What insect is this

[herptrader]

Sorry I have not got a photograph. It is tiny and our camera does not do macro.

I think I picked up as a hitch hiker while riding home along the Dandenong Creek (S.E. of Melbourne) and detouring off road into wooded areas. It was found on my wife (trader) after I gave her hug when coming in the door.

It looks like a tick but not one I am familar with.

It is about 2mm long and has an blue/green irridescent body. It is quite pretty. Its legs vary from 1.5 to 2.5 mm long and it has a pair of 2.5mm antenae.

I currently have it in a zip log bag on my desk and can bring it to Friday's VHS meeting for somebody to ID or photograph.

What I would l like ot know is is it a tick or not.

 

[MrBredli]

I don't know anything about insects, but my guess would be it is not a tick if it has antenae..?

 

[instar]

Its the blue-green irridescent death beetle, can jump 16 feet, burrows into the body cavitys, normally the ears of its victims, before working its way into the brain, where it sends the victim insane before laying its eggs there and eating its way out! Very nasty little creature, good job you managed to bag it in the zip lock Daavid! :shock:

Seriously mate, how the hell could anyone know? Lol Sdaji might be a good person to ask though.

 

[africancichlidau]

I'm with MrBredli, might find it a bit hard to bury it's head into ya if it has antennae

 

[Sdaji]

Lol Sdaji might be a good person to ask though.

:shock:

a 2mm green thing? Well, um... yep, definately the blue-green irridescent death beetle.

If you get a good picture or show it to me I should be able to tell you what it is. I'll bet it's an arthropod, but I'm not going any further just yet!

 

[herptrader]

I will bring it with me on Friday evening and you can have a look.

The antennae look like they would fold back quite easily.

The zip lock bag thing was something they did in Manitoba for research on ticks. The research group requested that you put any ticks you came across in a zip lock bag and mail them in. Hardy little buggers. I picked up quite few while mountain bike racing.

 

[Hickson]

Daavid,

If you can count them, ticks and mites have eight legs, insects only six. However, while ticks don't have antennae, they do have a pair of pedipalps on either side of the protostome (sucking mouthpiece).

Hope this helps.



Hix

 

[herptrader]

Well it looks like it has 8 legs but the front two seem to act as antenae by touching the ground in front of it as it walks.

It does have a couple of short spikes beside its mouth.

It is still alive but only just . I will bring it along to the VHS meeting and see if anybody recognises it ... or is carrying a camera with a good macro feature ;-)

 

[moosenoose]

lol it's a stink bug! Squeeze it!