Insect ID PLease

[tim abbott]

These photos were taken on central Merritt Island, Florida.

I don't know the name of the plant. Does anyone know what they are. Looks like boxelder bugs that I saw in Iowa when I was a kid.

[ronaldhanko]

That's exactly what I thought they looked like. I remember my mom vacuuming them up every morning and the stain they left if you squashed them.

[susiep]

I have seen lots of those in my life. Pretty sure they are not good. According to my "An Instant Guide to Insects" they are one of about 300 species of "seed bugs". "Most feed on the seeds of grasses and other plants or suck plant juices". Related to chinch bugs and it may be a Milkweed bug. It does have nice colors.

[Junebug]

He reminds me a little of a stink bug only colorful.

[jason229]

My guess with out using an insect identification book that this insect is a large milkweed bug I can tell by coloration and striping.

[tim abbott]

Thanks to everyone for your help.

Tim Abbott

[johnblagg]

well I have several box elders at my place and we had a huge number of these for a while ...we sprayed a couple of years and used a systemic on the box elders and no more bugs so I go with the box elder bugs too