What kinda bug is this?

PierreR

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We need a "pests and problems" sub forum...

So What the hell is this? For scale, this is a 1 1/2" long Scots pine needle. It is holding on to the needle really good. I noticed a few wasps hanging out in this particular tree, and was watching one crawl around for a bit, trying to figure out what their interest was in my tree. I see a couple of these little guys, so I pick them off, and crush them. Their bodys are very hard, almost shell like. I have not seen them move, no crawling, or flying.

After thinking what the wasps are doing, I start to think they are hunting/feeding, and I keep seeing these, so before I spray, I thought I'd get a mugshot of one and ask here. As you can maybe see, they are holding onto the needle, and are fairly tough to remove, well as far as removing bugs go... If you get their body and pull gently, you can actually feel a "pop" when they break free. Kinda reminds me of lice. Thoughts?

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BunjaeKorea

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I would say its a true bug (shield bug) of some variety the wasps are probably picking them off as feed for their larva. I frankly welcome wasps to my place, they eat a lot of the nasties.
 

jk_lewis

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Don't think it is a bug. Looks like a larval form of a beetle of some sort.
 

ColinFraser

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Don't think it is a bug. Looks like a larval form of a beetle of some sort.
I was thinking along similar lines - some kind of molting nymph maybe. If that's true, then it would have to be a hemimetabolous species (beetles are holometabolous, so they're out).
I definitely don't recognize it right off the bat. @PierreR , do you ever find one hollow or empty and still attached to the plant?
Edit: body shape wise, it looks a lot like a big-ass aphid
 

wireme

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I think Colin had it right, I've had giant conifer aphids before, looked just like that but darker. They would hide out along spruce buds, looked like strange buds at first, well camouflaged.
 

PierreR

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I was thinking along similar lines - some kind of molting nymph maybe. If that's true, then it would have to be a hemimetabolous species (beetles are holometabolous, so they're out).
I definitely don't recognize it right off the bat. @PierreR , do you ever find one hollow or empty and still attached to the plant?
Edit: body shape wise, it looks a lot like a big-ass aphid

Havent seen any dry shells, unless these are shells, Havent seen them move, and they need a little tug to remove them from the needle. They hang on pretty good.
 
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