Biodiversity Encyclopedia – Jointed Animals • Lychee Aphid: I'm All About ‘Looking Good’!

Beautiful Yunnan – Biodiversity Encyclopedia

Today

The editor wants to introduce you to

Jointed Animals • Lychee Aphid

Lychee Aphid

Tessaratoma papillosa

Jointed animals, Insect class, Hemiptera, Lychee Aphid family. Lychee aphid, also known as lychee aphid, lychee aphid cicada, is also known as stink bug, one of the main pests of lychee and longan. It has distribution in Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan, Taiwan. Photo taken in Menglian, Pu'er.

Lychee aphid adult body length 21-26mm, width 11-13mm. Body is reddish-brown, shaped like a small shield, the end of the shield is concave, forming a spoon-shaped. However, the nymphs (larvae) and adults of lychee aphids look very different, which may make people mistakenly think they are two different insects. The nymphs look like a flattened shield, the edge of the shield is gray, with multiple short transverse red lines inside, two long vertical lines and a white stripe in the middle, the back half of the body resembles a V-shaped missing, in short, it's a cute insect.

Although beautiful, it is indeed one of the main pests of lychee and longan, very good at damaging, especially targeting the juice of tender leaves, flowers, and young fruits, causing fallen flowers and fruits, and reduced yield loss. Research shows that the biggest enemy of lychee aphids is spiders, followed by predatory insects and insectivorous birds.

In addition, the nickname of 'stink bug' is not just a false name. People describe it as 'smelling it can shorten your lifespan of eight hundred years.' When lychee aphids are startled, they secrete a stinky liquid, which is extremely pungent and has corrosive effects, not only affecting the trees but also damaging the eyes and skin of people.

Fan Yi, ecological photographer. Has won the International Garden Photographer Award for 4 consecutive years, won the first prize of China Ecological Photography Competition Wild Animals and Plants Category in 2018. Committed to photographing the human landscape and the beauty of biodiversity in western China, especially in Yunnan.

Follow the editor

Let's review the knowledge points in the previous episodes of the Biodiversity Encyclopedia!

Who dares to compare with me in terms of cuteness! – Vertebrate • Brown-rimmed Tree Frog

There is beauty called Green Tufted Moss – Seed Plants • Tufted Green Tufted Moss

Gentleness and violence – Jointed Animal • Yellow Star Locust

Don't say you're sick if you don't open your mouth – Vertebrate • Bengal Spectacled Snake

Source: Yunnan Release

Editor: Selina

Responsibility Editor: Song Lijin

Producer: Muli Yin

Channel Director: Duo Xiang

Chief Editor: Li Xiaofeng

Editor-in-Chief: Li Qian

/