Elasmostethus interstinctus (Linnaeus, 1758)
(Birch Shieldbug)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesElasmostethus interstinctus (Birch Shieldbug)
FamilyACANTHOSOMATIDAE (a family of phytophagous shieldbugs)
SuperfamilyPENTATOMOIDEA (shieldbugs)
InfraorderPentatomomorpha (an infraorder of bugs)
SuborderHETEROPTERA (true bugs)
OrderHEMIPTERA (bugs)
Division Exopterygota (earwigs, grasshoppers, stoneflies, true bugs, and other insects with wings developing externally)
InfraclassNeoptera (bees, beetles, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other advanced insects)
SubclassPTERYGOTA (bees, beetles, dragonflies, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other winged insects)
ClassINSECTA (true insects)
SubphylumHEXAPODA (insects and other 6-legged organisms)
PhylumARTHROPODA (arthropods)
SuperphylumECDYSOZOA (skin shedders)
CladeBilateria (bilaterally symmetrical animals)
SubkingdomEUMETAZOA (metazoans)
KingdomANIMALIA (animals)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
Records of Elasmostethus interstinctus (Birch Shieldbug) :
1: Elasmostethus interstinctus (Birch Shieldbug)
19 Sep 2017 OSGR: SZ19 50° 50’ N, 1° 50’ W Vice County: South Hants (VC 11) England
Female, swept off Purple Moor Grass among small birch
Image 1: Female - dorsal view - enlarged - silver backgroundImage 2: Female - ventral view - enlarged - silver background
2: Elasmostethus interstinctus (Birch Shieldbug)
28 May 2011 OSGR: SY99 50° 50’ N, 2° 0’ W Vice County: Dorset (VC 9) England
Male, with 5 tachinid egg-shells on prothorax
Image 1: Infected male - antero-dorsal view - enlarged - white backgroundImage 2: Infected male - dorsal view - enlarged - white backgroundImage 3: Infected male - dorso-lateral view - enlarged - white backgroundImage 4: Infected male - dorso-lateral view - enlarged - white background (2)Image 5: Infected male - dorso-lateral view - enlarged - white background (3)Image 6: Infected male - lateral view - enlarged - white backgroundImage 7: Infected male - latero-ventral view - enlarged - white backgroundImage 8: Infected male - ventral view - enlarged - white backgroundImage 9: Infected pronotum - dorsal view - highly enlarged - white backgroundImage 10: Infected pronotum - dorsal view - highly enlarged - white background (2)Image 11: Infected pronotum - dorsal view - highly enlarged - white background (3)
3: Elasmostethus interstinctus (Birch Shieldbug)
28 Aug 2010 OSGR: SJ41 52° 40’ N, 2° 50’ W Vice County: Shrops (VC 40) England
Adult, on birch
Image 1: Adult - dorsal view - enlargedImage 2: Adult - dorsal view - enlarged (2)Image 3: Adult - latero-dorsal view - enlarged
4: Elasmostethus interstinctus (Birch Shieldbug)
28 Aug 2010 OSGR: SJ41 52° 40’ N, 2° 50’ W Vice County: Shrops (VC 40) England
Instar III juveniles, on birch
Image 1: Instar III juvenile - dorsal view - enlargedImage 2: Instar III nymphs with 4 instar III Parent Bugs - enlargedImage 3: Instar III nymphs with 4 instar III Parent Bugs - enlarged (2)
5: Elasmostethus interstinctus (Birch Shieldbug)
19 Jun 2003 OSGR: SU78 51° 40’ N, 0° 60’ W Vice County: Oxon (VC 23) England
on Dogwood leaf
Image 1: Female - head - dorsal view - highly enlarged - grey backgroundImage 2: Female - dorsal view - magnified - grey backgroundImage 3: Female - head and thorax - dorsal view - magnified - grey backgroundImage 4: Female - ventral view - magnified - grey background
6: Elasmostethus interstinctus (Birch Shieldbug)
12 Apr 1998 OSGR: SU97 51° 30’ N, 0° 40’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Image 1: Adult - dorsal viewImage 2: Adult - lateral viewImage 3: Adult - latero-ventral viewImage 4: Adult - ventral view
7: Elasmostethus interstinctus (Birch Shieldbug)
29 Dec 1997 OSGR: SU56 51° 30’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Male, hibernating under fallen Birch wood
Image 1: Male - dorsal viewImage 2: Male - ventral view
8: Elasmostethus interstinctus (Birch Shieldbug)
8 Aug 1997 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Female, at MV
Image 1: Female - dorsal and lateral viewsImage 2: Female - ventral view
9: Elasmostethus interstinctus (Birch Shieldbug)
4 May 1997 OSGR: SU57 51° 30’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
on Hazel
Image 1: Adult - dorsal view

Elasmostethus interstinctus (Birch Shieldbug) may be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Elasmostethus interstinctus (Birch Shieldbug)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 5 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Elasmostethus interstinctus (Birch Shieldbug)
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