Shield Bugs
Shield Bugs… people seem to either love them or hate them. I love them.
Personally I think that here in the U.K. we have a beautiful selection of native species that do not deserve the bad reputation they have acquired so I have created this page to show you which species we raise & study and also to dispel a few misconceptions.
1 - Shield bugs do NOT bite. They do not have jaws, just mouthparts designed to suck juices & sap.
2 - They DO release a strong, almond scent if they feel threatened. Usually it is no worse than some chemicals released by certain phasmids or millipedes, even the Garlic Snail (Oxychilus alliarius) smells just as strongly when handled.
3 - The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug that has been getting a lot of publicity as an ‘invasive international pest that can invade homes and cause skin irritation’ has made a lot of people panic about our own pretty little native species. Yes the BMSB is destructive to crops but it is not one of our own native species and you can’t tar all bugs with the same brush.
The majority of our native species do not cause any real damage
they just smell bad sometimes - so do humans but it doesn’t stop you liking them!
In all honesty, raising our shield bugs from egg to adult is great fun as we get to see all the different colours changing with each instar, they are easy to care for and I just change the leaves & plant stems outside so I don’t stink up the house.
Personally I think that here in the U.K. we have a beautiful selection of native species that do not deserve the bad reputation they have acquired so I have created this page to show you which species we raise & study and also to dispel a few misconceptions.
1 - Shield bugs do NOT bite. They do not have jaws, just mouthparts designed to suck juices & sap.
2 - They DO release a strong, almond scent if they feel threatened. Usually it is no worse than some chemicals released by certain phasmids or millipedes, even the Garlic Snail (Oxychilus alliarius) smells just as strongly when handled.
3 - The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug that has been getting a lot of publicity as an ‘invasive international pest that can invade homes and cause skin irritation’ has made a lot of people panic about our own pretty little native species. Yes the BMSB is destructive to crops but it is not one of our own native species and you can’t tar all bugs with the same brush.
The majority of our native species do not cause any real damage
they just smell bad sometimes - so do humans but it doesn’t stop you liking them!
In all honesty, raising our shield bugs from egg to adult is great fun as we get to see all the different colours changing with each instar, they are easy to care for and I just change the leaves & plant stems outside so I don’t stink up the house.