Gorse Shieldbug Piezodorus literatus
The Gorse Shield Bug below is a rather close relative of the Green Stink Bug. It even has the same size, the length is some 12 to 14 mm. Fresh adults, like the one in the top pictures, are purple and green. After hibernation though, the Gorse Shieldbugs is green and yellowish green and quite unobtrusive, like the one in the bottom pictures. The antennae are always red though, quite a distinctive feature. Another striking thing about the Gorse Shieldbug is the edge of the body. It has one colour only, like that of the Birch Shield Bug. In most other bugs the edge has a blocked pattern in two colours. The adults appear in August and October, the larvae can be seen from June to August. The larvae differ a lot from their parents, as can be seen in the middle pictures. Despite its name the Gorse Shieldbug also lives on Broom and other papilionaceous plants. This species may appear in great numbers and is a common, but sometimes rather local. So not a visitor to everyone's garden.
