Shield Bug
Jun 28, 2018 08:11:23 #
Spotted this Spiked Shieldbug Final Instar which had speared a caterpillar and was sucking the life out of it. The cat was trying to shake it off without success. Vicious predators that will take pretty much anything that crosses it's path.
Jun 28, 2018 08:36:41 #
leftj
Loc: Texas
davids999 wrote:
Spotted this Spiked Shieldbug Final Instar which had speared a caterpillar and was sucking the life out of it. The cat was trying to shake it off without success. Vicious predators that will take pretty much anything that crosses it's path.
I hope you stepped on him. He's killing a future butterfly.
Jun 28, 2018 10:51:13 #
nice catch and shots, I had no idea they were predators of other critters............
Jun 28, 2018 11:47:56 #
Jun 28, 2018 11:57:24 #
Ah, poor caterpillar, such a favourite food source for so many. I haven't seen a Shield bug that colour before. Nice shots.
Jun 28, 2018 12:13:47 #
Jun 29, 2018 17:38:36 #
Just wondering -- would the cat be so 'poor cat' if it's a cutworm that eats nearly anything in your garden? Family Noctuidae. Geat find and photos!
Jun 29, 2018 18:01:15 #
relbugman wrote:
Just wondering -- would the cat be so 'poor cat' if it's a cutworm that eats nearly anything in your garden? Family Noctuidae. Geat find and photos!
Yes, because it is another unfortunate species doomed to be on so many 'hit' lists (including mine) when, in fact, it is only searching for survival with no intention of doing harm. We can't criticise or lack sympathy for a creature by how much it inconveniences us even though we may exterminate it.
Jun 29, 2018 21:07:06 #
Jun 30, 2018 15:52:49 #
leftj wrote:
I hope you stepped on him. He's killing a future butterfly.
Hello leftj. Sorry, no I just took the photographs. Nature knows what it's doing. David
Jun 30, 2018 15:53:17 #
napabob wrote:
nice catch and shots, I had no idea they were predators of other critters............
Thanks napabob
Jun 30, 2018 15:54:23 #
Mark Sturtevant wrote:
A nice find! Let predators do their thing, I always say.
Thanks Mark. Agree absolutely with that.
Jun 30, 2018 15:56:27 #
EnglishBrenda wrote:
Ah, poor caterpillar, such a favourite food source for so many. I haven't seen a Shield bug that colour before. Nice shots.
Thanks Brenda. You are right about the caterpillar's role as a food source. david
Jun 30, 2018 15:56:44 #
Jun 30, 2018 15:59:05 #
relbugman wrote:
Just wondering -- would the cat be so 'poor cat' if it's a cutworm that eats nearly anything in your garden? Family Noctuidae. Geat find and photos!
Thanks relbugman
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