#shieldbugs

[pogomcl]

Brassica Shieldbug, Eurydema oleracea Canon 7D EFS 50 2.8 f/4 1/320 iso:200 Celakovice-Jirina, Czech Republic 5/10/2024

[idiosyncraticrum]

Shieldbugs

Instagram: @crlwrs.photography

[bitsandbirds]

They look so naked as nymphs.

Green Shieldbug/Stinkbug Nymph (Palomena prasina), Ireland

[michaelnordeman]

Hairy shieldbug (also known as sloe bug)/hårig bärfis and Common scorpionfly/vanlig skorpionslända. Värmland, Sweden (June 14, 2017).

[wattophotos]

Green shield bug on the edge of a strand of grass.

[unkn0wnvariable]

Tortoise Bug

A tortoise bug, a type of shieldbug, hanging underneath a blade of grass in Short Wood.

[dansnaturepictures]

15th October 2024: Mottled shieldbugs on bramble leaves which was fascinating to see such a beautiful and colourful scene as the sun came through a bit with another shieldbug seen too, some of a wealth of hawthorn berries in a particular area and a Long-tailed Tit I was thrilled to see a few at Lakeside and sky at home.

It was also great to see a caterpillar, cranefly, two Speckled Wood butterflies and a Migrant Hawker dragonfly floating through the air, Raven, Jackdaw, Magpie, Wren, Great Tit, Moorhen, Tufted Duck, Greylag Goose, Great Crested Grebes, red clover, viper's-bugloss and yellow iris seed pods on walks at Lakeside today. It was nice to see and Pied Wagtail at Lakeside and hear one at home.

[mushiniwa]

[ifelten]

Almindelig Bærtæge (Dolycoris baccarum)

Hairy Shieldbug aka Sloe Bug (Dolycoris baccarum)

[jonnysinsectcatalogue]

Spiked Shieldbug - Picromerus bidens

Firstly, a brief refresher from the first time this insect was showcased on the blog. Though named the "Spiked Shieldbug" (and sometimes called the Spiny Shieldbug), this insect is in fact classified as a Stink Bug (of the family Pentatomidae). It has some distinction from many other Stink Bugs due to its brownish-red underside, the prominent humeral spikes curving to jut out of its pronotum, and its enlarged rostrum. The enlarged rostrum allows this insect to pursue soft-bodied insects and feed on them in addition to plant-based nutrition. This is a good general rule of thumb by the way: Hemipterans with thin, long rostrums tend to feed on plants, while those with shortened, wide rostrums are predatory (for example: compare the rostrums of Assassin Bugs to the rostrum in this Cicada post). Despite their predatory nature, they aren't readily aggressive and can be handled safely with a gentle transition from flower to finger. Furthermore, a keen eye may notice that the individual here appears to be feeding from the flowers using its rostrum at full extension (see Pictures 6 and 10). This Bug may be obtaining immediate energy from a plant's nectar (or other fluids), and obtains essential proteins and carbs when it pierces prey! If soft-bodied insects are on the menu, it could potentially be a valuable population controller with regards to Caterpillar and Sawfly larva aggregations.

Only time will tell if their efforts are a good control or too overbearing, but this specie has been in North America for some time and reports indicate that their population numbers haven't been detrimental. Good thing too, as these insects aggregate when young and the nymphs are predatory as well! Upon hatching, a Spiked Shieldbug nymph appears circular with a dark-red abdomen (the rest of the body is black) which gradually greys with each molt to the next instar. They are reported to aggregate until a few molts, then they strike out on their own, searching for their own prey and trying not to get eaten by something larger than them! They do have chemical defenses if necessary (naturally, they are Stink Bugs), leading all the way to adulthood. At a glance, those shoulder-spikes look particularly fierce, but it's doubtful they are used as a defense tool. Their prominence gave this insect its species name: bidens (meaning "two teeth). Having said that, I am curious about how sharp they are, so the next time I find a specimen like this one, I may hold it by the spikes and see what happens. I likely won't suffer any injury from the pronotum spines; it's more likely that I will be sprayed and the insect will try and fly away or jab me with its rostrum! I'll inform you, dear reader, of what happens next.

Pictures were taken on September 11, 2021 near Kleinburg village with a Google Pixel 4.

[rcannon992]

Last of the summer wine: autumn wildlife

[pogomcl]

Red and Black Striped Shieldbug, Graphosoma italicum and Brassica Shieldbug, Eurydema oleracea Canon 400D EF 100 2.8 f/8 1/320 iso: 800 Celakovice-Jirina, Czech Republic 9/23/2010

[uboacore]

Cool bug!!!

[verminpalace]

type of little guy that matches my nails

[firebugseverywhere]

Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale

[anenglishwoodcomstuff]

Common Green Shieldbug #insect

A rather handsome Palomena prasina. Picture taken June 1. #shieldbug #nature #naturephotography #woods #insects #insectphotography