Caenocoris nerii

Caenocoris nerii, common name oleander seedbug, is a species of ground bugs in the insect family Lygaeidae.^[1]

Caenocoris nerii
Caenocoris nerii, upperside
Side view
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hemiptera
Suborder:	Heteroptera
Family:	Lygaeidae
Genus:	Caenocoris
Species:	C. nerii
Binomial name
Caenocoris nerii (Germar, 1847)

Etymology

The species name nerii refers to the main host plant Nerium oleander.

Distribution

This species is present in part of Europe (Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy and Spain), in the Afrotropical realm and in the Indomalayan realm.^[2][3][4]

Description

Aggregation of nymphs

Caenocoris nerii can reach a length of about 7.5–9.5 millimetres (0.30–0.37 in).^[5] The female is larger than the male. Bodies are elongated. The basic color of the body is black, with red markings. Two red quadrangular patches are present on the head. Two red markings appear on the shoulders of pronotum and at the inner margins of the hemielytra, which only partially cover the membranous blackish wings. Scutellum and abdomen are completely red.^[6][7]

Biology

Nymph, side view

Females usually lay eggs on the leaves of Nerium oleander (hence the common name of the species). All stages of nymphs suck almost exclusively the milky juice of the main host plant (Nerium oleander), but they may also feed on Asclepiadaceae species.^[6] Nynphs overwinter. Adults normally feed on the Oleander's fruits and seed.^[8] These aposematic bugs are usually rejected by predators because of their toxins derived from the host plant.^[9][10]