Hello,
Could you please help me ID this bug? It visits my tomato seedlings every day. I am wondering if it is a harmful insect to the plants. It is just over an inch long.
Thanks.
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applestar
- Mod
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- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
It looks like it could be in this list? If so, then most likely a beneficial insect.
Subject: Beneficial Insects
Subject: Beneficial Insects
applestar wrote:I was excited to recognize having seen most of these in my garden. One exception is velvet ant....
https://www.uky.edu/Ag/CritterFiles/case ... litary.htm
NARROW-WAISTED SOLITARY WASPS
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rainbowgardener
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I would have thought black soldier fly:
https://theaquaponicsource.com/wp-conten ... .jpg?w=150
"The black soldier fly's first abdominal segment has two clear areas near its second segment giving it a 'wasp waist" effect.
https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galv ... er_fly.jpg
from wiki: The adult fly, which measures about 16 mm (5/8 inch),[5] has a life span of 5 to 8 days. It is a mimic, very close in size, color, and appearance to the organ pipe mud dauber wasp and its relatives. The mimicry of this particular kind of wasp is especially enhanced in that the fly's antennae are elongated and wasp-like, the fly's hind tarsi are pale, as are the wasp's, and the fly has two small transparent "windows" in the basal abdominal segments that make the fly appear to have a narrow "wasp waist". The adult soldier fly has no functioning mouthparts; it spends its time searching for mates and reproducing
The adult flies are harmless to your plants. The larvae which you may have seen if you have a compost pile, are detritovores, helping to break things down. They also are harmless to living plants.
https://blacksoldierflyblog.com/wp-conte ... nd-wm3.jpg
https://theaquaponicsource.com/wp-conten ... .jpg?w=150
"The black soldier fly's first abdominal segment has two clear areas near its second segment giving it a 'wasp waist" effect.
https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galv ... er_fly.jpg
from wiki: The adult fly, which measures about 16 mm (5/8 inch),[5] has a life span of 5 to 8 days. It is a mimic, very close in size, color, and appearance to the organ pipe mud dauber wasp and its relatives. The mimicry of this particular kind of wasp is especially enhanced in that the fly's antennae are elongated and wasp-like, the fly's hind tarsi are pale, as are the wasp's, and the fly has two small transparent "windows" in the basal abdominal segments that make the fly appear to have a narrow "wasp waist". The adult soldier fly has no functioning mouthparts; it spends its time searching for mates and reproducing
The adult flies are harmless to your plants. The larvae which you may have seen if you have a compost pile, are detritovores, helping to break things down. They also are harmless to living plants.
https://blacksoldierflyblog.com/wp-conte ... nd-wm3.jpg