I've found pictures on the net that show this bug as being both the nymph of the leaf-footed bug and also of the Assassin bug. I'm tending to lean towards the leaf-footed bug. But, am I correct? They are on some blueberries just a few feet from the vegetable garden and would like to nip them in the bud if they're no friend of mine. Thanks for your help!!!! Ed
I think they are leaf-footed bugs and those are great pictures - but can you get a picture of one upside down to be sure? A leaf-footed bug would have a long "beak" underneath, against the body if it is not feeding. I think I can see that in your pictures but I'm not absolutely certain.
I went back through the pictures that I had taken and the three I posted really give the best view of the "beak". Does the "beak" extend back almost to the rear end of the bug? I can't really get another picture as I ended up giving them all a bath with Dawn dish washing soap. I had looked further and decided these were leaf-footed bug nymphs. I needed to make a decision about them before the Alberto rains got here and scattered them out. Hopefully I was hopefully I made the correct one.
Thank you, Sue. I think the ID is good. I started counting legs, too, and on some of the nymphs it would go to 7 if you counted the "leg" seen close beneath the body. I see several of them with that "beak" held beneath them...surprising how long it is!! Something else I see is that the leaf-footed bug nymphs have a blocky- shaped head and the assassin has a smaller and more movable head...probably more suitable for attacking and holding and eating prey. Also the assassin appears to have a sprinkling of fine white specks on its back that LSB nymph appears not to have. I had misidentified a single one earlier. I think I've got a good idea about there ID now. Thanks for the feedback!!!