Twig Wilter and eggs (Carlisis wahlbergi) Family Coreidae

The Wild Gardenia is in bloom and the bushes are invaded with these LARGE bugs (twig wilters). They are 2 to 2 1/2 inches in length!!

I was lucky so see this female laying her eggs on a branch, you can see it by the botom bug.

Their eggs are large too about 2-3 mm in length. The females stayed nearby to guard them.

It was definitely mating time.

Although they look like stink (shield) bugs, they belong to the family Cordeidae and not Tessaratomidae. The males do have stink glands though.