Oncacontias vittatus
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
Oncacontias vittatus, also known as forest shield bug, is a species of shield bug only found in New Zealand. The adult is rather distinctive and conspicuous in colouration and is commonly encountered. It is herbivorous, with the adults being recorded feeding on Coriaria arborea and likely other plant species. However, the juveniles appear to have a more restricted diet, preferring to feed on grasses. O. vittatus was first described in taxonomic literature in 1781 by Danish zoologist Johan Christian Fabricius. It is widespread throughout New Zealand and is found in a wide range of habitats, but is commonly associated with forest. The adult is most common during spring months, but occurs year-round. Mating occurs in October and November, with the species apparently only producing one brood per year. The eggs of O. vittatus are known to be parasitised by Trissolcus maori, a species of parasitic wasp.
Oncacontias vittatus was first described in taxonomic literature in 1781 by Danish zoologist Johan Christian Fabricius as Cimex vittatus. In 1851, C. vittatus was moved to the Acanthosoma genus and was renamed as Acanthosoma vittatum. Later in 1878, A. vittatum was moved to... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arthur's Pass National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Abel Tasman National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 3 | Egmont National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 4 | Rakiura National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 5 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auckland | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Forest Shield Bug sighting in Rakiura National Park on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 88th most-seen of the 118 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Forest Shield Bug in Rakiura National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February–September and December, the lowest months.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Forest Shield Bug sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
4th of 5
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Forest Shield Bug sightings, Rakiura National Park ranks 4th at about 10%. The best odds are in Arthur's Pass National Park (New Zealand, about 20%), Abel Tasman National Park (New Zealand, about 10%) and Egmont National Park (New Zealand, about 10%).
Same order: Hemiptera
The closest relatives of the Forest Shield Bug that you can see in Rakiura National Park (order Hemiptera, True Bugs, Hoppers, Aphids, and allies) are Pink Cicada (about 10%) and Subalpine Green Cicada (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Forest Shield Bug is recorded against all the insects logged in Rakiura National Park (6 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
