The Western Conifer Seed Bug flies like a wasp, they lay eggs in rows on pine needles, have 6 stages of life (performing all six within the warm months of summer), they produce a funny smell if alarmed (smells like pine- similar to stink bugs), and the adults (shown below) overwinter by finding a warm spot to rest -this means he will try to winter in your house. There is a funny poem about a Western Conifer Seed Bug here."Well, it looks like you have the Western Conifer Seed Bug. It's in the family of Leaf-footed Bugs. You've probably noticed that the rear legs have a spot on them shaped like a leaf. They feed off trees and pines cones, etc."
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| Tanner posed with this bug from the inside of our sliding glass doors. (Yes. This is yet, another iphone picture. I can not help myself, its so convenient.) |
To tell a Western Conifer Seed Bug from a Western Leaf-footed Bug:
- The Western Conifer Seed Bug has a thin zigzag line across his back
- The leaf shape on the back legs is symmetric (the Western Leaf-footed bug is Asymmetric)
- and lastly the Western Conifer Seed Bugs are from Europe so they will have importation documents
They are much prettier than their relative squash bugs (Anasa tristis) that try to take over my garden every year. We have also found the Western Leaf-footed bug (Leptoglossus clypealis) on our Yuccas in years past, which also fascinated us much more than the common Squash bug. But we have yet to see a Western Conifer. It is amazing just how many insects belong to one family.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads up Lisa. Bug ID still boggles my brain.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful bug! I'd love to have it in a necklace (you get so many comments when you wear insect jewelry, don't ya know). The poem is cute too.
ReplyDeleteAwesome looking bug!
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