The beautiful bug on our bean vine is a nymph of a predaceous stink bug. According to my source at UF, it most likely is Alcaeorrhynchus grandis, the giant strong-nosed stink bug.
The good news-bad news is that it preys on other insects, especially butterfly and moth larvae. Yes, we like butterflies, but it is also cutworms and hornworms that are destroying some of our food plants.
The adult of this true bug sheds its flashy colors of youth for a plain, brown suit. The females are larger and may be up to 25 mm (or about 1 inch) in length. This is a very large stink bug, hence the name “grandis.”
Can you see the face on its back?
Or maybe an alien?
I'm leaning towards a Predator from the franchise of the same name:
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Very Darth Vador!!!! Great pictures and info!
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