misc some new critters, perhaps not ladybugs after all ...

[grantmichaels]

i thought i had a little pack of ladybugs in the making, but ...

what are they?

 

[jsschrstrcks]

not lady bugs...

my first inclination is that they are prey, not predators, thus kill them.

predators tend to travel alone... Prey finds safety in numbers...

 

[ColoradoRonin]

I think they're immature predatory stinkbugs.

 

[grantmichaels]

let me add ... i think they are there to feed on some aphids hanging out on the flowers ... i saw the ants hoarding them ...

 

[TOAW]

The First Instar of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug. http://njaes.rutgers...ug/identify.asp

 

[grantmichaels]

this one's a tough call ... i'll have to see if they eat 'phids ...

 

[geeme]

Yeah.... notice the egg pattern in the pic next to the first instar image - several sink bug types lay eggs like that. When I find that on my plants, I pluck the leaf, slap it in a ziploc, then put it in the trash. Stink bugs no good, gone bye bye.....

They will eat your plants.

 

[grantmichaels]

grabbing the flashlight ...

 

[HigherThisHeat]

Ah that sucks!

I have never seen those things before.

I'm having a huge aphid problem now. It's getting old

Good luck, GM. Squash em real good

 

[grantmichaels]

they huddle together on a leaf at night, so that was easy ... they're no longer near the Topsy's ...

 

[geeme]

Here's a link to a page that includes an image of both ladybug eggs and larvae. Notice the eggs are much narrower and more oval than the stinkbug eggs. The larvae may appear differently, depending upon the ladybug type, but the bodies are always similar.

 

[bravesfan]

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't some stinkbugs bad and some not?
Which are which?

 

[TOAW]

These are bad.
The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug feeds on a wide range of fruits, vegetables, and other host plants beginning in late May/early June including peaches, apples, green beans, soybeans, cherry, raspberries, and pears. Damage to host plants from the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug is typically small necrotic areas but ranges from leaf stippling, catfacing on tree fruits, seed loss, and transmission of plant pathogens.

http://njaes.rutgers.edu/stinkbug/about.asp

 

[jsschrstrcks]

All the bad ones I can think of cluster up like that... All the good ones I can think of are one or two at the most on a plant.

Think about it - aphids, mites, (these stink bugs), leaf footed bugs and nymphs.

Whereas assassin bugs, lady bugs (though I have seen 2-3 of those at a time, but never like pictured), mantis, etc are more solitary.

Prey eats plants, predators eat prey...

 

[grantmichaels]

All the bad ones I can think of cluster up like that... All the good ones I can think of are one or two at the most on a plant.

Think about it - aphids, mites, (these stink bugs), leaf footed bugs and nymphs.

Whereas assassin bugs, lady bugs (though I have seen 2-3 of those at a time, but never like pictured), mantis, etc are more solitary.

Prey eats plants, predators eat prey...

Seems like a good rule of thumb ...

 

[Laisseraller]

[sub]Great Post & Photos! they look like stink bugs variety, but you need to have an expert ID them If you can get some close up photos that would help, and your idea of seeing what they eat will help. Most Major Universities offer free Insect ID hence the close-up photos. You might even have a new specie great find! [/sub]
[sub]New blog on the History of the Ladybug ~ http://historyoftheladybug.blogspot.com/[/sub]

 

[JoynersHotPeppers]

I have these all over some butterfly weed and I get them every year. Funny thing is that there is always one adult to be seen nearby. I usually kill them since I have not found any benefit related topics on them. I can take some MACRO shots if needed.