The word "bug" is, to me, a cute Americanism. Hearing it used I had assumed it equivalent to the Japanese word "mushi". Mushi is a particularly good word as it applies to all those insecty things - flies, beetles, centipedes, spiders, butterflies, worms...etc
dictionary.com says: "1. Also called true bug, hemipteran, hemipteron. a hemipterous insect. 2. (loosely) any insect or insectlike invertebrate."
And wikipedia helpfully explains: "Hemiptera (pronounced /hɛˈmɪptərə/) is an order of insects most often known as the true bugs, comprising around 80,000[3] species of cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, shield bugs, and others."
Anyway - here I meant bug in the very loosest possible sense. I wanted you to wonder who it might be behind those bug-eyes...
Probably a beetle, not a bug.
ReplyDeleteIt's a fly. Brachyceran, possibly something from the Asilidae or similar.
ReplyDeleteChris S.
On reflection I think it's more likely a stiletto fly (Therevidae).
ReplyDeleteI should also mention the fact it's a fantastic pic too.
Chris S.
The word "bug" is, to me, a cute Americanism. Hearing it used I had assumed it equivalent to the Japanese word "mushi". Mushi is a particularly good word as it applies to all those insecty things - flies, beetles, centipedes, spiders, butterflies, worms...etc
ReplyDeletedictionary.com says:
"1.
Also called true bug, hemipteran, hemipteron. a hemipterous insect.
2.
(loosely) any insect or insectlike invertebrate."
And wikipedia helpfully explains:
"Hemiptera (pronounced /hɛˈmɪptərə/) is an order of insects most often known as the true bugs, comprising around 80,000[3] species of cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, shield bugs, and others."
Anyway - here I meant bug in the very loosest possible sense. I wanted you to wonder who it might be behind those bug-eyes...
In the UK these days, "minibeasts" is becoming the de-facto word for the catch-all, like mushi.
ReplyDeleteIt's been pushed by kids TV a lot, but I don't know if they started it.