Has anyone noticed these tiny guys everywhere at the moment? Hard not too right? Their everywhere! They seem to be really attracted to light coloured cars. Our cars have been alive with these guys for the past few weeks now!
Not only has it been perfect breading condition for our native Caper White Butterfly’s – (which only happens every 6-10 years) it has also been perfect breeding conditions for some other bugs too. We’ve had lots of calls about these little guys, so we thought we post something about it… SOoooooo
WHAT ARE THEY? WILL THEY HURT ME?
They are more specifically named the Nysius vinitor, sometimes known as the ‘Rutherglen bug’. The bug feeds on a variety of crops, including our lovely coastal plants and weeds like milkweed. These guys really love to eat cotton, so its quite possible that they have been swept here from the cotton fields… or maybe they have just hatched and grown locally.
Rutherglen bug / grey cluster bug, have not only hit the Sunshine Coast, they are in Boonah, Brisbane and Toowoomba. Unfortunately these little guys are small enough to get through your fly screen – But don’t worry they wont be here forever!
SO, DO THEY BITE?
Sometimes! They may give you a nip… But they will just be testing you out to see if you are yummy enough to eat. It can be a little painful. If they bite, they are trying to stick proboscis into you, and that proboscis is quite tough. Most of the ones we have seen look to be adult size with fully developed wings.
