Spined Shield Bugs - Tribe Rhynchocorini

We found four species of this tribe in Brisbane.

Spined Citrus Bug

Biprorulus bibax, body length 20mm
The Spined Citrus Bug feeds on the fruits of citrus trees. They make considerable damages on the fruits. We found a few of them on the citrus trees in Brisbane Botanic Garden in summer. More pictures and information please click here.

Red Green Spined Shield Bug

Morna florens, body length 10mm
This is one of the rear insect that we found in mid-winter. This little green bug was hiding between the pine leaves. We found few of them easily on the same pine tree in Wishart bushland. The bugs are green colour with red spots on their head and back. They have the sharp spiny shoulder. When disturbed, the bug drops onto the ground and play dead. So we took its bottom picture easily. Its bottom is even more colourful, with green, orange, yellow and white patterns. After a while, it quickly moved away and hided under the dry leaf.

There are 21 Australian species in this genera. Some are spined and some are not. There are usually yellow, green to pale brown. Some with dark brown bands.

Green Potato Bug

Cuspicona simplex, body length nymph 8mm, adult 12mm
This big is green with spined shoulder. It is closely resemble the Spined Citrus Bug above but a bit smaller. The green bug nymph was found near the Green Potato Bug adults but on the different plants. More information and pictures please click on here.


Green Shield Bug

Cuspicona sp, body length 12mm


Reference:
1. Insects of Australia, CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University Press, 2nd Edition 1991, pp 509.
2. Stink Bugs of Australia - FaunaKeys, Australian Museum online 2003.
3. Rhynchocorini - Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Heritage, Commonwealth of Australia 2005.
4. Genera of Pentatomidae - The University of Queensland Insect Collection, 2004
5. Morna florens - - Department of Entomology, North Dakota State University.

Genera Biprorulus