Arma custos
This brown shield bug looks like a spitting image of the Dock Leaf Bug above. The differences between the species are explained in the information about that species. The main difference is the end of the antenna: yellowish red in Arma custos, dark brown in the Dock Leaf Bug. Arma custos is not a British species and on the continent it is not as common as the Brown Squash Bug and usually a little smaller, reaching a length of 10 to 14 mm. The colour of Arma custos is variable. It may be light brown, but could be very dark brown as well, especially after hibernation. Or it is a shade of brown in between. It is a formidable hunter, feeding exclusively on other insects. It loves small beetles and is really fond of weevils. In Holland it is called the Weevil Bug. Its long sharp snout is capable of penetrating a beetle in the softer parts, especially the loins. Arma custos is being investigated for its possible use in agriculture.
