How do I find a bug ? ? ?

I can't even find common stuff like Lady Bugs and Gypsy Moths.
Do I have to search through BugGuide.net? If so, why have BugFiles.
I have lots of pics, why doesn't the common name bring up any results in a search?
Andy P

Howdy AndyP !!

I may be taking somewhat of a 'liberty-leap' here, but the DG BugFiles' database is 'in process'. Entries continue to be added daily ...

Once the photo of a 'bug' you've taken, can be/is reasonably correctly identified (currently: via other resources .. other web sites, books, etc.) - add the photo to the entry database.

* As you've mentioned above*
When/if the particular species of the bug in which you've identified, ISN'T found in the database - - use the supplied option > to ADD the Bug. I'm relatively certain that all of the information fields (blanks) .. need to be filled-in with the correct information.

It's at this point, where Ken and a few others (I believe), truly do have their 'work' cut out for them: in checking and determining that any/all of the information provided, is indeed correct .. and making any/all applicable corrections; as soon as feasibly possible.

Hence, many of the lil notes we get letting us know that one or many of our "entries have been edited and/or removed".

It's really not too difficult to accidentally duplicate some bug entries; enter a bug image under the incorrect name, or enter the incorrect info into the fields (ex: Order, Family, Genus, Species).

So, it seems it may will continue to be somewhat easy - to 'fail to find' the correct spot to enter/place any of our 'bug' images.

((huggerooners))

- Magpye

I will not divulge how many boo-boo's I've made. So, dontcha even ask .. hee .. (I had to quit counting!)

This message was edited Oct 14, 2006 9:41 AM

Magpye, What got me all bound-up was that I couldn't even find a Lady Bug or Gypsy Moth. Someone must have entered info for those common critters by now.
I wasn't trying to enter any bug, I just wanted to see if my pic of larva was a Lady Bug.
I must be missing something, here. I thought we could type in the common name for a search, like in PlantFiles.
Andy P

Andy,
I am afraid that so far the search options for the Bugfilres are somewhat limited, but the two examples that you cite do both work.
From the BugFiles home page, you click on"
click here to search for bugs

I first tried typing Lady Bug into the common name box and like you I got no results: http://davesgarden.com/bf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=Lady+Bug&searcher%5Bbugorder%5D=&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=&Search=Search
I then tried it as one word ladybug and the result was that 5 different Ladybugs were found: http://davesgarden.com/bf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=LadyBug&searcher%5Bbugorder%5D=&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=&Search=Search
I also tried broadening the search further by simply searching for 'Lady' and this brought up 44 matches. Some of these are Painted Lady butterflies, but the majority are memebers of teh Ladybug family of beetles, although most of these are just the names, with no images or description so far.

I then tried your second search, searching for Gypsy Moth and the search found one species: http://davesgarden.com/bf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=Gypsy+Moth&searcher%5Bbugorder%5D=&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=&Search=Search
this tells you the scientific name for the moth, ie Lymantria dispar and the family it is in Lymantriidae, but so far no-one has added any Gypsy Moth images or other information.
If you open the Gypsy Moth entry: http://davesgarden.com/bf/go/1677/
and then click on the family name: Lymantriidae, you get a list of moths in that family and this does include some of its cousins that do have images: http://davesgarden.com/bf/b/Lepidoptera/Lymantriidae/none/none/genus/0/

Ken

Thanks, Ken. I've always been bad at searches. No imagination, I guess.
I looked for the Gypsy Moth a few months ago.
The links are appreciated.
Andy P

FYI, we've had similar problems within PlantFiles - the "generalized search" isn't working properly, especially on common names. I've shot a note to Dave, but it's the weekend, and I don't expect it'll be fixed until he's "in the office" during normal business hours. Please bear with us. Once it's fixed, you can and should be able to easily locate plants and bugs by their common names again.

That's OK Terry, I was in a bit of a sour mood yesterday when I started this thread.
Andy P

PS, I have added my Ladybug to your files. I got the info from BugGuide so you better check for my typeos.
I'll deal with the Gypsy Moth later.

This message was edited Oct 14, 2006 7:45 PM