oviparous bug

- No description given -

comments (5)

karin65207

Musk Oxen

it was a special moment to take this picture. Posted 13 years ago

Joost Thissen

Lion

This is indeed very special! This is a Parent Bug (Elasmucha Grisea) guarding her eggs against predators. The colors vary from brown to green making it easy to confuse with other species, but on ahw.me is a parent bug pictured which has a color scheme just like this one.

Gardensafari writes:
The mothers take good care of their babies, something unheard of in the world of the bug. After laying her eggs she guards them, protecting them with her body and spraying her stinking poison to whoever or whatever threatens her young. After hatching she will protect her offspring in the same way. Mother and young stay together for quite some time and occassionally one can see a mother and her young marching from one leaf to another collectively. This species depends on birch and is common in areas where these tree grow; absent elsewhere.
www.gardensafari.net/en_picpages/elasmucha_grisea.htm
Posted 13 years ago
1. Ferdy Christant
  
  Lion
  
  @Karin: excellent capture!
  
  @Joost: Very observant of you, I updated the identification. Note thay if you are sure about an identification correction, you can just go ahead and do it. JungleDragon identifications are shared and you are free to edit them. Posted 13 years ago
2. 1. Joost Thissen
    
    Lion
    
    I know that I can change the ID myself, but I prefer to leave this to the photographer. Posted 13 years ago
3. karin65207
  
  Musk Oxen
  
  dear Joost Thissen, for your statement i am so grateful and i am really impressed regarding your knowledge. thank you so much for this statement and the ahw.me site i bookmarked for further use. is a huge data base and i can learn a lot. thanks again and my compliment. Posted 13 years ago

The Parent bug

The parent bug is a shield bug, a type of insect characterized by its shield-shaped body. It is so named because adults remain with their offspring for several weeks after they hatch; this is relatively rare behaviour in the insect world. Adults are approximately 12 mm long.

Info 14 0

Similar species: True Bugs

Species identified by Ferdy Christant