Approximately two and half years ago, I blogged about planting some citrus seeds from fruits that we used in the Christmas punch. Those were mostly lemons, but that winter I also planted about fifty seeds from a single very seedy yellow grapefruit. Now those seeds are young plants (I gave away some, but I still have about thirty, so if you are in Prague and want a little grapefruit plant, let me know!!) and right now they reside on the outer windowsil of my room. Last week, I had to bring them in because of bad weather (a very windy storm woke me up around midnight and I was afraid the wind might knock some pots off the windowsill, so I took them back in). Two days later, I discovered a group of little creatures that probably just hatched, on the lower side of a leaf.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf8e0MY4wQbWS96VwY-vhMyJk6b5zDOvyla6vM8vxlhw6iFkQLdq5vls9kKDoS9Yl6jtGzSUHrMpp9oS0GTHe_VgITaqgJxAFrc865wC8zpxn-cX8wn6OT5KcnXqT3Ji8nSU_vvaRI6QQ/s640/plostice1.jpg) |
Twenty-two parent bug hatchlings found home on one of my grapefruit plants |
According to the opinions of my entomological friends, the creature pictured is most likely a
parent bug (
Elasmucha grisea) - a shield bug with sucking mouthparts, females of which guard eggs and hatchlings for several weeks. According to
this website (perfect detailed pictures, have a look!!), these insects feed on alder and birch. As there are definitely no birch trees around where I live (alder possibly, but when I looked for it for my class, I did not find one), I think that choosing grapefruits was probably an accident.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXBMxvg56H6zM-GeHD5izFHtING9gv5vSuDMoJORzPYlQ2Zz30uNj6y-5ISFy-wPq8TesZY3vqeHgCl1gOYyLphhGS-JMiMtUVRa0l-hElisiLUr2QKMr8r0ctHMW1yedj_D-J5jRqdkc/s640/buglings.jpg) |
Elasmucha grisea (?) |
And why is the mother missing?? Well, I have a hypothesis! think that the strong windduring the storm must have knocked her down and blown her away, so the little ones were left unguarded. I have never particularly liked shield bugs, but this little adventure will stay in my mind for a long time and has quite changed my relationship to the whole group. Little things like this show me again and again how wonderful and diverse nature is and how much I still have to learn about it. And I lovearning by these rare little experiences : )