Southern Green Shield Bug?

Hello all,

First year growing veg, pretty pleased with the results so far, thanks to a lot to all the advice I've had from talking to people on here, and a lot of lurking!

We've had a fair amount of pest damage this year though. See this thread where I discussed issues we had.

http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/edible-gardening/35307-various-diseases-pests.html

I came to the conclusion that our decimated runners and broad beans were the result of black fly, but these seem relatively easy to control and I have long suspected there might me something else having a nibble too!

We've had a number of these on our crops (see my photos below). Can anyone advise are these the dreaded southern green shield bug (Green shield bugs / Royal Horticultural Society) or the more common UK native green shield bug? We are in Ashford in Kent, so guess if they are spreading we're not too far from London where I read they have been causing problems.

Should I be worried? Can we do anything (preferably organic) about this? Our garden backs onto a school playing field, don't know if this would increase chances of bug infestation?

 

Looks like the native one to me. There's always loads of them on the underside of our rhubarb leaves and despite what's written about them having a flavour that repels birds, our hens love them.

I also notice quite a few on blackberry leaves when I'm picking berries, which is most days at this time of year.

 

Thanks for the quick I.D. guys. So is this little critter destructive or harmless?

I see them all the time where we are, but never more than 1 or 2 at a time, unless I'm just not look hard enough under leaves etc.

 

The RHS website recons that:
This species can cause damage to some vegetables, especially runner and French bean pods, but it remains to be seen whether it will become established to the extent that it becomes a pest.

 

These bloody critters are back! Just went into kitchen to make a cup of tea and found one in our kitchen on a pepper plant laying eggs. I've already seen a few in our garden this year too.​

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I keep reading mixed messages of how harmful these insects are, but the RHS description as '​

sap-sucking' certainly rings true with the damage done to our strawberry and bean plants last year. Our tiny garden/yard backs onto a playing field which is the only place I can imagine they come from as there is so little vegetation for them to hide in at this stage in our garden. Really want to try and be as organic as possible, but I suspect I didn't credit these little darlings for as much damage as they actually did and I don't want them running riot this year!​

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Staff note : No bypassing the profanity filter please, edited by Ziggy.​

This one was big too, I'd say about 11-13mm long. GRRR!

 

Horrible things, the more I read, the more I realise what a pain they are/are going to be!

'

They can cause plants to be stunted, fruits to be misshapen and discolored, and spread some plant diseases.'​

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http://www.ehow.com/how_5126114_rid-stink-bugs-home-garden.html

Definitely describes the damage from last year to strawberries and runner beans.​

Just found more of our pepper plants are infested with the young'uns - their hard to spot unless you look v.v.v.closely. But you can see the damage done already over only the last 2 days. This one (the worst) has been washed under the tap and quarantined in the bathroom!​