Currently viewing the category: "Red Bugs"

Cotton Stainer from Cuba

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Subject: Beetle
Location: Cuba
March 22, 2017 4:50 am
Please could you help me ID this beetle we found , whilst on holiday in Cuba
Thank you
Signature: Lynne Demaine

Cotton Stainer

Dear Lynne,
This is not a Beetle, but rather a True Bug.  This is a Cotton Stainer in the genus Dysdercus, and we believe it is Dysdercus sanguinarius based on this En Advisor Travel site.

Dear Daniel
Many thanks  – that is brilliant and so quick too!
The fact it is not a beetle explains why my attempts to ID it failed miserably!
Best wishes
Lynne

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Cotton Stainer from India

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Subject: What type of Beetle
Location: Noida, U.P. India
December 10, 2016 8:35 pm
Hello,
Your site has been very helpful in most cases. Kindly assist in identifying the attached image of Beetle, it was tiny and slim.
Signature: Aditi

Cotton Stainer from India

Cotton Stainer from India

Dear Aditi,
The reason you have had trouble identifying this Cotton Stainer, Dysdercus cingulatus, is because it is a True Bug in the Red Bug family Pyrrhocoridae, and not a beetle.  The Cotton Stainer is pictured on Biodiversity India.  Current Biotica has a scholarly article that states:  “The red cotton bug, Dysdercus cingulatus Fab is an important pest damaging okra in India. Both adults and nymphs feed on developing fruits and affect the crop yield and quality of fruits.”  As an aside, we are fascinated that the city Noida is an anagram for India.

Dear Daniel,
Thanks so much,is it also called ‘Red Cotton Bug’ ?

That is correct.

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Red Bug from India

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Subject: I need help identifying this bug
Location: Mcleodganj, Himachal Pradesh, north india
September 29, 2016 5:58 am
Hi bugman, I came across this tiny during my travels in north India. Could you please help me identify it? Thank you!!
Signature: With love

Red Bug

Red Bug

Though it is pale in color, we believe this is a Red Bug in the family Pyrrhocoridae.  Here is a similar looking individual from TrekNature.

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Mediterranean Red Bug

On · Category: Red Bugs Tagged With: · 1 Comment

Subject: What is this bug?
Location: San Fernando Valley, CA
August 19, 2016 9:23 am
Dear Mr. Bugman,
I found a lot of this bugs in on the wall coming up from the ground in my backyard. I normally do not see them. What is it?
Signature: Ken

Mediterranean Red Bug

Mediterranean Red Bug

Dear Ken,
The Mediterranean Red Bug, Scantius aegyptius, is an invasive species that was accidentally introduced into Southern California recently.  We first found an individual in our Mount Washington, Los Angeles office grounds two years ago, but luckily we have not found another.  According to BugGuide:  “native to the Mediterranean, adventive in NA (first found 2009); established in so. CA.”  According to the Center for Invasive Species Research:  “Recently, another brightly colored, mostly seed feeding bug belonging to the family Pyrrhocoridae or ‘Red Bugs’ has become established in southern California and is drawing attention due to large aggregations of the bright red and black nymphs and adults feeding on annual broadleaf weeds in open space areas.  Scantius aegyptius, an old world pyrrhocorid bug, native to the eastern Mediterranean region, was documented for the first time in North America in Orange County during June of 2009.  Reports of this insect from other southern California locations (i.e., Riverside County) suggest that this insect has been established for a year or more prior to these Orange County collections.”  The site also states:  “Damage: The literature contains very little information regarding the biology of S. aegyptius and Scantius species in general are not considered to be economically important species.  In California, Scantius has been observed feeding on the developing seeds and stems of Knotweed (Polygonum spp.) and Malva (Malva parviflora).  It is likely that S. aegyptius will feed on the seeds of several species of annual herbaceous plants.  The most noticeable impact of S. aegyptius in California will likely be the presence of large numbers of nymphs and adults migrating from drying annual weeds into adjacent developed areas.  These migrations consisting of thousands of individuals can be very conspicuous and lead to large aggregations on small patches of host plants causing concern to local residents who notice these obvious aggregations.”

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Immature Red Bug from Mozambique

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Subject: What is this thing?
Location: Mozambique
July 7, 2016 9:42 pm
Big man,
I was in Mozambique Africa June 10-15 this year and saw this bug. It was about 1/2 an inch long maybe more. We were driving from Tofo to Beliene and stopped on the side of the road. I thought it looked interesting and took a picture. Do you know what it might be?
Signature: – Liz

Red Bug nymph

Red Bug nymph

Dear Liz,
Our suspicion that this is an immature Red Bug in the family Pyrrhocoridae was confirmed when we located this matching image on iNaturalist, but alas, it is not identified to the species level.

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Mating Cotton Stainers in South Africa

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Subject: red bugs
Location: Gauteng, Kempton Park
May 18, 2016 4:50 am
Hi, we live in Kempton Park and have noticed on our pavement trees these red bugs. Can you please advise what they are and if they are problematic to surrounding areas. They are on the tree trunks and in the grass at the Base of the tree. Thank you.
Signature: Tracy

Cotton Stainers

Cotton Stainers

Dear Tracy,
Judging by the mating pair in the center of your image, there will soon be even more Red Bugs at the base of this tree.  They really are Red Bugs in the family Pyrrhocoridae, and thanks to iSpot, we have identified them as Cotton Stainers, Dysdercus fasciatus. Though they are aggregating on the trees, we do not believe they are damaging the trees.  They may be feeding on the seeds of the trees, like the individuals in this iSpot image.

Thank you for taking the time out to have a look like this.

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