List of shield bug species of Great Britain facts for kids

Shield bugs are fascinating insects. They are also known as stink bugs because some can release a strong smell when they feel threatened. This article lists the different types of shield bugs found in Britain. There are currently 46 known species living here.

Superfamily Pentatomoidea: The Shield Bugs

Shield bugs belong to a large group of insects called the Pentatomoidea. This group includes many different families of bugs. They are often recognized by their shield-like shape. Many shield bugs are plant eaters, but some can also be predators.

Family Acanthosomatidae - The Parent Bugs

Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale, also known as the hawthorn shield bug.

This family is known as the Parent Bugs. They get this name because some species, like the parent bug, show special care for their young. The mother bug will guard her eggs and even her nymphs (baby bugs) after they hatch. This is quite unusual for insects!

• Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale — hawthorn shield bug
• Cyphostethus tristriatus — juniper shield bug
• Elasmostethus interstinctus — birch shield bug
• Elasmucha grisea — parent bug
• Elasmucha ferrugata - stained shield bug

Family Scutelleridae - The Jewel Bugs

The Jewel Bugs are often very colorful and shiny. Their scutellum, which is a part of their back, is very large. It covers almost their entire abdomen, making them look like tiny beetles or jewels. This large scutellum helps protect their wings.

• Eurygaster maura - scarce tortoise bug
• Eurygaster testudinaria - tortoise bug
• Eurygaster austriaca - graminate shield bug
• Odontoscelis fuliginosa - greater streaked shield bug
• Odontoscelis lineola - lesser streaked shield bug

Family Cydnidae - The Burrower Bugs

The pied shield bug, Tritomegas bicolor.

These bugs are called Burrower Bugs because many of them live underground. They have strong, spiky legs that help them dig into the soil. They often feed on plant roots. They are usually dark in color, often black or brown.

• Legnotus limbosus - bordered shield bug
• Legnotus picipes - heath shield bug
• Canthophorus impressus - bastard toadflax bug
• Tritomegas bicolor (formerly Sehirus bicolor) — pied shield bug
• Tritomegas sexmaculatus - Rambur's pied shield bug
• Adomerus biguttatus - cow wheat shield bug
• Sehirus luctuosus - forget-me-not shield bug
• Geotomus punctulatus - Cornish shield bug
• Cydnus aterrimus - spurge shield bug

Family Thyreocoridae - The Ebony Bugs

This family is quite small, with only one species recorded in Britain. They are known as Ebony Bugs because of their dark, often black, appearance. They also have a very large scutellum, similar to the Jewel Bugs.

• Thyreocoris scarabaeoides — scarab shield bug

Family Pentatomidae - The Lesser Shield Bugs

A forest bug, Pentatoma rufipes.

The blue shield bug, Zicrona caerulea.

This is the largest family of shield bugs found in Britain. It includes many of the most common and well-known species. They come in a variety of colors and sizes. Some are green, some are brown, and some have bright patterns. Many of these bugs feed on plants, but some are predators that hunt other insects.

• Graphosoma italicum - striped shield bug
• Podops inunctus - turtle shield bug
• Sciocoris cursitans - sandrunner
• Sciocoris sideritidis - ironwort shield bug
• Aelia acuminata — bishop's mitre
• Carpocoris purpureipennis - black-shouldered shield bug
• Dolycoris baccarum — sloe bug/hairy shield bug
• Eysarcoris aeneus - New Forest shield bug
• Eysarcoris venustissimus; syn. Eysarcoris fabricii - woundwort shield bug
• Peribalus strictus; syn. Holcostethus vernalis - vernal shield bug
• Neottiglossa pusilla - small grass shield bug
• Palomena prasina — green shield bug
• Pentatoma rufipes — forest bug
• Piezodorus lituratus — gorse shield bug
• Eurydema ornatum - red cabbage bug
• Eurydema oleracea — cabbage bug
• Eurydema dominulus - scarlet shieldbug
• Picromerus bidens - spiny shieldbug
• Rhacognathus punctatus — heather bug
• Troilus luridus - bronze shield bug
• Zicrona caerulea — blue shield bug
• Nezara viridula — southern green stink bug
• Dyroderes umbraculatus - white-shouldered shield bug
• Jalla dumosa - Jalla's shield bug
• Byrsinus flavicornis - burrower shield bug
• Chlorochroa juniperina (Extinct)