Juniper Shieldbug - Cyphostethus tristriatus

Length 9-10.5 mm. A fairly large green shieldbug with curved and distinctive pinkish-red markings on the corium.

On Juniper and increasingly on Lawson's Cypress.

New adults may be found from late August onwards. The species spends the winter as an adult active in all but the coldest months, and mating early in the spring.

The traditional foodplant is Juniper, larvae feeding on the berries, but in recent years the bug has begun to use Lawson's Cypress.

Previously mainly confined to southern Juniper woodland. This species is now common across southern and central England at least, due to the widespread planting of Juniper and particularly Lawson's Cypress in gardens. It is probably still expanding its range.

Still infrequent in Leicestershire and Rutland, but becoming more common.