# ID this bug



## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

john  Paul George or Ringo ?


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## John Smith_inFL (Jun 15, 2018)

just an ordinary wood chomping bug.
they are very much needed in the forests for digging tunnels in dead wood on the ground accelerating decomposition.
I have only seen them in dead material - not living trees.


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## Domo (Nov 9, 2018)

I thought that was Fred - however, a second look showed it was Dave - you know they look so similar except for the give-away curved right antenna Dave got when young.


In truth, it is a horned passalus by it's common name and as a Odontotaenius disjunctus in the scientific community... and as Icky by my dear wife.

They don't infest homes. - @John Smith_inFL got it right - wood chomper!


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

We have them around here. Most often in my attached garage. I step on them when I can.


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## John Smith_inFL (Jun 15, 2018)

they apparently fly at night and I often find them in my open carport in the mornings - I just pick them up and toss them in the pile of leaves and sticks I have outside so they can enjoy their breakfast out there.
I don't know how they would get inside a closed basement. I've seen them a little over an inch long.
and the Big Daddy of the family group can get over two inches and could probably take off a finger.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

Domo said:


> I thought that was Fred - however, a second look showed it was Dave - you know they look so similar except for the give-away curved right antenna Dave got when young.
> 
> 
> In truth, it is a horned passalus by it's common name and as a Odontotaenius disjunctus in the scientific community... and as Icky by my dear wife.
> ...


You got it! I don't see it here, but, it may be too dry.













horned passalus - Odontotaenius disjunctus (Illiger)


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

So...if they're wood chompers should I be worried the same as if they were termites?


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

From the link -
"The horned passalus only decomposes decaying wood or logs, and it is not a pest of urban structures."


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

Thanks Nik!


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

only hues liked my joke, tough crowd.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

Hah. If you wrote John in small letters because he's dead, remember that George is also dead.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

nope. jl was a talentless hack that only achieved fame and fortune because he was lucky enough to know Paul George & Ringo = fantastic artists.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

huesmann said:


> I've been finding a number of these beasties running around in my basement. I've just been capturing them and yeeting them out the door. They're about 1/2" long from head to butt.
> 
> What are they?
> View attachment 670355


Everyone beat me to the discussion, but your picture looks great on my IBM PC on Windows, in the Rock Pile.


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## squared80 (Feb 18, 2021)

Maybe your sill plate is rotting?


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

huesmann said:


> So...if they're wood chompers should I be worried the same as if they were termites?





Nik333 said:


> From the link -
> "The horned passalus only decomposes decaying wood or logs, and it is not a pest of urban structures."





squared80 said:


> Maybe your sill plate is rotting?


Hues, Nik gave great advice but Squared has a point. I’d try to find out where they’re habitating.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

Huh.

"Old-time Ozarkers believed that the "blood" of this beetle could cure an earache. Their general word for this insect was betsey bug."


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

Is that where Beetlejuice came from?


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