CLOSED: ID if possible!

This critter was very, very tiny. It was also very, very fast. DH tried several times to get a clearer shot. This one and the following are the best he could do. It wasnt on any of my plants..still am curious! Alien looking thing!

Here is the second one.

What? Are my pics not visible to yall?? I know they arent clear..this booger was fast!! Oh well, no biggie..I was just curious!

It's so tiny and hard to see... it's really weird looking! I wondered if it was an ant or something, carrying something else??

Nope..not an ant..Yeah, it is really hard to see..It was so odd looking..very, very prehistoric! Oh well..If ya come up with something let me know..Ya know it kinda had a head like a snail, but believe me honey, I have never seen a snail move at the clip this little dude was going. It sorta looks like a speck of dust with legs!

Ah! I think you have the larval stage of the brown lacewing, AKA trashcarrier. It takes the debris from insects it has eaten and sticks them to its back as camouflage. I've got a personal photo, and maybe I can find something on the Internet. Be right back.....

Perfect. Be sure to click on "trash bugs" for the photo of your guy....
http://woodypest.ifas.ufl.edu/227.htm

"covering themselves with the skins of their victims..." Ay Caramba! Shades of 'Silence of the Lambs'
Way to go, ceejaytown !

I am very familiar with them so it was eezy schmeezy - her description was right on! I even have a short film of one running around; wish I could show that here.
Here is one from the underside. For orientation: The mandibles that suck the juice from insects are at the top of the photo. All that white stuff surrounding the body is insect debris, or exoskeletons. He/she's eaten a lot of insects!

This message was edited Oct 13, 2006 3:01 PM

OH MY GOSH!! Yall are all just the best!! There are some really slick folks on here!! Thanks for the links..info..and lettin this ole country gal enter into yall's domain! LOL!

RU new here? If so, well, welcome to the most awesomest web site there is!! Addicted yet? Boy, I am!

I am so new I am still sqeekin like a new pair of shoes!! I started gardening only this past summer!! EEEEKKKK!
(can i stay?lol)

Please do! You sound like one of the troops already!!! LOL!

ceejay..rainin up there yet? We used to have a place on Lake Conroe..Got a daughter in Houston..
and...I do soooo appreciate not being run off! LOL! I have had lots of questions bout bugs..I swear there are some here that drive me batty..and tough? That doesnt even begin to describe them..persistant little devils at times!! LOL..I am trying to hard to do organic gardening..but some of them..seems they roll over all right..roll over laughing at me!!!

Nope, not raining yet. Is it supposed to? We've had a couple of inches this week, and I was hoping for a little break so I could plant bulbs. Ground was just too wet yesterday, so cleaned the garage instead. I do love a clean garage!!! And I rarely have one. LOL What took you so long to get into gardening?

Yep..you have major rains coming!! I ck'd Houston's forecast for a friend of mine driving up tomorrow..just gonna be horrible..wish they would postpone the trip for a day..
As for me and gardening..I have always had vegetable gardens..I just never was very good with plants and what not..well, this past summer my DH was in Chile' for 4 months and I had some remodeling done..and added a larger patio..Therefore, I HAD to spruce up the patio..and when I did that...the yard needed some work..It sorta just "grew" on me! LOL! We also have a water garden now!! I have found that my plants, with their blooms, fragrances, and pretty green leaves..is just so fun..I really do feel so good when I get such beautiful results!! I also bawl like a baby when some horrible south texas critter devours them!!!

Pardon the interuption, Texans, but don't you folks have to refrigerate bulbs for a while before planting? Just curious, I love bulbs...and 'bugs' !

Only tulips and hyacinths. And they really only last the one year, so they are quite expensive annuals! I have some daffodils, Spanish bluebells, Byzantine glads, and red spider lilies to plant. I love bulbs and bugs too, claypa! That's why we see each other around a lot!

turbos - You'll learn what to avoid. If they attract destructive insects, I pull them and plant things that are hardier. I don't have azaleas (lace bugs) camellias (scale) euonymous (scale), etc... Same with disease prone plants. There are lots of gorgeous things that don't cause a lot of hard work and grief! I am not an organic gardener (I practice IPM) but I AM a lazy gardener, so I don't spray. Just too much work. And I am a beneficials nut, and love the butterflies and hummers too, so that's another reason to not spray, IMO. Now, if I'm growing tomato plants and I want tomatoes, and they get attacked by stink bugs, that is another whole ball of wax. But I didn't have a single problem with them this year - I interplanted them among my perennials, etc. That way they weren't a mass attraction for stink bugs, etc...And I plant them with basil which keeps the hornworms away. A lot of that stuff doesn't work, but I have found that this does...IMO, of course.
Good luck with your gardening; the next gardening season is upon us. I've decided to forego the winter annuals this year, and take a little rest. Just keep up with the regular stuff....

Ya know..I can see what ya mean..bout what is prone to what. I have lots of succulents..different vining plants..but I adore flowers and fragrance! I would bout cut off my right arm for some lavendar and sweet pea..I came across a type of lavendar that is new this year and they say will do well..I havent gone totally organic yet..again..tuff boogers..I did battle with Japanese Beetles and Whiteflies RIGHT off the bat. Talk about freakin out! I have seen some really strange bugs since moving down here..and honestly, I have had way more fun withOUT bugs! ....Tomatoes..boy would my Daddy have loved you..He was fanatical bout em..growing AND eating.I cant stand the things! Dont do em..no pizza..no marinara..no ketchup..I always told Daddy I make up for it with my love of chocolate!..Ok..gonna go ck regular email.then hit the hay..Yall have a good one!!
oh.i have freesia bulbs..good r bad?

Love freesia. But are you sure you had Japanese beetles? To my knowledge they haven't invaded Texas yet. Yet.
You can grow sweet pea - very early in the spring, before it gets hot. I have grown Spanish lavender, and loved it. It is a short-lived perennial, lasts about two years, then I start all over. But it's worth it.