Can you identify this green bug?
Location: Palakkad, Kerala, India
January 16, 2011 11:38 am
I spotted this bug on an Otaheite gooseberry. Green, shiny, metallic. Didn’t see it flying.
Signature: Abhishek

Unknown Jewel Bug

Dear Abhishek,
Shieldback Bugs in the family Scutellaridae are often called Jewel Bugs when they are as brilliantly colored as your specimen.  Once, back in 2007, we posted a similarly colored, but morphologically different Jewel Bug from India that we never properly identified.  We also have a photo of a Lychee Shield Bug from India we posted last year that looks very similar.  PestNet has another similar looking Jewel Bug from Malaysia that is identified as Calidea dregei.  We found a blog called Lifescapes Gallery that indicates that Jewel Bugs are known as “ponvandu” in India and states:  “these dazzlers were prized finds for entire generations of children whose stock rose or dipped with the extent of their bug collection, and thus were guarded zealously.“  The internet is full of similar looking Jewel Bugs, but we could not substantiate any exact species name.  Additionally, many are incorrectly identified as beetles.

Unidentified Jewel Bug

Weird bug in Atlanta
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
January 15, 2011 2:09 pm
This picture shows a bug that is inside my home. This bug congregates with dozens of others like him on two windows. These two windows get a good amount of sunlight, so it’s a warm sunny spot. I also have spider plants hanging in these windows, and they are all over the plants, too. The bug has a squarish shape, is hard, dark and flies. I keep vacuuming them up, but more appear! They seem to be endless.
Signature: Lauren

Bean Plataspid or Lablab Bug

Hi Lauren,
We were not at all familiar with this True Bug, but we thought it resembled a Stink Bug so we began to search BugGuide.  We quickly identified your Bean Plataspid, Megacopta cribraria, which is also commonly called a Globular Stink Bug as well as the very unusual name Lablab Bug according to BugGuide.  BugGuide also indicates it was:  “Recently found in ne. GA; native to India and China, known also from many parts of e. & se. Asia to Australia and New Caledonia” and that “Found in the US on kudzu; known hosts include legume crops, especially soybean.“  Furthermore, BugGuide remarks:  “in Oct. 2009 was invading homes in large numbers in GA.“  Thank you for submitting your question so that we are able to inform our readership of this new Invasive Exotic species.

Lablab Bugs

Wow, that was fast.  And… ew!  Thanks!

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Unknown Bug
Location: Los Angeles, California
January 4, 2011 2:21 am
I’ve found about 4 of these across my apartment through the last 2 months and I have no idea what it is.
Signature: Nicely

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

Dear Nicely,
We are not terribly excited to learn from your email that the invasive Brown Marmorated Stink Bug has made its way to Los Angeles where our offices are held.  It is already quite plentiful in Maryland and surrounding states.  BugGuide indicates that it has been reported from the west coast as well.

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Tanzanian bug
Location: Northern Tanzania
January 2, 2011 8:31 am
Hi,
when on a charity trip to tanzania we found this bug. He was living in dryish grassland on the top of a small inactive volcano. It was mid july – which is their cooler, dry season. There were quite a few around but we’ve had no luck identifying it. Wondering if you could help?
thanks
Signature: SR

Picasso Bug

Dear SR,
Just last month we posted a photo of this species of Shield Bug and one of our readers wrote in to supply us with a species identification.  Karl wrote in:  “Picasso Bug and Zulu Hud Bug are the two common names I found for this guy.  It’s a Shield-backed Bug (Scutelleridae), probably Sphaerocoris annulus, but there could be similar species.“

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