I've seen them with long legs, short legs, or no legs at all. And I've also seen bessie bugs that have antennae that are big and fat and others with antennae that are skinny and small. But there is one thing that's pretty much constant about all bessie bugs: their eyes.
The bessie bug's eyes are generally yellowish in color, with the exception of the soldier bug (above). The soldier bug's eyes are a deep black color. Most bessie bugs have compound eyes. This means that the eye is made up of many tiny eyes that are attached to each other.
Bessies may be found from the southern United States to southern Canada and the Great Lakes region. They are especially common in the South, where they can be found year-round. Bessies may be found on wood, bark, leaves, and other plant materials.