Spined citrus bug

Spined citrus bug (SCB), Biprorulus bibax (Pentatomidae: Hemiptera), feeds on the fruits of lemons, mandarins and oranges, causing drying and brown staining of the fruit segments, gumming on the skin and premature fruit drop.  Damage is mainly confined to lemons and mandarins, but instances of damage to oranges have been reported.

The SCB life cycle consists of an egg stage, five nymphal stages, and an adult stage. Eggs are initially white but become mottled with black and red as they develop. Early-stage nymphs (stages I to III) are marked with black, green, yellow, white and orange. Late-stage nymphs (IV to V) are mainly green with black markings. Adults are green, 15– 20 mm long, and have a pair of prominent spines on the shoulder of the thorax. Stage I nymphs congregate on empty egg shells and stay there until they reach stage II, when they disperse. Both adults and nymphs (except for stage I nymphs) feed on fruit. Lemons are preferred over other citrus fruits—the bugs pierce the rind of lemon fruit of any stage. Eggs are laid on leaves, fruit or twigs in batches of 4 to 36.