Insects Archives - Southwest Desert GardeningSouthwest Desert Gardening

Green June Bug in August

Green June bug: although quite common here in the summer, I had never really looked at one until I caught a glimpse of something metallic blue as I took the garbage to the curb for pickup the next day. At first glance I thought maybe it was one of the metallic blue cutter bees I have seen here on roses in early spring. I got my camera, moved the dead insect out of crack in the sidewalk, and proceeded to photograph it. I had to get down on the ground to do it, and I just ignored the people who slowed down driving by who wondered what this woman was doing on the driveway.

It wasn’t until I turned it over that I realized it was a very common green June bug, a type of scarab beetle. The back view is not particularly impressive:

Green June Bug, a scarab beetle

I had seen that view many times. It was the complexity and beauty of the underside that I had never seen before.

Underside, Green June Bug

Green June Bug: Beautiful in Its Complexity. “Facial” View, the Eyes Were Missing

Garden takeaway: green June bugs do not harm the garden.

Photography takeaway: you don’t always have to go looking for things to photograph; sometimes they just appear when people keep their eyes open. 🙂

Update: There are two species of Green June Bugs. The one that occurs in the West, from Texas to California (including New Mexico) may also be referred to as the Fig Beetle of Figeater Beetle. More info here. Thanks, Tim.

Sphinx Moth and More

The Sphinx Moth is one part of a life cycle that gives rise to what is known casually as a “tomato horn worm” (not a worm at all). But the critter referred to as such can destroy not only tomatoes, but other plants such as datura, in a very short period of time. The moth phase is the beautiful portion of that life cycle, IMHO (some entomologists might disagree 😉 ).

Recently, as I was picking some cherry tomatoes, I thought to myself how wonderful this year was in that I had not seen destructive activity on my tomatoes, pepper, or datura. Walking into the house with my harvest, what did I see? A sphinx moth! The moth is quite attractive, but spells trouble down the road for my tomatoes.

Sphinx Moth

Of course, I had to photograph it. But, as I did, I noticed a very tiny moth on the stucco as well.

Sphinx moth and another tiny moth

Time to get up close and personal.

Very small moth

I do not know the name of this small moth. I think its pattern is quite attractive, although not as complex as the sphinx moth.

The appearance of the sphinx moth has officially put me on notice to carefully watch the tomato, pepper, and datura for the appearance of the destructive “hornworms.” The beauty of the moth phase, however, cannot be denied.