# What kind of bug is this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 29, 2013, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-bug-is-this/672570 "2013-10-29T17:52:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-bug-is-this/672570/1 "2013-10-29T17:52:24Z")
So, this is another “Can somebody identify this insect for me?” thread. [Link to imgur album with two pictures of bug](http://imgur.com/a/jHTTK) These shiny-but-bumpy black beetles show up outside a lot during the summer and fall (in the Southern Nevada area, near Las Vegas), and quite a few show up inside my house on the walls or the carpet. When spotted, they seem to freeze, and then, if they get bumped or scared or whatever, they release their grip on the wall and curl their legs up, falling down behind the desk or bookshelf or whatever. They also like to die and dry out and pretend that they’re still alive until you try to scoop them up, at which point they disintegrate into a hundred crunchy pieces of shell. I included the tab from a 12-ounce can of Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi as a size comparison, since I couldn’t find a ruler or coin. So, what kind of insect are these? Thanks for any help here! ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-bug-is-this/672570/2 "2013-10-29T17:59:50Z")
Sorry - no help, but I do know that there is a website devoted to answering these types of questions. Again, not much help because I don’t know the name of the site, but it does exist. I just saw a reference to it this weekend in the NYT. “What is this bug?” “What is this spider?” Poke around … ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-bug-is-this/672570/3 "2013-10-29T18:01:59Z")
Looks like a weevil to me. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-bug-is-this/672570/4 "2013-10-29T18:36:07Z")
Definitely a beetle. Probably a weevil. ---
**Author:** ![TwoTrouts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@TwoTrouts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoTrouts)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-bug-is-this/672570/5 "2013-10-29T18:43:23Z")
It is a black weevil [![](https://bugguide.net/images/raw/NLZ/Z2L/NLZZ2LLZTL8RDLRZDZ4RVLIZAL5R1LQZLHPRHHSR6LIR6LRZELHZTZQR6LIRQHKZPLFLCZHZUL.jpg) ](https://bugguide.net/images/raw/NLZ/Z2L/NLZZ2LLZTL8RDLRZDZ4RVLIZAL5R1LQZLHPRHHSR6LIR6LRZELHZTZQR6LIRQHKZPLFLCZHZUL.jpg) Always choose the smaller one … the lesser of two weevils. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-bug-is-this/672570/6 "2013-10-29T18:55:47Z")
Well, it’s some kind of beetle. that doesn’t exactly narrow it down, though. They look _very_ much like [this image](http://kaheel7.com/eng/images/stories/beetle-1.jpg). unfortunately, [the page that image is on](http://kaheel7.com/eng/index.php/nature-a-life/328-early-warning-system-in-the-beetle-) doesn’t give the species. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-bug-is-this/672570/7 "2013-10-29T19:49:35Z")
Thanks everybody. Definitely looks like some kind of weevil. [This page](http://www.chris-schuster.com/Curculionidae) even says: “But most weevils in nature aren’t ever noticed because the average size is about 5-7mm and many species let themselves drop down when they notice someone coming (which makes photographing them more difficult).” Exactly the kind of behavior I’ve noticed. So now I wonder what kind of food they’re after around here… ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-bug-is-this/672570/8 "2013-10-29T19:56:26Z")
(Missed the edit window) [This page](http://www.extension.umn.edu/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/e606weevils.html) shows an extremely similar insect and calls it a “strawberry root weevil.” It mentions that they feed on the roots of, among other things, grape vines. Among other plants, my neighbors (in the same physical building that contains four townhouses) have grape vines growing in their yard, which is right next to our yard and front door. This may be the solution to where they are coming from… ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-bug-is-this/672570/9 "2013-10-29T20:00:02Z")
Vine Weevil. Very common pest of houseplants. [https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=vine+weevil&client=firefox-a&hs=lLw&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=jBNwUu2EGM3y7AbT7oHwBA&ved=0CAkQ\_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=680](https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=vine+weevil&client=firefox-a&hs=lLw&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=jBNwUu2EGM3y7AbT7oHwBA&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=680) ---
**Author:** ![RedSwinglineOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a9adbd/32.png) [@RedSwinglineOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedSwinglineOne)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-bug-is-this/672570/10 "2013-10-29T20:10:29Z")
I have those here in California too. They seem to live in my front yard until they decide to come inside and die within a few feet of the front door. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-bug-is-this/672570/11 "2013-10-29T21:14:37Z")
> [@RedSwinglineOne](#): > > I have those here in California too. They seem to live in my front yard until they decide to come inside and die within a few feet of the front door. A delayed reaction to your “See No Weevil” sign?