Farm Forestry New Zealand
PESTS AND DISEASES OF FORESTRY IN NEW ZEALAND
Bronze bug, Thaumastocoris peregrinus
- Bronze Bugs on the move
From Forest Health News 276, October 2017. Bronzing of Eucalyptus sp. foliage caused by bronze bug. Bronze bug (Thaumastocoris peregrinus), the sap-sucking Eucalyptus spp. pest is on the move. Scion…
- Update on the spread of bronze bug in New Zealand
From Forest Health News 256, May 2015. In April 2015 Scion scientists conducted a survey for bronze bug, Thaumastocoris peregrinus, and discovered that the bug had spread considerably beyond central Auckland.…
- Update on the spread of bronze bug in Auckland
From Forest Health News 238, July 2013. In March 2012 an Australian insect, Thaumastocoris peregrinus or bronze bug, was discovered in a localized area of Auckland, during routine high risk site…
- Distribution and host list for Thaumastocoris peregrinus
From Forest Health News 233, February 2013. Thaumastocoris peregrinus, known as bronze bug, is an Australian sapsucker that feeds on foliage of Eucalyptus spp. initially causing leaf bronzing and eventually leading…
- Bronze bug, Thaumastocoris peregrinus: A new Eucalyptus pest in New Zealand
From Surveillance Volume 39, No. 2, June 2012. Figure 1: T. peregrinus adult. A noteworthy Australian bug not previously known in New Zealand has been found on urban street trees in Auckland.…
- A new eucalypt pest has arrived in New Zealand: Bronze bug
From Forest Health News 226, June 2012. An Australian insect not previously known in New Zealand has been found on urban street trees in Auckland. Thaumastocoris peregrinus (Hemiptera: Thaumastocoridae), also…
This serious pest of Eucalyptus has in recent times also been found in Italy, South Africa and Argentina, and originates from Australia.
Thaumastocoris peregrinus and T. australicus are small (2-4 mm) sap-sucking insects. They originate from Australia and kill the leaves of Eucalyptus reducing the trees photosynthetic ability. The lack of food results in stunted growth and even death of severely infested trees.
The foliage on a tree infested with Thaumastocoris is usually seen to turn a deep red/brown, starting at the northern side of the canopy, but progressively spreading to the entire canopy. This is sometimes referred to as “winter bronzing” and/or “winter die-back”. Although this phenomenon occurs throughout the year, the bronzing of leaves usually appears during high infestation levels of Thaumastocoris. The tree may, however, appear to recover when the Thaumastocoris population is reduced when unfavourable conditions for their survival occur.
It was first reported in South Africa in 2005 and Argentina in 2006. Now present in Italy and New Zealand.
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