There are some insect species that look very similar to me.  I grow squash, along with other vegetables and would like to know if there is any quick way to spot the difference between these 2 insects?

Your answer

Your name to display (optional):
Privacy: Your email address will only be used for sending these notifications.
Anti-spam verification:
To avoid this verification in future, please log in or register.

1 Answer

Squash Bug – Vegetables

Adults and nymphs suck leaf sap leaving numerous small white dots, known as stipples

Appearance

  • Eggs: Shiny, elliptical, rubbery, bronze colored; in clusters of about 20 eggs.
  • Nymphs:  Newly hatched nymphs are pale green with black legs, and very gregarious. Five instars (growth stages) occur over about a month. Older nymphs are shades of gray in color and also have black legs.


Squash bug nymph
Adults: Moderately large true bugs (have a triangular shaped thorax behind head) about 5/8" long, dark brownish gray in color. These gregarious bugs have piercing-sucking mouthparts and flattened bodies, with alternate light and dark markings around the edge of the abdomen.

*******************

And your ‘Damsel Bug”

Parasitoids - Tachinid Fly (Diptera)

Tachinid fly eggs laid on hornworm caterpillar (left), Tachnid fly eggs on Japanese beetle (right)

People may be surprised to learn there are many beneficial flies that prey on garden pests. In fact, parasitoid flies are second only to parasitoid wasps in the sheer magnitude of pest insects they kill. There are 12 families of flies with thousands of species in which some members are parasitoids, but of these the tachinids are the most important. Most tachinids are endoparasites, which means that the developing larvae (maggots) feed within their hosts. Adult female tachinid flies employ a variety of methods to ensure their young will have ready access to food as they grow: some lay eggs on leaves to be eaten by caterpillars, others insert eggs or maggots directly into the host, and still others attach eggs or maggots to the outside of the host. Eggs consumed by the host or inserted by the mother hatch into maggots inside the victim. Eggs affixed to the skin of prey hatch and the maggots bore into the body of the host. Safely inside, the maggots complete their development, consuming their host as they grow.

Pest(s)/Insects they fed on

Tachinid flies most commonly parasitize the immature life stages (eggs, larvae or caterpillars, nymphs, and/or pupae) of beetles, butterflies, and moths, but also earwigs, grasshoppers, sawflies, and true bugs. Feather legged fly (Trichopoda pennipes) attacks stink bugs and leaf footed bugs, including squash bug and green stink bug. Istocheta aldrichi parasitizes adult Japanese beetles.  

 

Appearance

Eggs: Most tachinids lay small (up to 1/20” in size), oblong, white or grayish eggs.
Larvae (maggots): usually develop within the host and are not seen.
Pupae: Are commonly small, dark reddish, oblong cases.
Adults: Many resemble house flies in size and color. They have robust bodies; are usually gray, black, or striped in color; with stout, hairy bristles protruding from the tip of the abdomen. The Feather legged fly is bright orange with velvety black head and thorax; with dark legs (hind legs have a fringe of short, black hairs); yellow feet; large, brown eyes; and brown and black wings.

-Birdy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answer image

Related questions

420
view
0 answers
anonymous asked May 26, 2013
420 views
270
view
0 answers
anonymous asked Jun 26, 2013
270 views
380
view
1 answers
anonymous asked Aug 9, 2012
380 views
516
view
0 answers
anonymous asked Jul 29, 2014
516 views
202
view
0 answers
anonymous asked Jun 25, 2014
202 views
621
view
0 answers
anonymous asked Jun 30, 2013
621 views
191
view
0 answers
Barbara asked Aug 7, 2014
191 views
294
view
1 answers
anonymous asked May 29, 2013
294 views
804
view
0 answers
anonymous asked Jun 27, 2013
804 views
185
view
0 answers
anonymous asked Dec 1, 2013
185 views
Welcome to InTheYard.org. Please ask and answer yard and garden questions and help build a great gardening community.

Intheyard.org is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Categories

Most popular tags

please help how to take care of yellowing leaves best time to prune how do i get rid of them harvest please help asap! browning leaves picking growing tips please help asap how to grow. how to grow pruning tips will it survive identify please identify not sure what to do yellow leaves transplant harvesting how to prune best time to plant help! freezing might not survive no flowers what do i use to rid them advice needed info. when and how to transplant get rid of invasive brown edges please help. help curling leaves should i remove i need growing tips no blooms please advise how to transplant what causes should i cut it back? pruning best way to transplant and when first time leaf drop buds falling off what can i do when to cut back best time to transplant should i cut it back advise on planting will it grow tomato plants what to do dying leaves turning brown leaves falling off ripe leaf problems caring for plants soil type watermelon what does it look like seeds planting gardenia plant mango and avacado tree propagation questions cuttings planting schedule melon ripeness brown leaves what are these worms hibiscus plant advise needed gardenning need advice were should i plant it how to treat tomatoes root depth get rid of fungus distance between plants dying leaves when to pick tomato plants leaves curling up how do i get rid of it when to harvest vegetables how short never bloom buy seed to plants please help! need help will they survive get rid of mushrooms permantely freezing fresh veggies get rid of mushrooms yellow and dropping leaves