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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies (Hemiptera) » True Bugs (Heteroptera) » Lygaeoidea » Seed Bugs (Lygaeidae) » Lygaeinae » Neacoryphus » Whitecrossed Seed Bug (Neacoryphus bicrucis)

Species Neacoryphus bicrucis - Whitecrossed Seed Bug

Classification · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Whitecrossed Seed Bug - Neacoryphus bicrucis

Whitecrossed - Neacoryphus bicrucis - male - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)

Suborder Heteroptera (True Bugs)

Superfamily Lygaeoidea

Family Lygaeidae (Seed Bugs)

Subfamily Lygaeinae

Genus Neacoryphus

Species bicrucis (Whitecrossed Seed Bug)

Other Common Names

Ragwort Seed Bug

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

described in 1825 by Say, who originally placed it in genus Lygaeus

Size

body length 7-10 mm

Identification

Bright red with black patches and white X cross-pattern on back. Like many other seed bugs, this is probably an aposematic (warning) pattern.

Range

Includes eastern North America

Habitat

Fields, meadows where host plant grows. Adults attracted to light.

Season

March-August (North Carolina)

Food

Presumably ragwort (Senecio spp.)

Life Cycle

Poorly known--reported on milkweed. Adults mate on ragwort (see Internet References below)

Remarks

widely distributed but apparently uncommon

Print References

Slater, p. 73, fig. 124 (1)

Brimley, p. 67--Lygaeus bicrucis (2)

Internet References

Insects of Cedar Creek gives status as rare on milkweed.

North Carolina State University Entomology collection lists only N. bicrucis.

live adult image (Ken Gray, Oregon State U.)

hostplant reference; PDF doc [Ragwort; Senecio smallii] (U. of California at Riverside)

common name reference [Ragwort Seed Bug] (Ethology Ecology & Evolution, Italy)

live adult images (Giff Beaton, Georgia)

author, date, and original genus (nearctica.com)

Works Cited

1.	How to Know the True Bugs By Slater, James A., and Baranowski, Richard M.

2.	Insects of North Carolina By C.S. Brimley

Contributed by Cotinis on 6 December, 2004 - 8:12pm
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod, Brad Barnd
Last updated 25 July, 2008 - 8:00pm

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