Italian striped-bug

Physical features

• Length: between 8.5 and 11 mm (0.33 to 0.43 inch)
• Red body with longitudinal black stripes;
• Black legs subdivided into femur, tibia, tarsus and claws;
• Compound eyes: formed by the juxtaposition of several hundred single eyes called ‘ommatidia’.
• Pronotum: this is the upper part of the thorax (seen from the back) of the Italian striped-bug.
• Scutellum: this is the part just below the pronotum, in the shape of an inverted triangle, which covers it up to the lower end of the abdomen.
• Connexivum: this is the edge of the abdomen (on either side). It is red and black.

Breeding

Mating takes place in an awkward position, back to back (so that the lower abdomens can come into contact).

The female lays eggs.

Overview

It can be seen from April to October.

Its red and black livery (known as ‘aposematic’ = very conspicuous livery characteristic of toxic insects, therefore inedible, and a deterrent for potential predators such as birds) enables it to protect itself from predators (as it warns them of its toxicity).

Diet

Umbelliferae seeds only (angelica, hogweed, carrot, chervil, hemlock, fennel, ferula, parsnip).

Habitat

Meadows or gardens, sunny forest edges, scrubland, scree, etc.

On/under flowering or fruiting umbels.

• Domain: biota
• Kingdom: animalia
• Phylum : arthropoda
• Class: insecta
• Order: hemiptera
• Family: pentatomidae
• Genus: graphosoma
• Species: Graphosoma italicum