Hibiscus Harlequin Bug

Tectocoris diophthalmus

"Tectocoris diophthalmus" is a brightly coloured convex and rounded shield-shaped bug with a metallic sheen that grows to about 20 mm. Adult females are mostly orange and males are both blue and red or orange. The colours are quite variable.
Hibiscus harlequin bug These true bugs with sucking and piercing mouth parts are a common sight in this location. Singularly, or in large groupings, which is quite a sight to behold given the beautiful colours and patterns. Native to the east of this country. They feed on many species belonging to the family Malvaceae, including hibiscus species and cotton. The males and females are different colours, with the females mostly orange and the males mostly blue/green-red. 20 mm body length Australia,Cotton Harlequin bug,Geotagged,Hemiptera,Hibiscus Harlequin Bug,Scutelleridae,Spring,Tectocoris diophthalmus,arthropod,fauna,hibiscus harlequin bug,insect,invertebrate,jewel bug,macro,metallic shield bug,new south wales

Distribution

It lives in Northern and Eastern Australia, New Guinea and several Pacific Islands in habitats ranging from urban to agricultural and coastal areas.
Hibiscus harlequin bug A male, showing off his beautiful, bright metallic colours and markings. These true bugs feed on plants in family Malvaceae including hibiscus and cotton. Both adults and nymphs suck sap from host plants. They feed mostly on young shoots, piercing the stems and sucking the sugar-rich juices intended for shoot growth. 20 mm length Australia,Geotagged,Hibiscus Harlequin Bug,Macro,Scutelleridae,Spring,Tectocoris diophthalmus,arthropod,fauna,hemiptera,insect,invertebrate,jewel bug,markings,metallic shield bug

Food

The Hibiscus Harlequin Bugs feed on many species of the Hibiscus family, as well as cultivated cotton. They will also eat Illawarra flame tree flowers, grevillea and bottlebrush saplings.

They pierce the stems of young shoots and suck the sap. Females lay clusters of eggs around twigs and then guard them until they hatch.

They are also known as "stink bugs" as they have scent glands which produce a bad smell which, when it is emitted by one bug, triggers others in the group, multiplying the bad smell.

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Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderHemiptera
FamilyScutelleridae
GenusTectocoris
SpeciesT. diopthalmus,
Photographed in
Australia