Thank God - an insect!

Keen entomologists get stir-crazy at this time of the year. Apart from the odd butterfly suddenly appearing in the warmth of the house (and needing to be transfered to a cold garage or shed) we don't see a lot of live specimens. When I was moving a stack of wood offcuts in the garden I came across this lovely shieldbug. What's more, it's a new record for my garden, and probably the village. It is Gorse Shieldbug, Piezodorus lituratus, which (luckily, as there's no gorse or broom nearby) also feeds on a range of other plants, including Laburnum and clovers. It should be hibernating right now, but the mild few days last week have obviously woken it up - not good!