebec
Species: Membracidae: Ceresa stimulea, Northeastern US (Massachusetts)
Species: Membracidae: Tylopelta gibbera, Oklahoma
Species: Miridae: Diphleps unica, Kentucky
Species: Nabidae: Alloeorhynchus trimacula South Carolina
Species: Pentatomidae: Brochymena punctata New England
Species: Pentatomidae: Halymorpha halys, Indiana
Species: Reduviidae: Diaditus tejanus, South Carolina
Species: Tingidae: Alveotingis brevicornis, Oklahoma
Species: Tropiduchidae: Pelitropis rotulata, Texas

Diptera
Species: Asilidae: Andrenosoma igneum Arizona
Species: Clusiidae: Sobarocephala setipes, Texas
Species: Dolichopodidae: Amblypsilopus bicolor, New York
Species: Dolichopodidae: Condylostylus comatus, Connecticut
Species: Dolichopodidae: Condylostylus longicornis, Oklahoma
Species: Dolichopodidae: Condylostylus mundus, Oklahoma
Species: Stratiomyidae: Microchrysa flaviventris, Texas
Species: Tipulidae: Tipula fuliginosa California/Western North America
Species: Xylomylidae: Xylomya americana, New Hampshire

Hymenoptera
Species: ChalcididaeHockeria bicolor Massachusetts
Species: Colletidae: Hylaeus punctatus, Colorado
Species: Formicidae: Pseudomyrmex gracilis, Mississippi
Species: Megachilidae: Anthidium manicatum, California
Species: Megachilidae: Anthidium manicatum, Colorado
Species: Megachilidae: Anthidium manicatum, Illinois
Species: Megachilidae: Anthidium manicatum, Maine
Species: Megachilidae: Coelioxys dolichos, New Jersey
Species: Panurginae: Pseudopanurgus compositarum, Arkansas
Species: Scoliidae: Campsomeris ephippium, Arizona
Species: Tenthredinidae: Adelesta nova, Massachusetts

Lepidoptera
Species: Acrolophidae: Acrolophus cressoni South Carolina
Species: Choreutidae: Prochoreutis inflatella South Carolina
Species: Choreutidae: Tebenna gnaphaliella South Carolina
Species: Crambidae: Loxostege cereralis South Carolina
Species: Erebinae: Drasteria graphica South Carolina
Species: Gelechiidae: Aroga epigaeella South Carolina
Species: Gelechiidae: Strobisia iridipennella South Carolina
Species: Geometridae: Heliomata infulata South Carolina
Species: Gracillariidae: Caloptilia blandella South Carolina
Species: Gracillariidae: Parectopa plantaginisella South Carolina
Species: Gracillariidae: Phyllonorycter mariaeella South Carolina
Species: Limacodidae: Lithacodes gracea South Carolina
Species: Lyonetiidae: Proleucoptera smilaciella South Carolina
Species: Noctuidae: Neogalea sunia South Carolina
Species: Noctuidae: Sympistis badistriga, South Carolina
Species: Oecophoridae: Martyringa latipennis South Carolina
Family: Prodoxidae: Prodoxus decipiens New Hampshire
Species: Pyralidae: Penthesilea sacculalis South Carolina
Species: Pyralidae: Tallula watsoni South Carolina
Species: Tineidae: Homosetia costisignella South Carolina
Species: Tineidae: Niditinea orleansella South Carolina
Species: Tortricidae: Cochylis hospes South Carolina


Miscellaneous
Species: Asiomorpha coarctata (Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae), Texas
Family: Brachypanorpa (Mecoptera: Panorpodidae), Washington
Species: Embidopsocus laticeps (Psocodea, Liposcelidae), Texas
Species: Lachesilla michiliensis (Psocodea: Lachesillidae), Texas
Species: Trichadenotecnum circularoides (Psocodea: Psocidae), Alabama



Adult/immature/sex associations first on Bug Guide:

Larva:
Eleates depressus (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae)
Larva: Dirrhagofarsus sp. (Coleoptera, Eucnemidae)
Nymph: Ponana pectoralis (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae)



Parasite associations first on Bug Guide

Pseudogaurax sp. (Diptera, Chloropidae)in Mimetus puritanus egg sac



Host plant associations first on Bug Guide

Danepteryx manca (Hemiptera, Issidae) on Sequoia sempervirens



Miscellaneous firsts


First discovery of a species' color variety:
Cicadellidae: Stirellus bicolor

First eggs for a taxon recorded in the wild:
Genus: Phymata sp. (Hemiptera, Reduviidae)

First photo(s) published of adult, immature phase, one sex, or key behavior of a taxon:
Immature: Otiocerus wolfii (Hemiptera, Derbidae)

First Web photo(s) published of a living specimen of one phase or sex of a taxon:
Immature: Platypedia sp. (Hemiptera, Cicadidae)
Adult: Esperia sulphurella (Lepidoptera, Oecophoridae)
Immature: Pyramidobela angelarum (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae)

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Not extinct after all

Species: Aztecacris gloriosus (Orthoptera, Acrididae)



Scientific publications referencing Bug Guide:


Aalbu R.L., Kanda K., Steiner W.E., Jr. (2009) Opatroides punctulatus Brullé now established in California (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). The Pan-Pacific Entomologist 85(2): 38–42 (
Full text)

Androw, R.A. (2012) Expansion of the Known Distribution for Acanthinus argentinus (Pic) (Coleoptera: Anthicidae) in the Southern United States. Coleopterists Bulletin 66(2): 162–163 (Abstract and bibliography)

Brunke A., Newton A., Klimaszewski J., Majka C., Marshall S. (2011) Staphylinidae of Eastern Canada and adjacent United States. Key to subfamilies; Staphylininae: tribes and subtribes, and species of Staphylinina. Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification No. 12 (Online version)

Buck M., Marshall S.A., Cheung D.K.B. (2008) Identification atlas of the Vespidae (Hymenoptera, Aculeata) of the northeastern Nearctic region. Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification 5: 492 pp. (Online version)

Carlson J.C., Fox M.S. (2009) A sticktight flea removed from the cheek of a two-year-old boy from Los Angeles. Dermatology Online Journal 15(1): 4 (Full text)

Freese, E.L. Distribution of Strongylium crenatum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) in the United States and first record from Iowa. American Entomologist, The Great Lakes Entomologist, 44: 190-195, 2011 (subscription only)

Gibbs J., Sheffield C.S. (2009) Rapid range expansion of the wool-carder bee, Anthidium manicatum (Linnaeus) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), in North America. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 82(1): 21-29 (Abstract)

Gilbert, Arthur J., Jennifer Willems, and Janamjeet Sohal (2011) Microtheca ochroloma Stål 1860, a newly introduced leaf beetle to California (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Chrysomelinae) Pan-Pacific Entomologist Jul 2011 : Vol. 87, Issue 3, pg(s) 201-202 doi: 10.3956/2011-24.1

Hall H.G., Ascher J.S. (2010) Surveys of bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila) in natural areas of Alachua County in north-central Florida. Florida Entomologist 93(4): 609-629. [references photo of nesting Megachile] (Full text)

Hamilton, K. G. Andrew. 2011. What We Have Learned from Shutterbugs. American Entomologist, Volume 57 Number 2

MacGown J.A., Hill J.G. (2010) Two new exotic pest ants, Pseudomyrmex gracilis and Monomorium floricola (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) collected in Mississippi. Midsouth Entomologist 3: 106–109 (Full text)

Majka C.G. (2010) The Mycetophagidae (Coleoptera) of the Maritime Provinces of Canada. ZooKeys 64: 9-23 (Full text)

Majka C.G., Langor D. (2011) The Oedemeridae (Coleoptera) of Atlantic Canada. J. Acad. Entomol. Soc. 7: 1-6 (Full text)

S.A. Marshall (2008) Field photography and the democratization of arthropod taxonomy. American Entomologist 54(4): 207-210 (Full text)

Messer, Peter W. (2011) Pseudaptinus (Thalpius) nobilis Liebke, new to the United States, and a key to the species of subgenus Thalpius LeConte in North America, including Mexico (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Zuphiini) ZOOKEYS 147: 419–424 (Full text)

Scott, Virginia L., John S. Ascher, Terry Griswold, César R. Nufio. 2011. The Bees of Colorado (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila). Natural History Inventory of Colorado. Number 23: vi + 100 pp. (free PDF download)

Steiner W.E. (2011) North American Crypticini are mostly South American, and spreading Coleoptera:Tenebrionidae). ESA 58th Annual Meeting (Dec. 12-15, 2010) (Abstract)

Strange, J.P., Koch, J.B., Gonzalez, V.H., Nemelka, L., Griswold, T.L. 2011. Global invasion by Anthidium manicatum (Linnaeus) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): assessing potential distribution in North America and beyond. Biological Invasions. DOI 10.1007/s10530-011-0030-y. (summary and abstract)

Tonietto R.K., Ascher J.S. (2009) Occurrence of the Old World bee species Hylaeus hyalinatus, Anthidium manicatum, A. oblongatum, and Megachile sculpturalis, and the native species Coelioxys banksi, Lasioglossum michiganense, and L. zophops in Illinois (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Colletidae, Halictidae, Megachilidae). The Great Lakes Entomologist 41: 200-203 (Full text)

Wagner D.L., Schweitzer D.F., Sullivan J.B., Reardon R.C. (2011) Owlet caterpillars of eastern North America. Princeton University Press. 576 pp. In press.

Wheeler, Terry Crowdsourcing flies: diving into BugGuide. Lyman Entomological Museum on wordpress.com (May 21, 2012) (Full text)

Wolf A.T., Ascher J.S. (2009) Bees of Wisconsin (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila). The Great Lakes Entomologist 41: 129-168 (Full text)

Zahniser, J.N., S.J. Taylor, and J.K. Krejca. (2011) First reports of the invasive grass-feeding leafhopper Balclutha rubrostriata (Melichar) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in the United States. Entomological News 121(2): 132-138. (Abstract)



Bug Guide in the popular media

Shahan, Thomas Invaluable Tips for the Macro Photographer (PHOTOS) Huffington Post (April 16, 2012)

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Government agencies posting on Bug Guide

Washington State Department of Agriculture Entomology Lab



Bug Guide users who are PhD entomologists, PhD students in entomology, or recognized academic authorities in entomology

Kenneth Ahlstrom
Robert Anderson
Gevork Arakelian
John Ascher
Thomas Atkinson
Kevin Barber
Brad Barnd
Joshua Basham
Keith Bayless
Victoria Bayless
Robert Beiriger
Chuck Bellamy
Emilie Bess
Paul Beuk
Wes Bicha
Orland Blanchard Jr.
Jason Botz
Clive Bowman
Matthew Bowser
Jeff Bradshaw
Brian Brown
Adam Brunke
Matthias Buck
Boris Bueche
Matt Buffington
Zack Burington
Rob Cannings
Robert Carlson
Chris Carlton
Michael Caterino
Don Chandler
Joe Cicero
Hans Clebsch
Ken Collins
Ben Coulter
Greg Courtney
Gregory Curler
Anthony Deczynski
Jacob den Heyer
Torsten Dikow
Jason Dombroskie
Daniel Duran
Charley Eiseman
Taro Eldredge
John Epler
Art Evans
Zack Falin
Nick Fensler
Mike Ferro
Eric Fisher
Jason Forbes
George Foster
Steve Gaimari
Gary Gibson
Joel Gibson
Matt Gimmel
Christine Goforth
Jesús Gómez-Zurita
Chris Grinter
Jeff Gruber
Dennis Haines
Andy Hamilton
Guy Hanley
Phillip Harpootlian
Martin Hauser
Marshal Hedin
John Heraty
Chris Ho
Frans Janssens
Andrew Jensen
Joshua Jones
Fran Keller
Jonas King
Joel Kits
Victor Kolyada
Valery Korneyev
D.A. La_Rue
Norman Lavers
John Leavengood
Dennis Lehmkuhl
James Liebherr
Jongok Lim
Tim Loh
Owen Lonsdale
Cristiano Lopes-Andrade
Nathan Lord
Stephen Luk
Ted MacRae
David Maddison
Crystal Maier
Christofer Majka
György Makranczy
Adriean Mayor
Tommy McElrath
Tristan McKnight
Javier Mercado
Laura Miller
Mark Muegge
Bill Murphy
Tom Murray
Alfred Newton
Allen Norrbom
Jane O’Donnell
Charlie O'Brien
Barry O'Connor
John Oswald
Robert Otto
Steve Paiero
Thomas Pape
MJ Paulsen
Gerard Pennards
Claude Pilon
Marc Pollet
Ovidiu Popovici
Emilian Pricop
Heather Proctor
Herschel Raney
Brady Richards
David Rider
Ed Riley
Roger Rohrbeck
Joshua Rose
Dave Ruiter
Bjoern Rulik
Jade Savage
Kyle Schnepp
Michael Schwartz
Rowland Shelley
Andrew Short
Paul Skelley
Jeff Skevington
Aaron D. Smith, AMNH
Dave Smith
Gordon Snelling
Villu Soon
John Stanard
Gary Steck
Warren Steiner
Charles Stephen
Ian Stocks
Daniel Swanson
Ian Swift
Steve Taylor
Margaret Thayer
Mike Thomas
Chris Thompson
Alexey Tishechkin
James Trager
Edward Trammel
John VanDyk
Isabelle Vea
George Waldren
Dave Walter
Bill Warner
Sam Wells
Rick Westcott
Alex Wild
Kipling Will
Kevin Williams
Isaac Winkler
Shaun Winterton
Charlene Wood
Norm Woodley
Andrzej Woznica
Jonathan Wright
Doug Yanega
Andrew Young
Dan Young
Chen Young
Artjom Zaitsev

-Credit and blame to V. Belov for providing this list. I've deleted one entry and added another but there are inevitable mistaken omissions and inclusions to be corrected. Please clue me in as needed.


.

 
Added
Thanks

Protalebrella tertia - first North American record
Species: Protalebrella tertia (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae)
I've requested a new guide page, based on Dr. Hamilton's ID.

 
Finally caught up.
Added to list.

 
Non-native
And this a new introduction, which has to go on my List of non-native species.

Microplontus campestris
This European weevil was only known from Ontario, before this one was found in Massachusetts.

 
Finally added.
Thanks, Tom

US record

 
Added
:-)

State records
You may find this forum discussion from last year interesting.

 
Yeah, I realize state/province/region records
are weak ammunition in my pitch for a South American Bug Guide. Basically I hope to impress in that category by sheer volume.

 
I'm impressed!
BugGuide and other on-line venues are taking over what was once the purpose of scientific journals. Every time I go digging into the very old issues of journals I like to read the random things people published 100+ years ago. Those observations, geographic records, and life history notes have the same basic tone as much of what goes on at BugGuide now. A lot of what is being put up here is of much higher quality than what was once publishable in the big name journals. This basic information is the bedrock of science, and I cringe when I hear people dismiss it. It is a lack of time and resources that prevent entomologists from publishing records, not a lack of respect for the value of it. Professional entomologists (and the journals that help them in their jobs) have a different set of responsibilities now, and much of the critical work is not being performed. Looking at the publications above, you can see that BugGuide is being used to "store" the records that professional entomologists rely on. I suspect that every taxonomist feels guilty for the unnamed specimens and unpublished records in their laboratories. I think that more and more scientists will just upload a photo with an ID note rather than adding it to their to-do list. That’s great for them, because the extra work of publishing most types of records doesn’t actually help them professionally to get grants etc, but they know it is important. And it will be great for others that rely on that information because we can access it. No more waiting for the over-burdened specialist to get back to you about what the known species ranges are!

It doesn’t really matter if a species was collected by someone outside of its known range, and the specimen is sitting in a drawer waiting for attention that will never come. The process of science requires that information be disseminated for progress to be made. If the records aren’t published or otherwise available, then having it on BugGuide counts as a standing record in my opinion. I know that wasn't the original purpose of BugGuide, but it is filling a very important role in doing this. If BugGuide is doing this well, when it was designed to be akin to a field guide, imagine what could be done if the South American site started out with this purpose in mind. I think this would be a very strong selling point for a South American BugGuide. The institution that starts it will provide an invaluable service to the entomologists that work in the region, and as the value of the database grows, so will the reputation of the institution that sponsors it. Kudos to you for leading the way!

 
Ha, ha! Thanks John!
You've written half my sales pitch for me. I'll be sure to borrow some of your ideas if not some actual pull-quotes.

I was looking through the lightning beetles section in the museum in Quito and there are dozens of unidentified, probably undescribed specimens of all shapes and sizes languishing there. If they can't afford the time to describe or identify a species, how can they possibly get around to publishing range data? Yet the collecting goes on.

There are some Latin American groups that have gotten a lot of attention. Butterflies and moths, odonates, and beetles that come when called: dung beetles, carrion beetles, and scarabs and longhorns to lights. But I think every tropical collection in the world must be loaded with specimens on points and pins that have never been processed by a specialist. The truth is that entomology in poorer countries lacks the funding for positions and research projects must be deemed of sufficient economic or health interest: crop pests, grain pests, timber beetles, disease vectors, etc.

Yet the governments of these regions have often adopted a very stingy, over-protective attitude toward specimen export, no doubt an over-reaction to commercial insect traders in butterflies and giant beetles. Brazil is an extreme case. Mega-hectares of jungle habitat are cleared daily in the name of progress yet even the world's most prestigious museums and universities are prohibited from collecting and I heard recently that the government has ordered the return of all specimens from all collections around the world that have been collected in Brazil. Science has obviously taken a back seat to some bizarre strain of enviro-nationalism.

It is into this retrograde politicized setting that I want insert a Web site that allows science (entomology at least) to progress unimpeded by hyper-parochial ministers of this and that. Specimens will still need to find their way into the hands of specialists willing to examine and describe them. Perhaps the buzz and readily linked images on a Latin American Bug Guide will do more to loosen the governmental sphincter than a claim that a certain specimen sequestered in the darkness of a museum cabinet needs to be sent to a Dr. So-and-so somewhere. Perhaps it will help enroll the environmental ministers themselves in the excitement of discovery.

ND state record

 
Added
Thanks, Brad.

 
Another one

New Geometrid?
On this image, Bob Patterson notes that this is a new geometrid species: .

 
Thanks.
Not sure if this fits any of the categories. Apparently it wasn't discovered on Bug Guide. It might be the first Web image published but there is no indication of that. Exciting to know there are still undescribed, apparently native, moth species being found in the US.

Possible state record..
for Brown-lined Sallow - Hodges#10059 (Sympistis badistriga):.

The BG info page for this species states it's unrecorded between New Jersey and Florida and it's not listed in the South Carolina Moths Check List.

 
I've added it to the list.
Thanks, J.C.

county records


I think I have some spider county records too, but I can't remember what they are right now.

 
Hi Lynette,
While county records would be of vital importance for tracking spread of destructive invasive species they are a bit much for my purposes in promoting the idea of a South American Bug Guide. I'm just trying to round up ammo for presenting the concept while I pack my shipping container for the move.

I'll check with John VanDyke to see if I can turn this thread and list over to others when I'm ready to roll. Maybe whoever my successor is will be up for county-level records.

 
Good to know
Thanks Jim.

Here is a fly

that is an egg parasite of a genus of spider that had only one known egg parasite. The known parasite was even in a different family.

I tried to contact the author of the pdf to see if he was interested in the new data but never heard back. I saved some of the new flies to hopefully get a species ID someday.

 
Added in new parasite association category.
Thanks, John.

 
Some others for that category
Apparently the first parasitoid documented for Tischeria quercitella:

First documented Ormyrus reared from Disholcaspis quercusglobulus (well, except for the one I reared a few years earlier, also on BugGuide):

And a new host plant record: Caliroa on Populus:

A new state record and northern range extension
A new state record and northern range extension for subgenus Acrocoelioxys, but I never heard back so I don't know if it was ever written up, so it may not count for your purposes.

 
Thanks, John.
I decided to use it even though you weren't certain. Doing papers takes time and range extensions may not be the top priority. I see nothing to refute the claim of a record and if someone does refute it, I can delete it later.

 
it's a legitimate record
but as you say range extensions are not a top priority

First/only images on Web
Results of Google image searches for a species are heavily salted with BugGuide images, the more so the less the species is shown on the Web as a whole. This is a selling point for the nonprofessional part of the audience to be served; entomologists and arachnologists have other pictorial resources.

One example. I reared Pyramidobela angelarum from several early-instar larvae (and evidently from unseen eggs or smaller larvae in the leaves supplied as food). There were no live images on the Web to help with identification. Now all the live images in an image search for that species come from my life-cycle series on this site.

 
Great series!
Not all images show up in a Google image search but in certain taxa there is no disputing Bug Guide's dominance.

I would say it's a selling point for the professionals as well. We BG photographers collectively get many requests to use our images in classrooms and entomological society conferences and publications. Without Bug Guide those images would often just not be available.

New organization
The state/province/region records were getting to be user-unfriendly so I've taken initial steps to make them easier to check.

Host-plant association
I just now found out what you guys were doing here. The "Latin American . . ." title threw me off.

These photos and a handful of others under Danepteryx are the first record of issid planthoppers on redwood. I found nymphs on a redwood trunk and, two months later, adults on suckers at the base of the same tree. I've since found adults on redwood suckers at two other locations in Alameda County.



Andy Hamilton tentatively identified these as D. manca but allowed that they might be an undescribed species (see comments on those pages). He asked for and received higher-resolution versions of some of the photos for use in a library of images.

My profile page has a column of BugGuide firsts, most for California and a few for anywhere. I don't know whether any of these except the weevil are significant range extensions.

may be the first photo of a live Esperia sulphurella in North America; see Bob Patterson's comment there.

 
Exciting stuff!
Why are the nymphs named to species but the adults named only to genus? I realize Andy said there is some chance they are undescribed in view of the host plant but in that case shouldn't adults and nymphs be placed at the same level?

Also, which moth image do you suggest I use? Bob only ID'ed the Mar. 19, 2010 images but you have one from Mar. 18, 2010.

 
Answers
The issids are presumably all one species. They're filed the way the are because Andy moved some and not others. I haven't moved any. I have one adult specimen, which is awaiting transport to the Calif. Academy of Sciences for physical examination. There are questions about how species break down in this genus anyway. It may have been on the genus page that I read this.

Those two moth photos may be the same individual or not. I'd use the lateral shot because it shows the markings better. Whether one day makes a difference for scholarly purposes, a scholar could say. I'm an amateur.

 
Thanks.
Got 'em listed.

Possibility

The range maps I've seen show California, the Northwest and the Northeast. If this isn't misidentified, it could be a substantial range expansion.

 
Firsts Lists
I echo Beatriz's comment, that a list like this is potentially very important for bugguide.

As far as this moth image, I'm not saying it's misidentified, but the comments on the image don't say what characteristics were used to rule out two similar species that were suggested and that are known to occur in Oklahoma, the state where the image was taken.

 
Thanks, John and Chuck.
I've followed Beatriz's suggestion on renaming topic.

Re the moth, I notice the thumbnail in shotguneddie's comment and ID shows black-striped legs/tarsi whereas the image in Chuck's comment doesn't appear to share this feature. I think I'll hold off on including this one, at least till further confirmation is obtained.

KY state record
for Diphelps unica (here)

 
i e-mailed Jim straight away about this one...

 
Thanks to both.
I'll be adding it momentarily.

duplication
On the range extensions there's a Lepyronia coleoptrata from both me and Charley, and it looks like his is older.

 
Thanks, Tom.
I'll get it right.

First for Texas
Another non-native expanding its range: Sitona lineatus.
By now the importance of this list goes beyond a possible Latin American Bugguide. It is important to the North American one too. You may consider renaming it as: Bug Guide firsts list -- Latin American Bug Guide :-)

 
I agree, Beatriz.
Renaming.

range extensions first on Bug Guide
Sphaeroderma testaceum

 
Thanks!
I've added it as a Quebec record.

undescribed Maevia species
This undescribed Maevia species was first spotted on Bugguide: http://bugguide.net/node/view/416507/bgimage

I can show you dozens of new state records for spiders, but I don't really think that's going to convince people of the value of the project.

 
Thanks Ryan.
I agree that discoveries of undescribed species (and economically or ecologically destructive invasives) is a far better selling point than state records. However, as you can see above, I am collecting the latter and when the list reaches several miles in length it will also impress ;-) Any state records you can provide would be welcomed. At some point I will organize the state/regional records for easier navigation.