GREEN VEGETABLE BUG ON RAMPAGE IN LOCAL GARDENS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 8, 10 March 1950, Page 5

GREEN VEGETABLE BUG ON RAMPAGE IN LOCAL GARDENS

Latest recruit to the army of insect pests that grow in destructive profusion in the Whakatane district is the green vegetable bug, Nezara Viridula L. This delightful little creature seems to have a particularly unsavoury record of destructiveness in districts where he has previously been known and also to have a very strong resistance to the usual methods of insect pest control.

Until the last week or two the t green vegetable bug had been reported no nearer to Whakatane than the Te Kaha area but has recently been noticed in a number -of local vegetable gardens. According to an article in the Journal of Agriculture by Mr R .A. Cumber, entomologist, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Nelson, Nezara Viridula jwas first recprded as a pest in New ZeaKand iri April 1944 when specimens /found attacking beans in the New Plymouth- area were submitted by the fruit inspector of the DepartN ment of Agriculture for identification.

Arrived In 1941 It is believed however, that it probably reached New Zealand in 1941, though it did not manifest itself as a serious pest until April, 1944. In 1946 the bug was reported from mid-Northland and now most areas north of Whangarei are affected to some degree by - its depridations. At that time he wrote his article Mr Cumber said he had had recent reports indicating moderate infestation around Te Kaha. ' Apart from its powers of dispersal by flight the bug is spread ifc its nymphal stages during distribution of flowers, fruit and vegeI fables. The adult bug is about i an inch long, shield shaped With three white dots along front margin •of a central triangular plate. Its ‘-life cycle is estimated to occupy about eight weeks during the most favourable summer conditions of Northland, where all stages of the bug are present for at least six months of the year. Plahts attacked include not only -those which . are grown commercially but also weeds, grasses and native shrubs. Nezara has been observed breeding very successfully in weedy, neglected gardens and along side roads miles from cultivated land. Flowers developing seeds, growing points, and foliage are attacked. Leguminous plants seem particularly attractive to the bugs, which are noticeably destructive to all types of beans, peas and clovers as well as attacking tomatoes, tree tomatoes, potatoes, leafy ■green vegetables, pumpkins and marrows, maize, 5 grapes, \ banana, passion fruit and rhubarb. Damage to peaches had also been reported, nor does this versatile -eater scorn even the humble thistle. Parasites a Solution?

Experiments are being made with ' two parasites which are known to attack Nezara and a number of these have been bred and liberated around the Bay of Islands. Mr Cumber’s article says that although results of spray trials carried out by the Department of Agriculture in New Zealand were not ; availably at the time of writing recent experiments with D.D.T. dusts and sprays in Australia gave promising results. But sprays are likely to be more effective in the more immature stages of the bug, the adults in the addition to being more resistant, are able to fly and -readily remove themselves from danger spots. '