Issuing von Neumann probes like this seems like a flashing neon advertisement of your presence in space: not necessarily the best strategic choice. On the other

Issuing von Neumann probes like this seems like a flashing neon advertisement of your presence in space: not necessarily the best strategic choice. On the other hand it's possible that such a species of probe already exists but is more or less of the Fred Saberhagen Berserker variety and desires to operate stealthily. Perhaps the crews of these vessels like to sing Das Lied vom außerirdischen U-Boot Mann. (As you might have already guessed I have views on astrobiology vastly different from those of the late Carl Sagan.)