Arthropods Daily – Issue No. 227

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.