I don’t think this is a leaf footed bug
Fri, Apr 24, 2009 at 7:34 AM
I took this picture today (4/24/09) in my wife’s herb garden. I tried to research it online and the closest I can come up with is a leaf footed bug, but I don’t think it’s a perfect match. We are located in Corpus Christi, Texas, and it is starting to get warm outside with relatively high humidity. If you are able to identify this bug, is it harmful to the plants? We only have herbs and flowers, no fruits or vegetables.
Tim Weitzel
Corpus Christi, Texas

possibly Giant Agave Bug

Dear Tim,
You are correct. This is a Leaf Footed Bug or Big Legged Bug in the family Coreidae. This is a family with much diversity. According to BugGuide, there are 33 genera and at least 88 species in North America. We believe your specimen is in the genus Acanthocephala. BugGuide lists five species and four are reported from Texas, though the information page on the genus on BugGuide indicates that all five may be found in Texas. We are not certain which of the species your specimen is, but the only one with a common name is Acanthocephala thomasi, the Giant Agave Bug which “Feeds on juice of the Agave plant, according to this site . Also feeds on legumes “. We doubt any of the species would ever be so plentiful as to damage individual plants.

Update: Wed, 6 May 2009 17:40:24 -0700 (PDT)
Daniel:
The leaf-footed bug from Corpus Christi, TX is indeed in the genus Acanthocephala, but it is unmistakably Acanthocephala declivis.  That steep front edge to the thorax is pretty diagnostic.
Eric

Bug of the Month – Feb 2009, eating habits?
Tue, Feb 24, 2009 at 4:34 PM
Hi, I live in Phoenix, AZ and my kids and I were in our backyard and noticed these bugs my son refered to as “lobster bugs”. We came inside and found your site. Thanks for the science lesson! I was wondering if these plant bugs opened the pomagranate or did they find them and begin to eat them? Is this their plant of choice or will any do?
THS
North America

Leaf Footed Bugs Mating

Dear THS,
The insects in your photos are mating Leaf Footed Bugs or Big Legged Bugs, probably Leptoglossus zonatus as depicted on BugGuide.  We often see this species on ripe pomegranates in Elyria Canyon Park in the Mount Washington area of Los Angeles.  The adult insects are also attracted to our tomatoes.  These insects have sucking mouth parts rather than chewing mouth parts.  The Leaf Footed Bugs use their sucking mouth parts to pierce the skin and suck the juices from the plants.  Enzymes that the insects release create bruise-like irregularities in the fruit. The ripe pomegranates split their skins on their own.

Leaf Footed Bugs Mating

Is this in Hemiptera?
Thu, Jan 29, 2009 at 2:43 PM
My students and I recently found this bug on a nature walk. I’ve looked everywhere to try and identify it. Please Help….???
Dr. G
Central Flordia

Giant Sweet Potato Bug Nymph

Dear Dr. G,
This is a Hemipteran.  More specifically, it is a Giant Sweet Potato Bug nymph, Spartocera batatas, one of the Leaf Footed Bugs in the family Coreidae.  We matched the photo to one on BugGuide, also from Florida.  According to BugGuide, which only has reports from Florida:  “Non-native, found in Surinam and some Caribean islands. First reported in the continental US in Florida in 1995. “  We are tagging this as an invasive exotic.  It may be an introduced species that entered the country through human intervention, it may have been introduced through hurricane winds, or it may be a result of range expansion due to global warming.  Global warming will most definitely affect both species range expansions, and species range declines.

Help me ID bug in Chicagoland area
Sun, Jan 18, 2009 at 1:17 PM
One of these appears about every 7-10 days in a second floor bathroom. It’s now the dead of winter and I saw a few more of them in late fall. Can you help identify? It is about 1 inch long. Thanks
TW
Northeern Kane County IL

Western Conifer Seed Bug

Dear TW,
The Western Conifer Seed Bug, Leptoglossus occidentalis, is a harmless creature that seeks shelter indoors when the weather turns colder.  Interestingly, in the past 30 years, this species has undergone tremendous range expansion from its native Pacific Northwest to include much of Canada and the northern portions of teh Eastern and Midwestern U.S.

Unidentified Hemiptera
Tue, Dec 9, 2008 at 3:58 PM
Hi!
I was hoping you can help me identify this insect. I know it belongs to the true bug or Hemiptera group.
They are abundant in a small area of tall grasses and spiny bushes near Ciudad Guzman, in the Mexican state of Jalisco, within sight of the Zapotlan lake. Although they are most common during the warm season, this one I photographed during winter.
There seem to be several species with different markings on their wings and body. This one is rather dull colored (except for the metallic blue section between the wings, which Im afraid didnt get too well represented in the photos), there are others with bright white, black and orange spots. Some are much bigger than this one.
They usually hide underneath leaves or spiny branches, and if they see you look at them, they move so that they remain hidden. If handled for too long, they shoot a red-orange or brown liquid that smells like a marker and is seemingly absorbed by skin within seconds. I haven´t felt any kind of effect after being shot with this fluid.
They fly, but not often. They seem to be fond of spiny bushes and acacia, but I’ve also found them in pine trees, sometimes in groups. I’ve seen some eaten from the inside by fungi.
I hope this information is useful.
Dragonfly Man
Near Zapotlan lake, Jalisco, Mexico

Giant Mesquite Bug

Dear Dragonfly Man,
This is a Giant Mesquite Bug, Thasus acutangulus. The winged adults are considerably less colorful than the wingless nymphs, which are black, orange and white as you describe. The thorny shrub you describe is probably mesquite, the favored food plant.

Unkown Household Bug
Thu, Nov 20, 2008 at 4:42 PM
We have encountered at least five of these bugs inside our house. They are always out in the open in a well lit room and do not run away with human presence. In searching the internet I would say they look a lot like the timberman beetle. Six legs, the back two distinctly larger (almost grasshopper shape). Long front antenna. The head protrudes from the front of the body. The body is about 1/2 inch long and the entire but is about 1 inch long. The coloring is brown with light brown patches (like the timberman beetle). We live in the western suburbs of Chicago and the bugs began appearing in November (after the first frost and when we started heating our house). The first four bugs were found in the second story bedroom but the last one was found in the ground floor kitchen. (we live on a slab).
Kim
Western suburbs of Chicago, Illinois

Western Conifer Seed Bug

Hi Kim,
This is a Western Conifer Seed Bug, Leptoglossus occidentalis.  The Western Conifer Seed Bugs are seeking shelter from the cold and they will not harm you, your pets or your home.