Africa Wild

Stink Bug Coridius sp., possibly Coridius nubilis
Superfamily: Pentatomoidea. Family: Dinidoridae

© ExFmem
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Identification (for Coridius nubilis)
Length 18 mm, oval, mahogany brown, with last 2 antennal segments bright orange.
Nymphs lighter brown.

Distribution
Throughout South Africa.

Habitat
Shrubs in bushveld. Agricultural land in summer-rainfall regions.

Biology
Pest of watermelons and muskmelons. Severe infestations may kill seedlings.

© nan
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Scutelleridae (Shield-back Bugs)
Scutelleridae is a family of pentatomid bugs. They are commonly known as jewel bugs or metallic shield bugs due to their often brilliant coloration. They are also known as shield-backed bugs due to the enlargement of the last section of their thorax into a continuous shield over the abdomen and wings. This latter characteristic distinguishes them from most other families within Heteroptera, and may lead to misidentification as a beetle rather than a bug. They are easily recognized by the very enlarged extension of thorax (scutellum) which covers the entire abdomen and the wings. The head is triangular and laterally keeled. The antennae are 3 to 5-segmented. Oval, medium-sized bugs, more elongate and brightly coloured than plataspids, with which they may be confused. These insects feed on plant juices from a variety of shrubs and trees, including some commercial crops. Closely related to stink bugs, they may also produce an offensive odour when disturbed.
Most commern in the northern parts of South Africa.

Rainbow Shield Bug, Blue-green Cotton Bug Calidea dregii (Blougroenstinkbesie)
Superfamily: Pentatomoidea. Family: Scutelleridae

© BluTuna
Kruger National Park

Shield bugs are called thus because of the greatly enlarged, shield-shaped scutellum, often convex in shape, that almost or completely covers the upper abdomen.

Description
Approximately 12-14 mm in length and spindle-shaped. With two rows of black spots on the iridescent green, blue, yellow and red back. Underside red or orange with green plates.
The nymphs are oval and flattened, but in colour like the adults.

Distribution
Throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

Habitat
Weed patches, gardens, agricultural and natural vegetation.

Biology
The Rainbow Shield Bugs are highly mobile and fly around to whatever food source is available. They feed and breed on a wide variety of plants (such as Solanum, Combretum, Hibiscus, Euphorbia) including poisonous ones. A pest of cotton, sorghum and sunflower.

Ladybird Bug Steganocerus multipunctatus
Superfamily: Pentatomoidea. Family: Scutelleridae

© BluTuna

© BluTuna
Hartebeespoort Dam area, North West Province

Jewel bugs are known to mimic the colors, patterns, and shape of other insects for defensive purposes. An example is Steganocerus multipunctatus which exhibits Müllerian mimicry with the tortoise beetle Chiridopsis suffriani.

Distribution
Found in West, South, and East Africa.

Biology
It feeds on flowering trees and shrubs.

Pentatomidae (Stink Bugs, Shield Bugs)
The Pentatomidae is one of the largest families within the Heteroptera. Small to medium-sized, often brightly coloured bugs varying considerably in shape. All are shield-shaped as a result of the enlarged triangular scutellum ('shield') extending at least halfway along the abdomen, partially covering the wings. The scutellum body is typically half of an inch long, green or brown color, usually trapezoidal in shape, giving this family the name "shield bug". The tarsi are 3-segmented. The forewings of stink bugs are called hemelytra, with the basal half thickened while the apex is membranous (as are the hindwings). All are well armed with stink glands, which open on the top of the abdomen in nymphs.
Generally plant feeders, but some in the subfamily Asopinae feed on soft-bodied insects such as beetle larvae.
About 300 species known from the region.

Links: Thesis: Van Heerden: The pentatomidae of South Africa (PDF)

Green Stink Bug Acrosternum millierei
Superfamily: Pentatomoidea. Family: Pentatomidae. Subfamily: Pentatominae

© BluTuna
Kruger National Park, Balule camp

Description
Size: 8-12 mm. Pale green in color. Apex of rostrum not extending beyond hind coxae; margins of head in front of eyes strongly curved.

Distribution
Holomediterranean, extending to the Middle East, Central Asia, and tropical Africa.

African Cluster Bug Agonoscelis puberula
Superfamily: Pentatomoidea. Family: Pentatomidae Subfamily: Pentatominae




Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Description
Adult: The African Cluster Bug is 8-10 mm long with a yellowish broadly oval body that may have a red tint to the wings and a distinctly hirsute dorsum. Dorsum of abdomen black; on the dorsal side of the abdomen there are black marks that look like punctures arranged in stripes. There are distinct coarse black hairs or spines on the abdomen as well. A scent gland is located at the end of the abdomen. This species has a distinctively marked hemelytral membrane featuring dark radiating stripes. The tibiae are entirely pale; the tarsi are more or less blackish or fuscous.
Larva: Eggs are typically laid in the full resulting in nymphs that are brown in color with similar markings to that of the adult with dark stripes on the dorsal side instead of puncture like dots found on the forewing of the adult.

Distribution
Dominican Republic, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, United States (AZ, CA, NM, TX, UT), Yemen, Zimbabwe.
Native to eastern & southern Africa extending northward to the Arabian peninsula: introduced and established in the New World (south US, Mexico, West Indies) since ca. 1985.

Biology
Usually found in large groups and are rarely found individually or in pairs. It is an important indication if one has been located because there are likely hundreds more nearby. An individual seed of horehound may contain a cluster of 30 adult African Cluster Bugs.

Food Hosts/Ecological Threat
Known hosts include members of Lamiaceae (horehound, thyme), Linaceae (flax), and Rubiaceae (coffee tree). It has also been reported damaging winter fruits in South Africa.

Links: http://www.texasinvasives.org/pest_data ... ?symbol=35

Shield Bug Basicryptus sp.
Superfamily: Pentatomoidea. Family: Pentatomidae. Subfamilly: Phyllocephalinae

© BluTuna

© BluTuna
Kruger National Park

Taxonomic Note
Previously in Dalsira, has been transferred to Basicryptus

Green Vegetable Bug, Southern Green Stinkbug Nezara viridula
Superfamily Pentatomoidea. Family Pentatomidae. Subfamily Pentatominae. Tribe Nezarini

© BluTuna
Kruger National Park

Nymph, Kirstenbosch © Michele Nel


Description
Size: 11-17 mm. Adult are green overall; with a row of 3 small white spots between prothorax and scutellum; scutellum has black dot in each basal corner; 5-segmented antennae, segments 3 & 4 mostly brown reddish except at base; connexivum uniformly colored (with no or very tiny dark dot on apical margin of each abdominal segment); side of pronotum slightly concave in anterior half; second abdominal sternite has rounded medial spine; ventral scent gland pore short and broad
Nymphs undergo a remarkable change in coloration.

Distribution
Cosmopolitan, presumably of African and/or Mediterranean origin. Found all over South Africa.

Habitat
Very common in gardens and agricultural land.

Biology
Nezara viridula is highly polyphagous, attacking both monocotylous and dicotylous plants. As many as 145 species within 32 plant families have been recorded as hosts. Nymphs in the early instars are strongly gregarious, but the gregarious habit disappears during the fourth instar. During summer, the developmental time from egg to adult is approximately 35 days.

Links: Wikipedia

Stink Bug Pseudatelus notatipennis
Superfamily: Pentatomoidea. Family: Pentatomidae. Subfamily: Pentatominae

© BluTuna
Kruger National Park, Shingwedzi

Taxonomic Note
When Linnavuori (1982) described the genus Pseudatelus, he effectively transferred all but three species of Atelocera into.

Description
Antennae with four segments.

Distribution
Southern and Eastern Africa.

Links: Swedish Museum of Natural History