skip to main content

Vegetable Gardening

Is this a cricket? An asassin bug? Good/bad bug?

14 years ago

I spotted this guy just a few minutes ago walking around on one of my zucchini leaves, but didn't kill him because I wasn't sure if he was good or bad. And I know a lot of people go by "when in doubt, kill!", but I'm squeamish and if I can avoid killing something, I'll do it. When I tried to get some photos, he didn't jump away, but instead kind of slowly walked, and then hid himself on the underside of a leaf. Any idea what he is, and whether or not I need to get outside NOW and find and kill him?

{{gwi:70883}}

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

justaguy2
14 years ago
It's a cricket. It's going to munch on your plants, but that doesn't make it a bad bug worthy of death.

Unless you have zillions of them the damage they do is too minor to worry about it. If you have enough to really damage your plants then hand control (squishing) isn't going to be effective.

Live and let live...at least in this case.
spaghetina
Original Author
14 years ago
Ok, wsheew. I only saw the one, and it's the first time I've even seen a cricket around here, outside of a pet store.

Thanks for the info!
Related Discussions
Is a Katydid a bad bug or a good bug?
Q
Comments (12)
I had a Barnes and Noble 15% off on top of my member discount. Last night, I went and got a book I've seen before and wanted. It's called, "Garden Insects of North America" by Whitney Cranshaw. In it, I found the answer to our questions. I found out that grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids are in the order called, "Orthoptera". Cranshaw says that katydids are usually large grasshoppers with long antennae and thin jumping hind legs. There are different kinds. Here's a quote from the book, "Both the nymhs and adults chew leaves, rarely causing noticeable injuries." I'm still keeping an eye out, because today, a whole section of a flower was gone from the flower the katydid was in. Maybe that wasn't the culprit, though. Happy gardening and nature watching, Sue
...See More
Good bug or bad bug?
Q
Comments (2)
It looks like a stink bug or squash bug as they refer to it here.....Bad bug if it is. http://goodlifegarden.ucdavis.edu/blog/2011/08/getting-rid-of-squash-bugs-and-stink-bugs/
...See More
Good bug or bad bug?
Q
Comments (8)
well i hope someone familiar with TX .... discusses if this type of bug will winter over in your area ... if proactive removal is requisite ... as i said... it will be dead up here in MI ... inside a few weeks ... so why bother ... ken
...See More
Good bug or bad bug?
Q
Comments (2)
I found a survey on the Smithsonian Web page and reported it. Not sure if it adds to the survey or not. If they are interested, I guess they will contact me... In a video on that site, they claim the easiest way to kill it is to freeze it. Since we have an extremely late frost, maybe they propagated and will now be killed off naturally but I wonder how many made it into my house already.
...See More
gamebird
14 years ago
I think it's an immature katydid, but that's about the same thing as a cricket. They're very closely related. Crickets tend to eat decaying plant material and katydids eat green stuff.
spaghetina
Original Author
14 years ago
That's actually kind of cool. Thanks to gardening, I'm learning about bugs that I didn't even know existed around here, lol. For some reason, I always think the bugs I see on tv only exist in places other than California, and I'm coming to find out that some are most definitely here.
jean001
14 years ago
A young katydid.
spaghetina
Original Author
14 years ago
Well, whatever he is, he's outside singing right now. We NEVER have cricket sounds in this area. I don't know why, but we don't. We get frogs now and again, but tonight, I'm being treated to the chirping, which I love, love, love. I'm glad I didn't kill him, but I do hope that there's just the one of him, and that after he gets a good meal from whichever of my plants he's going to munch on (probably the zukes, since that's where he hung out all day), he'll grow up and hop along outta here without inviting any friends.

Related Stories

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING Bid Bad Garden Bugs Goodbye and Usher In the Good

By Matt Kilburn

Give ants their marching orders and send mosquitoes moseying, while creating a garden that draws pollinators and helpful eaters

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Common Boneset Helps Good Bugs Thrive

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Support bees, moths and butterflies with the nectar of this low-maintenance, versatile and tactile prairie-style plant

EARTH DAY How to Help Your Town’s Beneficial Birds and Bugs

By Annie Thornton

Make a habitat using local materials to provide a home to the creatures that help our gardens

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING Porch Life: Banish the Bugs

By Becky Harris

Don't let insects be the bane of your sweet tea and swing time. These screening and product ideas will help keep bugs at bay on the porch

DIY PROJECTS 12 Signs You've Caught the DIY Bug

By Nina Montenegro

Been making inventive things from scratch? Repurposing salvaged pieces creatively? It may be more serious than you think

UPHOLSTERY The Perks and Perils of Reupholstering Old Furniture

By Becky Dietrich, Interior Designer

Secondhand upholstered pieces can add character to a room, but beware of bugs, snakes and hidden costs

LIFE 6 Tips for Teaching Your Kids to Be Good Neighbors

By Alison Hodgson

Everyone wins when your children learn to respect boundaries, get help when they need it and show others they care

HOLIDAYS Simple Pleasures: Enjoy a Restful Boxing Day

By Laura Gaskill

Catch up with friends on December 26 without catching the stress bug by taking the easy route to entertaining at home

EXTERIORS Curb Appeal Feeling a Little Off? Some Questions to Consider

By Becky Harris

Color, scale, proportion, trim ... 14 things to think about if your exterior is bugging you

GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES Gardening for the Bees, and Why It’s a Good Thing

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

When you discover how hard bees work for our food supply, you may never garden without them in mind again

Sponsored

Hope Restoration & General Contracting

35 Reviews

Columbus Design-Build, Kitchen & Bath Remodeling, Historic Renovations

More Discussions

gave my garlic a haircut today

14

What are rabbits favorite veggies?

11

How often to add soil sulfur?

5

How long do you harden off seedlings?

4

Potato mold, disease or fungus?

15