I have 23 of these bugs to be exact trapped in a jar since yesterday 7/24/04 with a pantyhose with a rubberband around it to keep them in and allowing oxygen in as well. I don't want to kill them until I find out if they are bad bugs. If they are good bugs I will put them back in my yard.

I found them on my Zinnia's. So I figured if that is where I found them, I would put one in the jar with them to see if they would eat it. Nope! They are not eating the Zinnia. So, I thought maybe they are meat eaters. So I found some aphids on a Butterflyweed and put that in the jar. Nope! They don't eat Aphids. Now I am confused! As you can see from the photo on the group site they have a very long stabbing sword like needle that comes out of their nose area and goes all the way along their belly. Does this make them a good bug? Maybe they eat larger bugs like maybe leaf footed bugs. Or, are they bad bugs and if I put them back in my yard will cause much damage to all plants? I do not know. Can you tell me what they are? Please let me know ASAP. I am not sure how long I can keep them alive in the jar if I don't find them a food source soon. If they are good bugs I don't want to kill them. I will want to put them back in the yard.

Here is a link that you can copy and paste into your browser so you can see the 2 photos I have posted on my Yahoo photos so you can help me ID these critters ASAP.

http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/perfum ... fe&.src=ph

Thanks for your helps in advance!

Shari

Hi Shari,
I think what you have is a nymph stage of one of the leaf footed bugs. Bugs with a short snout eat other bugs, but those with a long snout eat plants and suck out the juice from the plant. I suspect that they aren't interested in the leaf, but in the stem of the plants. Take a look at these sites. On this first one, look at the second image on the left. It won't enlarge for me, but looks like yours.

http://entowww.tamu.edu/fieldguide/aimg65.html
http://www.bugguide.net/node/view/4290/bgimage
http://www.insectimages.org/browse/deta ... um=1228041

Hope this helps,
Newt

What is the best method to eliminate these. I have them all over my squash, and gourd plants??

Hi Dustoff,
I would suggest Neem.

Newt