Head to head
Hawthorn Shield Bug vs Green Shield Bug
Hawthorn Shield Bug
VS Green Shield Bug
The hawthorn shield bug and the green shield bug are two common shield bugs of hedgerows, gardens, and woodland edges, and they can be mistaken for one another in summer.
| Hawthorn Shield Bug | Green Shield Bug | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale | Palomena prasina |
| Relationship | A shield bug that feeds by sucking sap | A shield bug that feeds by sucking sap |
| Appearance | A flat, shield-shaped body, bright green with a reddish-brown patch behind the head and reddish wing tips, about 13 to 15 mm long | A flat, shield-shaped body about 1.2 cm long, bright uniform green in summer, with a pale edge to the abdomen |
| Autumn colour | Becomes more reddish-brown before it settles down to hibernate | Turns a dull bronze-brown, which helps it hide among dead leaves |
| Food plants | Leaves, buds, and berries of hawthorn and other trees and shrubs | Leaves, shoots, and fruit of plants such as hazel, bramble, and nettle |
| Defence | Releases a smelly chemical from glands on its body when handled or threatened | Gives off a foul-smelling liquid from glands on its body if it is disturbed |
| Winter | Overwinters as an adult in leaf litter, bark crevices, and the walls and sheds of buildings | Spends the winter as an adult in leaf litter, under bark, or in sheltered corners |
| Conservation status | Not Evaluated, but widespread and common across Europe | Not Evaluated, but native and common across Europe and parts of western Asia |
Hawthorn Shield Bug vs Green Shield Bug: common questions
How can you tell them apart?
The hawthorn shield bug has a reddish-brown patch behind its head and reddish wing tips, whereas the green shield bug is plain green in summer.
Do both smell?
Yes, both release a foul-smelling liquid from glands on their bodies when handled or disturbed.
Which one changes colour in autumn?
Both do, the hawthorn shield bug becoming reddish-brown and the green shield bug turning bronze-brown.