Mallotus repandus and ocellated shield bug

Every interaction between plants and animals is fruitful for the successful functioning of the 
ecosystem. They play a very important role in maintaining balance in nature. The 
interrelationships either harm a plant or benefit it. Many interactions between insects and 
plants generally help in pollination but sometimes damage the plants through their pest 
activity. The ocellated shield bug is one such insect that helps in the pollination of their host 
plants and sometimes causes premature fruit fall through excessive feeding by the nymphs 
of the insect. Seeing a good population of nymphs of ocellated shield bugs feeding on the 
fruits of Mallotus repandus near Mahanadi River, Cuttack, the authors decided to perform a 
thorough literature survey to document the host plants of the bug and their influence on the 
host plants.