Shield Bug Hatchlings

Description:

These tiny Shield Bug nymphs are new hatchlings. They had probably just hatched out no more than an hour or two before my wife spotted them and pointed them out to me, at around 2:15 pm. today. The cluster of eggshells can be seen in the photos. I counted 14 eggshells in the cluster, but in the last photo, there is on nymph in the top left corner (out of focus - sorry) which can just be seen struggling up the wall, wearing his eggshell like a coat. So, including that eggshell, there were 15 in total. However, my photos only show 14 hatchling nymphs. So, I assume that one wandered off before I started taking pictures. I have no idea why these eggs would be laid on a white painted wall when there are so many plants in the immediate area.

Habitat:

These Unidentified Pantatomidae nymphs were spotted on the outside of our back wall (the side facing out to the back yard). Our backyard is a good sized area of land with numerous flower beds, pot plants, trees, palms and bamboos as well as a vegetable plot. So, any part of it (or all of it) might be considered the habitat of these little hatchling Shield Bugs.