Paul
I saw some egg clusters similar to this earlier this spring. I happened to find them just as they were hatching and they were leaf footed bug eggs. Have you had large number of LFBs this year?
Matt

Matt, I checked out leaf footed bugs - I've never seen one and suspect they're a more southerly pest. If they are, and given their habits, they're another bug to be grateful we don't have.

The eggs on the leaves hatched out the other day, crawling from the leaves (which were still beside the computer - DW was not pleased ;). Under the magnifying glass they looked like tiny inchworms - or loopers? Inching along, about 1 millimeter long.

technical question: did you scan them or use a camera?

Hi fairy - scanned them, and enhanced the contrast/brightness. Thinking of trying this with a stink bug of questionable habits next - would it be more humane to chloroform it first, I wonder.

I have found some nearly identical eggs on a few plants here on the West Coast where the leaf footed bugs are apparently a pest in the orchards. The pictures on the website I saw looked similar to some bugs I've seen around here, but the eggs from the site looked nothing like your photos or what showed up on my Camellia and Japanese maple. Neither of which are orchard trees. I'm going to keep looking and I'll let you know what I find out.

Paul mentioned that what hatched appeared to be caterpillar type critters, not true bug nymphs. Still remains a mystery.

Just wondering if Paul is still around and if he noticed the inch worm-like hatchliings doing any damage to the plants. I keep finding egg deposits all over the garden on various random plants - maples, nandina, camellia and mimosa. I have found a few deposits that have already hatched, but no sign of any bugs or damage they may have caused. Maybe their harmless? Or maybe they eat other plants?

flowerpower girl, I do recall a frazzled look to the plants that had these eggs (a lot of other garden business came up and I didn't have time to check). Not serious damage, just chewing on the parts where the eggs hatched. It's what the caterpillars grow into that has me wondering. Though usually it IS the larva stage that does the most if any damage, right? .

Yep, usually the larvae do the most damage.

I did end up seeing a batch of the eggs as they hatched - tiny little inchworms with black heads. So far I haven't noticed any damage on the plants that hosted the eggs (all of which are in the front yard). But I think they are what is devouring my raspberry leaves (in the back yard - at least 50 meters or so away!). Little critters look the same but are WAY bigger - some are nearly 5cm long.

So... I don't know if we've got the same pest or not, but I've been trying to figure out exactly what they are, but all I know at this point is that they are greedy little buggers!

Good luck over there!

And to you on the other coast flowerpower girl.
'Tiny little inchworms with black heads' sounds right.