HELP - Bug ID please?

[dragoneggs]

I am attempting to trap something (hitchhiker) that may be in my tank causing injury and death to a few of my fish lately. Last night I trapped my first suspect. It looks like an earwig to me... it is about 1/2in long not including the antennae.

 

[spongebob lover]

wwouu dood that's one ugly looking thing .

 

[Passinetti2007]

is that what was in your tank??? That looks like a regular old earwig to me. can they survive in saltwater?

 

[dragoneggs]

That is what I thought too... it was clinging to the nylon filled with raw scallop in a plastic bottle on the bottom of my tank! Hard to figure... gonna go hunting again tonight.

 

[NC2WA]

Looks like a job for the MIB.

 

[Brenden]

Sounds like a fluke. Let us know what you find.

 

[LakeEd]

Sounds like a fluke. Let us know what you find.

All this time, I always thought a "fluke" looked more like this???

 

[twilliard]

LOL Ed!

I thought a fluke was a meter??
No really ... thats a earwig bug having fun in your tank. Doubt it will kill a fish though.

 

[Brenden]

Ed that is a flounder, this is a fluke.

 

[Fishead77]

Ed that is a flounder, this is a fluke.

Have to concur, looks like a flounder to me as well.

 

[Fishead77]

Ed that is a flounder, this is a fluke.

I thought this was a fluke!

 

[dragoneggs]

Okay you funny guys... I will be hunting again tonight and if I catch another earwig what will you say?

 

[LakeEd]

Okay you funny guys... I will be hunting again tonight and if I catch another earwig what will you say?

Mark,

I remember one of the old episodes of the Twilight Zone, where they put earwigs into people's ears to murder them... so I'm keeping my finger's in my ears around you!!!

 

[Boomer]

There is not doubt that is a the Common Earwig, as it is easy to ID by the great pic and just counting the segments of the antennae = 12. It is probably a Forficula auricularia. These are not aqautic insects and more than likey it just fell into the tank. This is not the first time I have seen a post on a terrestrial insect in a tank

Earwigs are called earwigs due to their habit of entering the "ears" of certain plants. They will and do feed off of dead material and dead animals. An those forcepst are mostly for defense pruposes.

There are only a handful of insects that can live in seawater and earwigs are not one of them. There is a "beach" earwig / "seaside" earwig common to some shores but that is not what you have, as the forceps and antennae count is all wrong and they do not live in seawater. Look for Mantis shrimp in your tank.

 

[dragoneggs]

There is not doubt that is a the Common Earwig, as it is easy to ID by the great pic and just counting the segments of the antennae = 12. It is probably a Forficula auricularia. These are not aqautic insects and more than likey it just fell into the tank. This is not the first time I have seen a post on a terrestrial insect in a tank

Earwigs are called earwigs due to their habit of entering the "ears" of certain plants. They will and do feed off of dead material and dead animals. An those forcepst are mostly for defense pruposes.

There are only a handful of insects that can live in seawater and earwigs are not one of them. There is a "beach" earwig / "seaside" earwig common to some shores but that is not what you have, as the forceps and antennae count is all wrong and they do not live in seawater. Look for Mantis shrimp in your tank.

Thanks for the decisive reply Boomer! I am amazed that he 'fell' in and somehow got into the trap but I will accept your identification. Last night my hunting was 'fruitless'. I will try again tonight with raw shrimp instead of scallop.

 

[NC2WA]

Boomer,

Imagine this, a chemistry guru answering a biology question.

Who would have thunk such a thing. LOL.

 

[Boomer]

You may not know this but I answer biology/ ID question as much as or more than chem questions on this forum or other forumse like RS. I get PM more for ID questions than chem questions :lol: And I have lots more ID books than chem books. I'm much more zoologist and geologist than chemist by a long shot.

 

[NC2WA]

Well,

I for one appreciate the sharing of the enormous amount of knowledge you have to this forum.

Kirk

 

[Boomer]

Thanks Kirk

 

[class clown]

I'm so happy this was not something growing/thriving in the aqurium. Mark man, I was getting ready to ask you for your address so my pshychiatrist could bill you directly for the repetitive nightmare therapy this photo has created for me (Joking of course) :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

but pheww. I am releived that we got a positive id on it. what a hoot!