What are these bugs

[Aphotic Phoenix]

Speaking of big bugs...I have seen a few of these around where I live

they get to be 2 inches! Not nearly as gross as those bugs though!

 

[rwilliams254]

exu! That's it!!! The only problem...I don't have any palo verde trees near me. Argh!!!

 

[mcox3]

well palo verdes are all over the place... maybe they were mini-migrating or going somewhere... and fell in your pool???

 

[shrimpin]

hey williams I dont live far from you and I use to get those all the time too, hard to kill though....
biggest one I found was about 7-8 inches.......

 

[Slappy*McFish]

mmmmm....crunchy.

 

[Sploke]

You'd get a pretty satisfying THWACK if you nailed one with a tennis racket too. Be careful not to break a window though.

 

[rwilliams254]

Ok, I posted on the BugGuide.net forum and got a pretty quick response

Derobrachus geminatus.
These are indeed specimens of the palo verde root borer. Females are heavy-bodied with slender antennae. Males are more svelt, with thick antennae (at the base at least). They fly clumsily, so biggest threat is of them colliding with you. They are attracted to lights at night as well, so consider shutting off your outdoor lighting. They can bite if molested, so don't pick them up. Otherwise, what is the issue? They don't even cause major damage to the trees they bore into.

 

[exu]

They can be a bit startling when they buzz you or smack into your house at night. Otherwise they shouldn't cause anyone any harm unless you putting your fingers where you shouldn't. No need to go killing them in my opinion.

 

[mcox3]

hey williams I dont live far from you and I use to get those all the time too, hard to kill though....
biggest one I found was about 7-8 inches.......

Whoa!:headbang2:

Ok, I posted on the BugGuide.net forum and got a pretty quick response

They can bite if molested, so don't pick them up.

I'd never molest anything that big! :liar:

 

[Seamonkey84]

there are bug forums around, just do a search. i belong to a forum for keeping ant colonies. adults with ant farms, yes we exist.