If you’ve been reading this blog for a bit you may have noticed I can’t resist a good bug identification mystery. Someday maybe I will learn about insects properly, but for now I’m happy to take pictures of the ones in my yard and try to learn what they are.
Here’s one of my latest discoveries. I think it’s a beaut:
Here it is crawling on my strangely blossom-free marigolds.
It’s a leaffooted bug nymph, Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Coreidae.
Read up on this monster and other stink bug types here.
They prefer native plants but move on to garden and field crops when they run out of their favorites and start on some of my favorites such as beans, okra, tomatoes, strawberries, and more.
They’ve been sucking some of the juice out of my tomatoes and cucumbers near the stem, but not doing much damage, thankfully.
I held out a similar but smaller stink bug to one of my hens and when she got her beak near it she shook her head and backed off. I guess the smell got to her.
Clever bug.
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Check out whatsthatbug.com, it’s a interesting bug identification site. They have lots already up and identified with a couple pictures, and you can send in your picture of the bug if you can’t find it on the site.
omg. those things freak me out! and I think they fly! there’ something that gets in my yard that looks a lot like that and I swear it chases me and I can hear it laughing the entire time I’m ducking and running back in the house.
ashley–LOL. I’ve never seen this one fly. Pretty slow moving, like an insect version of a sloth.
Are you sure that’s not the neighbors you hear?
Diane–I think I’ve seen that. Love a good resource, thank you!
OH wow! That’s a cool bug!
Good detective work once again. With marigolds I have found that good soil yields no blooms. The best blooms I’ve gotten were in heavy clay with rocks. Seriously, try giving them your worst soil.
Aha. I guess that’s good news in a way. And bad soil shouldn’t be hard to find. Thanks, Don.
I LOVE whatsthatbug.com especially the sensless carnage (I think is the title) section.
I agree with Kat; that’s a cool bug!!!!!
8-D
Smart hen!