nativeplantlover said:
Some type of shield bug. I just ordered a Peterson's Field Guide to Beetles to be able to better ID this things in the future
Nice pics! I've seen the one above, it's a Twice-Stabbed Stink Bug (Cosmopepla lintneriana). If you don't already have it the "Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America" is a good one too that covers many of the common species of all types of insects. I can usually find something similar enough in there that it points me in the right direction for a more in depth search online. The Peterson's guides are really good too. I have the ones for birds and moths. I think both the Kaufman and the Peterson guides usually use the drawings or enhanced photographs that really highlight the markings to look for better than regular photographs to me.
