white-margined burrower bug nymph

5788   Hi, this is Lili from Moncton New Brunswick. Found these bugs around outdoor plants in early September.  They are very small, with black head, red body with stripes. And they appear in groups. There are some little red things around them, not sure whether those are eggs or babies. Please help, thanks!  Lili

This appears to be a nymph of a white-margined burrower bug, Sehirus cinctus (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Cydnidae). These are not pests that need any control; see http://tinyurl.com/zebkvpk for images and detailed information on its life history. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.