Anyone know what the little beasties are which I keep finding having lunch on my soft fruit? They're about 5-7mm long, pale brown, angular bodies, and I'm forever blowing them off a berry I've just picked.
Course it's more worrying when I find them in the picked produce at home, but I suppose it's better than finding half of one!!!
moonbells
Shield bugs/aka stink bugs? they can be brown as well as green.. have the classic sheild shape...
???
Quote from: saddad on August 12, 2006, 10:24:36
Shield bugs/aka stink bugs? they can be brown as well as green.. have the classic sheild shape...
???
That's just it - they're a lot smaller than the green shield bugs. Must get a photo next time I'm up there (raining atm huzzah but bit too wet to go up!)
moonbells
Think they may be a friend mb. Can't remember what they are called at the moment but they might be a ied beetle that eats nasties. Will find out more and amend accordingly.
(http://www.kendall-bioresearch.co.uk/BEETLE86.gif)
Soldier beetle
Alternatively look here: http://www.kendall-bioresearch.co.uk/beetle0.htm (http://www.kendall-bioresearch.co.uk/beetle0.htm)
Not that one, I'm afraid. Much more of a geometric shape.
Didn't have the light last night for pics, sadly. But I'm due another picking session tonight or tomorrow so I will get evidence!
moonbells
OK here they are - found a whole family of them of various sizes on a neighbouring plot's rhubarb!
I found a page on the BBC about shield bugs and eventually (by copying the latin names into Google images) found out what they are: Dock bugs (Coreus marginatus)
(http://www.moonbells.com/A4Apics/bugs.jpg)
You learn something every day...
moonbells