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Berkshire, United Kingdom

These bugs are on one branch of a raspberry bush. Does anyone have any idea what they are please? Same size and shape as a ladybird but is it a friend or enemy? I've looked up types of ladybird and raspberry pests etc but can't find one like it. Thanks.




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Harlequin ladybirds can appear black with white spots, but?????????????

21 Aug, 2020

 

they look like shield bug nymphs [3rd instar] Southern green shield bug.

RHS link
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=519

shouldn't do much of damage to your raspberries.

21 Aug, 2020

 

I looked at Harlequins Owdboggy but the pattern was more random than these. Thank you both but Sbg, you're spot on. Looked it up and there they are. Their other name of stink bug is right. They smell horrible. Still wanting to know if it's a pest or not I found this:

The RHS has issued a runner bean warning as a European bug that devastates the fruit of common garden plants has entered the charity's top ten worst pest list for the first time. The southern green shield bug feeds on the sap of plants such as tomatoes, raspberries and runner beans, causing misshapen fruit to grow.

As it's on the raspberries and very close to my tomatoes I think it has to go.

22 Aug, 2020

 

She beat me to it again. Was coming back to say the same thing after a bit more research.

22 Aug, 2020

 

Thanks Owdboggy. I spent an hour searching yesterday online but couldn't find anything with such precise pattern of spots.

22 Aug, 2020

 

https://www.britishbugs.org.uk/heteroptera/Pentatomidae/nezara_viridula.html
I researched Shield bugs as the shape of it made me think of them.

22 Aug, 2020

 

blame my daughter Owd for introducing the shield bug nymphs to me 2 yrs ago when she was in Wales.

I always recognised the adults but hadn't thought about the juveniles. as people say 'you live and learn'.

Yes thorneyside I guess it does, didn't realise they were so close to other crops. At least at this stage they cant fly yet so they will take a time to get across.
It is a recent [in the last 20 yrs] invader. Can you feed them to any pond fish? I tend to do that with pests so they at least don't die 'in vain'.

22 Aug, 2020

How do I say thanks?

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