Thursday, August 18, 2011

Shieldbug

I found this little forest bug Pentatoma rufipes out for a stroll on a patch of willow herb yesterday.

Here you can see that long proboscis - used for eating plants and for impaling the occasional caterpillar - folded back between the front legs.

I wondered what those inflated purple patches were at the point where the hind leg joins the thorax - until I consulted a few books and realised these are the stink glands that give these insects their alternative name - stink bugs. These secrete a noxious smelling fluid to deter predators...........or in this case the paparazzi.

For some excellent pictures of this insect (and remarkable eggs) - see here.
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14 comments:

  1. AnonymousAugust 18, 2011 at 10:58 AM

    They are amazing little creatures aren't they?

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  2. holdingmomentsAugust 18, 2011 at 11:36 AM

    Fascinating little thing.

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  3. ADRIANAugust 18, 2011 at 12:42 PM

    Stunning Images! I will look out for them. Really beautiful. Are the green ones the same apart from the colour?

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  4. Caroline GillAugust 19, 2011 at 8:14 AM

    A bug to look out for ... Extraordinary eggs, as you say.

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  5. JRandSueAugust 19, 2011 at 12:57 PM

    Superb captures.
    John.

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  6. Midmarsh JohnAugust 19, 2011 at 3:33 PM

    Brilliant macro shots Phil. I only ever seem to see the green variety here.

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  7. AnonymousAugust 19, 2011 at 7:48 PM

    Beautifully captured.

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  8. PhilAugust 20, 2011 at 3:56 PM

    Certainly are toffeeapple - they were wearing should-pads long before it became fashionable

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  9. PhilAugust 20, 2011 at 3:56 PM

    Looks like a suit of armour, doesn't it Keith..?

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  10. PhilAugust 20, 2011 at 3:57 PM

    There are quite a few species Adrian - check out the British Bugs web site at http://www.britishbugs.org.uk/index.html

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  11. PhilAugust 20, 2011 at 3:58 PM

    I wish I could find some of those eggs Caroline ... I'd love to watch them hatch

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  12. PhilAugust 20, 2011 at 3:59 PM

    Hi John and John, they're slow-moving and don't fly much, so I had time to take quite a few pics..

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  13. AnonymousSeptember 5, 2011 at 3:32 PM

    I'm pretty sure that I've seen a few of these recently, but haven't got around to trying to identify them. I shall try your link because I have photos of several similar but different shieldbugs. Didn't get sprayed with smelly stuf though fortunately.

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  14. PhilSeptember 7, 2011 at 12:56 PM

    Hi Mark, there do seem to be a lot around at the moment, I've found a couple on the hawthorn tree in my garden this week. The Field Studies Council publishes a very handy fold-out guide to bugs of the British Isles...cheers, Phil

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