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Beetle

Photo by joerorick
Published on Project Noah
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42.2175, -85.6372

Field Notes

Description:

Scary

Habitat:

In a parking lot

Notes:

This thing is scary

Species ID Suggestions

True bug

Order Hemiptera

Reference Link
Latimeria
1

Giant Water Bug, Toe-Biter

Lethocerus americanus

Reference Link
RexScientiarum
1

Comments (2)
RexScientiarum
It is not a beetle, it is a true bug (Order: Hemiptera Suborder: Heteroptera) and this is identified by the triangle at the rear where the wings fold over one another (they do not overlap in beetles, only in true bugs). Based on body shape and the legs it is certainly in Infraorder Nepomorpha, Family Belostomatidae (giant water bugs), Genus Lethocerus. I am guessing L. americanus and it is aptly named the Giant water bug or sometimes the Toe-Biter :-)
Latimeria
Looks some kind of predaceous diving beetle, judging from the hind and front legs. It can inflict a nasty pinch.
Photographed
PublishedOctober 12, 2010

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