SHIELD BUGS
Pentatomidae and related families

'Shieldbugs of Surrey' by Roger Hawkins, published by Surrey Wildlife Trust, has a key for British shieldbugs (and relatives) with excellent photographs. There is a good German picture site at Koleopterologie.

This page is mainly an album of haphazardly photographed sightings and neither comprehensive nor systematic. Some photos may be enlarged by clicking. Two things to note are that appearances of bugs change drastically during their development: not only do the early stages (nymphs) not have wings but they may have different shapes and colours. Most of these photos are of mature insects - however, even these have variable patterns and may change colour over a few weeks in autumn.
 

Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale Hawthorn shieldbug Family: Acanthosomatidae The most abundant British shieldbug? Certainly the most widespread  Most commonly on hawthorn Crataegus monogyna but also on other fruit-forming shrubs.		On garden rose Sheffield 22/9/05
Pentatoma rufipes Forest bug Family: Pentatomidae		On Buddleja Sheffield 18/9/05 (Blow-up on line _/02)
Palomena prasina Green shieldbug Family: Pentatomidae This in the green summer colour: it changes to brown before hibernation. (Probable) nymph at far right.		On Buddleja Sheffield 18/9/05
Heterogaster urticae Nettle bug Family: Lygaeidae May be very numerous on stinging nettles in late summer.		Abthorpe _/8/05
Eysacoris fabricii Woundwort bug Family: Pentatomidae Feeds on Stachys sylvatica
Aelia acuminata Bishop's Mitre Family: Pentatomidae Photo © Les Wilson		Hackney, Wick Woodland _/04
Dolycoris baccarum Sloe bug Family: Pentatomidae Photo © Les Wilson		Hackney, Wick Woodland _/04
Elasmucha grisea Parent bug Family: Acanthosomatidae Takes its name from the care it gives to its eggs. The young nymphs will continue to aggregate for some time (far right). Often very numerous.		Essex 20/7/04 Photo © Jill Attenborough
Picromerus bidens Family: Pentatomidae A predatory species known to eat sawfly larvae and caterpillars. The one to right was digesting a large hairy caterpillar, probably of the fox moth. Recognisable by very sharp points on its 'shoulders'.		Totley 24/9/05
Eurydema oleracea Brassica bug Family: Pentatomidae Photo © Les Wilson		Hackney, Wick Woodland _/04
Ground bugs Family: Lygaeidae Not shieldbugs and British species are all brown - however ones with red markings are found in northern Europe. The illustrations are of an unidentified species from Greece.		Kaiafas _/8/05
Pyrrhocoris apterus Firebug Family: Pyrrhocoridae Again, not shield bugs but having the red markings that may be confused with other families. Pyrrhocoris species are common round the Mediterranean but only recent established in northern Europe.		Paris _/8/04
Family: Pentatomidae NOT yet found in Britain but  common around the Mediterranean. Graphosoma italicum (L) and Graphosoma semipunctatum.		Kaiafas _/8/05
The ova (eggs) of heteropterans are clear, round and laid neatly in patches. Most newly eclosed nymphs (first instar) are also rounded. Recently emerged nymphs and eggs or egg-cases from a lime tree (right) Photograph © Denzil Devos

Taxonomy is complex: the Pentatomorpha contains the shieldbugs and related families
[The members of the Pentatomidae are defined by having five segments on their antennae, other families have four.]

I have many pictures as yet unidentified - some are on the 'orphans' page

TO BUGS - HEMIPTERA PAGE
TO GARDEN-INSECTS PAGE
TO LINKS - BUGS
TO HOME PAGE

CREATED 22/9/2005
LAST MODIFIED 25/9/2005