What does the green shield bug eat? - briefly
The green shield bug extracts plant sap from a wide range of hosts, including legumes, grasses, and cultivated crops such as beans and alfalfa. It may also feed on developing seeds and fruit tissues when available.
What does the green shield bug eat? - in detail
The green shield bug (Palomena prasina) feeds primarily on plant sap, extracting fluid from a variety of herbaceous and woody species. Its mouthparts are adapted for piercing and sucking, allowing it to tap into vascular tissues.
Key host plants include:
- Grasses and cereals such as wheat, barley, oats, and rye; the bug inserts its stylet into stems and leaf sheaths.
- Leguminous crops like alfalfa, clover, and beans, where it targets young pods and developing seeds.
- Broadleaf vegetables including lettuce, spinach, and cabbage; feeding occurs on leaf undersides and petioles.
- Fruit trees such as apple, pear, and plum, with a preference for tender shoots and buds.
- Ornamental shrubs (e.g., lilac, privet) and wild plants (e.g., nettles, plantains) that provide soft tissue for sap extraction.
In addition to sap, the insect occasionally consumes:
- Maturing seeds of certain grasses, especially when sap flow diminishes.
- Exudates from aphid colonies, exploiting honeydew as an opportunistic protein source.
Feeding behavior varies with developmental stage. Nymphs concentrate on tender growth, while adults expand to larger stems and reproductive structures. Seasonal shifts occur: early spring individuals exploit emerging shoots, whereas late summer populations move to seed heads and fruiting bodies. This dietary flexibility enables the species to persist across diverse agricultural and natural habitats.