Bug ID please

[PhilJ]

I spotted this bug in my garden last week.



It was about 8 to 10mm long and had an orange/red underside. The photo also doesn't really show up the red "shoulders" it has. Since first spotting it I've noticed that it appears to be subtly changing colour: the underside gettting paler in colour, the upperside and spots becoming more iridescent and green (rather than the almost black colour you see in the pic). Unfortunately I can't now take another picture of it because it's done a bunk!

Co-located on the same plant (a hollyhock since you were asking) were what I take to be the nymphs of the same bug.



Altogether I spotted about 14 nymphs over the plant, varying in size from about 2mm to 5mm.

From looking at the pictures elsewhere on this marvelous site I had assumed my bug to be some sort of shield bug - but what type? There doesn't appear to be any other matching pictures anywhere and it's driving me mad trying to identify this little blighter and its progeny.

[GRH]

I believe these are nymphs of Nezara viridula - the Southern Green Shieldbug.

It's a 'new' (invasive) species, breeding colonies first reported from London in 2003.

The recording scheme would probably be interested in this record.

Greg

[PhilJ]

Many thanks GRH.

I had wondered whether it was a non-native. However, I'm sure I came across a photo of the Southern Green shield bug and I don't recall it having those distinctive spots or the red "shoulders".

Also, can you give me the website address of where I need to report this siting?

[Gill Catton]

Is the top one not also a nymph? doesn't seem to be fully winged......

The Crucifer shieldbug (Eurydema oleracea) sometimes has red shoulders and a red stripe on it's pronotum. Only 6.5 mm long if this helps?

[Paul mabbott]

These are all nymphal. Many species change quite drastically in colour/pattern through their life cycle ... so I'm not going to guess!

[honeybee]

David Element's Wildlife Web Page Bugs 10 - European Shield Bugs

Some good pics on here, check out the dennis the mennace!

[aeshna5]

PhilJ -where do you live? These are indeed nymphs of Southern Green Shieldbug which was originally recorded at 2 sites in London. A friend of mine who lives in Chiswick, West London has large numbers in his garden + when he reported them to bug recorder was told that they were first records he'd received so far this year.

The adult averages longer than Common Green Shieldbug + doesn't have the black wing-tips of latter species, nor does it have dark punctures. Later instars of Nezara also have red markings edging the abdomen. Attractive critters, but they are sometimes a pest of certain crops.

[PhilJ]

Many thanks to everyone for getting back to me so quickly and spotting the error of my ways: assuming that the larger, and differently coloured/patterned bug was the adult and the others were nymphs. A salutory lesson

To aeshna5 (a strange but catchy moniker ) - I also live in Chiswick and since first spotting these few bugs I've noticed other plants similarly dotted with them (they seem to be very fond of my tomatoes - hmmmm). GRH has told me where I need to report this siting and I will be doing so later.

By the way, is there any way to change the title of my photos and put them in the right Gallery or do I need to resubmit them?