Insect and Spider Identification: CLOSED: Bug ID?? (sorry no picture), 1 by pegzhere

pegzhere wrote:
Found out what they are!! Box elder nymphs. Unfortunately we have several box elders on our property, too (as do the neighbors - the farm that was originally this subdivision must have been abundant with them). Found this on an IA State entemology site (copied a picture, too - mine were WAY too blurry to see anything). The picture shown is of one that is bigger and older than what I have been seeing. The ones in my yard are still solid red. Have to make sure to seal everything up well this fall!:

"Boxelder bugs have a simple life cycle of three stages: egg, nymph and adult. The adults are well-known; the nymphs look very similar but are smaller and bright red because they don't yet have the black wings to cover their abdomen. The picture above is of an older nymph with the black wing buds showing. Younger and smaller nymphs are more red with little if any discernable black markings where the wings will someday be.

These bright red, soft insects are very abundant and present in unlikely places, and not just on trees like we expect."