Soaking up the rays...

This is a nymph of the Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina spotted on my river-side dog walk, basking in a welcome spell of afternoon sunshine . You can even see that it is angled to maximise its absorption of the sun's warmth!

The nymphs feed on many deciduous trees and shrubs, particularly hazel, and can be found from June to October. Later nymphs, such as this, are often darker than those found earlier in the season.

It's common and widespread throughout Britain and Ireland, becoming scarcer further north and may be found in many habitats, including parks and gardens. It certainly seems to have been turning up on quite a few blips lately!