Calling Seaf0ur...
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I have been trying to figgure out what these are for YEARS! They would seriously infest my parents yard accross town but this year they found mine, although no where near as bad of an infestation. The closest thing to them i have found is a type of lightening bug but they are not that. They are usually jet black with a red, orange, or pinkish line along the medial line where the wings sit. They are almost a 1/4 inch long or just over. They will clump-up into a ball of about 30-40 on the ground sometimes...i am guessing mating???
I thought i had imune grasshoppers in there till i finally saw a couple of these. They eat away the leaf almost exactly like a hopper. I don't sweat the occational hopper...find a munched leaf, look around it close and there they usually are, so trashed they can barely move. But not these little bastards...they are are QUICK and the only thing that seems to kill them is a solid smashing...they survive light ones.
On a side question; Do you think that rows of hemp or good stuff could act as a way to slow or stop locusts? They are the only insect i have run accross that seems to get stoned after munching on my leaves...Maybe a swarm might get too smashed to continue after hitting a row of pot?
Might be these guys-
http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/4DMG/Pests/boxelder.htm
Immature individuals can appear to be black. They rarely do much damage.
Stoned locusts? Probably just slow 'em down for awhile.