The striped shield bug is common and widespread in Central and Southern Europe. However, it is a Mediterranean species originally. In the eighties and nineties of the past century it suddenly moved northwards successfully. Germany and Belgium were reached in the eighties, Holland and Denmark in the nineties. Recently it has reached the USA (New England).
Both larvae and adults are fond of plants in the carrot family (Apiaceae), like the wild carrot and chervils. Even though most of their food is obtained by sucking on plants, the nymphs will occasionally suck on larvae of other insects.