Shield bug

Woundwort Shield Bug (Stagonomus venustissimus)

A wander around the garden last week netted us an unfamiliar shield bug on one of the Common Ragwort flowerheads. Some quick research on the British Bugs website – an online guide to the UK's Hemiptera species – showed it to be a Woundwort Shield Bug (Stagonomus venustissimus). This is one of the UK's smaller shield bugs, measuring in at a mere 5-7 mm (about 1/4 inch). It's widespread across much of southern and central England, as far north as Yorkshire. It's much less common in western England and Wales. Elsewhere, it's found across most of Europe. The primary food source for its developing youngsters is Hedge Woundwort – hence the insect's common name – though they will also nibble on White and Red dead-nettles and Black Horehound. Given that we have plenty of the latter two "also rans" in our garden, perhaps we'll harbor some shield bug offspring in the coming months.