Brown Soldier Bug

Cermatulus nasalis

This cluster of tiny (2 mm) bugs was on a leaf of Tetragona. I disturbed them accidentally, but they reconvened on the same leaf very quickly. They were such a contrast with their shiny black against the fresh light green of the native spinach leaf.

I’d have got nowhere on this one without the helpful people on iNaturalist: these bugs are the first instar of the Brown Soldier Bug. The adults survive the winter and the females lay their eggs in spring. The hatched nymphs then go through 4 moults over the summer. The first instar bugs stay close to where they hatch, often next to their egg cases, although I did not see any of those. They drink water with their piercing mouthparts and may take plant juices. From the second instar onwards they become predators. You can read more at Landcare’s Interesting Insects website. I’ll add photos of older animals if I see them over summer.