Identifying an insect

[The Agrarian]

What's this?

 

[Midnight plough boy]

Shield Bug

 

[Clockwatcher]

A Hawthorn Shield Bug.

 

[The Agrarian]

Ok. Thanks just looked it up. Seems it's the native one, but mostly local to southern Britain. I'm 40, been on farm most of my life, and this is the first time I've seen one.

 

[Exfarmer]

Very common in East Anglia

 

[curlietailz]

I’ve never seen one before in my many many years of farming
Have seen about 10 this year. Even had 2 in the house
Hope they eat flea beetles

 

[Kidds]

When people say they haven’t ever seen thing like this I can’t help thinking they must walk around with their eyes shut.
Certainly far from rare around here anyway.

 

[The Agrarian]

Cheshire and Antrim are pretty dissimilar in many ways though. I'll show the photo around to as many locals as I can, just to check if we've all somehow had our collective eyes closed for decades.

Will also show it to my 81 year old farmer dad, who has lived here all his life. I've only ever lived on an intensive dairy farm. But he was born onto a truly mixed farm in 1938. Hasn't much left to learn.

 

[deleted user 837354]

They often alight on things randomly, I am sure they normally fly about. You don't forget them because if you try to brush them off or alarm them at all they release a noxious stink.

I have no idea what they eat but they are quite common and come in a variety of colours and hues.

 

[Phil P]

Very often find them on the combine header when replacing broken knives etc. I did come across this spider ? this year, don’t think I’ve seen one like this before. Definitely didn’t fancy touching it!?

 

[Kidds]

Cheshire and Antrim are pretty dissimilar in many ways though. I'll show the photo around to as many locals as I can, just to check if we've all somehow had our collective eyes closed for decades.

Will also show it to my 81 year old farmer dad, who has lived here all his life. I've only ever lived on an intensive dairy farm. But he was born onto a truly mixed farm in 1938. Hasn't much left to learn.

Yeah, yeah,yeah. I suppose you’ve never seen moles either.

 

[The Agrarian]

Hilarious!