Green Shield Bug
species of family “Stink Bugs“
1 species
The green shield bug, also known as Palomena prasina, has a life cycle that starts in April or May in Europe, where they hibernate as adults during winter. They feed on the sap from plants such as apples, pears, and hazelnuts. After a month of fattening up, they mate in June. The female lays eggs in batches of 25 to 30, and a single female can lay three to four batches. The eggs hatch into larvae, and they go through five nymphal stages, with coloration changing between stages. The final stage is the bright green adult imago, which is reached in September, followed by hibernation in November.
Life cycle#
In Europe, the bright green shield bugs appear in April or May, having hibernated as imagoes in humus during the winter. They live by eating the sap from within plants in apples, pears and hazelnuts. They fatten for a month and then mate in June. The imago’s coloration changes over the summer months from green to greenish browns even bronze to ready for the autumn, after which the life cycle will end. Mating is back-to-back. The female lays her eggs in hexagonal batches of 25 to 30, and a single female will lay three to four batches. After the eggs hatch, the green shield bug enter a larval stage (which is really their first nymphal stage) where, in general, they remain together in sibling communities. This is made possible by the excretion of an aggregation pheromone. In case of danger, another pheromone is released which causes dispersal. The larval stage is followed by four more nymphal stages as well as moulting between each one. The green shield bug displays different colouration during each nymphal stage, light brown, black or green-black, and in the final stage, the imago, is bright green with short wings. Usually the imago stage is reached in September, with hibernation occurring in November.
External links#
Southwood, T. R. E. and Leston, D. (1959) Land and Water Bugs of the British Isles Frederick Warne & Co. Media related to Palomena prasina at Wikimedia Commons Green Shieldbug species account at British Bugs ARKive page about the green shield bug
The green shield bug, also known as Palomena prasina, has a life cycle that starts in April or May in Europe, where they hibernate as adults during winter. They feed on the sap from plants such as apples, pears, and hazelnuts. After a month of fattening up, they mate in June. The female lays eggs in batches of 25 to 30, and a single female can lay three to four batches. The eggs hatch into larvae, and they go through five nymphal stages, with coloration changing between stages. The final stage is the bright green adult imago, which is reached in September, followed by hibernation in November.
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