A medium-sized species which is predominantly brown in colour with a variabe mottled effect, giving it fantastic camouflage among Alder and Birch cones or catkins, where it is often found. The overall colour is variable, rangeing from a rich brown to rather pale brown with a greenish tinge. It gets its name from its habit of staying with the and guarding the young nymphs, something which is rarely seen among True Bugs.
Distribution in Ireland: Widespread and relatively common, but with a paucity of records from some western areas. This may however be a rseult of recorder activity.
Habitat: Strongly associated with Birch and Alder, it tends to be found in deciduous woodlands, parks, bogland margins, riverbanks, carr and farmland where these trees grow.
Habits: A species which feeds on plant species, specifically Alder and Birch but rarely other trees. As stated, females display the unusual habit of guarding the eggs and nymphs. During spring and early summer, clusters of nymphs can be found on the leaves of Birch or Alder, particularly those with lots of catkins and dense foliage. Visual searching can be productive for finding these clusters, but tree beating of these species can be productive for the individual adults in early spring and late summer. Overwintering sites include leaf litter and probably include evergreen vegetation and/or bark crevices, but the preferred sites for this species are not well known in Ireland.
