Bug identifier - Ask Extension
Could you please tell me what this is?
Do they bite?
They have a hard body.
Do not seem to fly?
All over my sleeping deck.
Southern oregon.
Knowledgebase
Bug identifier #810319
Asked September 11, 2022, 1:55 PM EDT
Could you please tell me what this is?
Do they bite?
They have a hard body.
Do not seem to fly?
All over my sleeping deck.
Southern oregon.
Douglas County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi Becky,
It's a little hard to see all the details in your photos to ID that bug with certainty. I think it is one of the scentless plant bugs (Order: Hemiptera, Family: Rhopalidae) in the genus Arhyssus. Here is a link to a photo of one of those for comparison...
https://bugguide.net/node/view/1951258/bgimage
They are common in our area and can often gather in groups.
Luckily these types of scentless plant bugs feed on plant seeds and will not bite people or pets. They can be nuisance pests because of their sheer numbers and especially if they get indoors.
They don't do any harm though, so as long as they are outdoors, you can just leave them in peace.
Hope that helps!
It's a little hard to see all the details in your photos to ID that bug with certainty. I think it is one of the scentless plant bugs (Order: Hemiptera, Family: Rhopalidae) in the genus Arhyssus. Here is a link to a photo of one of those for comparison...
https://bugguide.net/node/view/1951258/bgimage
They are common in our area and can often gather in groups.
Luckily these types of scentless plant bugs feed on plant seeds and will not bite people or pets. They can be nuisance pests because of their sheer numbers and especially if they get indoors.
They don't do any harm though, so as long as they are outdoors, you can just leave them in peace.
Hope that helps!
