Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar
Upcoming Events

Photos of insects and people from the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2024

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29


Previous events


TaxonomyBrowse
Info
ImagesLinksBooksData

Species Elasmostethus cruciatus - Red-Cross Shield Bug

Red-cross Shield Bugs Mating - Elasmostethus cruciatus - male - female Cross Shield Bug - Elasmostethus cruciatus Red-cross Shield Bug  - Elasmostethus cruciatus Red-Cross Shield Bug - Elasmostethus cruciatus Is this another P. serieventris? - Elasmostethus cruciatus Elasmostethus cruciatus Elasmostethus cruciatus Elasmostethus cruciatus
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)
Suborder Heteroptera (True Bugs)
Infraorder Pentatomomorpha
Superfamily Pentatomoidea
Family Acanthosomatidae (Shield Bugs)
Genus Elasmostethus
Species cruciatus (Red-Cross Shield Bug)
Explanation of Names
Elasmostethus cruciatus (Say 1831)
cruciatus 'crossed' (refers to dorsal markings)
Size
8-10 mm(1)
Range
transcontinental in the north south to n.GA, TX-NM & CA(2)(3)(4)
Food
host: alder (Alnus, Betulaceae)(1)
Life Cycle
overwinters as adults beneath leaf litter, bark, etc.
Works Cited
1.The Pentatomoidea (Hemiptera) of Northeastern North America
J.E. McPherson. 1982. Southern Illinois University Press.
2.The Heteroptera (Hemiptera) of North Dakota I: Pentatomomorpha: Pentatomoidea
Rider D.A. 2012. Great Lakes Entomol. 45: 312‒380.
3.The Acanthosomatidae (Heteroptera) of North America
Thomas D.B., Jr. 1991. Pan-Pacific Entomologist 67(3): 159-170.
4.Additional provincial and state records for Heteroptera (Hemiptera) in Canada and the United States
Scudder G.G.E. 2012. J. Ent. Soc. Brit. Columbia 109: 55−69.