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What is this bug, and should I keep it or kill it?

Garden Mama z 7b

8 years ago

This bug, with a divided red body, black stripes, and black legs, is on my eggplant. Should I keep or kill?

Thank you all for the great advice I get from you!

Featured Answer

PRO

User

8 years ago

The link to Cleridae (Checkered Beetles) is a good guess, but I could not find a match. There were some with the same wing color and spotting, but none with a red thorax and head. Most of the checkereds have comb-like or knobbed antennae, and the one pictured above has a thread-like antenna showing.

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Comments (6)

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
8 years ago
I don't know what the bug is but that's a curious looking egg plant.
spedigrees z4VT
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
It looks like it might be a member of this beetle family:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleridae

It sounds like most are carnivorous, so it might be useful for preying on detrimental bugs.
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Garden Mama z 7b
Original Author
8 years ago
Yeah, Floral. I don't know a lot about plants, but I do know the bug was on the lettuce by the time I took the picture. In my defense, I did see it on the eggplant first. LOL.
kimmq
8 years ago
Is that insect causing any damage to any plant? If not leave it alone, although you could capture it and take it to your Cooperative Extension Services local office for identification.
Garden Mama z 7b
Original Author
8 years ago
A few holes in the lettuce, but not enough to be too concerned. I will leave it alone.

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