Bruddy shield bugs

2 dead ones this week, one vaguely alive yesterday. They do seem smaller, makes me think they were the offspring, possibly already conceived. Yes, they may play dead.
 
Figaro said:
Unbelievable aren't they 🤬
I got the camping chairs out last week and found two in the folds.
OH found one in the wardrobe, I suspect she carried her hanging clothes on last October without giving them a shake.
All of them were dead
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I found one yesterday from last October still alive. Now dead
 
I had two in the downstairs loo today. Then opened up the parasol outside and loads of them fell out!! Hahahaha :)
 
First weekend away this year. Despite a real good empty out clean last October, we have found four deceased shield bugs in the van, not so bad you might think. Until we opened a Terry’s chocolate orange purchased yesterday, and out popped a live one!!!

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4 today ( alive as usual). It's 26 degrees here today(Spain). Seems they are ceasing hibernation and are attracted by light. The mesh of the rooflight is their favourite place to go. The rooflight is open and the rest of the van has blinds closed to keep heat out.
 
Been out in the motorhome today, three of the stowaways made an appearance as the sunshine warmed the van.
I've no idea where they're coming from but jeees they're tough little blighters.

I'm hoping that's the last of them but who knows.
 
I might avoid SW France this year but I guess they can crop up anywhere.
I've found the odd one in UK before, usually the bright green ones

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We picked up some in the Autumn in France . We thought we had got rid of them at the time but on our recent trip to Spain on sunny days a few would magically appear each day, obviously waking from hibernation . They seemed to make an annoyed buzzing noise if they couldn’t then leave the van immediately ::bigsmile: we quickly learnt to recognise this.
 
My impression was that the smaller bright green ones are the younger ones, I've seen them in the UK. In the nest we had in our battery locker, there were all sorts of colours, some were black and white striped, etc. All in the same nest.
 
DT said:
Think these dam bugs were trained covert tactics by the SAS last evening one dropped from somewhere onto my bed. Been tucked away since last Oct.
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Perhaps it had been waiting for you to return as it was a 'love bug'! :inlove:

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Dorwyn said:
My impression was that the smaller bright green ones are the younger ones, I've seen them in the UK. In the nest we had in our battery locker, there were all sorts of colours, some were black and white striped, etc. All in the same nest.
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I didn't know that, I assumed the different colours were different species.
Thankfully we never had a nest of them to study.
I suppose we should be thankful they don't bite or spread nasty disease that we know of.
I am fed up of them though, it's how they just appear from nowhere and you either nearly step, sit or go to pick a bit of leaf up off the floor and WOW 😲 another bl@@dy bug 🤬🤬🤬
 
I’ve totally emptied our Hymer and throughly cleaned following an infestation in France last October, 100’s of shield bugs met there end in soapy water. Away at Easter a couple more appeared, if only briefly.
Yesterday and today I’ve been investigating an electrical problem, during this process I got the jump leads out of a box to test a circuit, and there he was hiding in the box! Later in the process I lifted the cover off a fuse box in the engine bay, and there’s another. There are thousands of places for the chuffing thing to hide.
 
Will it ever end! it seems like a new batch have hatched. Yesterday whilst getting the van ready for our forthcoming holiday I noticed half a dozen basking on the windows in the sun. By the end of the day 14 more had met their maker.
This batch seem to have had a software update as unless I get lucky, they fly into the heater vents as I approach them. I haven’t told Mrs Crazylegs about this latest development as she may well back out of our planned holiday. So how can I exterminate the things completely before we go.
Any suggestions appreciated.
 
I'm still getting them but just odd ones now thankfully.
Three this week, the latest one evaded attempts to flick it out of the window and went for the cavity between the outer wall and sofa.
So I dare say that'll appear again in a day or two.
I don't know what the answer is to get rid of them ?
What part of France did you pick them up ? I was in South West France.
I wonder if it was an exceptional outbreak in the area or if it's normal, and if it'll be the same this year.
I know they can be found most places but not normally in the numbers we saw last year.
 
Apologies in advance, but not really followed this thread.
So not seen advice / recommendations from others ,
But could you not just get an insect smoke bomb repellent ?
Just place on an old foil tin in middle of van close all windows and light it , vacant van for recommended time ,
I’ve used them before many times in an old house that had flys in loft of thatch roof works really well. Loads on the net.

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I hope you all realise, that the Government AI system is monitoring this thread and, should these bugs start breeding & infesting Britain, it will be in touch!

Afterwards, I can see it now, on one's return from abroad, holding sites near the coast, (like the one near Dover that holds the trucks when theres a ferry holdup) with MH & Caravans all parked up in lines, 6metres apart for a fortnight and being fumigated, while the owners have DDT blown up their underwear. 😱
 
Figaro said:
I don't know what the answer is to get rid of them ?
What part of France did you pick them up ? I was in South West France.
I wonder if it was an exceptional outbreak in the area or if it's normal, and if it'll be the same this year.
I know they can be found most places but not normally in the numbers we saw last year.
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It's certainly not normal in SW France, we've been going there for decades and have barely noticed them before. We've had about six reappear in the last couple of days, of which only one escaped into the uk air. It played dead and then sprung into life!
 
buzz1 said:
Apologies in advance, but not really followed this thread.
So not seen advice / recommendations from others ,
But could you not just get an insect smoke bomb repellent ?
Just place on an old foil tin in middle of van close all windows and light it , vacant van for recommended time ,
I’ve used them before many times in an old house that had flys in loft of thatch roof works really well. Loads on the net.
Click to expand...
We've bombed the van a couple of times with anti mozzy spray. It does kill but they can hide and die, with resulting smells.
 
Dorwyn said:
We've bombed the van a couple of times with anti mozzy spray. It does kill but they can hide and die, with resulting smells.
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Not sure if it will work as I have never had to deal with this beetle BUT, has anyone tried ANT killer?

They are hardy individuals so MIGHT work? 🤔
 
I don't know where you would put ant killer, the bugs just appear, no recognisable invasion route.
I tried fly spray and the thing just laughed at me 🤬

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Figaro said:
I'm still getting them but just odd ones now thankfully.
Three this week, the latest one evaded attempts to flick it out of the window and went for the cavity between the outer wall and sofa.
So I dare say that'll appear again in a day or two.
I don't know what the answer is to get rid of them ?
What part of France did you pick them up ? I was in South West France.
I wonder if it was an exceptional outbreak in the area or if it's normal, and if it'll be the same this year.
I know they can be found most places but not normally in the numbers we saw last year.
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Dordogne river.
 
Well I have just removed one from my van. It was sat sunbathing on my bed.
Last visit to France was last September and the furthest south I went was the Loire Valley.
 
Aly1 said:
Well I have just removed one from my van. It was sat sunbathing on my bed.
Last visit to France was last September and the furthest south I went was the Loire Valley.
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They can crop up anywhere, but further south there were hundreds all on a mission to get into any motorhome they could.
Did you have similar experience ?
 
Got three out of our van this week, last in France in Sept.

We set off over again Sunday, hope it’s not as bad this time round.
 
We are still getting at least one a day and it’s nearly eight months later 🙄

Not prepared to do the bomb idea as I’d rather dispatch them than have them dead in all the hidey holes.

I’m relatively sure they don’t breed/ lay eggs indoors from research we’ve done but they are just masters of getting in to everywhere!

When Dave had to take one of the front doors apart to repair it we going a few right behind all the vinyl/ foam etc.

In 15 years travelling this is the first time we’ve spotted more than a few in a year.

Ours were picked up on a campsite about 30
miles north of Bordeaux.

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