I was out in the flower gardn below the fenced area looking at how wild everything had gotten. I was contemplating pulling up some of the milkweed, but the leaves look well chewed, and I've only seen a couple of Monarch Butterflies roaming around, so decided to wait to make sure that the caterpillars have finished eating and pupating.
Arching over the particular milkweed pods / leaves was a rogue blackberry bramble (they are getting out of control in the corner). I happened to look up and see this
There were several more bugs on the same leaf, 3-4 moved off to the side when I disturbed them taking pictures.
I have tentatively identified the bugs as a type of green shield bug, Troilus luridus. If anyone can place a different neam on them, I'd be happy to correct that. Whatever name they go by, the shield bugs are insect predators that will tackle caterpillars and beetle larva.
If I get lucky, I will get a whole slew to hunt up the Japanese Beetle larva. However, I think since they are that close to the milkweed, that they are hunting caterpillars instead.
Could you give a quick lesson on the various shield bugs? I am really confused after searching to find the differences among your green shield bug, squash bugs, and stink bugs. My eyes are crossing.
Posted by: Cop Car | August 19, 2012 at 10:00 AM
Yeah right - I just googled "stink bug look alike" 9after having looked in my handy Audubon bug guide) and found the Gardensafari website I scrolled down until I found the bug that looked like mine. Read a little on it, and on the more common green shield bugs, and voila - there was my diagnosis.
Just looking at that website, it looks like shield bugs are in the family of stink bugs. But squash bugs are in a different family.
Posted by: bogie | August 22, 2012 at 07:46 AM