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Aesops97
Sep 4, 2009, 11:46 AM
Not sure this is the forum but you guys have been great in ID'ng things for me.

While outside admiring the Iron Weed you folks ID'd for me, I felt something on my arm - rubbed it and then notice it looked like a very small preying mantis. Put it under stereo microscope and it wasn't. See attached. It's 1/2 inch long between the X's. It's light green and has large reddish brown eyes popping out on either side of a long body stem with very long slender legs. It has a very long slender nose-like stem as a nose which is tucked under its body The legs are somewhat disklocated from my rubbing it initially. I tried to straighten them out but wasn't too successful using the microscope. It's still alive moving it's legs. I put it outside on a watermelon plant. It might survive. Saw no reason to kill it.

firmbeliever
Sep 4, 2009, 12:11 PM
Could it be this?
Green nymph - Zelus - BugGuide.Net (http://bugguide.net/node/view/5207)

Stilt Bug Nymph - Zelus luridus - BugGuide.Net (http://bugguide.net/node/view/55805)

Aesops97
Sep 4, 2009, 12:14 PM
Could it be this?
Green nymph - Zelus - BugGuide.Net (http://bugguide.net/node/view/5207)

Stilt Bug Nymph - Zelus luridus - BugGuide.Net (http://bugguide.net/node/view/55805)


Dang! You guys are good. <g> That's him. He looks a lot better without his legs all tangled up. Not sure he'll live but I couldn't kill him.

Thanks a lot.

firmbeliever
Sep 4, 2009, 12:18 PM
You are welcome.

It is actually fun searching for these things especially with the descriptions you give and the photo.