Ancyrosoma albolineatum a Shield Bug

Phylum: Arthropoda - Class: Insecta - Order: Hemiptera - Family: Pentatomidae

Also known by the synonym Ancyrosoma leucogrammes, this shield bug is not recorded as breeding in Britain.

Description

The white stripes on the wing cases help with identification. Adults of both genders are typically 7mm long.

Distribution

This visually attractive but smelly bug (when handled it emits a stinky substance as a defence mechanism) is found in southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Asia. The specimen shown here was found in the Algarve region of Portugal.

Habitat

These little shield bugs feed on plants, notably of the carrot family Apiaceae, in dry, sunny locations such as open grassland and scrubby wasteland.

Lifecycle

For food, these bugs they tend to favour plants of the family Apiaceae (umbellifers). There are typically five broods per year, with larvae hatching from clusters of barrel-shaped eggs and going through several larval instars (stages) before becoming adults. There is no pupal stage. Overwintering is by adults, which shelter under leaf litter or in crevices in fallen timber.

Acknowledgements

This page includes picture content kindly contributed by Rob and Jane Petley-Jones.

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