A marbled shield bug poses by walking slowly over the marbled table top on the balcony of the hotel we were staying in at les Eyzies. There were lots of these insects on plants in the area immediately around the village.
These distinctive shield bugs are indigenous to the far east of Asia, but are now well established in western Europe. They have been recorded in Britain, but, as yet, not quite as often. They have also reached the United States, where they are spreading from the east coast.
The table top is marked by what I’m almost certain are fossils. If so, it is not a true marble. Possibly it’s a polished limestone, and just perhaps from a local rock.
ADDED: it seems that while we were away, there have been press reports that this species is poised to invade Britain. From what we noticed of their propensity for fast breeding during a few days of fairly casual observation in rural France, I’m not surprised.