• Please post pictures and as much information as possible.

pest Friend or Pest

Hi guys,
I have a bit of a leaf curl issue, think its mites but not sure and have a hand held microscope coming to have a closer look.
But when looking over my plants I have just noticed a few of these little critters, not many, only spotted 3 in 50 odd plants.
Was going to kill them but thought Id check if they are friend or foe.
I didnt want to kill something that might eat aphids or mites.
Sorry not the best picture, he didnt like having his photo taken and kept moving under the leaf.
At first I thought white fly, because it is white and it flys  :rolleyes: lol, but  looking at pictures online I doubt it is.
 
 
IMG202010191113411.jpg
 
Solution
It is a curious little creature. 
 
It is difficult to see the details that are employed to identify the family and then the species using a key. 
 
The eyes look very similar to those of true bugs however there is a chance that it is in a different group and resembles another. It reminds me of a roach as well although I am not familiar with tiny roaches.
 
Some of these unidentified bugs I found pictures of seem a bit similar...
Whoknows.jpg

Whoknows2.jpg

If you can provide information about how many segments it's antenna have, how it's wings open or look when it flies, the size you would estimate it to be and other details that are not visible in the photo then I can likely figure it out. 
 
The assassin bug group is a really good guess...
acs1 said:
Hard to see the wings in your photo, do they have wings like this..?
 
 
Green-Lacewing.jpg
Thanks acs1, but its defiantly different wings and head shape. 
They are very few of them and were only on the plants out in vegie patch and not on container plants on veranda. 
Feel pretty comfortable they arent doing any damage, not like the mites I think I may have, will post on them later today :tear:
Bou said:
Hard to see on your pic but it looks like a Mesoveliidea of some sort or maybe an assassin bug, in both cases predators
Thanks Bou, I like that bug site, I lost a few hours looking at all the bugs on there today, so its your fault I didnt mow the lawn ;)
 
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ChillnInAus said:
 
Thanks Bou, I like that bug site, I lost a few hours looking at all the bugs on there today, so its your fault I didnt mow the lawn ;)
 
You're welcome mate and (not so) sorry for your lawn!!!
 
It is a curious little creature. 
 
It is difficult to see the details that are employed to identify the family and then the species using a key. 
 
The eyes look very similar to those of true bugs however there is a chance that it is in a different group and resembles another. It reminds me of a roach as well although I am not familiar with tiny roaches.
 
Some of these unidentified bugs I found pictures of seem a bit similar...
Whoknows.jpg

Whoknows2.jpg

If you can provide information about how many segments it's antenna have, how it's wings open or look when it flies, the size you would estimate it to be and other details that are not visible in the photo then I can likely figure it out. 
 
The assassin bug group is a really good guess.
 
I once had tiny bites and couldn't see what it was... turns out Pharaoh Ants were biting and stinging me.They were so small I couldn't even see them at first glance. They were the smallest ants I have ever seen. Some people claim that Pharaoh Ants don't sting... well I wish that were true.
 
When I was trying to figure out what the super tiny ants were I used clear sticky tape and some sticky traps and was able to get some stuck to both. By immobilizing them I was able to identify them as ants and use magnification to count the segments of the antenna and to observe other visual characteristics. 
 
Although it is perhaps cruel I suggest that some clear packing tape or some other adhesive surface can be used to trap a couple and observe more detail in them. 
 
Sorry I can't be of more help right now.
I'm usually decent with insect ID.
 
 
 
Solution
Thanks Max Nihil, that pic looks very much like it.
I'll try get a better pic of one but my phone camera is hopeless at this type of photo.
I never realized my new passion for growing peppers would also see me learning photography, using microscopes and learning about insect habits/identification.  
 
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