Bug FAQForest Bug
Pentatoma rufipes · Order: Hemiptera · Family: Pentatomidae
Also called: Red-legged Shieldbug
Source: Wikipedia
The forest bug (Pentatoma rufipes) is a shield bug about 11 to 14 mm long that lives in forests, woodlands, orchards and gardens across most of Europe. Adults appear from July to November, lay eggs on bark or leaves in summer, and the nymphs hatch the following spring. They feed on sap from oaks, alders, hazel, apple, cherry and other deciduous trees, and can become pests of fruit and nut trees.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Their bodies are dark brown in autumn and lighter, bronze-colored in summer, with red-orange to cream markings on the tip of the scutellum.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
They are considered pests in agriculture and gardens because they feed on fruit and nut trees.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
They are found in forests, woodlands, orchards and gardens.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
They pierce plant tissue to suck sap, feeding on a variety of deciduous trees such as oak, alder, hazel, apple and cherry.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Females lay eggs in summer on bark cracks or leaf tops, and the larvae hatch the next spring.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are present from July through November.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is common throughout most of Europe.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
What trees do forest bugs feed on?
They feed on sap from oaks, alders, hazel, apple, cherry and other deciduous trees.
Source: Wikipedia
Are forest bugs a problem for my garden?
Yes, they can damage fruit and nut trees in gardens and orchards.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Pentatomidae)
Brown Marmorated Stink BugHalyomorpha halysDamages trees, gardens or crops
Green Stink BugChinavia hilarisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Harlequin BugMurgantia histrionicaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Brown Stink BugEuschistus servusDamages trees, gardens or crops
Green Shield BugPalomena prasina
European Striped Shield BugGraphosoma italicumSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_bug
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.