“I came across this beetle near Yudanaka, Nagano yesterday - wonder if you can help with an ID
“I came across this beetle near Yudanaka, Nagano yesterday - wonder if you can help with an ID. Thanks.” アカスジキンカメムシ (Akasuji-kin Kamemushi) Poecilocoris lewisi, Jewel Beetle ( Scutelleridae family) Hello, thanks for your submission to the Bugs of Japan blog!Your beetle in Nagano is an interesting one. I thought at first it might not be an adult beetle because it seemed to have visible segments across its body, not the smooth wing covers of an adult. Then I noticed the shoulder cape shaped section of its shoulders, and remembered that most shield bugs look round, fat and segmented when they are still young (nymphs). Looking through a page of Japanese shield bug species yielded this result, So I am fairly confident it’s a young Poecilocoris lewisi, or Akasuji-kin Kamemushi. The adults are a handsome red-gold and sparkling green beetle which earned them the name Jewel Beetle, though they are NOT insects but True Bugs that feed on plant sap.Size: 16-20mmFeed upon: Stachyurus praecox, alder, Japanese cypress, giant dogwood, Cryptomeria japonica and Japanese Prickly-ash Larvae: Black and white, with a distinctive bright white edge with black and white markings. Last instar (5th instar) overwinters under leaf litter. They are a sap-sucking insect that is not dangerous to humans, though the jewel and shield bugs can be tricky to handle because some can produce a defensive liquid that smells horrible!It’s very odd to find one this late in the year, as most adults have their first flight around July to August. Perhaps an indication of some climate change to find a young one moving around in November, or just a fluke individual?Thanks very much for your submission and feel free to message me more bugs if you find them!Photo 2 -- source link
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