Sussex shieldbug help

[asheleaf]

Hi all, I'm after some help.

I've recently moved from Surrey to Pulborough, West Sussex, close to the South Downs. Glad as I am to have moved I am desperate to locate shieldbug sites, particularly the Cydnidae, in this area - RH20 / TQ054186.

I'm sure I could track them down myself eventually but I'm hoping someone here could save me a lot of valuable time. I can travel along the South downs if need be between Brighton & Portsmouth but obviously the nearer the sites the more frequently I will be able to visit.

Also if there are any papers/publications/databases re Sussex shieldbugs / heteroptera I would be eternally grateful.

Thank you all very much, Ashe

[Wild-Woman]

Perhaps a chat with the warden at Pulborough Brooks RSPB may be fruitful.

[Dogghound]

What species are you looking at? unless they are very rare surely looking for foodplants in prefered habitats will prove fruitfull.

[asheleaf]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

Perhaps a chat with the warden at Pulborough Brooks RSPB may be fruitful.

I asked did ask there, they said they couldnt offer any advice, not their field. It maybe that i spoke to the wrong person though. I'll try again next time i'm there.

thanks for the thought, Ashe

[asheleaf]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

What species are you looking at? unless they are very rare surely looking for foodplants in prefered habitats will prove fruitfull.

I am watching out for foodplants but most are not that obvious or even, in some cases, that certain. So far I've located quantities of hedge woundwort and horseradish which will hopefully yield lots of shieldbugs next summer.

I was hoping there might be members hear who have made sitings and could share the location, thereby saving me time searching the whole of the south downs for them.

I am particually interested in the burrower bugs / Cydnidae; Thyreocoris scaraboides, Sehirus sps, Legnotus sps, etc.

thanks, Ashe