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Shieldbugs. (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Tammie
- Start date
Stuart Read
Well-known member
harry eales
Ancient Entomologist
Hello mandi,
The easiest way is to use a beating tray, hold it under the branches of Hawthorn, Sloe, or almost any berry bearing bush. Hit the branches above the tray with a stick and if they're present they will drop into the tray, along with all sorts of larvae, spiders and other insects.
OR, you could spread a sheet out under the bush and hit the branches. It's less convenient to do it this way, especially if there is a wind. You don't have to belabour the bush, a smart tap will suffice. The adults will be dying off shortly after having mated and laid ova, so don't leave it too long before having a go at finding them.
Whilst this Shieldbug bears the name Hawthorn, it is by no means confined to this particular bush. I have found it on just about every common species of shrub, bush or tree. Good luck.
Harry.
walwyn
Well-known member
I was on the Welsh border a couple of weeks ago and 100+ flew in to small building plot.
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harry eales
Ancient Entomologist
That's one of the advantages of living in the southern part of Britain, there are more Shieldbug species to be found. The further north you go the less there are to be seen. The Sloe Bug is on the very edge of it's range in the most northern counties of England.
Over the past thirty or so years the distribution of some of the Shieldbug species has been changing slowly and they are movig north. E.g. Fifty years ago the Hawthorn Shieldbug had just reached Co.Durham, today it can be found over most of Scotland.
Harry
Imaginos
Well-known member
harry eales
Ancient Entomologist
That's true, a large Golfing umbrella will do very well for occasional use, and they're cheap. I've seen them for less than a fiver in garages (of all places), probably even cheaper at a car boot sale.
Harry
Stuart Read
Well-known member
Went to the same spot in Breckland where i found a few Odontoscelis lineola last year & once again was searching under Storksbill leaves, only this time i managed to find 2 specimens of Arenocoris falleni, photos attached.
The books say these are coastal?
Stuart.
The books say these are coastal?
Stuart.
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Dolycoris baccarum eggs
Spotted it laying eggs but by the time I had run in to get the camera it had trundled off. I was going to keep an eye on these and take more photos as and when the young emerged but, I forgot when I was weeding and pulled the plant out.
We get a fair amount of these round the Notts area
Spotted it laying eggs but by the time I had run in to get the camera it had trundled off. I was going to keep an eye on these and take more photos as and when the young emerged but, I forgot when I was weeding and pulled the plant out.
We get a fair amount of these round the Notts area
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Surreybirder
Ken Noble
Kris, this one found in our garden appears to be the same species (Dolycoris baccarum?). Does it have a common name?
Ken
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harry eales
Ancient Entomologist
Hello Ken,
It is the same species (D. baccarum) otherwise known as the Sloe Bug. It can be found on just about anything but Sloe. lol. It's as rare as Hen's teeth in my neck of the woods. I'm a little too far north.
Harry
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Surreybirder
Ken Noble
harry eales
Ancient Entomologist
Ken,
Those are the Woundwort Shieldbug Eysarcoris fabricii. Another species I don't get up north.
Harry
Hello Harry, all,
I found some green shieldbugs (Palomena prasina) eggs 3 days ago on a Crocosmia leaf in the garden, and today they hatched. Here are some pics I got, the first taken 3 days ago, and the rest taken today.
Leo
I found some green shieldbugs (Palomena prasina) eggs 3 days ago on a Crocosmia leaf in the garden, and today they hatched. Here are some pics I got, the first taken 3 days ago, and the rest taken today.
Leo
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harry eales
Ancient Entomologist
kittykat23uk
Well-known member
harry eales
Ancient Entomologist
kittykat23uk
Well-known member
Yay! Go me! :cat:
