Musgraveia sulciventris
Description
Bronze orange bugs are sap-sucking insects commonly seen in large numbers during the warmer months. They use their piercing mouthparts to suck sap from the shoots and young fruit of citrus trees. While the Bronze orange bug is native to Australia, it has become a pest of cultivated citrus trees.
Adults grow to a length of 25mm. They are strong fliers and have a broad, dark bronze body with orange antennae. The nymphs may be green, yellow or orange and have a characteristic black spot in the centre of their bodies.
Adaptations
- When disturbed they secrete a corrosive, smelly substance and are able to squirt it a considerable distance
Feeding relationships
- What I eat: sap (particularly citrus trees)
- What eats me: predatory insects (e.g. assassin bugs), spiders, spangled drongos
Interesting facts
They have become a serious pest on citrus trees and are difficult to remove due to their toxic spray.