Ok, got the shot, what is it?
Go to bug guide, go to UHH , go on line???
Go to 1980. Here are the first five pages of the beetle keys in Dillon and Dillon, Common Beetles of E. N. A.
Have fun.
This is how a beetle, or any creature is ID'ed. Not an easy process. But in time one can jump to a close decision by characters. I see a beetle, I can probably ID to family, by eye(mine,sometimes theirs). This is experience. My encouragement to all who aspire in this field, amatures make enourmous strides in this field. This is not possible in most.
Bill
Been a long time since I have seen one of these!
It is easier to just ask one of us nerds. For us (and you are a kindred spirit), getting the ID provides a considerable sense of satisfaction. All those years collecting, keying, and taking Entomology classes continue to prove useful!
You experts on UH are so helpful, sometimes us novices don't know where to start looking and a 'pointer' sends us on a more positive and productive search while gaining experience on the journey.
We can now become experts on Buggery [allert allert... humor]
When teaching after retirement 9th Grade Math and Science, I was amazed that the Biology teachers spent so much time was on Sharks! It is rare that we are bitten by sharks, but bugs are big and small sampling us all the time.
I think there is an app that IDs insects as there are apps to ID plants based on a good photo of an unknown plant. The only thing I can't figure out is how to get the ID app on my PC to ID mystery plants, so I must copy the photo to my phone for ID which is a PITA. GRRRR!
Do you have a local university? If so, can you go to the entomology department and ask someone?
Dik
Dikdik wrote:
Do you have a local university? If so, can you go to the entomology department and ask someone?
Dik
It will depend. Some are happy enough to help. Others will get a little grumpy. There are different personalities on every job site.
What a complex process and add to that the reported number of insects it is mind-numbing. I can see where it would take tireless dedication and years of study to master this.
Funny. If a lot of money was at stake, I might go to that much trouble, but a bug is a bug, as far as I'm concerned. : )
"Nobody knows for sure how many different insects there are. It has been estimated, however, that there may be more than 30 million kinds, or species, in a huge variety of shapes and sizes."
The study of insects, and nature in general has given me a great deal of pleasure. I may become a millionaire thru my insect work. Another 999,500$ to go.
By a closer look at nature, a better understanding of oneself is possible. We are a part of it.
Insects CANNOT be identified by a picture in many(most) instances. Mushrooms another. One common mosquito has been proven by dna and the frequency of the female wingbeat to be seven sister species. To hobbiest or pro, insect study is neverending. Read 'An American Plague'. How Walter Reed and others risked death to find the cause of Yellow Fever. Entomology at work.
One note. The experts at the Smithsonian (I had access to some of them) are usually in the field or writing.The people at Beltsville Ag. Farm are at studies. Profs in college are teaching and writing. In reality, it will be hard to find a pro to look at specimens. An entomologists society is a good way to have identification done, but you need to go to meetings. In truth, there was not much chance to have an ID made until the internet.
BugGuide and others just what an amateur needs, BUT, do not expect 100% success.
I may put in an hour or two or more to ID some of the posts here. First, memory, next, to my books. Then maybe to one of the few monographs I still have. Then to an insect site. BugGuide would be last.
When studying beetle taxonomy, I sometimes worked hours on a microscope, nose in a set of keys(contortionist) before getting it vetted. I was very lucky to have the 'vettor'. He is still doing a checklist of Maryland beetles. My name is in there as collector for hundreds of species. My posterity.
The good news, as Mark said, is just post on UHH. We nerds will take it from there.
Thanks to all. Let me get off this soap box and get moving.
Bill
newtoyou wrote:
The study of insects, and nature in general has given me a great deal of pleasure.
You missed a fascinating critter... bats. We used to have a couple of pet brown bats. At the time we were living in Toronto and the ROM had a world expert on the little critters.
Dik
newtoyou wrote:
The study of insects, and nature in general has given me a great deal of pleasure. I may become a millionaire thru my insect work. Another 999,500$ to go.
By a closer look at nature, a better understanding of oneself is possible. We are a part of it.
Insects CANNOT be identified by a picture in many(most) instances. Mushrooms another. One common mosquito has been proven by dna and the frequency of the female wingbeat to be seven sister species. To hobbiest or pro, insect study is neverending. Read 'An American Plague'. How Walter Reed and others risked death to find the cause of Yellow Fever. Entomology at work.
One note. The experts at the Smithsonian (I had access to some of them) are usually in the field or writing.The people at Beltsville Ag. Farm are at studies. Profs in college are teaching and writing. In reality, it will be hard to find a pro to look at specimens. An entomologists society is a good way to have identification done, but you need to go to meetings. In truth, there was not much chance to have an ID made until the internet.
BugGuide and others just what an amateur needs, BUT, do not expect 100% success.
I may put in an hour or two or more to ID some of the posts here. First, memory, next, to my books. Then maybe to one of the few monographs I still have. Then to an insect site. BugGuide would be last.
When studying beetle taxonomy, I sometimes worked hours on a microscope, nose in a set of keys(contortionist) before getting it vetted. I was very lucky to have the 'vettor'. He is still doing a checklist of Maryland beetles. My name is in there as collector for hundreds of species. My posterity.
The good news, as Mark said, is just post on UHH. We nerds will take it from there.
Thanks to all. Let me get off this soap box and get moving.
Bill
The study of insects, and nature in general has gi... (
show quote)
For a simple explanation of the photos, correct me where I'm wrong newtoyou, it's called a dichotomous key. If you think it's hard to work with think about writing one. The idea is to present you with a question and provide two answers. The answer you choose takes you to another question. Keys can be as basic as asking "Does it have six legs. If yes go to insects. If no go to Question 2."
BBurns
Loc: South Bay, California
jerryc41 wrote:
Funny. If a lot of money was at stake, I might go to that much trouble, but a bug is a bug, as far as I'm concerned.....
Jerry, This is a Nerd Alert. Your prospective is understood and accepted. But, we are not discussing Bugs(Hemiptera), we are discussing Beetles(Coleoptera).
Curmudgeon wrote:
For a simple explanation of the photos, correct me where I'm wrong newtoyou, it's called a dichotomous key. If you think it's hard to work with think about writing one. The idea is to present you with a question and provide two answers. The answer you choose takes you to another question. Keys can be as basic as asking "Does it have six legs. If yes go to insects. If no go to Question 2."
Correct on all counts till the answer to six legs. Juvenile millipedes have six legs.
Your chalange about writing one. Tried it. Talk about picky!! Never got far.
To run a full key to,say,a weevil, to species might take you thru a hundred, more or less, couplets. All the while knowing the language, knowing key points, and looking thru a microscope. For hours. For real nerds like me,a joy. Solitude, quiet.
Sorry,I ramble.
The overall point being that it is not a simple subject. There will never be definitive answers. Never a true concensus. So why do this? Pleasure.
Some ask questions, some answer, to the benefit of both. The more you know, the more you want to know. I hope I haven't bored you. Lazy afternoon. And I hope my input helps you.
Enjoy the p.m.
Bill
Dikdik wrote:
You missed a fascinating critter... bats. We used to have a couple of pet brown bats. At the time we were living in Toronto and the ROM had a world expert on the little critters.
Dik
Closest to that I have been was a pet flying squirrel I rescued in winter. It lived in a closet,and would come out and take peanuts from us in the evening. Surprised friends.Kept till warm weather and released.
Bill
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