Piezodorus lituratus, the gorse shield bug, is a species of Pentatomidae, a family of shield bugs.

Piezodorus lituratus var. lituratus (Fabricius, 1794)
Piezodorus lituratus var. alliaceus (Germar, 1823)

Varieties

This species is present in Africa, in most of Europe, in Northern Asia (excluding China) and in North America.

Distribution

These shield bugs live in many habitats where host plants are present. They prefer dry and warm habitats, especially with sandy soil.

Habitat

Piezodorus lituratus can reach a length of 10–13 mm (0.39–0.51 in). These large shieldbugs occur in two adult colour forms. In the spring when they emerge and mate they are predominantly green, while the new generation that appears in the late summer has purplish-red markings on the pronotum and Corium. In autumn they have much paler color, prior to the hibernation they may become darker, but after the hibernation they are bright green.In the Piezodorus lituratus var. alliaceus the corium shows a uniform yellow-greenish color.
This species could be confused with the green shieldbug, Palomena prasina, but Piezodorus lituratus has a different habitat and red antennae.

Description

Mating takes place from May to July, the females lay 10 to 20 eggs on the stems, leaves and fruits of the host plants. The nymphs occur until September. The adult of the new summer generation can be found from the end of July or beginning of August. Hibernation takes place as imago.
Main host plants are various legumes (Fabaceae), especially common broom (Sarothamnus scoparius) and dyer's greenweed (Genista tinctoria), but also alfalfa (Medicago sativa), vetches (Vicia species), sweet-clover (Melilotus species), crown vetches (Coronilla species) sainfoins (Onobrychis species), lupin (Lupinus species) and others.

Biology

harmful

Piezodorus lituratus, commonly known as the green stink bug, is considered a tree pest because it feeds on the sap of various tree species, causing damage to the leaves, stems, and fruits, which can negatively impact the health and productivity of the trees.

tree pest

Piezodorus lituratus can be considered garden pests because they have a tendency to feed on a wide range of garden plants, including vegetables, fruits, and ornamental plants, causing damage to the leaves, fruits, and overall plant health, which can significantly impact the productivity and aesthetics of the garden.

garden pest

Piezodorus lituratus is considered a crop pest because it feeds on various crops, including soybeans, peas, and beans, causing damage to the plants and reducing crop yield, which can result in economic losses for farmers.

crop pest

Piezodorus lituratus is considered a pest because it feeds on the sap of trees, garden plants, and crops, causing damage to the leaves, fruits, and overall plant health, which can lead to reduced productivity, economic losses, and negatively impact the health of the affected plants.

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What does gorse shield bug eat?

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