Had another house visitor flying around the room yesterday,
a Mottled Shieldbug, Rhaphigaster
nebulosa. (La punaise nébuleuse in French).
This little “stink bug” mainly feeds on broadleaved trees,
shrubs and plants. It also usually
spends the winter outside deep in thick ivy or perhaps a fissure in a tree or wall.
As is the case with some other Shield bugs, (True bugs),
they can be a bit smelly if threatened when they can release a strong-smelling
secretion. Young bugs have stink glands on their back; in the case of adults,
these are to be found on the underside of the thorax. Their flight is both
clumsy and noisy which upsets some people that don’t realise what they are or
that they are harmless - unless you count the smell. Then again if people
didn’t insist on squishing them the smell could be avoided.
It’s not such a frequent winter house visitor as the
usual Green Shield Bug Palomena
prasinathe, (Photos below), which can often be found in large numbers in houses, especially
those that are left empty over winter. You need a very well sealed building to
prevent them sneaking in somewhere.
Seasonal camouflage.
Above - Summer colours.
Below - Winter colours.
Chris
