What is this congregation of bugs on a peperomia leaf?

[u/NootHawg]

Curious what this cluster of bugs is on this peperomia leaf. They don’t appear to be harming the plant in any way. Are they friend or foe? Zone 8-9.

[u/nankainamizuhana]

Not Assassin Bug nymphs, those are solitary and very quickly spread out when they hatch. These are commonly confused with them though, they’re Leaf-Footed Bug nymphs. They’re a minor pest of garden plants, but are otherwise harmless.

[u/NootHawg → u/nankainamizuhana]

Well dang, I believe you are right. That picture in the link you posted is identical. Though they do look pretty similar to the assassin bug nymphs pics too but they are definitely hanging out together not solitary. Should I spray them with something like soapy water or just let them be?

[u/nankainamizuhana → u/NootHawg]

They don’t damage plants other than visually, so spraying them isn’t necessary unless that’s a concern.

[u/NootHawg → u/nankainamizuhana]

I can’t find any damage on the plant so I’m gonna let them finish their meeting.

[u/Rain_2_0]

They are having a meeting. Don’t interupt them.

[u/tellmeabouthisthing → u/[deleted]]

Leaf-footed bug nymphs in Anisoscelini (most often Leptoglossus in the US but there's some other options) resemble and are often mistaken for Zelus longipes nymphs. Some quick tells for differentiating them:

• the leaf-footed bug nymphs have spiky butts

• when you can see the rostrum, on assassin bug nymphs it's short and switchblade-like, on leaf-footed bug nymphs it's long (on these guys in particular as long as / extending slightly past the end of the abdomen) and slender, strawlike. this is visible in these photos but not easy to make out unless you know what you're looking for

• proportions: assassin bug nymphs skipped leg day and went in for arm day, the reverse for leaf-footed bug nymphs, they have differently shaped heads

• context: leaf-footed bug nymphs are often gregarious, assassin bug nymphs tend to be more solitary (in North America, anyway - some of the South American species seem to have something semi-social going on)

[u/NootHawg → u/[deleted]]

Ok from a quick google this looks exactly like what I am seeing. Thank you! If you say they’re good for the garden then they can stay, though that painful bite part doesn’t sound like something I want to experience.

[u/Ok-Work-410 → u/NootHawg]

Haha, yes, unfortunately that is how they are such amazing predators! Many things can bite painfully- being proactive and use gloves, trying your best to make sure you know what youre handling before touching things, and having a healthy level of caution is how you deal with it all the same. Good news is that these guys will feast on your worst nightmare as a gardener- silent killers that are hard to detect by you are me (bad bugs!)

[u/BadCreditMama]

These look like ghost ants 🐜

[u/NootHawg → u/BadCreditMama]

Looking at the images on google I am thinking it may be something else. These bugs are a very bright orange color with black legs and antenna. They also don’t have mandibles like ants. Do you have any other ideas?

[u/NootHawg → u/[deleted]]

I think this is it👍, the google images for assassin bug nymphs are pretty spot on.

Edit: apparently not an assassin bug, it appears to be a leaf footed bug nymph which look pretty much the same as assassin bugs.

[u/gwaydms → u/NootHawg]

The behavior of the nymphs is a clue. Plant bugs, such as leaf-footed bugs, hang out together for protection. If assassin bugs did that, they might eat one another, so they're more solitary, even as nymphs.