Red Insects – On Plants in Spring (wheel bug vs leaf-footed bug)
![leaf footed bug 2 | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener leaf footed bug](https://t9e4s3i5.rocketcdn.me/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/leaf-footed-bug-2-600x450.jpg)
Each spring I get pictures of clusters of small red insects on plants or surfaces near a garden.
The two most likely suspects are wheel bug nymphs and leaf-footed bug nymphs.
But wheel bugs are beneficial insects and leaf-footed bugs feed on tomatoes, squash and okra, right?
How to tell them apart?
In general, leaf-footed bug nymph bodies are all red while wheel bug nymphs have a red abdomen and a black head and thorax.
Leaf-footed bugs should be eliminated before they become adults. Insecticidal soap will do the job just fine.
See below:
![Atlas Cedar - Proper Pruning | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/wheel-bug-1.jpg)
leaf-footed bug nymph
![Eastern Red Cedar - Transplanting | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/wheel-bug-e1495151517837.jpg)
leaf-footed bug nymphs
![Unknown plant | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/leaf-footed-bug-1.jpg)
leaf-footed bug adult
![| Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/leaf-footed-bug-2-scaled.jpg)
leaf-footed bug adult
![Ce3b04JqDumk | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/wheel-bug-nymph-Ward-Upham.jpg)
wheel bug nymph, courtesy of Ward Upham, Kansas State University
![cedar blue atlas | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener](http://www.walterreeves.com/wr2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/wheelbug-cropped.jpg)
wheel bug adult
Ward Upham
Kansas State University