Woundwort Shieldbug

Name: Woundwort Shieldbug

Scientific name: Eysarcoris fabricii

Category: Minibeasts

Nature Stars: 40

What are nature stars?

About: Where ever Hedge Woundwort grows, the Woundwort Shieldbug is likely to be found. This is one of the smaller shieldbugs, measuring just over 5mm in length, but what it lacks in size the Woundwort Shieldbug makes up for in sociability. Whilst most species tend to be found in ones or twos, this elegant maroon and silver animal clusters together in large congregations in the large spring and early summer to mate. Sunny hedgebanks and sheltered woodland edges are the places to check.

How to identify: A small rounded shielbug, silvery grey with shiny bronze patches on the thorax and head. Always found on Hedge Woundwort.

Where: Southern and central Britain.

Natural Superpowers

• Predator: 10
• Agility: 50
• Rarity: 50
• Cute factor: 40
• Traveller: 20

Fantastic fact:

Photograph credit: Borqje