# Insect Identification **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 27, 2002, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-identification/145250 "2002-12-27T23:00:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nickrz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbce88/32.png) [@Nickrz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nickrz)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-identification/145250/1 "2002-12-27T23:00:12Z")
Youse guys were so good at the last one, I’ll give you another chance; anyone know what this beetle is? [http://www.cirrusimage.com/Beetles/mystery\_beetle.jpg](http://www.cirrusimage.com/Beetles/mystery_beetle.jpg) Photographed near Chicago, in August. Approximately 3/8" long, attacking a spotted cucumber beetle - so it’s a carnivore. Thanks in advance for yer efforts! Nick ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-identification/145250/2 "2002-12-27T23:07:36Z")
Looks more like a hymenopteran (ant, wasp, etc) than a beetle. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-identification/145250/3 "2002-12-27T23:31:10Z")
Tiger Beetle, almost certainly. Can’t give you the species off the top of my head though. I’ll look around. - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-identification/145250/4 "2002-12-27T23:48:52Z")
Well, I just looked at a couple hundred photos on the web and came up blank. But that means nothing - It’s a very speciose group, with dozens ( maybe hundreds ) of species in the U.S… This one is _probably_ in the genus Cicindela, which is pretty huge ( one site listed 850 species ). But all Tiger Beetles have that big head, with large eyes, and massive mandibles. Many are very bright-colored ( many are metallic ) and most are very active, fast-moving predators, which are hard to shoot. Kudos on the picture :). - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2002, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-identification/145250/5 "2002-12-28T00:02:34Z")
You know, I take it back - It’s a Checkered Beetle, family Cleridae, in the genus Enoclerus ( easy mistake looking at just the back, I tell you! just look at the photos! 😃 ). They are indeed predatory. Take a gander: [http://troyb.com/photo/gallery/087-17-CheckeredBeetle.htm](http://troyb.com/photo/gallery/087-17-CheckeredBeetle.htm) - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2002, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-identification/145250/6 "2002-12-28T00:14:32Z")
And on third thought, I won’t absolutely guarantee it is Enoclerus ( though it’s a decent bet ), but it IS some kind of Clerid - The pubescence on the body is a good clue to that as well. There are 30-odd genera and 300-odd species in North America. - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2002, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-identification/145250/7 "2002-12-28T00:24:02Z")
[Look here.](http://www.srs.fs.fed.us/4501/natural.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2002, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-identification/145250/8 "2002-12-28T00:36:12Z")
Yeah, okay so it wasn’t Enoclerus - But Thanasimus would have been my next bet ;). Good find **Demostylus**. - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2002, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-identification/145250/9 "2002-12-28T00:40:16Z")
Well, you put me on the right track, **Tamerlane**. Until you said Clerid, I was still thinking Mutillid. ---
**Author:** ![Nickrz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbce88/32.png) [@Nickrz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nickrz)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2002, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-identification/145250/10 "2002-12-28T02:36:46Z")
Wow! You did it! Man, you would not believe how many damn beetle sites I looked at over the last few months. Words cannot express my gratitude. When I get the page finished, I’ll leave the url here. I’ll give you two credit for identifying it for me. Thanks, Tamerlane and Demostylus. Nick > **[North American Insects & Spiders - North American Insects & Spiders](https://www.cirrusimage.com/)** > > Spiders are the largest group of arachnids. They are easily recognized by their eight legs, and there are few creatures great or small that elicit such irrational fear in mankind. The vast majority of spiders are completely harmless. Spider Index... ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2002, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-identification/145250/11 "2002-12-28T02:43:52Z")
Wow in return, **Nickrz** , those photos are absolutely fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![Nickrz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbce88/32.png) [@Nickrz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nickrz)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2002, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-identification/145250/12 "2002-12-28T04:32:31Z")
Thanks, Desmo. Check it out: > **[Checkered Beetle, Clerid Beetle - North American Insects & Spiders](http://www.cirrusimage.com/beetles_checkered.htm)** > > Family Cleridae – Checkered BeetlesEnoclerus quadriguttatus,  Enoclerus rosmarusLive adult beetles photographed at McKee Marsh, West Chicago, Illinois, USA.Beetles Main | Beetles Index | Longhorns | Leaf Beetles | Soldier | Blister | Lady |...