6 legs and Red

ID appreciated.

More MF shots from the defective AF macro lens.

1.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-d...20510_9065.jpg

2.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-F...20510_9083.jpg

Kinda looks like an immature boxelder bug

Thanks Randy.

Not sure if it is judging by the pics I found on the internet.

Hmmmmm, Bobo is into bugs. Nice images.

Bobo: Haven't got a clue as to what it is, but it's a cool looking bug, no doubt!

Bobo, I'm not sure if you have the same species in Ontario that we have in Oregon, but it sure looks like a juvenile box elder bug to me.

For comparison, here is an Oregon juvenile that's younger than yours, shortly after it hatched. Just a few mm long, as you can tell from the bug net it is sitting in. Looks like a tiny red dot to the naked eye. It is positively ID'd as a box elder bug.

http://www.pbase.com/art1/image/143316360/original.jpg


And here is what it becomes when it's all grown up.

http://www.pbase.com/art1/image/143316361/original.jpg

We have tons of them here. They are all over my yard, on and in my house every year.

Going back to my entomology days:o; boxelder bugs are actually true bugs, having an incomplete life cycle. As such, they go through several instars prior to the sexually mature adult with full wings. Judging by the sizes and stage of the adolescent wings, you have both captured respectively; third, first, and possibly fourth instar. Just guessing though.

cool bugs! wish i had a macro....

Thanks Randy and Arlen for the ID confirmation - Box Elder it is. All the pics I saw were of adults and the juvis were more rounded and not red-eyed which threw me off.

Thanks Joe, Mike, James.

Joe - birds will always come first but they have quite predictable schedules for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In between they rest up and make no noise so are difficult to find. Bugs/flowers/plants will help fill that in-between time quite well.