Some people have told Taipei City Councilor Kerr Chen that every year, as spring turns into summer, it is common for people to get sprayed with foul-smelling liquid by litchi giant shield bugs, which are in their breeding season at that time. The liquid causes skin allergy and inflammation, which can be very painful. Litchi giant shield bugs being an alien species, some people confuse them with red fire ants and mistakenly report them as such, but despite several such reports, the city government has been passive and not done much about it. It has therefore been suggested that they should issue a “shield bug warning” to inform the public.
The Taipei City Parks and Street Lights Office says that litchi giant shield bugs are an insect pest that has appeared in northern Taiwan in the last two years. They lay their eggs in April and May and are active between May and July. The office says that in future, when the bugs appear, it will put up public information notices to tell people where they are. During the bugs’ egg-laying season in April and May they will pick their egg clumps off trees and destroy them, or else remove the bugs by spraying the trees with water jets. In addition, for places that have experienced relatively heavy litchi giant shield bug infestations, the office will assess the extent of the damage to determine whether insecticide should be sprayed as a preventive measure.
Chang Chan-jung, director of the parks office’s Floriculture Experiment Center, reminds the public not to catch litchi giant shield bugs out of curiosity, so as to avoid getting burned by the liquid that they spray out of their stink glands to defend themselves. Chang also said that people need not be overly fearful of the bugs, they only need to refrain from frightening or provoking them. If people discover such bugs, they can immediately contact the parks office, which will send some of its staff to deal with it.(Liberty Times, translated by Julian Clegg)
Photo courtesy of the Taipei City Parks and Street Lights Office
照片：臺北市公園路燈工程管理處提供
有民眾向台北市議員陳重文陳情，每逢春夏季節交替之時，常遭正值繁殖期的荔枝椿象臭液噴到，造成皮膚過敏紅腫，疼痛不已。因荔枝椿象屬於外來種，還有人誤以為是紅火蟻而誤報，屢次向市府反映，市府卻消極以對。因此有人建議應發布「防疫警報」告知。
臺北市公園路燈工程管理處表示，荔枝椿象為近兩年出現在台灣北部地區的害蟲，產卵期為四至五月，活動期為五至七月；往後荔枝椿象出現時，會在出現地點張貼宣導文宣，並在四至五月間荔枝椿象產卵期摘除樹上卵塊銷毀或利用水柱沖刷移除蟲體。另外，針對荔枝椿象疫情較為嚴重地點，依照危害情形評估是否進行預防性噴藥防治。
公園處花卉試驗中心主任張栴榕提醒，民眾千萬不要因為一時好奇而捉捕荔枝椿象，以免遭到防禦性臭腺汁液灼傷；也不需要過於恐慌，只要不去驚擾牠。如有發現時，可即時通報公園處派員處理。(自由時報記者盧姮倩)
A: And how about the other star signs? B: Libras can benefit from multiple perspectives, Scorpios will be tough as steel and Sagittariuses may travel around. A: Cool, what’s next? B: Capricorns may take the lead, Aquarius may start a new life and Pisces should be well prepared for action. A: I hope we’ll have a lot of good fortune in the Year of the Snake. A: 其他的星座運勢如何？ B: 「天秤座」左右逢源、「天蠍座」百煉成鋼、「射手座」志在四方。 A: 還有呢？ B: 「摩羯座」一馬當先、「水瓶座」脫胎換骨、「雙魚座」蓄勢待發。 A: 希望大家在蛇年能好運旺旺來！ （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
Despite advancements in bicycle security, millions of bicycles are stolen every year. A revolutionary bicycle lock, called “SKUNKLOCK,” takes a proactive approach to deterring thieves. __1__, SKUNKLOCK releases a noxious chemical that could cause would-be thieves to vomit and effectively discourages them from continuing their efforts to steal the bicycle. While conventional locks can be defeated by determined thieves using specialized tools, SKUNKLOCK’s dual approach of physical resistance and chemical deterrence is highly effective, making it a formidable __2__ against bike theft. The U-lock is made of high-tensile carbon steel, which can withstand attempts to break it using brute
A: Astrologer Ai Fei-er has just released his horoscope reading for this year. B: What do the stars tell us? A: Aries may be reborn through challenges, Tauruses should keep learning and Geminis will have double the good luck. B: Wow, so lucky. A: Cancers may see the light in the dark, Leos should conceal their ability and bide their time and Virgos will brave the wind and waves. A: 艾菲爾老師的2025年星座大預測出爐啦。 B: 今年各星座運勢如何？ A: 「牡羊座」挑戰重生、「金牛座」學無止境、「雙子座」幸運倍增。 B: 真幸運！ A: 「巨蟹座」柳暗花明、「獅子座」韜光養晦、「處女座」乘風破浪。 （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
Due to the Lunar New Year holiday, from Sunday, Jan. 26, through Sunday, Feb. 2, there will be no Bilingual Pages. The paper returns to its usual format on Monday, Feb. 3, when Bilingual Pages will also be resumed.
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