About Carlisis wahlbergi Stål, 1858
Carlisis wahlbergi (Stål, 1858), commonly known as the Gardenia twig wilter, is a species of Coreidae in the order Hemiptera found in Central and Southern Africa. This species was first described by Carl Stål, a Swedish expert on Hemiptera. Stål’s description was based on a specimen collected by Swedish naturalist Johan August Wahlberg at Lake Ngami in Bechuanaland. Carlisis wahlbergi shows a distinct preference for feeding on the sap of Gardenia thunbergia and Gardenia volkensii. The nymphs of this species have strongly offensive scent glands that deter predation and interference. Analysis of the defensive secretion these glands produce found it is made up mostly of acetic acid (66%), trans-2-hexenal (17%) and 3-hydroxybutanal (14%). Despite this defensive trait, adult Carlisis wahlbergi are eaten as food in Zimbabwe. Nymphs of various other coreid species secrete alarm pheromones from their dorsal abdominal glands.
