#juniper shield bug

Cyphostethus tristriatus, Juniper Shieldbug (I think), on Leyland cypress.

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Juniper Shield Bug - Cyphostethus tristriatus

What a colorful little Stink Bug! It’s a little out of place sitting on a white picket fence. Oh wait a minute, it’s not a Stink Bug, but a Shield Bug. Well, they’re part of the same family of insects (Pentatomidae) whose name references their trapezoid-shaped body structure. This critter is just an offshoot in the subfamily Acanthosomatidae. Much like other Penta Bugs, these guys enjoy a diet of plant juice, especially from the sugary parts of the plants: fruits. Judging from the name of this specie, juniper berries are their meal of choice. But if these guys are anything like other Penta Bugs, they could be generalists on the hunt for any suitable fruit. Not too sure if these guys use chemical deterrents, but given their close relations to Stink Bugs it wouldn’t be wise to poke this bug. You’d run the risk of becoming face-to-face with the documentation that suggests their stink could smell either like coriander or perhaps bitter almonds (such a smell indicates the presence of cyanide compounds). There are also wings available for use if it really needs to get away. 

On a personal note, I do like that you can see their wingtips near the edge of their abdomen. It’s a nice addition to the green and red. Gives them a Christmas vibe.