journey11
Garden Master
I've seen a couple of these here and there lately. They seem to be solitary. Any idea if I should squish or not?
Am I a good buggie or a bad buggie?
- Thread starter journey11
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I've seen a couple of these here and there lately. They seem to be solitary. Any idea if I should squish or not?
SweetMissDaisy
Garden Addicted
Look for a proboscis (like a long beak that it tucks up under it's head & body); it may be a young "wheel" bug, or assassin bug.
lesa
Garden Master
It sure looks like a squash bug to me.... I would kill it.
vfem
Garden Addicted
Its a squash bug babe.... SQUISH!
patandchickens
Deeply Rooted
It is almost certainly in the family Coreidae, which includes both squash bugs (harmful) *and* a buncha assorted other leaf-footed bugs (harmless).
It is narrower-bodied than what I'm used to calling a squash bug, but I have no idea, there may be other kinds that feed on squashes too, so I'm not sayin' it ain't.
(e.t.a. - whatever exactly it is, it is fully adult, not a young'un -- that sort of X shape you see on its back, that is the outline of its overlapped wings, which are full size, so it's adult. It is probably not an assassin bug, because it lacks the proper type of proboscis and has those leaf-foot "fins" on at least its hindmost legs, which are found on many coreids but I am not aware of any assassin bugs that have them. Also it is more tabletop-flat on top than typical assassin bug species I can think of)
If it were me, I'd probably leave it be unless either a) I was particularly sensitive on the subject of squash bugs or b) it had a whole lot of friends just like it. But, I could see a person deciding to preemptively kill it, too. I don't know if chickens would eat it. Some of those type bugs are pretty strongly scented to where animals don't like them.
Good luck, have fun,
Pat
It is narrower-bodied than what I'm used to calling a squash bug, but I have no idea, there may be other kinds that feed on squashes too, so I'm not sayin' it ain't.
(e.t.a. - whatever exactly it is, it is fully adult, not a young'un -- that sort of X shape you see on its back, that is the outline of its overlapped wings, which are full size, so it's adult. It is probably not an assassin bug, because it lacks the proper type of proboscis and has those leaf-foot "fins" on at least its hindmost legs, which are found on many coreids but I am not aware of any assassin bugs that have them. Also it is more tabletop-flat on top than typical assassin bug species I can think of)
If it were me, I'd probably leave it be unless either a) I was particularly sensitive on the subject of squash bugs or b) it had a whole lot of friends just like it. But, I could see a person deciding to preemptively kill it, too. I don't know if chickens would eat it. Some of those type bugs are pretty strongly scented to where animals don't like them.
Good luck, have fun,
Pat
gardentoad
Attractive To Bees
The fact that it is on my plant is enuf reason for me to kill it, looks like a squash bug to me..
Hope it doesn't have any friends hanging around under the other leaves
Don :watering
Hope it doesn't have any friends hanging around under the other leaves
Don :watering
Kassaundra
Garden Addicted
I have those too, but I've only ever seen them hanging out on the trees, never in the garden. I take pics of them a lot, the red tipped antenna, and they look like body builders to me (or at least that is what the remind me of).
So I guess I'll call a peace truce, if they stay out of my garden I'll just take pics, if they go in the garden I'll take pics then feed them to the girls.
So I guess I'll call a peace truce, if they stay out of my garden I'll just take pics, if they go in the garden I'll take pics then feed them to the girls.
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journey11
Garden Master
I found him on a hollyhock that had come up in the compost pile, but I'm sure he'll make his way to my garden soon enough. 
I don't remember seeing a proboscis. I looked at a lot of assassin bug pics and there seem to be so many kinds. This bug did resemble one of them from the top view, but I'll be sure to look at it sideways next time. The assassin bug's proboscis seems to be very prominent. Otherwise, it's squish! With a rock...cause I'm not about to touch that thing with my fingers. 
Thanks guys!
I don't remember seeing a proboscis. I looked at a lot of assassin bug pics and there seem to be so many kinds. This bug did resemble one of them from the top view, but I'll be sure to look at it sideways next time. The assassin bug's proboscis seems to be very prominent. Otherwise, it's squish! With a rock...cause I'm not about to touch that thing with my fingers. Thanks guys!
hangin'witthepeeps
Deeply Rooted
Someone needs to invent a way for me to squish bugs, without touching them. EEEWWWWWW 
I need a garden vacuum.
I need a garden vacuum.
lesa
Garden Master
Get a pair of rubber gloves for squishing- it is an extremely satisfying way to pass the time!
