#pyrrhocoris

Firebug ! I know some people find it a bit scary but i actually love finding them in big groups, no shade to this lonesome bug.

(Pyrrhocoris apterus, imago)

Pyrrhocoris apterus, the notorious firebug. you know them, you love them, unless you're not in europe or have chronic bad taste. despite them being one of our most common hemipterans i actually don't see these guys too often, so it's a nice surprise when i do. much like with several other bugs that enjoy overwintering in large clusters, i suspect it has to do with not living in a frozen wasteland - my house will never become a popular tourist destination simply because the weather's good enough outside

The assembly of the African masks - L’assemblée des masques africains | ©Vincent Legardère   (Vienne, Saint Julien l'Ars, Poitou-Charentes, France)

Certainly, the appearance of these Firebugs resembles a set of African masks, making them unmistakable from other species.

Pyrrhocoris apterus (Hemiptera - Heteroptera - Pyrrhocoridae) is a common bug throughout the Palaearctic region, from the Atlantic coast of Europe to northwest China. It has also been reported from the USA, Central America and India [1].

This species is associated with tree-mallow and limes, feeding on the fruits. It forms dense and conspicuous aggregations in the spring, prior to mating [2].