Does anybody recognize the insect in these photos?
http://www.zefox.net/~bob/bugs_on_alfalfa/bug1
http://www.zefox.net/~bob/bugs_on_alfalfa/bug2
Same bug, slightly different pose. The "flag" on
the hind legs seemed distinctive.

Three of them turned up on a patch of alfalfa plants I'm
trying as a groundcover. Their movements were what caught
my attention; very deliberate and stately, almost like those
of a mantis.

I tried looking through various alfalfa pest galleries, but
nothing came close and I'm not at all sure these are pests.
I didn't see them feeding and their behavior seemed more like
an ambush predator than a prey species.

First noticed them a couple days ago, when one stuck around it
seemed worth a picture or two.

Thanks for reading,

bob prohaska

On Wed, 9 Jun 2021 02:02:53 -0000 (UTC), bob prohaska
<bp@www.zefox.net> wrote:

>Does anybody recognize the insect in these photos?
>http://www.zefox.net/~bob/bugs_on_alfalfa/bug1
>http://www.zefox.net/~bob/bugs_on_alfalfa/bug2
>Same bug, slightly different pose. The "flag" on
>the hind legs seemed distinctive.
>
>Three of them turned up on a patch of alfalfa plants I'm
>trying as a groundcover. Their movements were what caught
>my attention; very deliberate and stately, almost like those
>of a mantis.
>
>I tried looking through various alfalfa pest galleries, but
>nothing came close and I'm not at all sure these are pests.
>I didn't see them feeding and their behavior seemed more like
>an ambush predator than a prey species.
>
>First noticed them a couple days ago, when one stuck around it
>seemed worth a picture or two.
>
>Thanks for reading,
>
>bob prohaska

leaf footed bug

https://www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.php?identification=Western-Leaf-Footed-Bug

John T.

bob prohaska wrote:

sorry, can't id that bug, but they look similar to
some others i've seen. :)

> Three of them turned up on a patch of alfalfa plants I'm
> trying as a groundcover. Their movements were what caught
> my attention; very deliberate and stately, almost like those
> of a mantis.

alfalfa does not work as a ground cover, the plants give
off chemicals which will keep others from sprouting too
close to them so you won't ever get a complete stand plus
they don't grow that close to the ground so other plants
can invade. in a mix of other plants they're ok, but they're
not great. birdsfoot trefoil will take over an area and will
mix with other plants too, and if you get the wilder kind
that you can find it will grow closer to the ground. however
once it's planted it will be hard to remove. i planted an
agricultural variety here and it was too tall and too
invasive so i've had to remove it. much fun. :)

> I tried looking through various alfalfa pest galleries, but
> nothing came close and I'm not at all sure these are pests.
> I didn't see them feeding and their behavior seemed more like
> an ambush predator than a prey species.

i don't think they are either.

> First noticed them a couple days ago, when one stuck around it
> seemed worth a picture or two.
>
> Thanks for reading,

songbird

hubops@ccanoemail.ca wrote:
> On Wed, 9 Jun 2021 02:02:53 -0000 (UTC), bob prohaska
> <bp@www.zefox.net> wrote:
>
>>Does anybody recognize the insect in these photos?
>>http://www.zefox.net/~bob/bugs_on_alfalfa/bug1
>>http://www.zefox.net/~bob/bugs_on_alfalfa/bug2
>>Same bug, slightly different pose. The "flag" on
>>the hind legs seemed distinctive.
>
>
> leaf footed bug
>
> https://www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.php?identification=Western-Leaf-Footed-Bug
>

Looks like a match. Unfortunate that they're likely trouble.

Thank you!

bob prohaska

On 6/8/2021 7:02 PM, bob prohaska wrote:
> Does anybody recognize the insect in these photos?
> http://www.zefox.net/~bob/bugs_on_alfalfa/bug1
> http://www.zefox.net/~bob/bugs_on_alfalfa/bug2
> Same bug, slightly different pose. The "flag" on
> the hind legs seemed distinctive.
>
> Three of them turned up on a patch of alfalfa plants I'm
> trying as a groundcover. Their movements were what caught
> my attention; very deliberate and stately, almost like those
> of a mantis.
>
> I tried looking through various alfalfa pest galleries, but
> nothing came close and I'm not at all sure these are pests.
> I didn't see them feeding and their behavior seemed more like
> an ambush predator than a prey species.
>
> First noticed them a couple days ago, when one stuck around it
> seemed worth a picture or two.
>
> Thanks for reading,
>
> bob prohaska
>

See <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaf_footed_bug>. In the photo
gallery at the end of that page, the right-most photo in the first row
strongly resembles your photos.

--
David E. Ross
<http://www.rossde.com/>

The Republican Party has abandoned all principles and has
instead become a personality cult worshiping Donald Trump.