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Schellenberg’s soldier bug - Oechalia schellenbergii (Guérin, 1831)

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(Native to New Zealand)
[Oechalia schellenbergii]. SIZE: 9-12 mm. COLOUR: Brownish yellow, with several pale and dark markings. © MWLR | CC BY-NC 4.0 Image
Oechalia schellenbergii. SIZE: 9-12 mm. COLOUR: Brownish yellow, with several pale and dark markings. © MWLR | CC BY-NC 4.0
ROSTRUM (beak): First segment thick, directed away from head, exposed, at most with its base lying between bucculae (ridges underneath head). © MWLR | CC BY-NC 4.0 Image
ROSTRUM (beak): First segment thick, directed away from head, exposed, at most with its base lying between bucculae (ridges underneath head). © MWLR | CC BY-NC 4.0
[Oechalia schellenbergii]. HUMERI (pronotum hind corners) pointed like a spine. SIDES OF ABDOMEN with hind corner of segments pointed like a black-tipped spine. © MWLR | CC BY-NC 4.0 Image
Oechalia schellenbergii. HUMERI (pronotum hind corners) pointed like a spine. SIDES OF ABDOMEN with hind corner of segments pointed like a black-tipped spine. © MWLR | CC BY-NC 4.0
[Oechalia schellenbergii] ventral view. THORAX UNDERSIDE without ear-shaped scent gland opening between mid and hind legs. ABDOMEN UNDERSIDE with strong spine, extended forward as far as mid legs. © MWLR | CC BY-NC 4.0 Image
Oechalia schellenbergii ventral view. THORAX UNDERSIDE without ear-shaped scent gland opening between mid and hind legs. ABDOMEN UNDERSIDE with strong spine, extended forward as far as mid legs. © MWLR | CC BY-NC 4.0

NYMPH: Main diagnostic characters

Immature stink bugs or nymphs moult through five stages (instars) before becoming adults; the fifth stage or last instar nymph is shown  below.

[Oechalia schellenbergii] last instar nymph. © Derivative of photo by N. Holmes, Plant & Food Research, New Zealand, sourced from NZAC factsheet series Image
Oechalia schellenbergii last instar nymph. © Derivative of photo by N. Holmes, Plant & Food Research, New Zealand, sourced from NZAC factsheet series

BODY LENGTH: About 8 mm. COLOUR: Mostly black; thorax, wing pads with whitish outline; abdomen yellowish white with orange red tinge, 2 large black transverse plates between 2 smaller plates near midline; legs dark with broad pale middle band; antennae black, segment 2, often 3, yellowish red at tip. WING PADS pointed at tip.