Stats

Lifespan

~1 yr

Size

Small

Diet

Herbivore

Activity

Diurnal

Social

Colony

Biome

Temperate woodland

Range

Palearctic

Movement

Walking

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Warning Colors

Status

Common

About

The European Firebug is a striking true bug recognised by its bold red and black patterning, which acts as aposematic warning coloration to deter predators. Despite its species name apterus ("wingless"), most individuals are merely short-winged and flightless — they cluster in large sunlit groups on lime and mallow plants across Europe and Asia.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   egg

   A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3. 3.
   subadult

   A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4. 4.
   adult

   Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hemiptera

Family

Pyrrhocoridae

Genus

Pyrrhocoris

Species

Pyrrhocoris apterus