Kauaʻi Conservation Atlas

Kauaʻi record · KCA-IA-00656

Koa Bug

Coleotichus blackburniae

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Koa Bug (Coleotichus blackburniae) · AI-generated Atlas reconstruction
Koa Bug (Coleotichus blackburniae) · AI-generated Atlas reconstruction · Kauaʻi Conservation Atlas · AI-generated Atlas reconstruction · Atlas ecological plate v1.5.3 · Image source

About Koa Bug

Koa Bug (Coleotichus blackburniae) is a member of Pentatomidae in the order Hemiptera. Its recorded origin status on Kauaʻi is endemic hawaiian.

Koa Bug (Coleotichus blackburniae) is documented from Kauaʻi. Jewel bugs are shield-shaped plant-feeding true bugs with an enlarged scutellum covering most of the abdomen. On Kauaʻi, observations are most useful when they record exact host plant, egg/nymph/adult, color pattern, abundance and feeding location. Where island-specific host, prey, breeding-site, abundance, or seasonal information is not yet firmly documented, those details should remain tied to direct specimens and field observations rather than inferred from populations elsewhere.

Koa Bug (Coleotichus blackburniae) is Hawaiʻi's largest endemic true bug and is documented on Kauaʻi. Eggs, dark nymphs, and iridescent green adults are markedly different identification forms.

Kauaʻi occurrence evidence: The Koa Bug is native to Hawaiʻi and modern Kauaʻi observations document it on the island; its host plants include koa and ʻaʻaliʻi.

The cited occurrence evidence does not by itself establish current abundance or population trend on Kauaʻi.

Life cycle

Egg; immature/nymphal stages; adult; no pupa.

Habitat

Host trees, shrubs and other vegetation.

Food and ecological role

Plant sap, often from seeds, fruits or shoots depending on species.

Reproduction

Egg masses are laid on host or nearby surfaces; nymphs develop on vegetation.

Movement

Adults fly; nymphs walk on host plants.

Ecosystem role

Plant sap feeder.

Threats and impacts

Native species can be ecologically tied to native host plants; introduced species may become pests.

Monitoring

Record exact host plant, egg/nymph/adult, color pattern, abundance and feeding location.

Classification note

The shared taxonomy follows the cached GBIF classification. Alternative placements reported in the source package are preserved in the record history.

Names and classification

Scientific name
Coleotichus blackburniae
Common names
Koa Bug
Family
Pentatomidae
Order
Hemiptera
Record type
species

Kauaʻi occurrence and status

Kauaʻi occurrence
Present
Origin
Endemic Hawaiian
Conservation status
Not assessed

Process and seasonal context

Seasonal description
Koa Bug (Coleotichus blackburniae) is a member of Pentatomidae in the order Hemiptera. Its recorded origin status on Kauaʻi is endemic hawaiian.

Sources and further reading

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