G. italicum
         G. semipunctatum
         N. viridula
         C. mediterraneus
         Unidentified
         P. apterus

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Unless otherwise noted, all pictures on this site were taken in Pelion, Greece, shown on the map below.

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View images of the Common Toad, an ugly, bulky, but really sweet creature with an interesting... nightlife.

  Veggie of the Month

Learn about the Salsify, a beautiful plant, with edible and medicinal properties, that is currently blooming in Pelion.

  Cool Destination

Visit Mourtias, one of Pelion's most picturesque beaches on the Aegean coast.

  Exciting Site

Tour the Volos Archaeological Museum, a pretty century-old building, whose exhibits span a historical period of over 10 millennia!

  Month's Wallpaper

Download a fantastic picture of a rickety jetty in Lefokastron, Pelion, taken by Huw Jones.

Loading image. Please wait N. viridula, Mating Adults :: 2001/07/31 :: Horton :: © A.Papadopoulos N. viridula, Mating Adults :: 2001/07/31 :: Horton :: © A.Papadopoulos N. viridula, Mating Couples :: 2001/07/31 :: Horton :: © A.Papadopoulos N. viridula, 3rd Instar Nymph :: 2001/07/31 :: Horton :: © A.Papadopoulos N. viridula, 5th Instar Nymph :: 2001/07/31 :: Horton :: © A.Papadopoulos

Southern Green Stink Bug

Nezara viridula

The Southern Green Stink Bug is believed to have originated in Ethiopia, however its current distribution includes Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America. It is most prevalent during the periods of October through December and again in March through April. It is known to have up to four generations per year in warm climates.

The bug overwinters as an adult, hiding in the bark of trees, leaf litter or other locations that afford protection from the cold weather. As spring temperatures begin to rise, the Southern Green Stink Bug moves out of its winter cover and begins feeding and  oviposition.

 Nymphs hatch from the eggs by opening the disc-like caps, then slowly wiggle out of the shell. First  instars congregate around the empty eggs and do not feed. The possible benefit for this behavior is the determent of predators, from the pooling of chemical defenses. Nymphs, at this stage, are light yellowish in color, with red eyes and transparent legs and antennae. Feeding begins at the second instar.

The second instar has black head,  thorax, legs and antennae. The abdomen is red and so are the spaces between the second, third and fourth antennal segments. The thorax has a yellow spot on each outer side.

The third and fourth instars (image no. 3) differ from the second in size. At this stage, an overall greenish color becomes apparent. Wing pads mark the arrival of the fifth instar (image no. 4). The abdomen is yellowish-green, with red spots on the median line.

Adult insects sport an overall dull green color. Eyes are dark red or black. Small black dots can be found along the sides of the abdomen, which is completely covered by the bug's wings. Males average 12mm (0.47in) in length, whereas females are slightly larger, reaching an overall length of 13mm (0.51in). Copulation may last a few minutes to a few days. Females can lay eggs three to four weeks after becoming adults. The average female lays one egg mass, but production of two egg masses is not uncommon. A female bug could lay as many as 260 eggs over her life span.

Southern Green Stink Bugs, like most shield bugs, have piercing-sucking mouthparts. The mouth consists of a long beak-like structure, called the rostrum. Salivary fluid is pumped down the salivary duct and liquefied food is pumped up the food canal. All plant parts are likely to be fed upon, but growing shoots and developing fruit are preferred. Attacked shoots usually wither or, in extreme cases, may die.

The damage on fruit from the punctures is hard brownish or black spots. These punctures affect the fruit's edible qualities and decidedly lower its market value. Young fruit growth is retarded and often withers and drops from the plant. In addition to the visual damage caused by the bug's feeding, the mechanical transmission of tomato bacterial spot may also result.

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Fact Sheet

Food
Various plant parts.

Active
March - October.

Habitat
On vegetation of all kinds.

Distribution
Cosmopolitan pest, found throughout most of the world.


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Taxonomy


Superkingdom: Eukaryota; Kingdom: Metazoa; Phylum: Arthropoda; Superclass: Hexapoda; Superclass: Hexapoda; Class: Insecta; Subclass: Neoptera; Order: Hemiptera; Suborder: Heteroptera; Family: Pentatomidae; Genus: Nezara; Species: viridula

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Acknowledgments


Most of the information on this page has been obtained from the University of Florida.

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