# Help! Insect Identification Needed!!



## pauluspaolo (Feb 24, 2003)

Have just been asked if I know what these things are - they're all over some of the doors/walls here at college. They're pretty slow moving & appear to have only small vestigial wings - far too small for it to fly with as they're quite big (the body is 1 - 2 cm long with the bug being maybe 2.5 - 3.0cm long in total). They have 6 legs so I presume they are insects, they look a bit like wingless moths with a fat furry body. They also appear to be sitting on/guarding nests with lots of what look like eggs - as I say there are quite a lot of them & all of them are on or near a nest. One of the lecturers wonders if they're live prey for whatever hatches from the eggs, whereas I'm wondering if they're moths that have hatched from the nests & are waiting for their wings to fully develop before flying off?

Apologies for the not very clear pics







- I also realise that this isn't a wildlife forum but these sort of pics have been posted before & someone's usually been able to identify the beastie in question.

Any help you give would be appreciated, the insects don't seem to be a problem we're just curious to know what they are. I've looked in some "Name This Insect" style reference books & can't seem to find it in these anywhere


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## pauluspaolo (Feb 24, 2003)

Another pic


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## mrteatime (Oct 25, 2006)

pauluspaolo said:


> Have just been asked if I know what these things are - they're all over some of the doors/walls here at college. They're pretty slow moving & appear to have only small vestigial wings - far too small for it to fly with as they're quite big (the body is 1 - 2 cm long with the bug being maybe 2.5 - 3.0cm long in total). They have 6 legs so I presume they are insects, they look a bit like wingless moths with a fat furry body. They also appear to be sitting on/guarding nests with lots of what look like eggs - as I say there are quite a lot of them & all of them are on or near a nest. One of the lecturers wonders if they're live prey for whatever hatches from the eggs, whereas I'm wondering if they're moths that have hatched from the nests & are waiting for their wings to fully develop before flying off?
> 
> Apologies for the not very clear pics
> 
> ...


are those the eggs ?


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

Cant help Paul, but Im curious!

These guys look like they could help..

http://www.insectchat.com/


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

mrteatime said:


> are those the eggs ?


Either eggs or that's the hairy arsed glass eye collecting moth! A very rare find


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## Guest (Sep 14, 2007)




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## pauluspaolo (Feb 24, 2003)

I got a reply on another forum about what these are & apparently they're the flightless female Vapourer moth. It is the females lot to stay by the coccoon she hatched out of (that's what all the silk/weblike material is she's sitting on), whereupon a passing male moth will have his wicked way with her, being well & truly up the duff she then lays loads of eggs (also visible in the photos), waits around until they hatch & then dies - doesn't sound like much of a life I'm sure you'll agree!!

Anyway here's a picture of the male which I'm sure has lots more fun flying around sh**ging lots of female moths ........... the dastardly cad









Also of note is that this is a day flying moth & is often mistaken for a butterfly - just thought you'd like to know


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## nursegladys (Aug 4, 2006)

Thanks Paul, I did try and have a look for you, also considered putting in a request on an insect forum, but then thought you would have done that already. Not a bad life for the males; don't you think it mirrors human society









Cheers


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## pauluspaolo (Feb 24, 2003)

nursegladys said:


> Not a bad life for the males; don't you think it mirrors human society
> 
> 
> 
> ...


To a degree - but being exposed (in the past sometimes literally







) to female students in all their many shapes & sizes I have to say that they give as good as they get & are often more extreme especially if they're in a team (rugby for example) & are rat-arsed (as is often the case)!

It's Freshers week next week & I expect to see some sights & hear some tales









Life!!!! Doncha just love it??


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

Thanks for the update Paul...

Now, if you can just keep us updated during freshers week on those sights you see please


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## smashie (Aug 17, 2007)

Agggh, kill it with fire!


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## limey (Aug 24, 2006)

smashie said:


> Agggh, kill it with fire!


Don't laugh too hard, but I just read in the paper today of a house fire about 30 minutes from here. The older lady that was renting the house, and it was a pretty nice large house, was sitting in the front room and noticed a thread hanging from an Afghan throw blanket. Rather than get the scissors she decides to use the cigarette lighter. After trying to put it out with her hands and then water from the sink she gives up, calls 911 and burns half the house down.


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