Can anyone ID these green and black bugs? I've tried with no luck. They are sucking life's juices right out of my wild prickly pear too. They don't look like any aphid that I can find online.
This is Opuntia mesacantha or Eastern Prickly Pear. Native to the Carolinas and Georgia. I've found them popping up in several places in the yard and I let them - because their translucent yellow blossoms are gorgeous in May. More info here - http://namethatplant.net/plantdetail.shtml?plant=988
@k9photo Asli did identify it for me. It goes after prickly pear! Going to use a spray bottle with a little Dawn and warm water and give them a good dousing! I don't think Dawn will hurt the cactus. At least, I hope not.
They are well camouflaged. At first glance I thought that they were thorns on the cactus leaf. I hope that the dawn solution will sort out the problem for you.
I searched the internet i think their names are ‘Nymph of Chelinidea vittiger aequoris McAtee’
@kvphoto Thanks, KV! Perhaps they are what they eat?
@ludwigsdiana Thanks, Diana! Me too.
@k9photo Asli did identify it for me. It goes after prickly pear! Going to use a spray bottle with a little Dawn and warm water and give them a good dousing! I don't think Dawn will hurt the cactus. At least, I hope not.
@framelight_byasli Thank you, Asli!
@milestonevisualmedia Asli ID'd it above, Ron. Thanks!
@koalagardens Thank you!
@ryan161 Thanks, Ryan!