# 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.

- **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.

## About

Dolycoris baccarum , the sloe bug , is a species of shield bug in the family Pentatomidae....

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/1c7f2d3a-0f57-4d78-9e97-af65b6d57966
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/51666
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolycoris baccarum
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/583991373/medium.jpg ([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)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.