Yesterday I had another walk around Burdon Moor checking to see if any Redwing or Fieldfare had arrived (not so far). What I didn’t expect to find were five Shieldbug enjoying the afternoon sun (I am happy to be corrected on the identification of them). A Kestrel was out hunting and a small flock of Goldfinch were flitting about the trees.
Female Spiked Shieldbug (thanks Alan for the correct ID)
Sloe/Hairy Shieldbug (once again thanks Alan).
Another Common
Green Shieldbug.
Once again,
I think this is a 5th instar Common Green Shieldbug.
Another Spiked Shieldbug.
Ladybird.
Kestrel
out hunting.
Crow.
Dunnock.
Goldfinch.
This RAF
plane did a couple of fly overs.
Hi Ron, good to see you getting some Shieldbugs, sunny autumn days are a good time to find them, they love basking in the sun any time of year. Your IDs are a bit mixed though, the Forest Bugs are actually Spiked (Picromerus bidens) which lay eggs in the autumn for spring hatching, hence your rather back-heavy bugs are egg-laden females, would be unusual to get adult Forest Bugs now, they spend winter as young nymphs and are first to develop into adults early summer so have likely died off by now. Your first Green SB pic is an autumn-coloured Dolycoris baccarum (Sloe/Hairy), clue is the black and pale stripes on the antennae and on the connexivum (which skirts the main body), otherwise yes they do look a lot like the winter Green Bug. The others are as you say. Cheers, nice to see a few Shieldbugs, will have to drag the family over there while the kids are off.
ReplyDeleteCheers Alan I thought they didn’t look like Forrest Bugs but I just thought that’s what they look like in the autumn. My first thought for the winter green Shieldbug was Sloe bug but I wasn’t confident enough after looking at the picture to identify it as one. More studying is on the cards. Good luck finding some if you do get a chance to visit, I know I will be back.
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