Under the dense hairy fruit leaves, gently swaying in the morning breeze, I found an insect sitting sweetly on a small stem. In fact, it wasn't just sitting there quietly; it was also singing in its distinctive voice. It was alone, and I searched around hoping to find something perched on a low branch. But I couldn't find any of its relatives. Because it was perched on a high branch, it made it a bit difficult to photograph. Fortunately, it didn't move or move.
Its coloration was stunning, its white body was adorned with black spots that resembled spilled ink. Upon closer inspection, the black spots resembled a mysterious pattern, specially designed by nature. It didn't seem to be just any pattern; it was most likely a secret language understood only by those who live in the wild. Its dorsal fin, or elytra, was light brown. A pair of long, flexible, black antennae. Three pairs, also black, held tightly to the branch it was perched on.
This is the shield bug. It's an insect from the genus Tessaratoma and belongs to the Tessaratomidae family. This insect is a major pest of hairy fruit, lychee, longan, and jengkol trees. It sucks the sap from young stems and fruit. Its attacks are very risky, causing wilting shoots and fruit drop. If you see a large number of these insects attacking the plants I just mentioned, please eradicate them immediately. This will prevent unwanted consequences for the plants.
Latin name | Genus Tessaratoma |
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Observation date | 30 Jul, 2025 |
Camera used | realme 7 Pro |
Photographers | @reachdreams |
Location | Aceh, Indonesia |
Link to original community |
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https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/302223815
Latitude | Longitude | Map |
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4.695135 | 96.7493993 | https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=4.695135&mlon=96.7493993 |