Treetop sting bug
| Treetop sting bug | ||||||||||||
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Hawthorn shield bug ( Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale | ||||||||||||
| Linnaeus , 1758 |
The treetop sting bug ( Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale ) is a species of the family of the sting bug (Acanthosomatidae) and thus belongs to the Schnabelkerfen . It is often only either sting bug or tops bug called.
features
Top sting bugs are around 15 to 17 mm in size. To see they are at the black-yellow striped along head (caput) and the dorsal forming a triangle, blood red to red-brown stripes on the Hemielytren and the edge of the throat plate (Scutum). This coloring on the shield-shaped body offers them a very good camouflage in the hawthorn bush or in the foliage. When flying up, the colorful coloring of the abdomen is noticeable, it is apple to emerald green in spring, yellow-green to brown-red in autumn. The length of the innermost antenna segment extends beyond the black dotted head. The pronotum and label ( scutellum ) are also dotted with black; there are around 110 points on the label alone. The feet ( tarsus ) are two-part. They are called the sting bug because they have a conspicuous ventral keel with a pointed, prickly extension.
Occurrence
The treetop sting bugs are mostly found singly in deciduous forests, on the edges of forests or in the woods throughout Europe (becoming rarer towards the north), mostly where mountain ash ( Sorbus aucuparia ), hawthorn ( Crataegus ) and hedges grow. It is one of the most common bedbugs in Europe. They fly from April / May to October.
behavior
Quite similar to the green stink bugs , top sting bugs also give off a non-toxic, but strongly unpleasant smelling secretion to protect against predators such as birds and other disturbances. The exits of the defensive glands are located next to the base of the legs, while in the larvae they are usually located dorsally on the abdomen and can also be easily recognized there.
nutrition
This species only sucks vegetable juices, especially on berry bushes, whereby the fruits themselves are preferred. However, the larvae only prick the leaves.
Reproduction
The tree bugs only have one generation per year. In autumn, the adult bedbugs can often be seen sunbathing on walls before hibernating on the ground under old leaves. In spring, they lay the fertilized eggs on hawthorn. After hatching from June to August, the mostly green larvae molt five times in a few weeks before they are fully grown.
literature
- Helgard Reichholf-Riehm, Gunter Steinbach: Insects. Mosaik, Munich 1984, ISBN 3-570-01187-9 .
- Frieder Sauer : bugs and cicadas. Fauna, Karlsfeld 1996, ISBN 3-923-01012-5 .
