Each Spring, the return of the insects to my garden prompts me to dust off my macro lens. After that, it tends to be the default lens until Winter sets in once more. However, it always takes me a while to get my macro eye back in. This year, other commitments meant that I didn’t have much time for photography; a foray into the garden yesterday showed me that my macro eye is most definitely still out! Never mind, there’s always next year…
These shots of a hawthorn shield bug are from earlier in the year. One of the challenges with photographing insects in this country is most of them are so small. In warmer climes, there are big, chunky bugs to capture. These shield bugs are among the biggest I see in my garden, and they are still only 8-10mm when full grown.
I must confess that I was not 100% certain of my ID here and originally misidentified this as a birch shield bug. Thank you to Maria for the correction in the comments below.
That’s it, I’m off.
Focused Moments 
Beautiful macros, Rachael!
Thank you, Gracie!
These are gorgeous pictures! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
Great captures, love the colours of the bug and the texture of whatever that is it’s perched on!? 🙂
Hi. Thanks. It’s on a purple sage leaf.
You’ve done it again. You have made something I’m not really keen on look absolutely beautiful. I think the mix of colours is perfect.
Glad you like it. I used to dislike these a lot, but no longer, thanks to photography!
Who could have guessed I’d be following a blog with bugs featured… not to mention the alligator’s in Florida (do you follow Phil?)
Hi. I follow one wildlife blog that is based in Florida and occasionally features gators: Dust Tracks on the Web. Don’t know Phil’s though. Do you recommend it?
Yes. Check it out. He does some phenomenal swamp critters. http://phillanoue.com/
Thanks. Will do!
Lovely series of shots! It is actually a Hawthorn shieldbug, which has an entirely green scutellum. The Birch shieldbug has a reddish ‘blush’ on the scutellum. (I remember this by thinking ‘blushing birch’! ;-))
http://www.britishbugs.org.uk/heteroptera/Acanthosomatidae/a_haemorrhoidale.html and http://www.britishbugs.org.uk/heteroptera/Acanthosomatidae/e_intersinctus.html
Best wishes
Maria
Thanks, Maria. And thank you for the correction! I saw a reddish blush but you are right it is in the wrong place. It was hanging out on purple sage growing underneath hawthorn and birch trees. My planting plan obviously didn’t take into account my difficulties in bug identification!
Ha ha! Well it’s nice to get such visitors in the garden anyway! 🙂
Only had the Green (Palomena prasina) in mine so far but I don’t have birch or hawthorn close by!
I love Hawthorn Shield Bug | Focused Moments
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