The Energon Pub

What could it be?

It has landed on my desk at work. It is black with a long black abdomen. About three quarters of the abdomen, starting from the thorax end, are covered in orange spikes. These spikes are cone-shaped, as opposed to being shaped like hairs or a hedgehog's bristles. It has what looks like little wings folded against its body, though its so terribly small it's hard to tell.

Does anybody have any ideas as to the identity of this creature?

did you kill it? smash it with a book? pound it into oblivion? tear off its wings? light it on fire? feed it to a spider to watch it die slowly?

No, he's walking (often attempting a leap) around the back of my monitor!

have you named it yet? i recommend Bob

I was going to say Bob, d@mmit!

Does it have a long proboscis? Antennae?

Maybe this? http://www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us/4th/kkhp/1insects/assassin.html

Don't mind the colours, I have seen Assassin Bugs with the colours that you are referring to.

No, it wasn't that, unfortunately, though that was certainly an interesting read!

The one I saw had much shorter legs and the orange spikes really were like large-ish cones (like the spikes on G1 Megatron's energon flail).

The spikes -sound- familiar but I just can't remember... no, got nothing.

I think there might be an online search engine for insects where you answer questions about dichotomous characteristics, but you'd probably need to be able to examine the specimen closely to have any luck.



This might work, it's similar.

I like bugs, so lets narrow this down.

First, can you study it? Is it under glass or just jumping around?

Does it have a hard shell, like a beetle? Or is it's wings the only thing visible on it's back?

Does it stand on it's six legs evenly or are some longer than others? What does the face look like?

Need more info.

Hey Caelus, nice Linky! I like.

bugguide.net is also very good. I used to volunteer my services there for a bit - until I released my knowledge of insects wasn't as good as I thought it was. You can send in photos and have real experts identify your bugs.