Orange something with red eyes and antennae

[Bruce Williams]

Northants garden on ivy, 17th March.

Size is sub 1mm (see scale bar).

If you peer hard enough I think you can just make out a couple of legs...? Help with id appreciated...and a gold star for anyone who gets it spot on .



Bruce

[RobSutton]

My guess would be a first instar Psyllid nymph!

[Jason Green]

Evening Bruce,

Or perhaps a nymph or adult Coccid?

Take care,

Jason

[JRsbugs]

1st instar nymph of a Whitefly?

Insect Identification: Sternorrhyncha (Jumping Plant Lice, Whiteflies, Aphids, and Scale Insects)

[Jason Green]

Here we are Bruce, I should've linked it on earlier (assuming they're correct - looks likely!):
Faster Than A Speeding.... - BugGuide.Net
Faster Than A Speeding.... - BugGuide.Net

Same shape, orange colouration, correct eye placement and white perimetal 'wax'-like secretions.

How mobile was it, Bruce? Great shot of something so small

[Lord V]

Think it may be a very early instar of a waxy lacewing nymph - Coniopterygidae - looks possibly like an earlier version of this Tiny insect nymph with passenger | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Brian V

[Bruce Williams]

Thank you all for your very interesting and entirely credible suggestions and for the various links which led me to some interesting info (Janet) and excellent photos (Jason and Brian).

Rob - I have photographed Psyllid nymphs before (however they were later instars, similar but showing a more complex structure). A first instar nymph may well be simpler and so a possible candidate. Tried to find a good pic of a 1st instar on the net without success.

Bruce

ps - subject was very slow moving.

[JRsbugs]

The pic Jason posted certainly looks like yours Bruce, but is it correct? I'm trying to find out what the differences are.. found the first instar nymphs of whiteflies are yellow and they have red eyes, but I also read elsewhere colour can depend on food..

Greenhouse Whitefly

Both can have a fringe, but the site I linked to before says coccid nymphs have well developed legs although yours can't be seen well! There is a diagram showing what they generally look like..the legs in that stick well out to the sides..

Insect Identification: Sternorrhyncha (Jumping Plant Lice, Whiteflies, Aphids, and Scale Insects)

United States National Collection of Scale Insects Photographs!

United States National Collection of Scale Insects Photographs

Whitefly nymphs can easily be mistaken for a scale insect. I did find a pic showing some orange hatchlings of scales, not sure if they have red eyes though!

Scale Insects, Spittle Bugs and Other Lovelies

[Acutipuerilis]

I'm going for a scale nymph; I'm sure it's not psyllid, anyhow.

[Bruce Williams]

Janet - Wow thanks for all those links! Yes I agree Jason's link looks a very good fit (and they're excellent photos too).

Thanks Joe .

Bruce