p.1 #1 · Woundwort Shield-Bug Eysarcoris venustissimus syn. E. fabricii
This is our smallest species of shield-bug, no more than 8mm long. There is a small colony of these living on Lemon Balm Melissa officinalis and other low-growing plants next to a hedge in our garden. Apparently, these are overwintering (typically in leaf litter) adults. They appear on the upper sides of leaves, usually during the warmer part of the day.
Some sources say that the food plant for the larvae is fairly specific, mainly being Hedge Woundwort Stachys sylvatica. Other sources say they are found on Dead-Nettles and some other labiates*. As Balm is a labiate* I shall watch out for immature stages on it.
*Both Lamiaceae and Labiatae are in use as the name for the family.
I found them unusually ready to walk away, usually to the underside of the leaf, sometimes dropping to the ground, when they became aware of my presence. The pairs were awkward, sometimes one moving around the back of the leaf, sometimes both tipping over to one side but each to a different angle. Anyway, I believe these images convey how they look in the field, the metallic effect varying with the angle of lighting/view.
EM-1, Kiron 105mm f16, twin RC TTL off-camera flash, hand-held, kneeling on the ground.
