Talkback: Shieldbugs

Gardeners' World Web User

i was watching a documentary the other day about these beautiful native bugs but isnt there a foreign type that climatising in england and inter mating with the native and im sure the foreign one isnt to friendly to plants.

Gardeners' World Web User

yes I read about that too. I think it's brown in colour.

Gardeners' World Web User

I too have no problem with shield bugs,I think they are really interesting,it's vine weevils I HATE.Death to them all.

Gardeners' World Web User

Reply to Michael and Robin.

The southern green shieldbug, Nezara viridula, arrived in Britain a few years ago and is obviously well established in the London area. It is similar to Palomena, but the nymphs are beautifully marked with red and white spots. There are some nice pictures here:
http://www.britishbugs.org.uk/heteroptera/Pentatomidae/nezara_viridula.html
which, incidentally is a very good website for looking up garden bugs.

This is a totally different bug species from Palomena so will not interbreed, and will probably not even compete. It too sucks sap from a wide variety of plants (wild and cultivated). There is a possibility that if it spreads widely it might become more of a nuisance than Palomena because it has left its predators and parasitoids behind in southern Europe so populations here increase unchecked. But like all things in the garden, it is not a pest unless it reaches pest proportions.

Gardeners' World Web User

thank you very much richard for setting me straight

Gardeners' World Web User

just used that link so there native to africa and often come over in food produce but there travelling north because of climate change well i would think they are becoming pest because im from the midlands and found at least 6 in my garden last summer i just moved them along ,so shoundnt we be treating them like pest now before they overwelm our gardens ,using africanised bees as a comparison shouldnt we try and repel them or exterminate before we get a more aggressive pest in this country

Gardeners' World Web User

That actually is the truth in this country we allow every thing to get out of hand like the grey squirrel and the Lily beetle and the vine weevel and countless other things, then we look in horror at the devistation.

Gardeners' World Web User

You might think that they are cute, but don't get bitten by one ! I know 2 people who have been bitten in France by shield bugs and have had really nasty reactions. My Mum still has a scar on her arm from her encounter. My advice: admire from a distance....

Gardeners' World Web User

I love these clumsy bugs, first came across them in Spain at a very young age - each one was known as 'Fred', don't ask me why! If it is the same bug, the spanish version is quite a bright green colour.

Gardeners' World Web User

I see many shield bugs in my garden over the course of the summer, I can honestly say that I have never had any trouble with them, they are fascinating little creatures, to many gardeners are prooccupied with finding something to kill. A few natural slug traps is all I ever use I let nature take care of anything else.

Gardeners' World Web User

I absolutely love the Palomena, they fascinate me.They make me think of space ships because of their shape?!
I only saw them for the first time a few years ago. I haven't noticed the smell however so next time I see one...