Shieldbugs in Cumbria
Hawthorn Shieldbug
Shieldbugs are large, brightly coloured and obvious insects. They are generally
slow moving and rather endearing in their bumbling way. There are relatively few
species in Britain and with only 14 occurring in Cumbria they are an easy group
to learn.
With a mixture of common and rare species there is a nice balance between some that
will be easy to find and others that will have to be searched for. Few people have
studied shieldbugs in Cumbria and further effort will surely prove rewarding.
The present knowledge of shieldbug distributions in Cumbria can be improved and
new sites for the rare species may be found. Some species are spreading north and
their distributions in the county can be expected to change fairly rapidly, with
new additions to the county's shieldbug fauna a possibility.
