Is this a very small shieldbug?

[loripo]

Not the best quality photo I'm afaid, but it was very active and kept going under the leaf.

[tristanba]

It certainly is - the small burrowing shieldbug Legnotus limbosus. These are strongly ground-dwelling, but much more active in spring, especially on hot days. They are associated with bedstraw and are fairly common, but rarely seen due to their inconspicuous lifestyle. They are most easily found by searching around the roots of the foodplant and also turn up in pitfall traps quite often.

Nice find - was this in Battersea Park?

[loripo]

Yes it was - yesterday. On my favourite Griselinia Littoralis hedge which seems to be a favourite of all sorts of inverts. I wasn't sure what it was but saw one in the flickr group and thought I'd ask to be sure. Is that the smallest shieldbug we have?

[tristanba]

Thanks - I think the Negro Bug Thyreocoris is officially the smallest, but there's very little in it!