A common European shield bug, the red-and-green hawthorn shieldbug (Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale) can be seen in gardens, parks and woodlands, feeding on hawthorn, rowan and whitebeam. Like many so-called "stink bugs", they may release unpleasant odours when disturbed. There are five similar green-and-red shieldbugs. The gorse shieldbug is more rounded than the hawthorn shieldbug, while the hairy shieldbug is covered in short hairs and has a black-and-white-chequered pattern around the edge of the body. The birch and juniper shieldbugs are both similar in shape to the hawthorn shieldbug, but are much smaller and have a different pattern.
