Beetle/weevil identification

sall · #1 (**permalink**) 21-08-2008, 07:12 PM

You guys seem pretty good on the identification stakes and so wondered if you could help me. The other day at work my boyfriend was trimming some bay trees and got bitten by what looked like a vine weevil. It was only about 4mm and he doesn't think it had any markings, just dark in colour. It bit him twice which felt like a sting (although he didn't feel the first one...no comment!) and are itchy. They have swelled up and are just like flea/mosquito bites. He says he could see that it had some kind of proboscis that it had stuck in his hand, until he splatted it that is!!

I'm sure you will know straight away what it is so we're looking forward to the answers! Many thanks!

Dogghound · #2 (**permalink**) 21-08-2008, 08:12 PM

Weevils dont/carnt bite through human skin. Possibly he was stung by a wasp, bit by a spider etc but certainally not a weevil. Also a 4mm is to small for a vine weevil. A typical weevil has an extended mouth (rostrum) but its not adapted to bite through skin which is what you thought was a proboscis.

Welcome to WAB.

sall · #3 (**permalink**) 21-08-2008, 08:53 PM

OK, so this is not a weevil identification but really a general insect identification, although definitely NOT a spider or wasp...guess we are narrowing it down! Anyone got any other suggestions/eliminations?

Pudding4brains · #4 (**permalink**) 22-08-2008, 09:48 AM

Have a look at true bugs. Some of the Miridae in the 4mm range are known to try and suck on humans too every now and then.

Cheers, Arp

jaguarondi · #5 (**permalink**) 22-08-2008, 06:06 PM

I was once bitten by an anthocorid bug. I recognised what it was because I used to work on aphids and anthocorids are aphid predators. And they're small and black. I was walking through a park on a hot summers day at the time, when I felt the little stab of pain on my arm.

sall · #6 (**permalink**) 22-08-2008, 07:59 PM

Thanks for these suggestions. I have Googled images of both the suspects but they were not picked out of the line up so another dead end! Useful though because we found out what produces the little luminous eggs we found earlier in the year (anthocorid bug)!

Pudding4brains · #7 (**permalink**) 22-08-2008, 09:52 PM

The "anthocorid" mentioned is just one category of Miridae - a positively huge group with quite variable looking members - I'm a bit worried you cutting corners

On the other hand it may have been some other bug too - damselbug, shieldbug ... whatever (though most are notably bigger).

If you are sure about the proboscis and it's not a weevil I'd say you'll most likely end up in this group - assuming it wasn't a Dipteran of some sort (which I doubt you would confuse with a weevil).

sall · #8 (**permalink**) 26-08-2008, 09:43 PM

Goodness me, you guys know your stuff!! I shall have to remember all these great words for when I next play Scrabble!

Anyway, point taken about cutting corners, we did only have a quick look but when I get a mo I promise to undertake a more thorough search. I am finding that generally there obviously common critters that everyone has pics of and I will have to wade a bit deeper into the world of the miridae!

Do damsel or shield bugs bite? Although I guess it was more of a suck than a bite as it had definitely inserted something to withdraw the blood!