Leaf-footed bug nymph (likely squash bug)

Found on garden and crop plants, especially cucurbits such as squash, pumpkins, and melons; the pictured plant is an incidental host.

Pierces stems, leaves, and fruits with sucking mouthparts and drinks plant sap, sometimes injecting saliva that damages tissue.

Nymphs commonly cluster on leaf undersides and mature through several molts before becoming winged adults. Adults overwinter in plant debris and are active during warm months.

Usually a minor-to-moderate garden pest, causing wilting, stippling, and fruit injury; it does not pose a significant human-health risk. Identification as a squash bug is provisional from the image alone.