Subject: some sort of cactus bug
Geographic location of the bug: south central texas
Date: 05/06/2018
Time: 05:50 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman: i am familiar with cochineal scale, however these guys are also on spineless cactus…every year…and i have yet to identify them, perhaps they are instars…they do not seem to do a great deal of harm and seem shy and perhaps they do not sting or bite. i admit to laziness about going through thousands of bug pictures on the off-hand chance i land upon them. thanks for your time and trouble…seriously apprecate your site.
How you want your letter signed: victoria
Dear Victoria,
These are multiple instars or developmental stages of immature Cactus Coreids, Chelinidea vittiger, which are pictured on BugGuide. According to BugGuide: “First eggs of the season are deposited in March, longitudinally on the underside of prickly pear spines. The egg laying period in each generation extends over two to three months, the rate of nymphal development varies considerably, and adults are long lived (nine to 12 months).”