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applestar
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Is this assassin bug or leaf-footed bug nymph?

I found this guy on one of my plants. Is it an assassin bug juvenile?
I'm sorry I couldn't get a clearer picture.
image.jpg
image.jpg

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Lindsaylew82
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They are pretty similar!

I think you have an assassin nymph there, though.

There is a difference in the back legs, even in the nymphs. The leaf footed bugs have the wider flattened looking back legs.

Assassin bugs also tend to have a higher upward angle or curve to the abdomen.

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Gary350
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I have seen these bugs in the garden many times. I have those on my squash now. What do they do? Here are some photos. When I was in 1st grade we use to hold those bugs up to the dogs nose it would make the dog vomit and slobber white foam and drag its face on the grass. I don't notice them causing any problems in the garden.

https://www.google.com/search?q=assassi ... 80&bih=907

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hendi_alex
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If they are on squash, you probably have leaf footed squash bugs. Kill them and also look for and squish their orange egg clusters which are on both sides of leaves.

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rainbowgardener
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well, that was the point of pinning down whether it is assassin bug or leaf foot. The assassin bugs are predators of other insects, often ones you don't want in your garden, and so are very beneficial. The leaf footed bugs are herbivores, crop destroyers, closely related to squash bugs. They look quite different as adults, but the nymphs are very similar. So if you see those red orange nymphs, you really want to figure out whether they are good guys or bad guys.

imafan26
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if you squash the leaf footed bug, it is in the stink bug family and has a nasty odor.

catgrass
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Looks like assasin bug to me. One thing I have noticed is that assasin bugs tend to be alone, while the stink bug nymphs are usually in great numbers.

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applestar
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I'm so glad the consensus seems to be assassin bug nymph because I did leave it alone thinking that was more likely. :()

Thanks everyone for contributing to the ID. :clap:

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Gary350
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It is interesting that so many people on the forum have bug problems but I rarely do. My solution to bugs in Tennessee was to put up 25 bird houses and bird baths for the birds. I never had bugs in my garden for 35 years. I read online Wrens eat their weight in bugs every day.

In Arizona there are no bugs to be seen during the day but they are here hiding in the shadows. Bugs here seem to be harmless to the garden.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8wjCGQhhRI



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