Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: bugs

These were no more than tiny red specks on this fallen branch (maybe an inch to an inch and a half diameter) and in fact I stopped to look because I thought it might be some kind of teeny red fungi. However, when I picked up the branch to take a closer look, the specks all started to move - fast! I believe these are Hemipterans, True Bugs, more specifically Shield Bugs or Stink Bugs. Nymphs, the immature insects, are more difficult to accurately identify, but our money is on the Harlequin Bug, Murgantia histrionica." From What's that Bug?. The above information was not on my photo, but someone else's of what seemed to be identical insects. I love the red and black and the three lines on each perfect little bug. Found on the private, southern edge of the Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area, just southwest of the city, on Sunday - oh, I guess that was yesterday : )

I always love to see these tiny insects - I think they are called Tarnished Plant Bugs? - and discovered several of these on the Poppy buds in friend Dorothy's garden a couple of evenings ago. "The tarnished plant bug (TPB) (Lygus lineolaris) is a common pest of several fruit crops in Ontario and a number of vegetable crops including celery, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, edible amaranths, snap beans, pepper, eggplant, potato, tomato and spinach. Both the adult and the immature stages damage crops." www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/98-025.htm "The tarnished plant bug (TPB) is one of the most serious pests of small fruits and vegetables in North America. No truly effective or reliable management options currently exist. Growers routinely make 3-5 applications of insecticides each year to control this insect. The cost is $200-$500/acre. Considering the narrow profit margin for today's farmers, these costs are significant. The research being conducted at the Entomology Research Laboratory represents the first step towards developing insect-killing fungi for management of TPB." From Wikipedia.

This pair of mating Twice-stabbed Stinkbugs was seen at Ranchlands Natural Area, on 8th July. "Body black with red band crossing width of pronotum and a short red stripe along the midline (these markings are sometimes orange or yellow); scutellum with two red marginal spots near apex - a distinguishing feature and the origin of the common name; tips of wings clear or appearing white when overlapped. Nymphs have similar color and pattern to adults but lack wings. They are 5-7 mm in size." From bugguide.net/node/view/6433/bgimage .

I came across these two tiny green insects at Big Hill Springs park (outside the city to the north west) on Tuesday morning. Would love to know what they are - haven't been able to find them yet. Doug - do you have any ideas by any chance? I'm sure they are very common little creatures, but I'm sure I haven't seen them before.

This member of the long-horned beetles is a common forest beetle in Alberta. It is attracted to fresh burns or freshly cut wood. Apparently, these beetles only bite when they feel threatened or they are trapped. I didn't know that until just now, when I was looking up about them! It was not on MY hand.