Swan Plants

traderken, Mar 9, 3:19am
What is the horny looking beetle that attacks the caterpillars on a swan plant.I have dozens of caterpillars, but a bettle is attacking them.

bumfacingdown, Mar 9, 7:40am
Bumpcause I want to know to

monkey_moos, Mar 9, 8:21am

bumfacingdown, Mar 9, 8:32am
Could be, although more than some are a green colour as well

deathrockboy, Mar 10, 5:44am
Their color is variable, juveniles can also be differently colored, in the same way as green shield bugs.

lemming2, Mar 10, 7:53pm
Yep, that's a juvenile Green Shield beetle. Try squashing one and smelling the horrible pong to guarantee it!

bumfacingdown, Mar 11, 12:07am
Thanks for the offer but think I shall leave smelling bugs to others

traderken, Mar 11, 3:45am
Thanks for the info I have found only one beetle so I guess I was lucky. Now that the caterpillars have eaten the swan plantand formed their cocoons will I have to replace the swan plant for next year or will it grow again. Regards

gyrogearloose, Mar 11, 3:56am
If the swan plant is well developed with plenty of branches it will recover several times a year, and grow for many years (aside from frost). The trick is getting them well developed before the first swarm of caterpillars strips it - cover them with bird netting to stop butterflies laying eggs, and pinch out the central stem to encourage secondary branches.

uke17, Apr 13, 3:49pm
Our swan plant survived the Wellington snow in 2011!