# Mysterious Bug



## gosaspursm (Mar 12, 2011)

While digging for termites this afternoon I found 3 mysterious bugs within the colony. At first I was hopeful they were queens, but upon further investigation I do not believe they are. Any idea about what it is?


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## B-NICE (Jul 15, 2011)

eww, looks like some sort of big wax worm, but I'm sure I am wrong. Was it in your viv?


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## goof901 (Jan 9, 2012)

thats one huge grub!!! go fishing with it!!


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## crittercurt (Jul 8, 2009)

I agree, it is a grub.


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## gosaspursm (Mar 12, 2011)

No wasn't in a viv. Was in the middle of a termite infested log. Figured it was a grub but was hoping someone might know what species.


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## billschwinn (Dec 17, 2008)

It is the larvae of a wood boring beetle, possibly Stag or large Click beetle. I occasionally find them in wood in Fl here.


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## gosaspursm (Mar 12, 2011)

Thanks Bill!


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## fieldnstream (Sep 11, 2009)

Maybe a patent leather beetle grub?


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## xm41907 (Nov 26, 2007)

That looks like a Passalid larva. They're a pretty cool looking medium-sized beetle. If I were you, I'd take some of the decomposing log and put it in a tupperware container with a couple of air holes. See if you can rear it out.


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## gosaspursm (Mar 12, 2011)

Looking at google images and taking into account insect distribution I would guess Bill was correct in thinking it was a Stag beetle larva.


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## billschwinn (Dec 17, 2008)

What did I win?


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## Dangerously (Dec 19, 2007)

Green June Bug. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotinis_nitida

http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/green-june-beetle

GREEN JUNE BUG

I had about 50 of those larva sneak into my garage last year because the ground was so wet.


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## xm41907 (Nov 26, 2007)

Most likely they aren't june bug larvae. The OP stated they were found inside a termite infested log. June bug larvae are grubs in the ground. I''ll still bet they're passalid larvae, but Bill's guess (stag) is also plausible. Gosaspursm, do you still have them and will you be attempting to rear them into adults?


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## gosaspursm (Mar 12, 2011)

I did keep the largest of the three. I'll do my best to rear it.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

xm41907 said:


> Most likely they aren't june bug larvae. The OP stated they were found inside a termite infested log. June bug larvae are grubs in the ground. I''ll still bet they're passalid larvae, but Bill's guess (stag) is also plausible. Gosaspursm, do you still have them and will you be attempting to rear them into adults?


While I've seen stag beetles rarely (twice in about 40 years) in this region, Odontotaenius disjunctus are relatively common in rotted logs in the Pennsylvania systems. The odds are that it is a passalid larva and probably O. disjunctus which are commonly called "Bess beetles" or "Bess Bugs".. 

Ed


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## gosaspursm (Mar 12, 2011)

Doesn't quite look the same as O. disjunctus larvae. Rearing it up seems to be the only option for determining what it really is.


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## Brotherly Monkey (Jul 20, 2010)

Ed said:


> While I've seen stag beetles rarely (twice in about 40 years) in this region, Odontotaenius disjunctus are relatively common in rotted logs in the Pennsylvania systems. The odds are that it is a passalid larva and probably O. disjunctus which are commonly called "Bess beetles" or "Bess Bugs"..
> 
> Ed


A bit OT, but where have you come across stag beetles in PA?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Brotherly Monkey said:


> A bit OT, but where have you come across stag beetles in PA?


Collegeville PA (it is now paved over), in the rotten core of a very large maple tree trunk and Evansburg state park where I found a DOR. 

Ed


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## gosaspursm (Mar 12, 2011)

Well the verdict is in.. I had completely forgot about this grub until I cleaned out the termite culture it was in and found its carcass. 












































I have huge hands.... he wasn't tiny by any means


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

xm41907 said:


> Most likely they aren't june bug larvae. The OP stated they were found inside a termite infested log. June bug larvae are grubs in the ground. I''ll still bet they're passalid larvae, but Bill's guess (stag) is also plausible. Gosaspursm, do you still have them and will you be attempting to rear them into adults?


The most common large beetle larva found in that region (and in mine) are passalids, specifically Bess Beetles. We've seen a lot of them this year.

Ed


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## Neodoxa (Oct 12, 2006)

Cool. A stag beetle in PA. I've never seen one here.


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## Ilovebugs (Jul 28, 2012)

That is super cool!


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