#Firebug #Pyrrhocoris #apterus is distributed across parts of the #Palaearctic with northward trend. Most individuals are #shortwinged (#brachypterous), only 5% #longwinged (#macropterous). With few exceptions, all are #flightless, but differ in their#lifehistories. E. Gyuris et al. (2010) found differing #individualbehaviors (#personalities) with females of the long-winged morph being "braver and more exploratory."

©#StefanFWirth #Berlin 2025

Ref
https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2010.1326

#Photos
©S.F. Wirth

The #firebug #Pyrrhocoris apterus is widespread throughout much of #Palearctic. Adults and the five nymphal stages tend to #aggregate. They are #soildwellers and feed on plant #seeds, occasionally also on insect eggs. Some mite species can be on the bugs, with the #parasitic #mite #Hemipteroseius adleri being particularly specialized for it.

© #StefanFWirth #Berlin 2025

in my #YouTube video about a tree (2025)
https://youtu.be/wZqDuEFu8Nk?si=0HLyBsc4VjzGKvok

#Photo

P. apterus Bln, 2020, new edit 2025 © S. F. Wirth