id - red black tick like insect on sycamore leaves?

freeflyer · #1 (**permalink**) 09-10-2007, 06:30 PM

Hi all.. great forums..

whilst out today i saw a red and black tick like insect on some sycamore leaves... in fact i saw loads of them !!

I wondred what they were.. the were basically round,black and red markings, and all the legs (light brown)appeared to be at the front. Size was up to 7 or 8mm. Some appeared to have hatched.. and left behind a dark black cocoon type shell.

Anyone know what they are? had a look in my book, and online, but found nothing...
I can take a pic if needed tomorrow...

Thanks
adi

Dogghound · #2 (**permalink**) 09-10-2007, 06:33 PM

You will probrably need a photo, how many legs did they have? Welcome to the site.

freeflyer · #3 (**permalink**) 09-10-2007, 06:37 PM

legs were all bunched together at the very front, i'd say about six., each one about a mill or two long and light brown.

I noticed that some of these things also had a tendency to be tilted down , ie like they were almost trying to latch themselves on with all the legs, with the back end slightly in the air..

Paul mabbott · #4 (**permalink**) 09-10-2007, 06:44 PM

Yes, welcome ... but a photo will be essential. There are red 'spider' mites around at the moment but, as the name suggests, they are red

also their legs are evenly distributed about the body, as with most mites and relatives. I suspect that you either have an aphid (if it were on willow that would be my best guess - but not on sycamore!) or larvae of a beetle or bug (nymph). Seems unlikely so, yes please, a photo. Also, please, let us know roughly where you are in the country.

PS: if they've emerged from 'coccoons', pupae then almost certainly some insect ...

Quote:

Originally Posted by freeflyer

Hi all.. great forums..

whilst out today i saw a red and black tick like insect on some sycamore leaves... in fact i saw loads of them !!

I wondred what they were.. the were basically round,black and red markings, and all the legs (light brown)appeared to be at the front. Size was up to 7 or 8mm. Some appeared to have hatched.. and left behind a dark black cocoon type shell.

Anyone know what they are? had a look in my book, and online, but found nothing...
I can take a pic if needed tomorrow...

Thanks
adi

Dogghound · #5 (**permalink**) 09-10-2007, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freeflyer

legs were all bunched together at the very front, i'd say about six., each one about a mill or two long and light brown.

I noticed that some of these things also had a tendency to be tilted down , ie like they were almost trying to latch themselves on with all the legs, with the back end slightly in the air..

Hard to say, you will need a photo. If they have 6 legs they arnt ticks, and are insects. Are they beetles? shieldbugs?

freeflyer · #6 (**permalink**) 09-10-2007, 06:50 PM

beetle like in appearance, at first glance anyway. But like i say they dont appear to have any legs at the sides.. they're all at the very front. 6 legs is a rough guess.. they were very short and close together so it was difficult to tell.

The raised back end was a bit weird.. like you'd expect to see a tick buried in a dogs neck.. that kind of thing.. Not all of them were like that but a handful...

The coccoons seem to be the later stage of these.. ie the actual insects or whatever they are appear to turn into the coccoons, and not the othe way round. I know that sounds odd but thats what it looks like.. I reckon there was one of these things for every hundred or so leaves..

I'll take a pic tomorrow and post it back about 11 ish tomorrow morn.. you'll probably recognise them straight away. Im trying my best not to be misleading with my description but they were very odd things..

PS i'n in derbyshire...

Paul mabbott · #7 (**permalink**) 09-10-2007, 06:54 PM

If you hadn't described them as 'round', my first thought would have been ladybird larvae ... rounded, then one thinks of shieldbugs. But this would depend very much where you saw these - anything can happen in the deep south but I would expect early instar larvae/nymphs to be emerging at this time up north! look forward to some piccies ....

Quote:

Originally Posted by freeflyer

beetle like in appearance, at first glance anyway. But like i say they dont appear to have any legs at the sides.. they're all at the very front.

The raised back end was a bit weird.. like you'd expect to see a tick buried in a dogs neck.. that kind of thing.. Not all of the were like that but a handful...

The coccoons seem to be the later stage of these.. ie the actual insects or whatever they are appear to turn into the coccoons, and not the othe way round. I know that sounds odd but thats what it looks like.. I reckon there was one of these things for every hundred or so leaves..

I'll take a pic tomorrow.. you'll probably recognise them straight away. Im trying not to be misleading with my description but they were very odd things..

PS i'n in derbyshire...

freeflyer · #8 (**permalink**) 09-10-2007, 06:58 PM

aha.. is it possible these were Harlequin Ladybird Pupae?

edit.. i think it was... found on another section of this site. but i'll take a picture tomorrow anyway for id just in case..

Dogghound · #9 (**permalink**) 09-10-2007, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freeflyer

aha.. is it possible these were Harlequin Ladybird Pupae?

Possible it was larva yes. They are black with red markings, but again there are others that are similar looking.

freeflyer · #10 (**permalink**) 09-10-2007, 07:07 PM

aha and i've also just read a post on the harlequin thread on here, that they are prevalent in Burton/Uttoxeter area.. i live about a mile from burton

but like you say, it appears it could be any kind of ladybird larva.. a pic will tell i guess, although the markings of the harlequin do look very very similar to what i saw today.