scutellerid species

This is a shield-backed bug. They greatly resemble stink bugs. Most adults are 8- to 10-mm long and feed on plants. They can generally be found in fields, shrub-filled areas, and wood edges in areas with variable relative humidity from spring through fall. Shield-backed bugs get their name from the enlarged exoskeletal plate on their back, named a scutellum, that protects their wings and abdomen from predators and the environment. This individual is an immature, called a nymph.

Order: Hemiptera
Family: Scutelleridae

Photograph: © 2010 RKD Peterson
Date of Photograph: 22 July 2010
Location: Montana, Gallatin Co. (45o43’41” N 111o08’11” W)