# Bishop's Mitre Shield Bug

*Aelia acuminata*

Its distinctive pointed head shape mimics the dry seeds of the grasses it hides among, providing excellent camouflage from birds.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Hemiptera › Pentatomidae › Aelia
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** grassland
- **Habitat:** Dry grasslands, meadows, lawns, and cereal crop fields.
- **Diet:** Sap from wild grasses and cereal crops (such as wheat and barley).
- **Range:** Europe, North Africa, Northern Asia
- **Size:** 8-10 mm
- **Lifespan:** 1 year
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Pesticide application in industrial agriculture and loss of wild meadow habitats.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless. If handled, they may release a pungent, foul-smelling liquid from their scent glands as a defense mechanism. Observe them gently without picking them up. If contact occurs, wash hands with soap and water to remove the odor.

## About

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## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/ee6a3c12-32f1-4b03-a770-182d66461a19
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/326884
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aelia acuminata
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/8465765/medium.jpg (portioid, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

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