Zeltus

If someone can help me identify these bugs, I’d would be most appreciative. A number of these nurseries appeared in the Autumn, mostly on our Mallow shrubs.

I started off by assuming that they were nursery colonies of Firebugs (or Gendarmes, as the French generally call them – « masques-nègres » "Masked Nigger" is the local non-PC name for ‘em) – English children prefer the more socially acceptable but coarser "Bonking Bugs" – and indeed, it is all they ever seem to do!

But now I’m really not so sure – yes, they are on my Mallows, the seeds of which Pyrrhocoris apterus enjoys eating. But Firebugs have the typically flattened bodies of Hemiptera whereas these show the more rounded shape that indicated true beetles. Unless it’s simply that these are immature forms of some other Hemiptera. I also believe there are a few adults shown in the photo and, if so, they certainly are not Firebugs. And finally, Firebugs are a very bright red whereas these are a rather darker blood-red colour.

Anyway, if anyone can help me identify these bugs, it’d be one less thing for me to puzzle over.

Technorati Tags: beetle, firebug, france, gendarme, hemiptera, Pyrrhocoris apterus