#mottled shieldbug

[hajovyk]

I almost stepped on this silly guy that was chilling in the middle of the sidewalk...

Rhaphigaster nebulosa (pol. Dzidosz mglisty)

[dansnaturepictures]

15th October 2024: Mottled shieldbugs on bramble leaves which was fascinating to see such a beautiful and colourful scene as the sun came through a bit with another shieldbug seen too, some of a wealth of hawthorn berries in a particular area and a Long-tailed Tit I was thrilled to see a few at Lakeside and sky at home.

It was also great to see a caterpillar, cranefly, two Speckled Wood butterflies and a Migrant Hawker dragonfly floating through the air, Raven, Jackdaw, Magpie, Wren, Great Tit, Moorhen, Tufted Duck, Greylag Goose, Great Crested Grebes, red clover, viper's-bugloss and yellow iris seed pods on walks at Lakeside today. It was nice to see and Pied Wagtail at Lakeside and hear one at home.

[clavainov]

pentatomidposting

been seeing the rare fancy pentatomids recently like the blue shieldbug. this is great because pentatomids are top tier insects. going to do a painting or something with all the different species i've observed >:3c i will also include the few i've seen from other families, we're doing shield bugs (Pentatomidae) and ALLIES (Pentatomoidea) (<- no one left behind!!!). here's the guys, all lined up with my best observation for each:

rogues gallery (not Pentatomidae):

for the mottled shieldbug (rhaphigaster nebulosa), I've only observed it as a nymph. i've seen a fair few of the others as nymphs (or eggs), but only the mottled shieldbug as ONLY a nymph. i think this means i need to paint it as a nymph. we will see.

I'm kinda tempted to up the inclusion to all of pentatomomorpha, because then i could include this black and red group, which i have extremely unscientifically grouped by colour despite most of them belonging to different families:

something sad about these beautiful bugs is that our two invasive species (brown marmorated shieldbug and southern green shieldbug), which are displacing native species, are also big fans of overwintering inside people's houses. this is giving shieldbugs such bad PR, because in autumn you just get tons of these stinky losers in your house, which is a problem, because you will sit on/step on some by mistake and their chemical deterrent is pretty brutal. as far as i can tell (mostly from anecdotal experience), our native species overwinter in dead wood or other places that don't bother humans at all. this is engendering dislike towards shieldbugs in the community DDD: on the bright side they sometimes DRINK H. HALYS IN WINE which is objectively funny, and i quite enjoy seeing these lil guys around in people's houses, invasive or not

[pogomcl]

Mottled Shieldbug, Halyomorpha halys, Rhaphigaster nebulosa Canon 400D EF 100 2.8 f/2.8 1/80 iso: 400 Srbsko, Czech Republic 8/5/2010

[ichbineinkriechend]

met a friend today :}

[ID: Two pictures of a mottled shieldbug (rhaphigaster nebulosa, in german: Graue Gartenwanze) sitting on a white wall.]

[tandembicycles]

I found a cool little bug inside my house, mottled shieldbug, which will stink up your entire house if it feels threatened despite it's tiny size. So I decide I'll be a nice bug friend and let it outside because my dogs will mess with it and make it poot. Little thing hops on my finger no problem. It's chill all the way to the door to the garden. I open the door and as it leaves to be free again it betrays me and poots. I stink. It's in my nose I'm sure. My dogs no longer love me. Woe is me.

a purveyor of poots

[nightmarewritings]

I found a cool little bug inside my house, mottled shieldbug, which will stink up your entire house if it feels threatened despite it's tiny size. So I decide I'll be a nice bug friend and let it outside because my dogs will mess with it and make it poot. Little thing hops on my finger no problem. It's chill all the way to the door to the garden. I open the door and as it leaves to be free again it betrays me and poots. I stink. It's in my nose I'm sure. My dogs no longer love me. Woe is me.

Oh noooo! You did the right thing, but stinkbugs sadly have no loyalty.

[gunaerystargarygun]

I found a cool little bug inside my house, mottled shieldbug, which will stink up your entire house if it feels threatened despite it's tiny size. So I decide I'll be a nice bug friend and let it outside because my dogs will mess with it and make it poot. Little thing hops on my finger no problem. It's chill all the way to the door to the garden. I open the door and as it leaves to be free again it betrays me and poots. I stink. It's in my nose I'm sure. My dogs no longer love me. Woe is me.

i’m losing it at “it poots” 

[nanitic]

Punaise grise - Rhaphigaster nebulosa - mottled shieldbug

[dansnaturepictures]

A look back on my 2024: Part 2 of 3-Mammals, dragonflies and damselflies, beetles and others

Another very strong mammalian year in which I saw my highest ever amount of species in a year centred on adorable Red Squirrels as I was lucky to observe them in Scotland and on Brownsea Island. Scotland was an incredible time with so many mammals observed; Stoat and Brown Hare adding to the magic of the wild cottage with lots of wildlife around to see that we stayed in and simply breathtaking wild experiences watching Bottlenose Dolphins on the Moray coast and a Mountain Hare in the Highlands. Roe Deer at the cottage and Red Deer during the week were other highlights with both species key to my year overall with amazing local Roe Deer views and the Bushy Park Red Deer and Fallow Deer experience which was great again in September. I had an amazing year for Stoats seeing two at Rutland Water in July as well and as my fortunes of seeing these species has taken an upturn the past year and a half we got fantastic Weasel views at Bempton Cliffs. We saw Field Voles really well there and got exceptional immersive views of Grey Seals at Flamborough Head. It was a splendid seal year with superb views of Common Seals on the Beaulieu River and in Newtown Harbour on the Isle of Wight on a boat trip in a strong run of mammals standing out in September. A Water Shrew was a surprise first for me as I waded through a flooded path at RSPB Radipole Lake in January and I was overjoyed to see a Water Vole at Rutland Water. Closer to home Fallow Deer and Sika Deer have been great to see in Hampshire and Dorset, with impressive home views of Hedgehogs and I had a magical year of observing beautiful Foxes with top sightings at Southsea and Hook-with-Warsash.

Perhaps unexpectedly again with similar to butterflies as mentioned in my last post a few species I really needed to work for this year I saw my highest ever amount of dragonflies and damselflies this year. It was a green dream for odonata in 2024 with a big moment seeing my first ever Downy Emerald dragonfly at Bentley Wood in May and both Emerald Damselfly and Willow Emerald Damselfly seen at Thurley and Fishlake Meadows respectively. Common, Ruddy and Black Darter gave me thrilling moments this year as did Black-tailed Skimmer with an especially good view of a female at Testwood Lakes and Keeled Skimmer. I was captivated by watching Golden-ringed Dragonflies at Winnall Moors, Testwood Lakes and Fen Bog Nature Reserve. Hawkers owned the summer with a strong couple of months or so seeing Migrant Hawkers and Southern Hawker and Brown Hawker enjoyed too. Azure, Blue-tailed and Large Red Damselflies were also very pleasant to see.

Beetles I suppose took another step up in importance for me this year as I kept a year list of ones I could identify for the first time ever recording twenty species. Green Immigrant Leaf Weevil, Violet Oil Beetle, Bloody-nosed Beetle, Tawny Longhorn beetle and Devil’s Coach Horse Beetle were some of my favourite finds. Once again cantharis rustic soldier beetle, Common Red Soldier beetle, Red-headed Cardinal beetle, Black-and-yellow Longhorn beetle, Swollen-thighed beetle and treasured views of epic Green Tiger Beetles at Bentley Wood in my home area, Strathdearn in Scotland and Fen Bog Nature Reserve in Yorkshire brough vibrant colour to my spring and summer. Dor beetles, ladybirds, Garden Chafer Beetle and Common Malachite Beetle were more delights seen this year.

Some other key species of my year included fascinating Hornet Mimic Hoverfly and Lesser Hornet Hoverfly in the summer, Marmalade Hoverfly, a notable amount of Common Lizards in the summer, frogs and frogspawn, the indomitable Long-winged Conehead one of my key crickets/grasshoppers of the year at Lakeside and Milford on Sea, Mottled shieldbugs, Dock bug, Forest bug, Grey Silverfish and spiders including Long-bodied Cellar spiders at home, lots of snails enjoyed at home and a fascinating Ambersnail seen at Winnall Moors in the summer.

The photos in this set are of; Keeled Skimmer dragonfly at Brownsea Island in September, Common Darter dragonfly at Lakeside in August, Willow Emerald Damselfly at Fishlake Meadows in October, Red Squirrel on Brownsea Island in September, Stoat at Rutland Water in July, Garden Chafer beetle at Magdalen Hill Down in May, Tawny Longhorn beetle on scabious at Shipton Bellinger in August, Hornet Mimic hoverfly at Stockbridge Down and Ambersnail at Winnall Moors in August, Fallow Deer in the New Forest on Good Friday and Long-winged Conehead at Lakeside in August.

[dansnaturepictures]

Ten of my favourite photos I took in October 2024 and month summary

The photos are of; fly agaric at Matley Wood in the New Forest, shaggy scalycaps at Lakeside Country Park, Kingfisher at Blashford Lakes, Speckled Wood, Migrant Hawker, Mottled shieldbugs and view at Lakeside, autumn leaves in Winchester and Michaelmas daisies and New Forest Pony at Lymington.

October was a fantastic month of fungi for me. In the peak season I treasured seeing many spectacular, gorgeous and fascinating species including fly agaric, devil's fingers, amethyst deceiver, yellow stagshorn, shaggy scalycap, candlesnuff fungi, bleeding fairy helmet, eyelash fungi, parasol, turkey tail, earthballs, panthercap, false death cap, sulphur tuft and waxcaps. It has also been nice to see slime mould including red raspberry slime mould at a few places and lichen and moss.

I had a brilliant birdwatching month too with some special species seen heading well into autumn. Key species seen were a fair few Kingfishers, Water Rail, Great White Egret, Greenshank, Avocet, Lapwing, Jack Snipe, Sanderling, Common Gull, Pochard, Gadwall, Pintail, Wigeon, Shoveler, Teal, Goosander, Brent Geese, Egyptian Geese, Little Grebe, Marsh Harriers, Siskin, Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, lots of Jays seen in their active time of year, notable Ravens at Lakeside and home, Dunnock, Blackcap at Lakeside, Cetti's Warbler, Wren and Long-tailed Tit. Turnstones and Ringed Plover seen well, Tufted Duck, Mute Swan, Moorhen, Coots and Greylag Geese at Lakeside, Jackdaw and Magpie seen a lot, Red Kite in Winchester, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Chaffinch, Grey Wagtail seen well and Pied Wagtail were also great to see. Glorious scenes came this month with the return of the Redwings a key bird of the autumn and winter, I was elated to see a Hen Harrier and I was thrilled to see the Winchester Peregrines and Lakeside Great Crested Grebes including their chicks a lot.

There were some nice butterflies to see still with lots of Speckled Woods especially at Lakeside, Red Admiral and Peacock and I was amazed to see a Hummingbird Hawk-moth in Winchester as well as other moths. Dragonflies and damselflies continued to shine this month with so many splendid views of Migrant Hawkers and Southern Hawker and Common Darters too. My first Willow Emerald Damselfly of the year was special to see at Fishlake Meadows. Other insects I enjoyed seeing this month were Mottled shieldbugs and other shieldbugs, wasps and hornets. It was good to see lots of spiders this month too including Long-bodied Cellar spider at home and snails and slugs. In terms of mammals I enjoyed seeing the also active Grey Squirrels a few times, Roe and Fallow Deers and New Forest Ponies.

Key flowers seen this month included Michaelmas daisies, forget-me-not, comfrey, lots of oxtongue, dandelion, tormentil, bell heather, common mallow, white deadnettle, stinging nettle, daisy, water mint, vervain, viper's-bugloss, horseweed, common and ivy-leaved toadflax, hogweed, yarrow, hedge woundwort, ragwort, gorse, dock, herb-Robert and wood avens which brought some wonderful colour as it quietened down for flowers. Wild carrot, teasel, hemp agrimony and spear thistle were among pretty seed heads enjoyed this month with cleavers enjoyed too. There was also a great display of berries this month again with rose hips, hawthorn berries, guelder rose berries, dogwood berries, nightshade berries and snowberries creating vibrant scenes.

And of course this month the splendour of autumn's colour was captivating and wholesome to observe. I also enjoyed taking in many great other vistas this month including coast, reedbed and general wetland, rivers and New Forest heaths and woodland. There were some special sky scenes observed this month too. Have a great November all.