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What's this bug?

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  • What's this bug?

    These bugs, which I've been calling our patio sea monkies, appear on our patio after it rains. Like, lots and lots of them. They range in color from reddish pink to brown. They're fairly small, no bigger than um, a dead fly . It's like they try to get in the house because they'll be lined up in front of the sliding glass door, but none do because I've never seen them in the house alive. They ONLY appear on the back patio and not at any other door or patio.

    I'm assuming they're kinda common - what are they?

    If it helps: I live in Ewa Beach.


  • #2
    Re: What's this bug?

    If no one comes up with an ID, and you get super bored one day, you could go through this site and try to find them:

    http://www.hear.org/starr/hiinsects/index.html

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: What's this bug?

      lol i was going through that list prior to posting. I got halfway through the A's til I gave up and figured someone here might know before I got through the B's.

      I shall click on!

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: What's this bug?

        Check this out...
        Ask a Bishop Museum Scientist/

        They'll help ya
        Life is either an adventure... or you're not doing it right!!!

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: What's this bug?

          Maybe look through your shots of the things and see if you have a really clear image of one. Crop the picture so it's only that one bug and it's as big as you can get it within the forums limits and post it.

          With more visible details of the bug it might be easier to ID.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: What's this bug?

            They look sort of like silverfish. What do you think?
            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silverfish

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            • #7
              Re: What's this bug?

              They look like a type of silverfish except these have shorter antannae and tails, but would they only come out when it rains? They're not in the house feeding on items noted in the wiki entry as far as I can see and they're not coming up the drains or anything (I find a lot of stuff coming out of our shower drains and these little guys aren't). I've never seen one alive, so I can't say much about what they do except for dying in the backyard.

              I'll try to take a better picture with a coin or something to help indicate size and post it to the flickr group tomorrow. I remember reading about that group here a long time ago and totally forgot. Thanks!

              Also, They're as irridescent/shiny as they appear in the photo.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: What's this bug?

                First thought: mole crickets, but no, they are bigger, and none in HI according to the link.

                Second thought: Boy, them's some big fleas!

                Oh! I know! Ground shrimps!

                (I will be watching for the answer!)

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: What's this bug?

                  They're pill bugs. I used to see them under rocks and such when I was a kid.

                  http://www.northern.edu/natsource/INVERT1/Pillbu1.htm

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: What's this bug?

                    Originally posted by Composite 2992 View Post
                    They're pill bugs. I used to see them under rocks and such when I was a kid.

                    http://www.northern.edu/natsource/INVERT1/Pillbu1.htm
                    Your source states they're also known as sow bugs. Used to see a lot of those growing up in SoCal but don't recall seeing any in Hawaii. Kelley, do your bugs roll up in a ball? Sow bugs do that but the bugs in the photo above just don't look the same. I remember sow bugs being black in color.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: What's this bug?

                      I'd vote for it being a terrestrial species of "Amphipods".

                      http://books.google.com/books?id=2eh...esult#PPA89,M1


                      Small, brown shrimp-like creatures that change to orange when dead.
                      Last edited by Amati; January 12, 2009, 07:35 PM.
                      Now run along and play, but don’t get into trouble.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: What's this bug?

                        Originally posted by Amati View Post
                        I'd vote for "Amphipods"

                        http://books.google.com/books?id=2eh...esult#PPA89,M1


                        Small, brown shrimp-like creatures that change to orange when dead.
                        That link shows a photo that looks just like the one Kelly took! It also notes the difference between sow bugs and pill bugs. What I thought to be the former were, in reality, the latter. I learn something new every day!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: What's this bug?

                          MORE.

                          http://www.whatsthatbug.com/2004/11/10/lawn-shrimp-3/

                          Quote:
                          You are being plagued by Lawn Shrimp, a colorful name for a type of terrestrial Amphipod. Terrestrial amphipods live on the surface (top 1/2 inch) of mulch and moist ground. After rains, large numbers of amphipods can migrate into garages or under the doors of houses. There they soon die their color changing from brown, green or black to red upon death. They migrate out of rain-soaked soil to drier areas where they usually end up dying. Most species are active at night.
                          Now run along and play, but don’t get into trouble.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: What's this bug?

                            ah ha!!! THAT'S THEM! I searched whatsthatbug.com (when I first moved here, I used to look at all of the centipede photos there) but of course, I didn't search for lawn shrimp or any of their listed categories. Heck, I even looked up "sea monkeys", which brought up cool pictures of monkey slugs. I didn't think my joke would be close to what it really is.

                            We do get sow bugs that make it under the front door on occasion -I used to play with them when I as growing up in central California. I never would've put them together as being related or close because they look more like jumping fleas than lil armadillos that cruise around.

                            Speaking of fleas, on Amati's Google book link, a few entries down is one about fleas - I never thought I'd ever see a pooping flea (second pic).

                            My husband is now making shrimp-related jokes about our lil lawn pests. lawn shrimp trucks...how many can you fit in a lil tub of cocktail sauce... But most of all, I'm sooooooooo glad to read that they don't bite.

                            Thank you so much everyone! <3 Really appreciate the help!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: What's this bug?

                              LOL! Well, now that you mention it, they do sort of look like ebi.

                              Comment

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