The nymphs of leaf-footed bugs and assassin bugs can look somewhat similar at first glance, but there are key differences to help distinguish them.
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Leaf-Footed Bug Nymph (Family Coreidae, genus Leptoglossus)
Color and Size: Nymphs are typically reddish-orange to brownish and range in size from 1 mm to about 17 mm depending on instar stage.
Body Shape: They resemble smaller, less flattened versions of adults, with elongated bodies.
Legs: Unlike adults, nymphs do not have the characteristic leaf-like expansions on their hind tibiae until the last instar (final nymph stage).
Grouping: Leaf-footed bug nymphs are often found clustered together on host plants because they feed on plant juices.
Mouthparts: They have piercing-sucking mouthparts but are plant feeders.
Appearance Notes: Nymphs usually have dark heads and legs with orange to reddish-brown bodies. They lack fully developed wings.
Behavior: They feed on fruits, vegetables, nuts, and ornamental plants, causing damage such as blemishes and discoloration on crops.
Eggs: Eggs are mustard yellow and laid in straight lines on stems or leaf midribs.
Assassin Bug Nymph (Family Reduviidae, e.g., Zelus renardii)
Color and Size: Assassin bug nymphs vary but generally have lighter-colored legs and antennae compared to leaf-footed bug nymphs.
Body Shape: More robust and less elongated than leaf-footed bug nymphs, often with a thicker, more prominent beak (mouthpart).
Legs: Do not have leaf-like expansions on hind legs at any stage.
Grouping: Assassin bug nymphs are predatory and usually solitary; they do not cluster together like plant-feeding leaf-footed bug nymphs.
Mouthparts: They have a thick, curved piercing-sucking beak adapted for predation on other insects.
Eggs: Assassin bug eggs are barrel-shaped, grouped together with a white cone top, different from the straight yellow egg lines of leaf-footed bugs.
Key Differences Summary
Feature Leaf-Footed Bug Nymph Assassin Bug Nymph
Color Orange to reddish-brown Variable, often lighter legs/antennae
Hind Leg Shape No leaf-like expansions until last instar No leaf-like expansions at any stage
Body Shape Elongated, less flattened More robust, less elongated
Mouthpart Piercing-sucking, slender (plant feeder) Thick, curved beak (predatory)
Behavior Often found in groups on plants Usually solitary, predatory
Egg Appearance Mustard yellow, laid in straight lines Barrel-shaped with white cone tops
In short, leaf-footed bug nymphs are plant-feeding, often gregarious, and develop their distinctive leaf-like hind legs only as adults, while assassin bug nymphs are solitary predators with thicker beaks and no leaf-like leg expansions at any stage