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Twig Wilters from South Africa

Bug colony in my garden
Location: Guateng South Africa
February 7, 2012 12:07 am
Hi WTB
I live in Gauteng, South Africa. I recently stumbled upon this bug in my garden and was amazed to see that there is a whole colony of these in my garden.
I found them in a set of trees in my garden grouped together by their hundreds. I was surprised that I haven’t seen them before because of the shear amount of them in my garden.
There seems to be a male and a female bug or maybe two different species of bugs together. They seem to be just too happy to share the same tree.
Please tell me what these are, I would like to do some research on them seeing as they occupy my garden quite happily.
Thank you
Signature: Adriaan Olivier

Twig Wilters

Dear Adriaan,
Both of your insects are True Bugs in the family Coreidae, commonly called Big Legged Bugs or Leaf Footed Bugs in North America. Many species in South Africa and Australia are known as Twig Wilters. We cannot determine at this moment if they are the same species, but the wingless individual is a nymph. Here is a link to a different species of Twig Wilter from South Africa.

Twig Wilter Nymph

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¶ Posted 07 February 2012 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Western Conifer Seed Bug

What is this bug?
Location: nova scotia, canada
December 11, 2011 9:07 am
Dear bugman,
In the last 4 years this bug has appeared in the area of my parents house. In the fall it tries to enter the house. There are dozens trying to get in. We find them all winter. My parents have lived there for 30 years and they were never there before. When threatened they emit a bad odor.
Signature: Regards, Nick Legge

Western Conifer Seed Bug

Hi Nick,
This is a Western Conifer Seed Bug, and it is a benign creature that will not harm your home or its inhabitants. Western Conifer Seed Bugs attract the most attention in the fall months when they are mature and seek shelter, often inside homes, where they hibernate until spring.

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¶ Posted 18 January 2012 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Bug of the Month January 2012: Hemipterans Hibernating in the Home!!!

Stink Bug
Location: Elyria, Ohio
January 2, 2012 10:47 pm
Hi,
We live in northern Ohio. Every winter we get Stinkbugs in the house. I know they are coming in because it’s cold out, so I’m not going to throw them back outside. Can I put them in a terrarium or something until spring? What do they eat? And will they bite? Thanks!
Signature: Maureen

Coreid Bug hibernates in Home

Dear Maureen,
The insect in your photo does not appear to have been photographed during the winter and it is not a Stink Bug. It is a Leaf Footed Bug in the family Coreidae, but we are unable to determine the species from the angle of your photograph. There are many different species of Hemipterans or True Bugs that seek shelter indoors when the weather begins to cool. Stink Bugs including the invasive, exotic Brown Marmorated Stink Bug frequently hibernate indoors. Other Hemipterans that hibernate indoors include the Western Conifer Seed Bug and the Boxelder Bug. They will not damage the home or its furnishings, and they pose no threat to people or pets, however, they can become a nuisance if they are numerous. The Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle is another insect that hibernates in homes, often in great numbers, but it is a beetle, not a Hemipteran. Since so many folks will be experiencing hibernating Hemipterans this month, we have decided to feature your letter as our Bug of the Month for January 2012.

¶ Posted 03 January 2012 § ‡ Comments (5) ° Tagged: bug of the month

Leaf Footed Bug

Unusual bug… Need help!
Location: Orange, CA
December 8, 2011 6:02 pm
My daughter and I were on a walk recently and came across this bug. I have never seen anything like it before. It was beatiful and strange and we spent about 10 minutes watching it. I am adventurous and tried to pick it up but it refused to climb on my hand and then tried unsuccessfully to fly. Daughter was afraid it had a stinger. We are very interested in solving this mystery! Thanks!!
Signature: Jennifer

Leaf Footed Bug

Hi Jennifer,
This is one of the Leaf Footed Bugs in the genus Leptoglossus, and many species are difficult for us to distinguish from one another in a photograph. There are several species found in California. We believe you have submitted a photograph of Leptoglossus clypealis. According to BugGuide: “Can be a pest in pistacio and almond orchards because it feeds on the nuts.” BugGuide notes the distinguishing features as: “A spine extending forwards from the tip of the nose (technically known as the tylus) distinguishes this species” and “Leaf-like protrusions on the hind legs have very shallow scallops. Broad zig-zagging white stripe across wings.” Upon enlarging your image, we believe we can make out the tylus.

Leaf Footed Bug

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¶ Posted 09 December 2011 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Western Conifer Seed Bug enters home

Vain bug caught checking himself out in our bathroom mirror!
Location: Littleton, CO
November 18, 2011 6:54 pm
My son discovered this guy in our bathroom on the mirror. He freaked out, thinking it was an ugly bug that would attack him or something. I grabbed the camera and took pictures before placing him back outside because I thought it was kind of cool looking. Is it some kind of grasshopper? Doesn’t look like the type I am used to seeing around here but I have no clue what else it might be. Thanks for your help!
Signature: Lynette

Western Conifer Seed Bug

Hi Lynette,
As soon as the weather begins to cool appreciably, Western Conifer Seed Bugs like the one in your photo and some other Hemipterans, like the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug and Boxelder Bug enter homes to hibernate. They do not cause any damage to the home, its furnishings or its inhabitants. The Western Conifer Seed Bug, Leptoglossus occidentalis, is native to the Pacific Northwest, but beginning in the 1960s, it greatly expanded its range, probably because of accidental introduction to new regions by humans when the Western Conifer Seed Bug was transported with luggage, packages and other methods of moving goods.

¶ Posted 20 November 2011 § ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged: Top 10

Leaf Footed Bug from Mexico

Leafy Legged Insect
Location: Playa del Carmen, Mexico
November 16, 2011 6:18 pm
This insect has interesting leaf-like attachments to its rear legs.
Signature: Venom

Leaf Footed Bug

Dear Venom,
You may have unwittingly identified your insect since it is a Leaf Footed Bug in the family Coreidae, and we believe it is Anisoscelis affinis based on images posted to BugGuide. This Mexican species has been reported from southern Texas. Stephanie Sanchez has also photographed them in Broward County Florida based on her Steph’s Virtual Garden: Bugs website.

¶ Posted 20 November 2011 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Western Conifer Seed Bug

Please help identify this bug
Location: Aurora, Colorado
November 13, 2011 10:08 pm
I have found 2 of these in the past week, and have never seen them before now. One was in our shower. The 2nd was on a wall.
Signature: Janet

Western Conifer Seed Bug

Hi Janet,
We just finished posting another letter with a Western Conifer Seed Bug.

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¶ Posted 14 November 2011 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Western Conifer Seed Bug

Not uncommon around these parts
Location: New Hampshire, USA.
November 13, 2011 10:04 pm
I keep finding these bugs in my room, usually on the floor, but sometimes I find them near a blue lamp I have on a five foot shelf (they could climb up to it, I’m sure). My mother thinks that they are ’wood bugs’. I believe that they could be attracted to the wood, since half of our house is hard-wood floored and we have a wood stove (that means wood inside!). They appear all over the house, but I find them in my room the most. My room is one of the ones that has hard-wood flooring.
I’ve held the little buggers before! They don’t bite. They remind me of a caterpillar, how they just crawl around without harming me. My dogs find them and eat them sometimes, they’re just fine.
Sorry it’s a lot of info, but I should add that our house is not particularly clean, and my room is the worst of the bunch.
Signature: Youngster

Western Conifer Seed Bug

Dear Youngster,
Even though your photo is terribly blurry, there is enough detail to identify the Western Conifer Seed Bug, Leptoglossus occidentalis, thanks to your thorough description. The Western Conifer Seed Bug is native to the Pacific Northwest, but it expanded its range to include most of the northern portion of the western hemisphere beginning in the 1960s. This range expansion might be due to both global warming as well as accidental introduction because of increased travel. In the early years of the 21st millennium, Western Conifer Seed Bugs were introduced to Europe where they have naturalized. Western Conifer Seed Bugs are frequently noticed as cool weather sets in because adults seek out shelter, including homes, as places to hibernate. Western Conifer Seed Bugs will not damage your home, its furnishing nor its inhabitants.