Hibiscus harlequin bug facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hibiscus harlequin bug
Adult female and nymph
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hemiptera
Family:	Scutelleridae
Genus:	Tectocoris
Species:	T. diophthalmus
Binomial name
Tectocoris diophthalmus (Thunberg, 1783)
Synonyms
Cimex lineola Fabricius, 1781 (homonym) Cimex diophthalmus Thunberg, 1783 Tetyra lineola Fabricius, 1803 Tetyra cyanipes Fabricius, 1803 Cimex banksii Donovan, 1805 Scutellera schoenherri Eschscholtz, 1822 Scutellera banksii Guerin, 1838 Scutellera cyanipes (Fabricius, 1803) Scutellera cyanipoda Boisduval, 1835 Scutellera tongae Boisduval, 1835 Tectocoris gambiae Westwood, 1837 Pachycoris lineola (Fabricius, 1803) Scutellera cyanipes (Fabricius, 1803) Tectocoris lineola (Fabricius, 1803) Tectocoris banksii (Donovan, 1805) Tectocoris cyanipes (Fabricius, 1803) Tectocoris bancksii Montrouzier, 1861 (Lapsus) Tectocoris obliquus Walker, 1867 Tectocoris pusillus Walker, 1867 Tectocoris amboinensis Walker, 1867 Tectocoris diophthalmus rufus Stål, 1871 Tectocoris diophthalmus tagalicus Stål, 1871 Tectocoris diophthalmus schoenherri (Eschscholtz, 1822) Tectocoris lineola banksi Dodd, 1904 (Lapsus) Tectocoris diophthalmus cookiana Kirkaldy, 1909 Tectocoris diophthalmus peregrina Kirkaldy, 1909 Tectocoris diophthalmus venusta Kirkaldy, 1909 Tectocoris purpureus Knight et al., 1985 (Lapsus)

The Tectocoris diophthalmus is a very colorful insect. It is often called the Hibiscus Harlequin Bug or Cotton Harlequin Bug. This bug is the only species in its group, called Tectocoris. It has a rounded, shield-like body and a shiny, metallic look. These bugs can grow to be about 20 millimeters long.

What Does the Hibiscus Harlequin Bug Look Like?

Adult female bugs are usually orange. Male bugs can be blue and red, or sometimes orange. Young bugs, called nymphs, are typically metallic green and purple.

A young bug (nymph) near Cooktown, Australia.

The colors of these bugs can change a lot! Scientists think that having so many different colors might help them avoid being eaten by birds. Because of all these color differences, scientists used to think they were many different types of bugs. But in 2006, it was confirmed that they are all just one species.

Where Do These Bugs Live?

You can find the Hibiscus Harlequin Bug in Eastern Australia. They also live in New Guinea and on several Pacific Islands. They are common in many places, from cities to farms and coastal areas.

What Do Hibiscus Harlequin Bugs Eat?

These bugs like to eat many plants from the Malvaceae family. This includes plants like hibiscus. They also feed on cultivated cotton plants. Sometimes, they will eat flowers from the Illawarra flame tree. They also enjoy saplings from grevillea and bottlebrush plants.

The bugs pierce the stems of young shoots. Then, they suck out the sap from the plant.

Reproduction and Life Cycle

Female Hibiscus Harlequin Bugs lay their eggs in clusters. They usually place these egg clusters around the stems of hibiscus plants. After laying the eggs, the female bug stays to guard them. She protects the eggs until they hatch.

Female bug guarding her eggs.

Female bug with eggs.