What are these lil guys?

[Brendonv]

? when i started up my saw today, they all came scramblin outa the bark of this oak...

 

[mryb]

Box elder bugs???...Rick/Saw Slut

 

[MasterBlaster]

Run for yur fricking life!

 

[jason j ladue]

ha!mb2funny looks like box elder to me too. pretty neutral bug.

 

[mryb]

A soapy spray made of dish washing soap & water is supposed to kill 'em...Rick/Saw Slut

 

[Brendonv]

i cant get a exact mearurement right now, but they are about a half inch long, with maybe 3/16 antennea...just a guess since the weather is horrible here right now

 

[oldwild]

the boxelder we have around here have the orange marking on their back, plus if is cold (40 or less) we don't see them around, same thing with Japanese bettles.

 

[Brendonv]

is this the boxelder you guys are talking about? this isnt it, the insect looks exactly like lightning bugs, but they dont have the light up part on the rear

 

[Elmore]

Maybe Assasin bug

My first thougt was a type of Assasin bug.
Assasin bug

 

[Brendonv]

hmm, thats not them either, ill hafta get a pic tommorrow, assuming i could find my way to the tree in all this freakin snow!!

 

[Brendonv]

more

 

[oldwild]

Well they defintely don't look like a boxelder!

 

[JimR]

It looks like a May beetle.

 

[Trignog]

Brendon,
I am also from ct I have been a lurker on AS for quite a while, regestered yesterday. Anyway back on topic I know the little buggers you mean. I've tried to ID them glancing through JOHNSON and LYON ,INSECTS THAT FEED ON TREES AND SHRUBS. No luck, just aglance but Iam very familliar with them.They have a flouresent orange/pink "collar" and same color under wings. Seems like at the first wiff of a fresh kill they are all over, by the end of the day they cover every stump and log. The only insect out in this frozen tundra. I've seen them on everything, oak, birch, beech, and maple , but boy do thse guys love oak. I am sure it has already been id' but my account just got activated and i was too excited to read the rest of the thread.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Well, welcome, dood!

 

[Brendonv]

welcome trignog, are they bugs harmful to the trees they are on?

 

[Trignog]

because they are so abundant in the cold climate and appear everywhere i would assume they are not detramental