Pyrrhocoridae
Guides
Dysdercus suturellus
Common Cotton Stainer Bug, Cotton Stainer
Dysdercus suturellus is a true bug in the family Pyrrhocoridae, commonly known as the cotton stainer. Adults measure 1–1.5 cm in length with a distinctive red thorax and dark brown wings bearing a yellow cross-shaped pattern. The species is native to the southeastern United States, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. It is a significant agricultural pest of cotton and related plants, with adults and late-stage nymphs feeding on developing seeds and bolls. The bright red coloration is derived from plant pigments obtained through its diet.
Pyrrhocoris
firebugs, cotton stainers
Pyrrhocoris is a genus of true bugs in the family Pyrrhocoridae, commonly known as firebugs or cotton stainers. The genus contains approximately eight described species, with Pyrrhocoris apterus (the firebug) being the most extensively studied. Species in this genus are primarily distributed across the Palaearctic realm, with some records from North America and East Asia. The genus is notable for its gregarious behavior and has served as an important model organism in studies of insect behavioral ecology, developmental plasticity, and wing polymorphism.