I really don't think he is a stink bug..he is waay too big to be a stink bug and he doesn't have the stink bug shield like back.
He is very interesting though! He seems to be ok in there...I think he is really cute, I hope he stays around for a while!
I sent in a picture to the Bug Guide, but haven't heard any thing back yet...I am pretty sure he is a leaf footed bug..he looks just like them and the size matches up too!
there are many many different kinds of assasin bugs,, ad it is one just as well,, there is a web site... www.whatsthatbug.com & look up assasin bugs. there is a lis of tons of diff bugs on te site.
sorry i forgot to say,, this bug looks like a wheel bug which is an assasin bug. wheel bugs have a hump on their backs with points, they start off as little red lookin bugs
I would agree with assassin bug if his back legs didn't look like little leaves. I think he is in the same family, but not exactly one.
I really wish I could get a good close up on his back leg so everyone can see what I am talking about with the leaves on his legs!
Here is a link to www.whatsthatbug.com. I held him up and compared closely and he is absolutely identical to this bug AND this picture shows that leafy back legs!!
They bring in cool bugs and critters all the time, and sometimes we keep them for a while. I don't know how many tree frogs, geckos and lizards we have temporarily housed! We usually put them in a clear sterilite box with plants, sticks or whatever they like...we buy them crickets from Petsmart, etc. Then, after a while, we put them back outside. We still have a turtle (red-eared slider) that we rescued from MIL's swimming pool
Poor thing was near death, but he's a part of our family now
We also LOVE the praying mantises and big garden spiders (kids throw small bugs into their webs and watch them eat).
Kind of off topic, but once the kids and I were at a Wal-Mart and watched as an employee scooped a nest of tiny baby mice up (from the bird seed isle) into a shovel. We followed him outside and watched him set them in a grassy area in the parking lot. Yep, you guessed it... we brought them home, raised them, and then released them into the woods. They were wild little things and would jump all over the cage when we came near so we didn't dare touch them. I think bringing the bug home was a better choice.