Southern green shieldbug: crop damage

Key information to help you recognise the pest by the damage it can cause.

How the insect feeds

The southern green shieldbug has piercing-sucking mouth parts which are formed into a beak-like structure.

Salivary fluid is pumped down one duct into the plant tissue and liquefied food is then sucked back into the insect.

The fruit damage caused

The insect probably feeds on all parts of the plants, but the effects are most clearly seen in growing points and developing fruits.

Damaged growing points usually wither and may die.

When southern green shieldbugs feed on pepper plants, it is common for the fruit to be contaminated with globules of sticky liquid. This is believed to be regurgitated food.

Contamination by southern green shieldbug – regurgitated food

a green and white frog with a redbug on it's head

Image © Dr R J Jacobson.

Feeding punctures on larger fruit cause hard brown spots and a variety of other imperfections. Feeding on young fruit often results in distortion and discolouration as the fruit swells.

In most cases, damaged fruit is unmarketable.

Surface damage on pepper fruit caused by southern green shieldbug