Stink bug nymph
5764 Good evening, I came upon your website when I was trying to identify an insect I found outside in my tomato garden. I scanned through some pictures on your website but I didn’t see my exact bug. I’ve attached 2 photos of it having some lunch. I took these today, August 7th in Nova Scotia. It’s been fairly warm and dry here lately, if that matters. I have 3 raised garden beds inside a chain link dog kennel enclosure (to keep deer from eating my tomatoes) Anyhow, that’s where this sucker was at, on one of the posts. Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to provide. Kelly
This is a nymph of a stink bug (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) in the genus Podisus. Bugs in this genus are known as soldier bugs, and as general predators on many other arthropods often are considered beneficial by gardeners. See no. 5744 for another example and http://tinyurl.com/hhywusm for more detailed information. Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.