Stiretrus decemguttatus - Predatory Stink Bug (Lepeletier and Serville, 1828)

Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomomorpha: Pentatomoidea: Pentatomidae: Asopinae

The genus Stiretrus consists mainly of predatory stink bugs in the order Hemiptera, suborder Heteroptera, infraorder Pentatomomorpha, superfamily Pentatomoidea, family Pentatomidae and subfamily Asopinae. Stiretrus feeds mainly on the larvae of Coleoptera, such as those of Microtheca ochloroma, and Lepidoptera, acting as precious populational controllers of the preyed species. In the picture we can see two Stiretrus of different colors, but both belong to the same species as they were mating. The red one was feeding on a larva at the same time as it was mating with the black one. This difference in color is a spectacular display of sexual dimorphism. They vary a lot in coloring and patterns.

Their habitats include weedy places such as woods and fields. Occasionally found near crop fields where they predate larvae of Coleoptera and Lepidoptera. The subject portrayed was found in a weedy backyard in an anthropic environment.

http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0085-56262013000100012
http://eol.org/pages/2644899/overview
https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stiretrus_decemguttatus

Location: Brazil, Santa Catarina, Benedito Novo
Date: 2nd of December, 2017 at 03:22:24pm