Just been reading about yet another couple of foreign pest that are thriving
in the UK.

The Southern Green Shield Bug (Nezara viridula) is spreading in Britain
after being found breeding in the London area in 2003. It's a sap sucking
insect which feeds on a wide range of plants but is rather fond of veg crops
especially beans. Normal Shield bug shape, adults are uniformly green all
over, whereas immature ones are dark green with a number of white or red
circular marking on the upper surface.

Wisteria Scale (Eulecanium excrescens) from Asia, which likes wisteria and
also fruit trees, is also on the march and left untouched is capable of
killing even old mature plants. Unlike other Scale this one grows a sack
around itself and then lays thousands of eggs underneath it to hatch and
climb further up the plant. So far it's only been found on a few Wisteria
plants in S. London but in other parts of the world it infests sycamore and
fruit trees too. This one has the potential to become a serious problem
especially for our fruit farmers.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
Just been reading about yet another couple of foreign pest that are
thriving in the UK.

The Southern Green Shield Bug (Nezara viridula) is spreading in Britain
after being found breeding in the London area in 2003.

Is this the insect that leaves a 'cuckoo spit' on lavender plants?


Wisteria Scale (Eulecanium excrescens) from Asia, which likes wisteria and
also fruit trees, is also on the march and left untouched is capable of
killing even old mature plants. --
Regards
Bob Hobden

That's a pain, my wisteria flowered last year for the first time - it took 3
years!! Any remedies mentioned in your sources Bob?

BD (Cornwall)

Bertie Doe wrote:

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message

Just been reading about yet another couple of foreign pest that are
thriving in the UK.

The Southern Green Shield Bug (Nezara viridula) is spreading in Britain
after being found breeding in the London area in 2003.

Is this the insect that leaves a 'cuckoo spit' on lavender plants?

Why do you say that? Surely cookoo spit has been in the UK since time
immemorial, but certainly way before 2003. The RHS says it's caused by
froghoppers ("Philaenus spumarius") and does little harm:

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0601/cuckoo_spit.asp

Peter

"Peter Robinson" wrote in message Bertie Doe wrote:

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message

Just been reading about yet another couple of foreign pest that are
thriving in the UK.

The Southern Green Shield Bug (Nezara viridula) is spreading in
Britain
after being found breeding in the London area in 2003.

Is this the insect that leaves a 'cuckoo spit' on lavender plants?

Why do you say that? Surely cookoo spit has been in the UK since time
immemorial, but certainly way before 2003. The RHS says it's caused by
froghoppers ("Philaenus spumarius") and does little harm:

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0601/cuckoo_spit.asp

Peter

Thanks for the link Peter. Obviously the beetle I see in the garden (bright
green and about 1 cm long) is neither the froghopper or the SGS bug.

BD

On Sat, 30 Jun 2007 16:25:39 +0100, "Bertie Doe"
wrote:

Is this the insect that leaves a 'cuckoo spit' on lavender plants?

Why do you say that? Surely cookoo spit has been in the UK since time
immemorial, but certainly way before 2003. The RHS says it's caused by
froghoppers ("Philaenus spumarius") and does little harm:

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0601/cuckoo_spit.asp

Peter

Thanks for the link Peter. Obviously the beetle I see in the garden (bright
green and about 1 cm long) is neither the froghopper or the SGS bug.

BD

Plenty of bright green shield bugs around here in west Cornwall, and
have been for years, but probably not the Southern Green (possibly the
Hawthorn shield bug). Aka stink bugs, due to the rather pungent smell
some species produce. A menace when picking blackberries, as they
always seem to spray on that big fat juicy berry you're straining at
arm's length to pick!


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net