Leaffooted Bugs (Coreidae) have moved to town (Fresno, California)

Hello there, you bug-lovers, you . . . you folks "rock"! Google found you for me.

This home gardener found a bunch "bright orange ants with black legs" on my one-year-old Passion Flower Vine. I called our local County Agricultural Commissioner's office to identify them. They were unable to identify it over the telephone . . . I should've known better. But they were unfamiliar with any particular bug unique to a vine typically not seen in the Central Valley of California. They ultimately identified them as Leaf Footed Bugs when I transported the little guys into their office. The "bug"ologist I spoke with said that since we haven't had a significant crop of Passion Flower Vines heretofore he appreciated the opportunity to identify a new County resident. Since I purchased my vine at a national chain with a large nursery section we decided the local crop will grow and bring with it the little guys.

I was able to point to your site and "Henryetta, Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, USA" contribution of 28 September, 2005 - 1:46pm Leaffooted Bugs Coreidae! - - - WHAT GREAT IMAGES!! - - - Are they too cool or what??

I've seen (I've forgotten where by now) discussion of your interest in identification of possible new geographic locations for bugs. Not having seen these particular little guys and gals noted in your ID pages as to known residents of the Central Valley of California I herewith advise you, after a significant amount of time spent researching your web site, of their having moved to town.

I'm not sure you're interested or concerned with such advice, but if you are I wanted to be certain you have the information. My apologies for occupying band width with it if you are not.

Now then, I won't ask you how to relocate them to my crabgrass instead of munching off my Passion Flower Buds. I'll research that information elsewhere. Thanks so much for your expertise.

Warmest regards,
Linda Bartlett and the resident MopTops . . . (one of whom also munches Passion Flower Vine buds)

Visit The MopTops at home!
(Password=pudlz)

Contributed by Linda Anne Bartlett on 13 June, 2006 - 2:52pm

Hi Linda:

I'm glad you're excited about your bugs! We have a whole bunch of unidentified red nymphs in the Coreids section of the guide, because many species start out looking like that, but as they grow you may be able to narrow down the ID. We already have some images from CA, which you can see by looking at the data tab for that family, but it may be that you have a species not yet shown or identified in these pages. If you can take photos of your bugs, especially if you can get shots of different stages, we would love to see them and might be able to help you narrow down the ID to genus or even species level.

… Hannah Nendick-Mason, 14 June, 2006 - 2:11pm

Leaffooted Bug Coreidae Nymph Specimen = Leptoglossus Phyllopus

OK, Hanna, I'm back to complete this dialogue . . . finally. Actually, what really prompted me to return was that you understood I was excited about my bugs. Well, that would be something of an overstatement. Sadly, I just want them to stop eating my Passion Flower Vine flower buds. But for you . . . . Apologies, I don't have a camera with which to photograph the little "bugger" to upload for you. I'm lucky if I can take a clear pic at 4 feet distance!!!!

The nymph stage remains as originally noted above; the species (?) appears to be Leptoglossus Phyllopus This specimen pic appears to be what I see on my vine today, including the variegated antennae and legs, pale yellow stripe across the back, wings, rear legs with characteristic "wing" on them.

(Here comes a "but,") Although . . . I will say that my specimen appears to have larger "ball eyes" a little higher up on the muzzle, if that makes sense. I've been through all the pics and cannot find another with such eyes and I need to move along with my tasks today.

You no doubt have greater wisdom{{chuckling}}.

Linda

… Linda Anne Bartlett, 5 July, 2006 - 1:33pm

Hi Linda!

Thanks for the update. I'm beginning to suspect that ALL the red coreid nymphs we have in the guide are Leptoglossus - your experience certainly doesn't refute that theory.

If your bugs have a straight pale line across the back, I think L. phyllopus is the only choice, but there are other spp. in CA with slightly different pale stripes, such as L. clypealis (below)

or L. zonatus (below).

L. brevirostris is also reported for CA, but we don't have any pictures yet. It would have a slender zig-zagging line, I think.

… Hannah Nendick-Mason, 5 July, 2006 - 1:49pm

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