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Identification Help Needed: Orange Insect
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Author:  tchwv9 [ Sun Sep 02, 2012 4:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Identification Help Needed: Orange Insect

We found a large population of this insect today (Sep 2nd) near our vegetable garden. We have not seen them on one specific vegetable; we actually found them crawling in the weeds in the unused part of the garden (it has never had vegetables planted in it). We live in North Texas, around Justin, TX.

It is about 1cm long and about 0.5cm wide at the widest point. It is orange/red with two rows of raised black dots running along both sides. Its legs are black.

Does anyone know what insect this is and what stage of its life cycle?
Thanks!

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Author:  northwesterner [ Mon Sep 03, 2012 12:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Identification Help Needed: Orange Insect

I usually have a couple of coins in my gardening apron so I can get size comparison shots of bugs - and was amused to see a spot on the Jay Leno show when he featured the strange hobby of photographing coins - that just happened to have bugs in them. :)

I pulled out Howard's Texas Bug Book and the closest looking bug (but not a perfect match) is the "doodlebug" or antlion. But the bug in your photos doesn't appear to have the extended head and mouthparts of the ant lion.

Various people read these posts so someone is likely to recognize it and say so if my guess is incorrect.

Author:  stonewall gardener [ Sun Jan 20, 2013 6:04 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Identification Help Needed: Orange Insect

It is a Colorado potato beetle larva

Author:  northwesterner [ Sun Jan 20, 2013 9:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Identification Help Needed: Orange Insect

Great! I'll take down my wrong answer so it doesn't confuse people.

And here is an image of the Colorado potato beetle larvae:

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File comment: This Colorado potato beetle larvae image came from the site http://barefootfarm.org/.
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Author:  sandih [ Sat Jan 26, 2013 9:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Identification Help Needed: Orange Insect

It also looks like the pupa stage of a ladybug.

https://www.google.com/search?q=ladybug ... 80&bih=655

Author:  northwesterner [ Sat Jan 26, 2013 12:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Identification Help Needed: Orange Insect

tchwv9,

You now have a classic garden conundrum. You'll have to watch for these bugs this year and you'll have to see what
they're doing out there in the garden, to determine if you have the pest or the beneficial bug. Don't treat until you're sure
one way or the other. Good luck, and please report back!

Author:  sandih [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 9:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Identification Help Needed: Orange Insect

If it quickly attaches itself to a leaf then it's a ladybug. They won't just walk around in that state for long.

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