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Family Pentatomidae
This page contains pictures and information about Glossy Shield Bugs that we found in
the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
- Body length 20mm
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- This bug also known as Predatory Shield Bug. Although most stink
bugs are plant feeders, this
bugs is
predator of soft- body insects, including caterpillars.
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- The pictures showing the the bug feeding on a Wanderer
Butterfly caterpillar. Notice its rostrum (the mouth parts), which is directed away from
the head and has the first segment robust and thick, an adaptation to
their predatory habit.
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- Eggs and 1st
instars
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- Their eggs are laid of 50 or more which are
black in colour with short white spines around the rim. Young instars are
bright red in colour. Later instars are dark red and brown.
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- 1st instars
2nd instars
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- When bugs just hatched. They stay around their eggs cases. The1st
instars nymph bugs feed on bacteria which the female deposited on the eggs
when she laid them. The bugs have to liquefy the food with saliva first
before they can feed on it. Although adults are essentially predaceous,
first-instars
nymphs also feed on plant juices.
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- 2nd instars
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- As their adults, the 3rd instars are predators. The feed on other soft
body insects, such as the caterpillars. Above pictures show the young bug
feeding on the leaf-roller
caterpillars.
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- 3rd instars
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- The 4th instars look similar to their adults. Like most other true bugs,
totally they have five instars stages.
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- Mature 4th instars
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- Above picture shows the young bug with its prey - the leaf
beetle larvae.
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- Reference:
- 1. Insects
of Australia, CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University
Press, 2nd Edition 1991, pp 509.
- 2. Stink
Bugs of Australia - FaunaKeys,
Australian Museum online 2003.
- 3. Glossy
shield bug - Insects Identification and
Information Guide, Australian Cotton CRC, 2004.
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