False Milkweed Bug

Lygaeus turcicus

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Heteroptera
Infraorder: Pentatomomorpha
Superfamily: Lygaeoidea
Family: Lygaeidae
Subfamily: Lygaeinae
Genus: Lygaeus
Species: turcicus

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Lygaeus turcicus: //laɪˈdʒiːəs ˈtɜːsɪkəs//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Lygaeus turcicus 231032568 by Randy A Nonenmacher. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Lygaeus turcicus.9.17.08w by Beatriz Moisset. Used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.

Lygaeus turcicus 219684653 by Randy A Nonenmacher. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Milkweedbugs.nymphadult9.0 by Beatriz Moisset. Used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.

Small Milkweed Bug - Lygaeus reclivatus - Flickr - gailhampshire by gailhampshire from Cradley, Malvern, U.K. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

False Milkweed Bug - Lygaeus turcicus, Leesylvania State Park, Woodbridge, Virginia, July 11, 2023 (53535555561) by Judy Gallagher. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Summary

Lygaeus turcicus, known as the false milkweed bug, is a seed bug found primarily in the eastern United States and Canada, primarily feeding on false sunflower seeds and often confused with similar species.

Physical Characteristics

The false milkweed bug has a large Y-shaped reddish mark between the eyes that extends between the antennal bases and an entirely dark elytral membrane without white edges or spots.

Identification Tips

Differentiation from similar species can be made by the large Y-shaped reddish mark and the lack of white markings on the elytral membrane, in contrast to Lygaeus kalmii which has pale margins and may have white spots on its elytral membrane.

Habitat

Primarily found in various habitats in Eastern North America, often associated with false sunflower plants.

Distribution

Eastern United States and Canada, mostly absent in the southeastern US, with known populations from Oklahoma to North Carolina and Maine to South Dakota, and extending west to California and adjacent Canada.

Diet

Feeds on the seeds of false sunflower, Heliopsis helianthoides.

Ecosystem Role

As a seed feeder, it plays a role in the ecology of its host plants by influencing seed availability and potentially affecting plant reproductive success.

Similar Taxa

Misconceptions

Commonly confused with other black and red or orange insects, leading to misidentification.