red and black bug
Location: Central Victoria, Australia
March 11, 2012 10:06 pm
I found hundreds of these on an unknown plant in the garden. I have searched google images without luck. can you help.?
there was also this one mainly black one – possibly the same family.?
Signature: tricia
Dear Tricia,
Both of your photos are of immature Hemipterans, an order of insects that includes the True Bugs. We suspect your True Bugs are either Stink Bugs in the family Pentatomidae or Shield Bugs in the family Scutelleridae, but we have not had any luck identifying the species. They may both be the same species since they are feeding on the same unidentified plant.
the second looks very like a nymph of Nezara viridula, the Green Vegetable Bug, a very widespread pest with a wide diet
Thanks for the input.