big black and orange burrowing insects in garden

Posted by lisa and greg on July 18, 2001 at 20:44:05:

We have these big dirt piles in our garden that we thought were fire-ant hills (plentiful in N. Georgia where we live) but this evening saw a huge (1-1/4") black and orange roach-like (in appearance) bug burrowing into a good-sized hole (nickel-sized) next to one of the hills. The bug backs out of the hole and shovels dirt underneath itself onto the dirt pile. It appears to have wings but we have not seen it fly, and it has some yellow markings on its back end. The piles have appeared very suddenly (it's mid-July and hot), and we have never seen anything like them despite many years in these parts. What could they be?

Follow Ups:

• Re: big black and orange burrowing insects in garden Tom Willingham 16:22:49 8/21/2001 (11)
  • Re: big black and orange burrowing insects in garden brian goins 23:43:19 7/28/2002 (0)
  • Re: big black and orange burrowing insects in garden Valerie 14:36:49 9/03/2001 (9)
    • Re: big black and orange burrowing insects in garden Valerie 14:38:04 9/03/2001 (8)
      • Re: big black and orange burrowing insects in garden Valerie 14:54:37 9/03/2001 (7)
        • Re: big black and orange burrowing insects in garden Roberta 10:11:43 9/01/2002 (0)
        • Re: big black and orange burrowing insects in garden Roberta 18:59:52 8/02/2002 (0)
        • Re: big black and orange burrowing insects in garden Lana Hale 23:54:37 7/27/2002 (1)
          • Re: big black and orange burrowing insects in garden Ally 13:31:17 8/05/2002 (0)
        • Re: big black and orange burrowing insects in garden Joyce Olinger 11:09:42 7/21/2002 (0)
        • Re: big black and orange burrowing insects in garden Joyce Olinger 11:05:52 7/21/2002 (0)
        • Re: big black and orange burrowing insects in garden Margaret Clark 10:32:12 6/11/2002 (0)
• Re: big black and orange burrowing insects in garden Phyllis Teel 17:29:01 7/23/2001 (0)
• Re: big black and orange burrowing insects in garden RINA 17:50:19 7/19/2001 (1)
  • Re: big black and orange burrowing insects in garden Chris 05:54:12 4/10/2002 (0)