Take a look at the pictures in the gallery below.
What the fuck is that supposed to be? It was crawling across a pavement when I was out for a wander today, had to take a photo before I stomped it into oblivion.
That was a joke by the way, once the photo session finished I let it go about it’s creepy little bug way. Freaky looking fucker though.
Come on Kate you’re bound to know what this is, chances are you’ve probably got a jar full of them somewhere.
Wow Jon, you noticed something this small that wasn’t made predominately from silicon?!
In answer to your question, it’s a form of WILDLIFE, you know, one of the other millions of life forms running the planet that aren’t us?
Ok I’m kidding, you know I’m impressed you didn’t squash it - and the piccies are good! It’s a Shield Bug. I know that much. They suck plant sap and they can fly, good job you didn’t squash it as they make a weird smell if you do.
They’re pretty common, you see them everywhere, mind you there are several types and I don’t know which one this is so it could be unusual! Haven’t seen one with the black and white bit before. Did you notice its feelers have matching stripes, ahh, cute huh?
I’ll have to ask Andy, resident Bug Geek, exactly what it is and will update.
If you’ve suddenly come over with a crazy interest in little critters check out www.buglife.org.uk if only for the groovy ladybird that wiggles on the homepage! By the way, I’m sure if you’d asked Jo she’d have ID’d it too, she knows minibeasts!!
Reckon you should keep looking for weird bugs Jon, form a collection, Bug of the Week! and challenge us to name them.
I warn you, its a slippery slope.
Oooh, I just found shield bugs on Wikipedia. Your little fella’s on there!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shield_bug
What about the red ‘n’ black one though, looks like Darth Maul. And the stripy Dennis the Menace bug. My faves are the electric blue shiny ones. Bet they’re all from other countries.
Looks like you’re right Kate, it’s a Shield Bug (Troilus Luridus if I’m not mistaken) and about as rare as a dildo at a hen party.
C’est la vie!
Nah, nah, it’s Dolycoris Baccarum, surely?
They need to create some common names for these things.
It don’t say how rare it is on there, so you don’t know yet!
I don’t know how I got drawn into this, but it looks like I’m at risk of becoming a bug nerd. Not good.