# Mystery Bug



## Otis (Apr 16, 2006)

I've found two of these bugs in the past week, one was on top of a tank, the other on a plant. I put them in my "bug tank" since its way too cold outside, and so far I have not seen them fly, but they are wicked climbers and scale the glass all day. 

Any ideas?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

That looks like one of the leaf footed bugs. 

Ed


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## sports_doc (Nov 15, 2004)

Isnt that a 'stink bug'... my kids are always whinning about...

touch it a few times with your finger  and see if it doesnt leave a stink.

I prefer a rolled up tissue and a trip to China down my toilet.

http://bugguide.net/node/view/182


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## jubjub47 (Sep 9, 2008)

It looks like the bugs that I always called a stink bug too.


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## Marinarawr (Jan 14, 2009)

Is that bug about an inch or so long? I see these daily near wooded areas. I've never found them to smell bad even though I've picked them up many a time. Unfortunately I've never had any luck identifying them though. All I know is that they're relatively big, slow-moving, and they seem to be attracted to duct tape (the sticky side ).

*EDIT* I think Ed is absolutely right about it being some type of Leaf-Footed Bug (which just so happen to be related to Stink Bugs). Google turned up some nearly identical images to the ones above.


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## Roadrunner (Mar 6, 2004)

assasin? Throw a small 1/4 inch cricket in w/ it. If it pierces it and sucks it dry it`s an assasin.


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## sports_doc (Nov 15, 2004)

Assassin Bug

Aaron might be right. 

Try my finger trick again . If it leaves a stink or pierces your veins, you'll at least know what it is . 

[truthfully, I still vote for the trip to China down memory 'drain']


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## stitchb (Jan 26, 2009)

I think it's a leaf footed bug too...most stink bugs are wider- more like an interstate sign as oposed to a broad blade-and lack the flattened hind legs.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Assassins don't tend to have the wider section on those legs. If you look at the links for assassins you'll notice that they don't have those flare out regions on the hind legs. Additionally I don't think the true assassins (as opposed to cone-nose bugs (related bloodsuckers) don't tend to come indoors to overwinter while some of the leaf-footed bugs do (as do some of the stink bugs (particuarly the introduced species). 
The most common assassin in the east is pretty large (Wheel bug - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) well over an inch and is pretty bulky. 

Ed


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## Roadrunner (Mar 6, 2004)

Ah, didn`t see your post Ed, it blended in. I would`ve looked it up. Your probably right, do they eat the same way? They`re all over the house and I let them live thinking they`re a beneficial. Shouldv`e looked over the insect guide better.


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## MonarchzMan (Oct 23, 2006)

It's a leaf-footed bug. Relative to the assassin bugs (in the same order Hemiptera, the True Bugs), but not an assassin bug. They're a sap-sucking bug, to my knowledge.


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## Otis (Apr 16, 2006)

Thanks for the ID.

JP, if its a sap sucking bug does that mean it will _only_ eat sap? I have decomposing plants, and a manajorie of other insects in there for it to eat.


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## MonarchzMan (Oct 23, 2006)

I'm fairly certain that it only drinks sap, although it might drink decaying material too. It's mouth is essentially a straw, so it can only eat things that are in liquid form. Assassin bugs are the same way, they just used their mouths to pierce prey and suck out the juicy centers.


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## Roadrunner (Mar 6, 2004)

I`ll have to look for the winged legs when mine start coming out in a few days!


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