Sloe Bug vs Pigeon Bug

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Sloe Bug Pigeon Bug
Scientific Name Dolycoris baccarum Cimex columbarius
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Pentatomidae Cimicidae
Size 10-12 mm 4-5 mm
Habitat Heathland Woodlands
Diet Seed Feeders Blood Feeders
Regions Europe, Asia Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Sloe Bug

A medium-sized, purplish-brown shield bug with distinctive black and white banded antennae and a hairy body. It is common across Europe and feeds on a wide range of plants including sloe, hawthorn, and raspberry. The body has a dense covering of fine hairs.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the hairiest shield bugs in Europe, covered in a dense fur of fine hairs that gives it a distinctly fuzzy appearance under magnification.

Pigeon Bug

A cimicid ectoparasite of pigeons and doves found in nest sites and dovecotes across Europe. It can bite humans in buildings with pigeon infestations.

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Did You Know?

Removing pigeon nests from buildings without treating for these bugs often drives them indoors to bite residents.