Help identify this insect
There are a bunch of these crawling around my square foot garden, and on my rose bushes. Does anyone know what they are and if they are good or bad? This is my first time gardening!
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Juliuskitty
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- Joined: Sun Aug 18, 2013 6:13 pm
- Location: South Florida
Could it be a ladybug larvae? It looks like one, but the Imiage is small so I am not positive. Do you have some ladybugs around?, or aphids, or whitflies, both of which are their favorite food? Lucky you if it is ladybeetles, their soooo beneficial! 
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That would be awesome but I don't think it is. They look more like spiders and they move very quickly. When I poke them they leave a red smear. I tried to zoom in on it to see if that would help any.
https://imgur.com/UKYSAdB
https://imgur.com/UKYSAdB
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Juliuskitty
- Green Thumb
- Posts: 364
- Joined: Sun Aug 18, 2013 6:13 pm
- Location: South Florida
Does look like a spider, but it only has 6 legs and 2 antennae, and the little mandibles. It does not have piercing sucking mouthparts, so I think it is probably a beneficial. I would monitor it carefully, but leave it be for now. Arachnids, even spider mites,which this is way too big to be, have 8 legs.
If it turns out not to be a beneficial, I would hit it with a good dose of insecticidal soap. Even if not soft bodied, the soapy spray blocks the spiracles and they can't breath.
If it turns out not to be a beneficial, I would hit it with a good dose of insecticidal soap. Even if not soft bodied, the soapy spray blocks the spiracles and they can't breath.