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Species Lygaeus turcicus - False Milkweed Bug

Plant bug - Lygaeus turcicus False Milkweed Bug - Lygaeus turcicus Lygaeus turcicus Hemiptera sp. - Lygaeus turcicus False Milkweed Bug? - Lygaeus turcicus False Milkweed Bug - Lygaeus turcicus false milkweed bug - Lygaeus turcicus Lygaeus turcicus
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)
Suborder Heteroptera (True Bugs)
Infraorder Pentatomomorpha
Superfamily Lygaeoidea
Family Lygaeidae (Seed Bugs)
Subfamily Lygaeinae
Genus Lygaeus
Species turcicus (False Milkweed Bug)
Explanation of Names
Lygaeus turcicus Fabricius 1803
Identification
We're moving all these images to a new page based on the image from Ojibway cited below and the records from the North Carolina State University. Unfortunately we also found online images of the same creature listed as kalmii and images of kalmii listed as turcicus, so we can't be positive about this identification, but it will serve as a place holder till someone gets to the university to examine those specimens. But at least there does seem to be another valid species present in the US and it may be that this Ojibway reference has it correct! North Carolina has 14 specimens of turcicus and 128 of kalmii which seems to fit our distribution of images!
is kalmii with large black heart shape on back and small red line on head.
is turcicus with overlapping triangles on back and bright red T on head
Range
e. US, but mostly absent in se US (OK-NC-ME-SD, west to CA / adj Can) - Map (1)(2)
Food
Seeds of false sunflower, Heliopsis helianthoides
Remarks
From what I can see, L. turcicus has a large Y-shaped reddish mark between the eyes that extends between the antennal bases and has an entirely dark elytral membrane without white edges or spots.
L. kalmii has a smaller reddish mark on head with pale margins of elytral membrane which may or may not have white spots.
The white markings seem to be more reliable than the reddish mark on the head.
References: (1), (2).
I think the species distinctions aren't that great and that a revision is probably needed (if it hasn't been done already).
Comment by Brad Barnd,

update: see (3) for key to species

Food plant seems to be false sunflower, Heliopsis helianthoides, rather than milkweeds.
Print References
Slater, J.A. 1983. On the biology and food plants of Lygaeus turcicus (Fabr.) (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae). Journal of the New York Entomological Society, 91(1): 48-56. (JSTOR)
Internet References