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Rainbow Shield Bug

Calidea dregii

Photo by Tiz
Published on Project Noah
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-25.9511, 32.5742

Field Notes

Description:

About 15mm sized Shield Bug. In the photos there are three different individuals, and the second and third photo shows a male and a female (mating and just after mating). The video is filmed just after mating.

Habitat:

Urban park, Maputo, Mozambque.

Notes:

I have found notes on observations of this Shield Bug from different pards of Africa and India. It can cause a lot of damage to crops, and are considered a pest. It is known to be difficult to kill with insecticide
and it feeds and breeds on a wide variety of plants including poisonous ones like Jatropha and Castor. It has been reported on sorghum, maize,
rice, okra, sunflower, Noog Abyssinia (Guizotia abyssinica), Star Burr Acanthospermum hispidum, Jatropha podagrica, Jatropha curcas and cotton. In the past cotton cultivation was abandoned in parts of Tanzania due to the Rainbow Shield Bug. Since The Rainbow Shield Bug suck the sap from developing seeds leading to seeds dropping prematurely or not developing fully, it is important that famers to "time" the sowing so that the fruiting body is fully developed when the dry season hits, and the bugs find it more difficult to find food. A study from Ghana (Kaufmann 1966) found that the population was mainly self controlled. Nymphs eat eggs, thus a higher density of nymphs reduces the number of eggs for the next generation. Natural enemies are not mentioned as a controlling factor.
(a lot of the information above is received from a PDF-file named "2010-01 Alert Rainbow Shield Bug", it can be found here: http://pythonkit.com/Assassin-Bugs-Fact-Sheet-download-w62887.pdf)

Species ID Suggestions

Rainbow Shield Bug

Calidea dregii

Reference Link
FaredinAliyevski
2

Comments (44)
Tiz
Thank you for your dear comments Gisele and Sarah :)
Tiz
Rick, Malcolm, Adarsha! Thank you for your comments, you guys are great!
Tiz
Thank you very much for your words Surekha and Carol :) I really appreciate it!
surekha
Pretty bug and lovely video too, Tiz! Nice series!
Tiz
Thank you Ma Nature :) I will keep on looking for them in order to find differencies myself, it is not only the light... The male and the female had different coloration, as well as the specimen on the first photo... Thank you so much Gilma, Matildaclarice and Larry for your dear comments! Have a great day all!
LaurenZarate
Really lovely Tiz. Must be amazing to see lots together because they all seem to reflect light differently. I love the 5th picture! Too bad they are such a pest. Good job on the info!
Sckel
I understand now. But you should not skimp on smiling, laughter. :D
Tiz
"He", isso é um palavra eu usar em um "pequena hehe" :D Voce tem outras ovos eu gosto tambem. Os verdes!
Sckel
You're talking lacewings eggs? Calm down, you will find them. You should widen your eyes to the leaves and twigs. He? Eu não sou he, sou she. :D
Tiz
He, Sckel, thank you (I think) :D Just "pop" over here and well go bug hunting together! You always find the eggs of things, and take great pictures of them to! I have never seen a photigenic insect egg in my life! I think we would make a good team :P Yasser, thank you for commenting. Glad you liked the video. I wanted to show that the second set of wings folded under the top wings are a bit transparent, and that was tricky without going in slow motion. Read more: http://www.ehow.com/list_6683080_body-parts-bug.html#ixzz2dfiwaiT2
Yasser
Awesome! I absolutely loved the video, especially the slow motion footage.
Sckel
Miss, that little jewels bright you found. Wonderful. I'm happy for you ... Actually, I'm jealous. I also want to finddddddddddddd.
Tiz
Dotun55, not even the feces stank from this bug! :) Very much like all the human ladies in this world! :D
FaredinAliyevski
Depends on the lens and how much your hands shake but at least for me it was easier when I used a gun than the macro lens :).
Tiz
I am used to guns, so how hard can a macro lens be, huh? haha! I have a few days back home to practice!!! Hopefully something will get sharp enough to allow me to upload it here :)
FaredinAliyevski
Hahah, doesn't matter it was just a surprise :). And I'm looking forward to hear your frustration about focusing with a macro lens and your spottings. Hopefully you will have spottings from Sweden :).
dotun55
Real jewels! I believe they don't stink
Tiz
Sorry, I type quite fast with a lot of errors. I am sorry if I spelled your name wrong before! On Tuesday I will have the new camera and lens in my hands! That will be a big day for me!
FaredinAliyevski
With your new lens you will be able to make like those photos as well :). Btw, you finally wrote my name correct just as it should be :).
Tiz
Faredin! I was just about to write that different individuals seems to look very different. But I think it can be the one you suggested... Well done! I am impressed!! That secong link has some fantastic photos of it! Thanks :) S Frazier, Zeus?
FaredinAliyevski
The species I suggested seems to have variable color tones which could be the light and angle. Here is another link: http://decouverteetnature.centerblog.net/185-calidea-dregii-afrique-du-sud
Tiz
Things that poops on me does not deserve a glitter treatment :P
HemaShah
Did you put green glitter on it to make it look more shiny? :)
Tiz
lol, yes... I was given a little present. But it was worth it!
FaredinAliyevski
Looks amazing with those colors on the back so it will get all the attention it deserves :). Btw, eeeewww it did poo on your finger :)
Tiz
Hmm, Farendin... Why not :) Thank you bro!
FaredinAliyevski
Perfect one, they look amazing! Especially the sixth photo, maybe you should make that one the first photo but preferences, of course :)
Tiz
Ha, I have done the bug/beetle mistake before ChunXingWong, thanks for correcting me, Ill change it right away :) Hej Jemma :P
ChunXingWong
Nice spotting. This is actually a Chrysocoris bug, not a beetle. :-)
Tiz
Thank you for your comment Landmark :) Mark, that wave was unusual enough to be placed as photo #1. I am very glad you liked it, I had a very hard time to decide between #1 and #2.
Mark Ridgway
Fantastic colours. I love the way it's waving in the first pic.

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PublishedSeptember 1, 2013

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