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pests Bug ID

jsschrstrcks

jsschrstrcks

I have these bright orange bugs all over one of my plants... In FL brightly colored means do not touch!

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I suspect they are some variety of assassin bugs?

But I really don't know...
 
Just found this on another forum:

1. The Leaf footed nymphs tend to stay in clusters. A lone orange colored nymph is usually an Assassin bug.

2. The Assassin nymphs have small white spots on their body. The Leaf footed nymphs do not.

3. The Assassin nymphs are beginning to develop wings that can be seen. The Leaf footed nymphs wings are less obvious.


The folks there seemed to agree on at least 1 and 2, so based on that and what we saw on our 'maters and peppers so far this year (nymphs and adults at the same time), I would say leaf-footed bugs.

We tried soap first, which seemed to knock them down, but they kept coming back. Pyrethrin seemed to knock them out for a while (weeks), but starting to see some again now, so will have to spray again...

They did a number on the 'maters, but weren't too bad on the peppers the first time. They seem to be showing more on the pepper plants this time around though...

D'oh... just noticed what appears to be an adult in your pic too... so yea... pretty positive now ;)
 
You may have the pests then. I know I had a ton of little orange ones last year (didn't look close enough to see spot color) that turned out to be assassins. No bug issues once they grew up!

Best of luck
 
The nymphs are VERY similar.

so? Should I use Diatomaceous earth? Not a huge fan of pesticides... Or is neem a better bet?

http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/beneficial/bugs/zelus_longipes.htm
http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/orn/leaffooted_bug.htm
 
/agree with Woody... that would probably be best to start.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5482325_kill-leaf-footed-bugs-naturally.html

This site says to pick em and drop them in soapy water, or if going with an insecticide, to use a Neem product for the least amount of chemicals.

They also have some recommendations to plant things like Mexican Milkweed due to them having aphids which attract ladybugs etc. It says those aphids won't hurt your plants, but I don't know that I'd take the chance to just attract the ladybugs...LOL

I would also guess that the ladybugs feed on the larva or something well before they get to the nymph stage. Not sure if mantises would eat them....
 
Well, I had some errands to run this morning, and by the time I came back, they had moved... not sure where... Hopefully they will come back, and to that same plant in the morning :D

:banghead: :flamethrower:
 
LOL... just don't send them down here ;)

I didn't see any on our plants either... wonder if they sense the storms coming and moved someplace under cover...

Right now, the main nuisance we're seeing appears to be either field mice or fruit rats... they're really starting to tick me off... to the point of getting a night-vision scope for my AR and doing some night maneuvers in the garden... lol
 
I started to feed the neighborhood cats...

Once the rats were gone, I quit - no rats, no cats :D

Those are very similar as well, but they lack the rectal spears that my pest has.

I'm leaning towards their being Leaf footed nymphs
 
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