Sections

Dolycoris baccarum (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) belongs to one of my favourite insect families, the shield bugs. I have fond memories of seeing shield bugs as a child and they make me think of summer. I hope to see all of the British Pentatomidae and have been planning my some of my summer trips to fill the gaps.

Dolycoris baccarum (adult)

I find D. baccarum particularly attractive because of the pattern on its antennae and connexivum (the part with black markings either side of the abdomen). Another notable feature of D. baccarum is that it’s covered in fine hairs. If you look hard in the photo above you can see them.

The adults overwinter and become active in late Spring, laying their eggs around June. It often feeds on Prunus spinosa (blackthorn/sloe) from which it gets one of its vernacular names, the sloe bug, but will feed on other plants.

For more information, photographs and an illustrated stages chart, go to the British Bugs page. I got some information from the photographic shieldbug guide by Martin Evans and Roger Edmondson which I recommend and is referenced below.

Reference:

Evans, M. & Edmondson, R. (2005) A Photographic Guide to the Shieldbugs and Squashbugs of the British Isles. WGUK.