Bison beanbag - green "buffalo" on a branch

The bison beanbag invariably falls into the rating of the most unusual insects. A small insect looks like an American buffalo. The green color and the triangular shape of the body perfectly mask the mantle among the leaves. Homeland insect America, but a nimble creature appeared in European countries. Adults jump and fly perfectly. Behind the extraordinary appearance lies a pest of crops and trees.

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Bison bush (Stictocephalabisonia) - an insect from the family of a humpback or bodyshell, an order winged (half-winged). A characteristic feature of its representatives is a large pronotum of various shapes resembling a hump. The family includes 3200 species, the most bizarre creatures live in tropical latitudes.

The body of adult humpbacks up to 10 mm long. The head is triangular, eyes are large, convex. Between the main organs of vision are two eyes. Mouth organs of piercing-sucking type, there is a proboscis in front of the head. Antennae thin, filiform. Pronotum enlarged. The visor passes into the dorsal keel, ending with a sharp spike. On the lateral parts of the shield there are outgrowths in the form of horns. With sharp, durable processes, the females cut the bark for laying eggs. Body color is green, integument is densely punctured. The tips of the outgrowths are red-black.

The bison’s body has developed transparent wings, which are roof-shaped along the trunk. The limbs are light green, the legs are brownish. The legs are covered with bristles. The front and middle limbs of the walking type, the hind limbs are hopping.

Distribution area

Species Stictocephalabisonia appeared in North America, it is distributed in the southern part of the continent. With food and plants, cicadas were brought to Europe. They took root well in the countries of Southern Europe and in the north of Africa. Over time, insects moved to the Middle East. As pests recorded in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia.

Lifestyle & Reproduction

Adults live on trees and shrubs, they are well mobile, jump far, fly. Cicadas appear in July. During the breeding season, males attract females with trills that the human ear does not perceive. One generation is replaced per year. Development is incomplete.

Interesting fact. Pillows live in close symbiosis with ants. They secrete sweet excrement, attracting ants, which in response protect the cicadas from enemies.

Females lay eggs from late summer to October. With sharp spikes, they cut branches and vines. The cuts are paired, parallel, 3-4 mm long. 6-10 eggs are laid in each. The total fertility of the female is 100-200 pieces. Eggs hibernate. In spring, in April-May, larvae appear from them. The offspring falls to the ground.

The larvae are outwardly similar to adults, but the body color is brownish, and spines with many spines grow along the back. The limbs are light with dark stripes, covered with hairs. The wings are in their infancy. Nymphs feed on herbaceous plants, prefer clover. Development takes up to 8 weeks, several links occur. Adults climb trees, where they continue the life cycle.

Pest Management Methods

Adult insects feed on the juice of white acacia, elm, willow, poplar, walnut. In orchards harm fruit trees, especially young apple trees. Do not ignore the vineyards where they live on the vine.As a result of bites and exhaustion of juice, nodes and swellings appear on the tissues of the vine. On the affected part, the leaves become reddish and fade. Young plants have stunted growth. Cuts on tree branches adversely affect the tissues of the plant and are a gateway for the penetration of various infections.

How to deal with a bison buffalo? For the destruction of pests, there are agricultural methods and chemicals.

Agrotechnical methods:

• The branches on which the cloak masonry was found are cut and burned. You can notice them by ring constrictions that arose at the site of damage.
• Mowing grass on the site, especially near the vineyards. Larvae develop on grassy plants; in adulthood, they move to trees and a vine.

Chemicals

You can save trees from cicadas that upset the metabolism in tissues and destroy plants by using insecticides. Effective preparations of contact-intestinal action - "Kofidor", "Fastak", "Karate". The solution is applied starting from the bottom of the plant. Processing is carried out 2 times with an interval of 10 days.

For mass infection, the biological method is used. In the vineyard, natural enemies of the humpback are spread - the stalked and bellied riders of the genus Polynema.