Forest Bug (Pentatoma rufipes)
August 15, 2011 in Other Invertebrates by ChrisLuv
Look out for these “Red Legged” Shieldbugs in the wooded areas of the valley, particularly on Oak, they are a common and widespread species – I came across this one in Scarborough. Records do exist in the local area too though, keep an eye out from late July to the end of Autumn.
Identification should be fairly straightforward, the spot on the back can vary in colour from cream to orange. Otherwise look out for its red legs and “shoulder pads”.
The nymphs (I don’t have a photo) will look like the usual shieldbug nyphs, much rounder than the adult but with similar markings.
Good shots Chris, especially the first one. Really shows the creature well.
I’ve seen these in on the hill near the tower in Shipley Park.
Thanks Paul. Tricky to photograph this beast, especially as it moved around quickly. The forest floor is not know for its light levels, and so I pumped up the ISO to 800. That coupled with the low depth of field on the lens (with the aperture wide open) made it a tricky task. Though I learned a great deal, but wasted a fair number of shots.