What is this bug?
September 17, 2009
It is bright orange usually walks up on it’s legs but can fly too. Has 6 dark black legs, wings, and 2 antennas. Likes to hang out in my garden or on my key lime tree. I have seen it out in the hot summer months here: June, July, August.
Carrie Labani
Houston, Texas
Milkweed Assassin Bug
Hi Carrie,
Your insect is a beneficial predator known as a Milkweed Assassin Bug that will help keep your plants pest free, though they will also prey upon beneficial pollinating insects. Treat the Milkweed Assassin Bug with respect as they might give a painful bite if carelessly handled.
Bizarre yellow bug with red eyes!
September 14, 2009
We found this little guy/gal (1/4 or 1/8 of an inch long) on some flowers in the yard. I have never seen anything like it before in my life. Does anyone know what the heck this thing is?
Nessa
SW Missouri
Ambush Bug
Hi Nessa,
This is a predatory Assassin Bug known as an Ambush Bug. Not too long ago, Ambush Bugs were classified in their own family, but they have recently been downgraded to the subfamily Phymatinae of the Assassin Bug family Reduviidae. True to their name, the camouflaged Ambush Bugs will wait on flowers until a pollinating insect arrives to feed.
Mean Looking Armored ?
September 13, 2009
I found this bug in a web on my fence walkthrough. I have never seen anything like it. 6 Legs, “Spiky armor” down it’s back. and it’s head is like a needle. This is one mean looking bug! I don;t know weather it made the web or just got caught in it. On it’s lower-side, very back there is a red spot and it seems that it’s dripping down the web in the photos.
David
West, Lafayette, Indiana
Wheel Bug trapped in web
Hi David,
This is a predatory Wheel Bug and it is reported that the bite is quite painful. Wheel Bugs do not form webs and this individual has been trapped in a Spider’s Web.
Beetle (?) Identification
September 13, 2009
A few days ago, I noticed one of these flying around the living room, and at first thought it was a yellow jacket. Yesterday, there were two, and today I’ve killed 3!
I’ve about worn myself out looking at bug sites and image searches, and thought you might be able to help. I’m not sure if its the recent rain, or the long drought proceeding it that has brought them inside.
Looking around, I thought they looked a bit like soldier beetles, but with opposite colorings. They are about an inch long, and seem to be attracted to the lights.
The bug in the pictures has been squished, but hopefully the markings are enough!
Thanks!
Sarah
Texas Gulf Coast
Corsair Assassin Bug Carnage
Dear Sarah,
Though they are not aggressive, if they are carelessly handled, Assassin Bugs in the genus Rasahus, known as Corsair Assassin Bugs, can bite painfully. Despite this fact, we still feel that these beneficial predators need not be killed unnecessarily, leading us to classify your letter as Unnecessary Carnage. Based on images posted to BugGuide, we believe your individual is Rasahus biguttatus.
Bug on goldenrod
September 13, 2009
Photographed this guy/gal on a goldenrod plant along driveway–think it’s gorgeous and would like to know what I’m admiring. Also want to enter photo in competition and need ID to accompany it.
Sue C
Southern Maryland
Assassin Bug
Hi Sue,
There is an entire ecosystem that thrives when the goldenrod blooms, from the nectar and pollen seeking creature, to the predators that prey upon them. This is an Assassin Bug in the genus Pselliopus, probably Pselliopus cinctus. According to BugGuide it is often found where insects visit flowers.
Thanks so much for your reply. I sort of thought it was an assassin bug based on what I could get from my insect guides. Sue
Yellow, black, orange beetle?
September 11, 2009
Hi,
I am a photographer here in Eastern PA, I go to different National Parks here to photograph insects and others. I found this fellow hanging on a leaf in the dense Nolde Forest here in Reading, PA. After looking online I still can not identify this bug/beetle? Where I found him is was damp and in dense forest. Any ideas?
Monique Francescon
Nolde Forest/ Reading, PA
Immature Green Stink Bug
HI Monique,
We spent a bit of time searching through images on BugGuide, but we are confident we have identified your insect as Acrosternum hilare. Interestingly, you may find it hard to believe that the common name is the Green Stink Bug. This is an immature specimen and the coloration is quite variable. BugGuide also has this disclaimer: “This is our best interpretation of the BugGuide images based upon Herb Pilcher’s images above. The variation in these images may be because the species is very variable, or it may be that we have images of several different species of Acrosternum here. We put these images on both the genus and the A. hilare species pages since, as a number of people have commented, it is not clear that we yet know how to tell the different Acrosternum species apart.”
Hi!
Thank you for your prompt response! Using the name of the bug you gave me, I looked it up and it appears to be a green stink bug nymph…Very cool and thank you for your help, it is greatly appreciated.
Monique Francescon
Bug identification and eradication question (addendum)
September 10, 2009
What is this bug, what destruction does it cause, and how do I eradicate it from my garden in a way that doesn’t negatively affect my vegetable/flower garden? Thanks! Forget to tell you that I took this picture a few days ago (9/6/09).
Jane
Loma Linda, CA
African Painted Bugs
Hi Jane,
We encountered this very same invasive exotic insect on our own Collard Greens and Kale this summer in our Mount Washington, Los Angeles garden. At that time, we identified it as the Painted Bug, Bagrada hilaris, an African Stink Bug that has been reported in California since 2008. Then we explained that we had no ethical problem killing invasive exotic insects that devour our food. We had squashed the few specimens we found, but as we got busy, the population got out of control. We eventually found hundreds on our plants and we had to rip out the kale and Collard Greens. The next time we plant vegetables from the cabbage family, we are going to be extremely vigilant to keep the population down to a minimum. We don’t like to spray our food with pesticide, so we prefer to hand pick offensive species. Since African Painted Bugs are Stink Bugs that suck juices from plants, when they are quite plentiful, they might kill the plant. If there are no known predators, the African Painted Bugs might become a very serious agricultural pest in California.
Wheel Bugs mating
September 10, 2009
Just found these and searched for over an hour to find out what they are! I’m happy to say they’re beneficial in my yard, and thankfully I’m not a bug killer in the 1st place unless necessary. Would you like to add the photos to your collection? My 5 year old son is fascinated by them. Thanks for a great web site, its our go to for our bug questions.
Cara Bauer
St. Louis, Missouri
Mating Wheel Bugs
Hi Cara,
We love the interesting angles on your photos of mating Wheel Bugs.
Mating Wheel Bugs
rss
I like This
