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Eurydema oleracea Brassica Shieldbug
Family: Pentatomidae

 Species of Eurydema are dramatically coloured, usually red and black bugs, but often with other colour morphs. In E. oleracea the dark metallic green/blue-black ground colour is overlain with red, yellow, cream or orange markings.

This bug overwinters as an adult, emerging in the spring. Larvae, which are similar to those of the rarer E. dominulus, may be found May-July on a range of hostplants in the Brassicaceae such as garlic mustard and horse-radish. Well distributed in southern and central England, with recent records from south Wales.

Compare E. ornatum, E. dominulus

 Adult: All year
Length 6-7 mm

see illustrated life stages chart		 Eurydema oleracea
Red & pale form adults: Jersey (May 2008) ©Tim Ransom
Eurydema oleracea Eurydema oleracea
Pale form adult: (July 2007) ©Ian Tew

 Pale form adult: Berks (May 2009) ©Jonathan Michaelson
Eurydema oleracea Eurydema oleracea
Red form adult: London (April 2008) ©Tristan Bantock

 Red & pale form adults: west London (August 2006) ©Sarah Barnes
Eurydema oleracea nymph Eurydema oleracea nymph
Nymph: north London (July 2008) ©Tristan Bantock Nymph: London (August 2008) ©Laurence Counter