Sloe Bug
Dolycoris baccarum
Also known as the hairy shieldbug, its body is covered in tiny, fine hairs, which distinguishes it from most other shieldbug species.
- Scientific name
- Dolycoris baccarum
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Hemiptera › Pentatomidae › Dolycoris
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Hedgerows, woodland edges, meadows, gardens, and shrublands.
- Diet
- Herbivorous; feeds on the sap of various plants, especially Rosaceae (like sloe/blackthorn), Asteraceae, and brassicas.
- Range
- Europe, Central Asia, North Africa
- Size
- 10 to 12 mm in length
- Lifespan
- About 1 year
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Pesticide use in agriculture and gardens, loss of hedgerow habitats.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to humans. Safe to observe at any distance. Avoid pinching or crushing them, as they will secrete a foul-smelling, persistent defensive fluid from their scent glands. If contact occurs, wash skin thoroughly with soap and water.
Dolycoris baccarum , the sloe bug , is a species of shield bug in the family Pentatomidae....
Photo: [Photo: Rui Andrade] Sousa P, Grosso-Silva JM, Andrade R, Chaves C, Pinto J, Paupério J, Beja P, Ferreira S (2021) The InBIO Barcoding Initiative Database: DNA barcodes of Portuguese Hemiptera 01. Biodiversity Data Journal 9: e65314., CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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