Ocellated Shield Bug

Ocellated Shield Bug

Cantao ocellatus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Singapore

In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%

108 Verified sightings at Singapore
98 In all 3 parks From 2019 to 2026
January Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Ocellated Shield Bug

Cantao ocellatus is a species of shield bug in the family Scutelleridae found across Asia. Cantao ocellatus is reddish or ochre in overall colour it has dark legs and bluish black antennae. A dark bluish black stripe is present along the central line of the head. The pronotum sometimes has two black spots on the front margin and sometimes has eight spots. The scutellum has eight or six black spots of variable size but with yellowish borders. The lateral angle of the pronotum is elongated into a curved spine but this can be much reduced. A distinctive symbiotic bacterial genus Sodalis from phylum Gammaproteobacteria is found in its midgut. Maternal care of eggs and nymphs has been noted in this species. The female stands over and covers the eggs after they are laid but eggs on the edge that she cannot cover are often parasitized by wasps.

Cantao ocellatus has been reported from the Indian Subcontinent into Southeast Asia and Papua New Guinea. It has also been reported from Japan and Zaire. Cantao ocellatus suck sap from a wide range of plants including Macaranga, Camellia sasanqua, Kigelia, Mallotus, Bischofia javanica... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Taroko National Park 🇹🇼 Taiwan
~30%
2 Cuc Phuong National Park 🇻🇳 Vietnam
~20%
3 Khao Yai National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~10%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Taichung 🇹🇼 Taiwan
~10%
2 Zhuhai [Macau] 🇨🇳 China
~10%
3 Kunming 🇨🇳 China
~10%
4 Fuzhou 🇨🇳 China
~10%
5 Taipei 🇹🇼 Taiwan
~10%
6 Hong Kong 🇨🇳 China
~10%
7 Tuen Mun 🇨🇳 China
~10%
8 Kuala Lumpur 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~10%
9 Guangzhou 🇨🇳 China
~10%
10 Tainan 🇹🇼 Taiwan
~10%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an Ocellated Shield Bug in Singapore?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Ocellated Shield Bug sighting in Singapore on a given day, based on 108 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 251st most-seen of the 1045 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see an Ocellated Shield Bug in Singapore?

May and October–March

In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report an Ocellated Shield Bug in Singapore on a given day, against under 5% in April and June–September, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see an Ocellated Shield Bug?

Between 8 and 11 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Ocellated Shield Bug sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Singapore the best place to see an Ocellated Shield Bug?

Among the best

Of the 15 cities where we can rate Ocellated Shield Bug sightings, Singapore ranks 11th at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Taichung (Taiwan, about 10%), Zhuhai [Macau] (China, about 10%) and Kunming (China, about 10%).

Where does the Ocellated Shield Bug sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Ocellated Shield Bug is recorded against all the insects logged in Singapore (108 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

← Back to Singapore