22-3-2021 DENIA GREENWAY, VALENCIA - SOLDIER BUG (Spilostethus pandurus)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/130079-Spilostethus-pandurus

 

16-2-2019 GANDIA, VALENCIA - SOLDIER BUG (Spilostethus pandurus)

Spilostethus pandurus, or the Pandurus Seed Bug, is a striking red-and-black patterned true bug (family Lygaeidae) found across Europe, Africa, and Asia, known for feeding on plant seeds, especially from milkweed (Apocynaceae), and secreting foul odors as defense; it's polyphagous, inhabiting sunny fields and gardens, sometimes considered a minor pest, and varies by subspecies with different colorations. 

Key Facts:

Appearance: Adults are 10-15mm long with bold red and black patterns, often with a central white spot and black legs/antennae.

Diet: Primarily feeds on seeds and nectar using piercing-sucking mouthparts, preferring milkweed (Dogbane family) but also other plants like oleander or sunflower.

Defense: Its bright colors warn predators (aposematism); it can also release pungent, toxic secretions from glands.

Habitat: Common in sunny, open areas like meadows, gardens, fields, and roadsides in the Euro-Mediterranean region and beyond.

Distribution: Widespread across Europe, Africa, and Asia, with subspecies showing regional variations in color (e.g., S. p. militaris in Asia).

Behavior: Can be found solitary or in groups, sometimes feeding on dead insects (saprophagous) or bird droppings, and plays roles as both seed predator and food source.

Classification: A seed bug (family Lygaeidae), related to milkweed bugs, and part of the Hemiptera order. 

9-4-2006 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SOLDIER BUG (Spilostethus pandurus)