mediterranean stink bug

...today, the weather behaved in exact opposition to the forecast - sunny and dry this morning, cloudy and showery this afternoon - which was just fine by us as we needed to have our walk in the morning so that we would be back in time for the boilerman to perform his annual service on our bolier. Following that, we had to clean anf prepare for family visitors who we picked up from the station at 5pm.

I could so easilly drool (strange chap) over the sheer number and variety of butterflies here, so, I have decided to intersperse them with some of the other colourful invertebrates that live around us every couple of days or so! Today, I have chosen the amazingly marked Mediterranean Stink Bug Carpocoris mediterraneus. Like many shield bugs, they appear to be quite gregarious as they are usually seen in groups on any given flower-head.

Now, we are relaxing with a glass or two of Franciacorta, chewing the fat, and generally have a great family evening...