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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.



Soldier beetle

Alternatively look here: 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)



You learn something every day...

moonbells