I first found one of these cinnamon bugs Corizus hyoscyami in the garden a couple of years ago. Now they are well established here. They overwinter as adults and this is the first that I've seen this year, feeding on garden mint leaves. A strikingly beautiful insect.
This is yet another species that's extending its range northwards, presumably in response to climate change, although I suppose that the wholesale and retail horticulture industry could be giving it a helping hand. Originally it was confined to coastal sand dune habitats in southern England, but now it seems to be on its way to Scotland. Our winters here in Durham have become much milder in recent years, which must make it easier for species adapted to a more southerly climate to become established here.
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