Very strange insect, any ID suggestions?

Images made through a microscope. All subject types.

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kit1980
Posts: 124
Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2016 11:14 pm
Location: Bellevue, WA, USA

Very strange insect, any ID suggestions?

Post by kit1980 »

This tiny monstrosity (~2mm in length) was inside of some kind of "flat tent cocoon" on a pepper plant leaf in Washington state, USA. The insect seems to be infected or deformed.

I asked for ID help in several places, no ideas so far.

Image
Omax microscope with Nikon CF objectives
Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II camera
http://sdymphoto.com/

Ichthyophthirius
Posts: 1152
Joined: Thu Mar 07, 2013 5:24 am

Post by Ichthyophthirius »

Hi,

This looks like a pupa that failed to develop or hatch properly.

My guess would be a micromoth, because of the hairy larval skin (on the left) and the silk cocoon but other holometabolic insects are possible.

Regards, Ichty

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