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Can anyone tell me if I need to worry about these bugs? We have a few in our garden and I caught one laying eggs on a tomato leaf - which I destroyed to be on the safe side but I'd hate to kill anything that might have a hearty appitite for aphids  ???

Do you mean shield Bugs?

Yes. Sorry about the typo!javascript:replaceText('%20:P',%20document.forms.postmodify.message);

They eat plant matter, but the native ones aren't regarded as a pest.

If the shield bug is native any damage to crops will be minimal but if it is the illegal immigrant Nezara viridula they can do significant damage and I believe they are a contributing cause to the recent severe blight attacks on tomato crops.

Photo left shows damage to runner beans. Right shows nymphal stages of Southern green shield bug.

I've had the severe blight, but not the bugs. I think it was the weather last year myself.