Can anyone ID these bugs? They'e all over the new growth on my Mt. Laurels. Looks like they're eating the leaves. Just popped up today after the rain. I don't want to kill beneficials. Have looked in both my insects books and can't find them. Wondering if they're juvenille delinquents......
They kind of look like Harlequin bugs, but they are redder, I don't know otherwise.
Immature box elder bugs look very similar but I am not familiar enough to id it for you.
Thanks, I guess I'm going to try the A&M website, and if I can't find 'em...they're "toast" in the morning......
They look like baby stink bugs to me.
My guess is a Scarlet Plant Bug, Lopidea sp.
http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/31358573
Oooohhhh....yes, they do.
By George Fly_Girl, I think you've got it!!!!
Very good, I looked last night and could not find one that looked like it.
fly....you've nailed it!
Now, I need to know if I should squish 'em? I Googled name this morning, but couldn't find anything but photos. Bugs have invited lots of their friends and relatives to the laurels overnight...... Not in Bug Book of Texas, or Sou Liv pest book that I have either.
I couldn't find much either, other than the species name is 'media'. I found a sentence that said they are seed eaters and don't do extensive damage, but that's about it. If you don't see any damage, maybe they're no biggy.
That was a tough one, I've never seen any here.
I found this info on Google;
#126 These two photos were taken in Timmins, Ont. on a residential hedge. The hedge seemed to be infested with these at various stages of maturity. They seem to feed on the leaves using a feeding tube. They also feed on each other.
At first I thought they might be Box Elders but because the species of hedge is unknown to me I cannot be sure. Can anyone help? Thanks. D. Morin
This is one of the true bugs belonging to a group known as plant bugs (Hemiptera: Miridae). This is a Lopidea sp. in the subfamily Orthotylinae, possibly the commonly named Scarlet Plant Bug, but I am not absolutely certain of the exact species. They are considered pests because they pierce the plant to suck its sap, as you observed.
I think you need to get rid of them, my favorite method it to go there with a pot of boiling hot water and just shake the plant slightly and let them fall in, if you take a good number of them the damage won't be to bad, and you cause no harm to the environment, then I flush them down the toilet.
Good luck.
Josephine.
Back again.....
#1....they don't ''shake'' out, they hide around the back.....
#2....we have to go to grandson's first Easter Egg Hunt at noon.....
#3....there are literally hundreds of them.....
#4....trying to be sensitive to the environment....soooooo......
Took car vac out front and sucked 'em up. Will be back at it after I post this. I wished I had done it last night before they ate all the new growth off the laurels. But, of course, I didn't know if they were bad guys then. I guess the rain and warm weather helped them flourish. Don't remember seeing them before. Going to call the Master Gardener desk and alert them! I'm sure I'm not the only one who has them and folks will be calling.... Oh, and I'm going to spray a little bug spray down the vac tube before I leave, then dump it all into a plastic bag for trash. Out to vacuum again.....can't believe they did that much chewing over night.
Thanks to all of you who helped identify them. I'd have felt awful if I'd killed something beneficial.
Sandi
Bravo Sandi!!!! A woman's resourcefulness to the rescue, what a great idea about the vacunm good for you, we all learned something.
The only thing that ever bothered my TX mt lau. was those blasted "worms". They were in web rather like web worms that appear on pecan and other trees. The mt.lau. was only about 6' tall so they were easy to get to IF I caught them in time before they ate all the new growth. I spayed w/a friendly spray that comes in a spray bottle. They weren't the real web worms because they were only attracted to the mt. lau. Everyone in town (Victoria) had trouble w/them. And they only came AFTER the tree had bloomed and the seeds were ripening.
Ann
Well, I didn't get them all .....yet.....but I will.
Good day so far. Watched 18 mo. old get the hang of Easter egg hunt...so cute. Then off to Natural Gardener's to get a truck load of Revitilizer compost for my beds. DH is going to have a nap and I'm going to get down and dirty for the next few hours, spreading the good stuff around! It's sunny and 66, will be 70 for a high today. Can't ask for much more, can I?
Sandi
Good job BB!! What a great idea to use the vacuum!
Can you upload your pic to the Bug Files, there isn't one, and maybe share your experience with them. There just isn't that much info about them out there.
I'll do it tomorrow, fly.....I just finished spreading compost with a few interruptions from friendly neighbors. I'm beat! Not sure I got all the bugs, will have to re-check in the morning. Just found a few this afternoon and squished 'em in my glove.
We're about to get some cold weather with rain Sat nite. I just put all my pots out, including plumerias.....freaky weather....
No hurry, it's supposed to get in the high 30's at night, next week, here! Very freaky.
Frostweed, can you tell me where you found the info above about these bugs and their chewing habit???? I searched Google and couldn't find it...
Being a responsible gardener.....I called the Master Gardener desk last week to let them know about this pest...Lopedia. Got a call back this morning to let me know our Ext agent said "they don't do any damage!" Really???? Well, there's still a few on the ends of my Mt Laurels....and the edges are curled, holey, or non-existent.
Sandi, it took me forever to find the site, but here it is, you have to scroll down the posts in reverse order until you find # 126.
I hope it helps.
http://www.pestcontrolcanada.com/Questions/Pest%20Photos%20101%20to%20200.htm
Thanks so much. I know they're eating my plants and they ARE pests!!! I'll go look it up! Sure appreciate you searching for me....Sandi
Checked out the website you found, Josephine. That's them, and the do cause damage. thanks again!
I am glad I could be of help.
