harry eales
Ancient Entomologist
Hello Nerine,
Your correct, it is a Hawthorn Shieldbug, there's plenty of nymphs around at present if you keep your eyes open.
Harry
-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Shieldbugs. (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Tammie
- Start date
Hello Nerine,
Your correct, it is a Hawthorn Shieldbug, there's plenty of nymphs around at present if you keep your eyes open.
Harry
steve covey
Jack of all Orders - Master of None
Hi Pierre,
I can't put a precise name to it but it looks to me like a Capsid [or Mirid] bug of some sort. There are many different types and I have little reference literature which might help.
Sorry I can't be of more help than this.
Cheers,
Steve.
ps11aj
Pierre
Thank you for trying.
I made a little detective work of my own and found that it probably is a Calócoris roseomaculátus. I do not know an English name for it.
steve covey
Jack of all Orders - Master of None
Yes, that looks like the one to me too. Never seen it myself but it does occur in an adjacent county to me [Oxfordshire] so I'll keep an eye open for it. Quite an attractive little creature isn't it?
Cheers,
Steve.
ps11aj
Pierre
Yes undead it is.
I saw that it was on a list for endangered species in Finland. I don't know how it is in the rest of the world.
Stuart Read
Well-known member
I spotted an adult Legnotus limbosus on a roadside bank, which contained a profusion of Goosegrass, although the bug itself was on a different plant.
I then noticed 3 dead adults at the bottom of the bank in the loose dusty earth, at the edge of the road.
A couple of nymphs were shaken from the Goosegrass over a beating tray, these were either 2nd or 3rd instars & then placed in a pot with some Goosegrass. They were observed feeding on the Goosegrass & matured into final instar nymphs but then unfortunately they died after a fresh batch of foodplant had been given.
Photos of an early instar & final instar nymphs attached.
Stuart
Attachments
harry eales
Ancient Entomologist
Stuarts experience is no different from many others who have tried to breed out Shieldbug Nymphs. Always ensure that when collecting foodplants in the wild, that they are not taken from anywhere near cultivated land, this is invariably sprayed with an insecticide and spray drift can go out well beyond the field boundaries, contaminating roadside verges and even set aside land where it is immediately adjacent to cultivated fields.
Washing any collected foodplant isn't a waste of time, just ensure it is dry before putting it in the rearing cage. I lost a lot of nymphs before I twigged on myself.
Harry
matt green
Norfolkman gone walkabout
steve covey
Jack of all Orders - Master of None
Hello Matt,
this is the Forest Bug Pentatoma rufipes. I don't normally see too many of these but they seem quite plentiful this year. In between for a lot of species at the moment. Mostly 2nd or 3rd instar larvae which aren't so obvious [unless you go sweep netting!]
Cheers,
Steve.
harry eales
Ancient Entomologist
Steve's got it dead to rights. Forest Shieldbug it is, although you can find it on any trees and bushes anywhere. I've seen plenty of nymphs about this year but it is still a little early for adults to be about in my area.
Harry
matt green
Norfolkman gone walkabout
Thank you for the ID and information, Steve and Harry:t:
Matt
Matt
Stuart Read
Well-known member
Success this time around! I swept an area of boggy habitat in the New Forest at the end of July catching a number of nymphs of 3 different species. I took one specimen, a final instar, of each species home to see if I could get an id & to attempt to rear them. I fed them on willowherb sp. from the garden & they all matured into adults, they turned out to be 2 shieldbugs & another closely related bug;- Eurygaster testudinaria, Eysarcoris aeneus & Rhopalus maculatus.
A couple of photos of the Eysarcoris aeneus attached, I am very pleased to get this species.
Stuart.
Attachments
harry eales
Ancient Entomologist
Excellent pictures Stuart. Lucky guy, living in the far north of England I only have a few Shieldbug species around.
Harry
Harry
Hi Stuart - these images of E. aenus would be very welcome on www.britishbugs.org.uk, as would your pictures of R. maculatus!
All the best
Tristan Bantock
harry eales
Ancient Entomologist
Some years ago, I postulated my belief that the Juniper Shieldbug was probably far more widespread than the records in Southwood & Leston indicated. I.e., no further north that Witherslack in South Cumbria.
I had great success in finding this species in Northumberland and Co.Durham, and, in a note to the Entomologists Gazette, I suggested that entomologists interested in the Hemiptera should look for it on stands of Juniper elsewhere in Northern England and in Scotland.
Less than a year later I was advised that a Cumbrian Entomologist had taken up my suggestion and had indeed found this insect wherever he had looked for it, amongst stands of indigenous Juniper. I did suggest that Scottish Entomologists should also look for this species, as I had a feeling it should occur on natural wild Juniper. After some years no Scottish Entomologist had taken up my challenge, so I went and looked for it myself. The very first stand of Juniper I examined in the Lammermuir Hills ( south of Edinburgh)produced this species. I wrote an additional note in the Entomological Literature and a naturalist in Scotland decided to look at Juniper in the northern areas of that country. I was not at all surprised when he reported finding this Shieldbug in some profusion. Again, on natural stands of Juniper.
It would appear that this, and possibly other species of Shieldbug,
may occur well beyond their known range, simply because they haven't been looked for in the past.
Harry
I had great success in finding this species in Northumberland and Co.Durham, and, in a note to the Entomologists Gazette, I suggested that entomologists interested in the Hemiptera should look for it on stands of Juniper elsewhere in Northern England and in Scotland.
Less than a year later I was advised that a Cumbrian Entomologist had taken up my suggestion and had indeed found this insect wherever he had looked for it, amongst stands of indigenous Juniper. I did suggest that Scottish Entomologists should also look for this species, as I had a feeling it should occur on natural wild Juniper. After some years no Scottish Entomologist had taken up my challenge, so I went and looked for it myself. The very first stand of Juniper I examined in the Lammermuir Hills ( south of Edinburgh)produced this species. I wrote an additional note in the Entomological Literature and a naturalist in Scotland decided to look at Juniper in the northern areas of that country. I was not at all surprised when he reported finding this Shieldbug in some profusion. Again, on natural stands of Juniper.
It would appear that this, and possibly other species of Shieldbug,
may occur well beyond their known range, simply because they haven't been looked for in the past.
Harry
Birding Bob
Robert Williamson
Hi all,
Does anyone know of a good british shield bug guide plz
Does anyone know of a good british shield bug guide plz
harry eales
Ancient Entomologist
Hello Robert,
look at this URL:- http://www.nhbs.com/title.php?tefno=140779
Good value and good pictures, softback. A good guide for the beginner.
Also:- http://www.nhbs.com/shieldbugs_of_surrey_tefno_132643.html
A crackingly good book if you live in or near Surrey, hardback and well worth having as well.
Harry
Last edited:
