Lygaeid bug - Scantius aegyptius

Moved

… Martin Hauser, 6 July, 2009 - 1:47pm

It could also be Scantius aeg

It could also be Scantius aegyptius, which has a red belly, while Pyrrhocoris has a black abdomen. Our CDFA lab received some specimens (with red venter, ID as Scantius) from Orange Co. So we would be very interested receiving some of these specimens as well. Best wishes
Martin & Rosser

… Martin Hauser, 6 July, 2009 - 12:33pm

Specimens from OC you mentioned

Do you have dates and localities for them?

… Peter Bryant, 6 August, 2009 - 7:11pm

thanx guys -- you must be right about S. aegyptius

i had a decent series from the Caucasus but have never seen this bug in numbers, let alone en masse -- unlike the P. a.

… v belov, 6 July, 2009 - 1:17pm

Scantius to Lodosiana

Scantius aegyptius was transfered to the genus Lodosiana in 1986. Do you agree that we should use Lodosiana?

Ahmad, I. and Abbas, N. (1986). Pyrrhocoris group (Hemiptera: Pyrrhocoridae: Pyrrhocorinae) with description of a new genus and a new species from Indo-Pakistan subcontinent and their relationships. Türk. bitki kor. derg., 10, 67 – 87.

… Peter Bryant, 20 July, 2009 - 2:54pm

it's funnier than i thought

the other day i asked Merrill Sweet about this bug, saying "...it only reminds me of the nostalgic Pyrrhocoris apterus" (see here -- tons of pix online, ubiquitous in Europe but apparently unknown so far from America) -- to which Merrill replied, "It looks like P. apterus! If it is, it's a new introduction from Europe -- you are right. We need to publish this! Have a good fourth of July!!"

so, guys... we need specimens (send'em to Dr. Sweet), we need photos, we need info -- pls e-mail me anytime if you're interested

… v belov, 5 July, 2009 - 11:16pm

maybe something akin to Melacoryphus...

looks funny -- i so wish the pix were sharper...
could you pls try to take more? would help a lot

… v belov, 4 July, 2009 - 12:14am

I just found a population...

...of these guys (or something incredibly similar looking) today on my property. I have clearer photos than these which I will try to post soon. I'm pretty certain that they are rhyparochromids...

… Harsi S. Parker, 5 July, 2009 - 1:20am

Oops, I jumped the gun...

...sorry! I just went and rechecked the images I took and the pattern and coloration are definitely not the same. Similar, though...

… Harsi S. Parker, 5 July, 2009 - 1:36am

Nope, I think I was right the first time...

I have just posted several images of what I now believe are definitely the same species as Peter has documented here. (So sorry for my confusion on this one!) Please see this post for my detailed comments. Confirmation that I have indeed identified my specimens correctly would be most appreciated. Thanks!

… Harsi S. Parker, 15 July, 2009 - 10:35pm