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What on earth is this thing?! My son said "Mom, this is a walking speck of moss!"
And that about covers it. Does anyone have any idea what this critter is?
From my angle, it looks like a dried up and shriveled pea at first glance.
Second glance, it looks like zebra mussel. (a stretch, i know...)
Heck, it must be native to your neck of the wood cause i've never seen something like it before.
Does your county ag extension have literature on native insects? Worth a try to check into. It's been my experience that they are overly helpful when it comes to things as such.
Blue Grass, thank you so much for your reply, it spurred me on to identify this little guy--and I did! Scroll all the way down.
It is a brown lacewing larva.
(Not a green lacewing, a brown.)
Both insect types are beneficial to gardeners: they eat aphids and other pests.
The brown lacewing larva is otherwise known as a "trash bug" because it uses lichen, moss and even the exoskeletons of its prey as a disguise.
It is certainly a good camouflage. It really did just look like a walking piece of moss, no part of the actual insect was visible.
What on earth is this thing?! My son said "Mom, this is a walking speck of moss!"
And that about covers it. Does anyone have any idea what this critter is?
I found the same little moss like bug in Nc. but no idea what it might be....
The larvae of some kinds of green lacewings (family Chrysopidae, order Neuroptera) will "decorate" themselves with bits of moss, lichen, and other debris to disguise themselves from their predators while they go about looking for aphids and other small insects to eat. I suspect that this is what you found. ( this information I found while looking for what this little bug I found could be). If you peel away the moss this is indeed what it is!! but they are MUCH cuter with the moss I have to say Hope that helps.
i found one of these to day on my tree in my front yard and i am 12 years old i had to look it up and thank u soooo much its really cool i also need to know what exactly what they eat can u help??????????????????
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Hope that helps.
