Little red bugs (not aphids) need ID

12 years ago

The other day I was removing some may night salvias from around some russian sage (the salvias were volunteers from the seeds of the original plants I moved from this location to another and were getting a little selfish with the space). I noticed these little bugs were all around the russian sage and salvias, mostly on the ground but a few up in the leaves.
I thought these might be the little guys that are chewing up my rhubarb leaves (and my guara that is trying so hard to come back after this winter's deep freeze) but not a single nibble has been taken on the salvia or russian sage that I noticed.
Normally it wouldn't bother me but after aphids on my heliopsis last year and now the chomping on other plants... I'm curious.

Any insight is always appreciated!

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Comments (6)

jean001a
12 years ago
A true bug nymph; don't know which one.

Start looking for something other damagers because these fellows don't nibble. They poke and suck.

Nibblers include slugs, caterpillars, beetles.

Please post images of the damage as we can sometime ID the critter by the kind of holes/gaps.
rian
12 years ago
As they mature, do the yellow and black strips cover the red? When they mature are they able to fly? Found your post when I was trying to identify this bug in my herb garden. I will continue to look.
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david883
Original Author
12 years ago
This is the first I've seen of them so I'm not sure what they look like later in life. So, jean001a, are these harmful to the plants? Picture of the rhubarb is attached. I've looked it all over for slugs, cats and beetles and haven't found anything right on the plant. I thought it was slugs at first so I tried the beer can trick (my grandma used to have the same issues with rhubarb way back when) but when I went out to put the can down I saw chomps on higher leaves. Let me know what you think :)
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
12 years ago
That's the nymph of the Four-Lined Plant Bug. The feeding pattern they make is very destinctive.....numerous round spots where they've scraped the leaf surface. They love the herbs!
david883
Original Author
12 years ago
thanks, rhizo. I'll look into them a little more. Sounds like they're definitely not the culprit that's chowing down on my rhubarb. I'll have to keep an eye on it!
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
12 years ago
I've done a bad job of describing what they can do, sorry. Those little round spots that they make can eventually die and fall out, leaving holes. A very bad infestation can result in some pretty ratty looking leaves as the holes connect.

Though your image of the leaves is very blurry, it seems like I see a bunch of those small round spots. Yes? No?