The female has a dark body with a yellow stripe along each side. The male is slightly smaller and brown with very pale stripes. Both have a spike on each shoulder.
The instars (nymphs) of these bugs look like ants but their rostrum is still visible, unlike an ant’s chewing mandibles, and although their bodies have narrow waists, they are not as defined as those of ants
Adult size: 16-18 mm
Out and about
Most active in summer. Native to Australia, they like warmer coastal climates.
Reproduction and Life cycle
The female lays her eggs in no uniform pattern, scattering them singly or in loose clusters on the leaves. The eggs are a purplish- brown colour.
To deter
To control
- Spray with garlic and chilli may help to deter them
- Spray with pyrethrum
- Spray with neem, early morning or late evening
Plants to repel
Plants to attract
Predators
Assassin bugs / Birds / Spiders
Tachinid flies (lay eggs on larger nymphs and adults)
Parasitic wasp (kill the eggs)
Why they are a Pest
These are pod suckers and they particularly like legumes. They do much the same damage as the green vegetable bug causing developing fruit to dry out and deform.
