Schellenberg's soldier bug
Oechalia schellenbergii
The adult is a predatory shield bug of Australasian vegetation, often found in gardens, orchards, pastures, and crops. It hunts caterpillars and other insect larvae by piercing them with a strong rostrum and feeding on their body fluids. Fully developed wings let it move between plants in search of prey or shelter. It is valued as a natural biological-control predator, but still keeps the typical stink-bug chemical defence for close-range protection.
- Type
- Fang / Venom
- Conservation status
- NE
Growth chain
- ?
- Schellenberg's soldier bug