Is this insect something I should worry about? - Orchid Board

greenpassion · #1 12-08-2017, 02:10 PM

I don't know what kind of bug this is but there's two of them amongst my plants. If it is beneficial I will leave them of course but if not well I guess it's good-bye. I'll put them outside. Anybody know what this is?

Subrosa · #2 12-08-2017, 02:33 PM

Looks like an Assassin bug, family Reduvidae. They prey on other insects, so they're harmless to orchids. But not to orchid keepers! Very painful bite, much worse than a bee sting.

greenpassion · #3 12-08-2017, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Subrosa

Looks like an Assassin bug, family Reduvidae. They prey on other insects, so they're harmless to orchids. But not to orchid keepers! Very painful bite, much worse than a bee sting.

Wow! Good to know! There's two of them, and I don't know if there male or female. But if they're beneficial then I'm going to leave them, and just watch out when I go to sit down!

Subrosa · #4 12-08-2017, 03:50 PM

I was bitten on the arm by one of our native species, the wheel bug. It felt like a hot knife going in, and after a couple days it necrotized an area about .5" in diameter.

greenpassion · #5 12-08-2017, 04:24 PM

Whoa!!!

rbarata · #6 12-08-2017, 04:26 PM

I would get rid of them...there's a high probability for a sting...it's just a matter of time.

greenpassion · #7 12-08-2017, 04:36 PM

Well I googled this bug and at first I thought it was like you said the kissing bug, but turns out it is a western Conifer seed bug. It has little pouches on the lower hind legs, and the Articles and photos that I viewed and read said that this bug is often confused with several other species of bugs.

Subrosa · #8 12-08-2017, 06:12 PM

Nice to know you don't have to worry about an Assassin bug bite! Now you need to wonder why these are on your plants........

Arizona Jeanie · #9 12-08-2017, 07:53 PM

I think I'd escort these guys outside. The seed bugs like to over-winter inside, sometimes in large numbers, and they can cause a stink when disturbed. Close relatives can be hard to tell apart, they all have piercing-sucking mouth parts that can feed on plants. Just in case these aren't exactly the conifer seed bugs I think I'd go ahead and move them out. Definitely not beneficial, possibly not harmful, but not who I'd want to spend the winter with!

jkofferdahl · #10 12-08-2017, 08:20 PM

Yeah, that's a true bug, family Hemiptera, and suborder Heteroptera. They eat plants, are ugly as sin, and some will bite. I wouldn't escort it outside and I wouldn't let it be. I WOULD kill it, and any others. Kill it with DE, kill it with insecticide, kill it with fire, but kill it.