Given your description of "a tiny hermit crab", look up Clavate Tortoise Beetles to check them out. The link shows several pictures which you can click on to see more details. If that isn't it, search on just "tortoise beetles" -- there are several varieties and colors.

No, not even close -- sorry! The shell doesn't look like a typical insect shell -- it looks more like a pebble -- roughly spherical. Picture this:

{{gwi:86861}}

But with shorter legs, the shell more rounded and held more vertically, and with two white feathery tufts coming out of its rear. And of course, far smaller.

No ideas?

Tortoise beetles were suggested. Did you follow the link provided?

OMGG!!! I found something like this....or at least something similar to this in my garden just the other week. I was so perplexed...

We need pictures, people! I can't even begin to guess what this might be, though karen is trying so hard to describe it.

Tortoise beetles were suggested. Did you follow the link provided?

Did you not read my "not even close" post? It's nothing like a tortoise beetle. Tortoise beetles have your typical insect layout -- big flat shell, no tufts, etc. This has a *spherical*-ish shell on its back like a pebble. Think a pebble with legs, a head, and two feathery tufts coming out the back. Kind of like a cross between a flea and snail... plus feathery tufts ;)

Good to see Takadi's seen one too! They're hard to photograph because they combine A) small, and B) good jumpers if disturbed.

Here's a very rough side-view drawing I did of it:

{{gwi:86863}}

I may have gotten some of the proportions off, but this gives a general idea. As you can see, nothing at all like a tortoise beetle.

Oh, and as for what it looked like from the underside: "ugly". Kind of reminded me of this:

{{gwi:86865}}

Although not as many legs (and obviously way smaller). I didn't have a chance to count the legs, but I believe it was 6-8.

HOLY.CRAP. What is that thing??!! I'm going to have nightmares. x_x

karenrei

Since you found it inside, could it possibly be some variety of plant scale? The females have coverings on top of their bodies of all kinds of shapes containing the ovisac, one of them described as a "gumdrop" shape. Some scales have white "tail-filaments".

I don't see descriptions of any that hop though.

HOLY.CRAP. What is that thing??!! I'm going to have nightmares. x_x

The photo? A deep-sea giant isopod -- a relative of pillbugs. Glad you don't find those on land, eh?

Since you found it inside, could it possibly be some variety of plant scale? The females have coverings on top of their bodies of all kinds of shapes containing the ovisac, one of them described as a "gumdrop" shape. Some scales have white "tail-filaments".

Aren't scale insects tiny? This was at least the size of a lentil, perhaps a bit larger. Not exactly huge, but bigger than I'm used to for scales. Also, I can't find any scale pics that look close to it.

Wow, drawing and description sure makes me think of an engorged tick.
Hope not!
:(

Karen

Soft scales can range between 1/4"-1/2" in size. Does that range fit?

There seem to be hundreds of varieties of armored and soft scales, and some are regional and prefer only one kind of plant.

Anyway, good luck with the ID!

The bulbous part on ticks has a fleshy look to it. The backs of these look like pebbles and are rigid. Also, AFAIK, ticks don't jump.

Anney: could be. Probably at least something in the suborder Sternorrhyncha (aphids, whiteflies, scales, and psillids). I'll treat it as such if I see them again.

Well, some psyllids hop at certain stages, so maybe your critter is somewhere in there!

I think I know exactly what type of insect you're talking about (I've seen 'em around here occasionally - never in great numbers), and never had luck identifying 'em either - until now . . .

I'm gonna cast my vote for a type of leafhopper nymph (Genus Acanalonia) - or at least that's what looks like the insects I've found look like.

Here is a link that might be useful: Genus Acanalonia at BugGuide.net

That might be it. If I can get a photo next time, I'll compare closer.

karenrei, good grief! maybe those were the pillbugs poor preppyjock had in his garden ! And we all said they were harmless. Yikes!! (by the way, I'd vote with timbersmith)

Maybe a leaf bug nymph?

Flatid leaf bug nymphs

or

green leaf bug nymph

Hope this helps!

No, the leafbugs don't look pebble-like enough. But as mentioned, it's clearly somewhere in that general category, and they all have similar control measures, so if I come across them again, I know what to do.

I found your bug, they really love my potato plants and soap seems to work on them, but I have no idea what they are.
He seems to have 6 legs.
I think he sucks plants instead of biting them, but I'm not sure.

I took a couple pictures of one I captured.

http://i.imgur.com/HdZj1.jpg (side)
http://i.imgur.com/dnEzL.jpg (bottom)