Seasonal occurrence of Pochazia shantungensis (Hemiptera: Ricaniidae) in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan

Abstract

The seasonal occurrence of Pochazia shantungensis (Chou and Lu, 1977) was investigated through field observations conducted in Kinokawa City, Wakayama Prefecture in 2024 and 2025. This species overwinters in the egg stage. First-generation nymphs began to appear in early or mid-April. Adults emerged from mid-June and began to lay eggs in late June or early July. Second-generation nymphs began hatching in late July. Adults started to appear from late August, with oviposition beginning in mid or late September and continuing until late November. The eggs laid by the second-generation adults did not hatch until the end of December.

The number of adults captured by a light trap showed a bimodal pattern, with peaks occurring in early July for the first generation and in mid-September for the second generation. These results indicate that this species has two generations per year in Wakayama Prefecture.