That, good sir, is a bug.

*applauds* =:P

that would be a stink bug

Close -- it's a Green Shield Bug, which is more or less the British version of the stink bug.

they're also called stink bugs

Not in Britain, usually -- they're overwhelmingly known as shield bugs here.

i can see why ^^

here in America, they're just overwhelming :P

Looks almost like a Green Stink Bug in my opinion.

Almost -- it's a Green Shield Bug.

Predators gon' have a bloody hard time spotting THAT.

Hey, I spotted it! But I didn't eat it, admittedly. =:P

I did a little looking up for you, and discovered that it's a green shield bug. :) Although the stink bug that people are claiming it to be has a similar shape and color, it lacks the series of yellowish spots on the back and the dark speckling, among other things. Anyway, that's a really neat looking!

http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk/bugs.html for my source- The final picture at the bottom of the page. It's a youngster, with wings just beginning to develop!

*Grins* Yes, as you can see I'd just found out for myself what it was, probably exactly at the time you were posting that comment! It was fun to watch, certainly.

Hehe, I hope you don't mind that I try to identify the bugs you post. :) I think it's fun, and I always roll my eyes when I see a bunch of wrong answers! lol.

It's always very welcome, so thank you!

i've seen these, or those which look like them, outside in gardens and natural spaces, a number of places where i've lived in northern california. i've never seen them invade a house or an appartment though, so i'm inclined to be friendly toward them. although for all i know, they may have been eating something i was trying to grow. they look pretty anyway. they don't seem to be native though, at least i couldn't find anything like them in my old "natural history of the sierra nevada". which i was just now trying to look them up in. i have some other references. maybe i'll find them, maybe i won't. but yes, i know i HAVE seen them.

These are Old World natives -- mostly Europe and W Asia, though they extend a little into N Africa. If you've come across this particular species in America, then it's probably escaped from somewhere.

that explains why i didn't find them in my references, but i've definitely seen them up in my own hills. which are full of all sorts of invasive species of everything from everywhere, so that's no big surprise. i don't know if mine were the same exact species. i'd guess probably not. just the same exact shape and all green.

ha, you guys are way faster then me.

pretty for what is basically a stink bug !! ',..,'

I was gonna say 'Stink Bug', yeah :)