Jewel Bugs (Family Scutelleridae) have broad rounded bodies with an undivided shield covering the whole abdomen. Jewel bugs get their common name from their bright colours. Jewel Bugs have the scutellum expanded to cover the whole abdomen and both pairs of wings, leading to their other common name, Shield-backed Bugs.
Australian jewel bugs suck plant sap and feed on a broad range of seeds, either while they are still attached to the plant, or after they have fallen to the ground. In Australia, some are known as Harlequin Bugs, a common name used for several other sorts of bugs elsewhere in the world. There are 25 Australian species of jewel bugs in the Family Scutelleridae.
The Hibiscus Harlequin Bug, Tectocoris diophthalmus, sucks sap from hibiscus plants, bottle trees and related species. Its main foodplant is the native Beach Hibiscus (Hibiscus tiliaceus). It is also a minor pest of cultivated cotton, a member of the hibiscus family Malvaceae, leading to its other common name, the Cotton Harlequin Bug. In our garden it was feeding on a native hibiscus bush.
This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme,
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What an interesting beetle with its bright colors.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a huge fan of bugs, but this fella is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2019/09/a-visitor.html
It's a handsome bug. I wonder what its "good" role is in nature.
ReplyDeleteThey come in different sizes and colours but still, all beautilfull
ReplyDeleteOverhere we call them Pantserwantsen
Have a heartwarming en splendid ABC-Wednes-day / -week
M e l o d y (team ABC-W)
https://melodyk.nl/25-J
wow, that's an amazingly beautiful bug. We have shield bugs here too, but none that bright and colourful
ReplyDeleteInteresting insect...
ReplyDeletevery pretty
ReplyDelete