Hainault Forest
SHIELDBUG
Common Toad
Bufo bufo
TQ4791 06/11/2018 ©Raymond Small

Hawthorn Shieldbug

Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale


This common shieldbug is characterised by lateral extensions marked in red, a green scutellum, and typically a red-tipped abdomen. Adults can be found year-round reaching a length of 15 mm and sometimes becoming darker prior to hibernation. They overwinter as adults and emerge to mate in the spring. The larvae are present from May to October and mainly feed on hawthorn berries, though they also utilise various other deciduous trees such as oak, hazel, and birch.