The ocellated shield bug is a large, orange-red shield bug from tropical and subtropical Asia, with black spots ringed in yellow scattered across its back. Females are known for standing guard over their eggs. It doesn't live in the United States.
Appearance
- Appearance
- About 0.7–1 in (17–26 mm) long, with females larger than males. Reddish to ochre, with dark legs and blue-black antennae. The broad plate covering the back bears six or eight black spots with yellowish rims.
Where it lives
- Range
- Found across South and Southeast Asia, including Japan, Taiwan, and southern Korea. It is not found in the US.
Behavior
- Diet
- Sucks sap from many plants, including Mallotus, Macaranga, Bischofia, and paper mulberry.
- Social life
- After laying, the female stands over her egg mass and shields it. Eggs at the edge that she can't cover are often attacked by parasitic wasps.
Life cycle
- Caterpillar food plants
- In Korea and Japan it depends mainly on Japanese mallotus (Mallotus japonicus).
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed
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