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Carpocoris purpureipennis
Family: Pentatomidae

Carpocoris are large shieldbugs which are often brightly coloured in shades of purple, orange and greenish-yellow. The connexivum is often strongly banded and the last four antennal segments are entirely black.

Many of the European species are extremely similar and there remains some taxonomic debate around the validity of certain species. 

C. purpureipennis is best recognised by the pronotal angles, which although protruding, are not very sharply pointed. The black markings on the pronotal angles are also limited in size and their internal edge is concave. These characters are very comparative and all
British specimens should be retained for identification. Carpocoris mediterraneus atlanticus is present in the Channel Islands and could appear on the British mainland in the future.

This species is widespread on the near continent and has been recently recorded as a vagrant in southern England, but has not yet been known to breed in Britain. Abroad the species is highly polyphagous, feeding on plants in many families.
 

Adult: All year
Length 11-13 mm


Carpocoris purpureipennis
Adult: Sussex (May 2020) ©Su Reed

Carpocoris purpureipennis Carpocoris purpureipennis
Adult: Essex (August 2018) ©Colin Byford

Adult: Sussex (May 2017) ©Derek Binns