Bug!!!! Can You Identify? please???

[mikus]

This bug is on my squash plant, so far this is the only one I have seen but I don't know if it is good or bad? If bad how do I get rid of it? I'm trying to grow organic if possible (or at least with the least amount of harmful chemicals) so any tips for pest control that is harmless to humans??

Here is pic of bug: (I think if u click picture it makes it bigger)
[img]https://i1045.photobucket.com/albums/b452/newb2010/PictureorVideo988.jpg[/img]

[SP8]

It looks like a species of [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reduviidae]Assasin Bug[/url] and as the name suggests they eat other bugs etc.

Congratulations your squash plant has/had its own bodyguard (if I've ID it correctly of course).

[mikus]

thank you so much for your quick reply. I was trying to figure out what I was going to do to kill it, but I now I need to breed it so I won't get bad bugs!!!!

[tedln]

Yep, assassin bug. It looks a little like the "leaf footed bug" which will hurt a plant, and it's nymphs are very difficult to get rid of. See attached page. If the rear legs of the bug have little leaf looking things, you don't want it in your garden. They seem to prefer tomato plants though.

https://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/aimg65.html

Ted

[mikus]

so its bad? it does appear to be the bug in the link u attached ted. is there a way to repel the bug without using harmful insecticides, I prefer a natural way to get rid of it (could be them) but will take necessary actions to save my plants???????

[tedln]

Mikus,

Your bug does look more like the assassin bug, but I can't see it's rear legs in the photo. If I remember right, the assassin bug has an upturned rear end and always looks like it's ready to attack something. While the leaf footed bug nymphs have the upturned rear end, the adult doesn't have it. The most accurate way to determine what you have is get a glimpse of the rear legs.

Ted

[tn_veggie_gardner]

Yea, I agree on Assasin bug.