Arthropods Daily – Issue No. 468

The firebug (Pyrrhocoris apterus) mates in April and May and feeds mainly on seeds from lime trees and mallows. They can be seen in pairs during mating, which can last from 12 hours to 7 days. The males may engage in prolonged copulation as a way to guard their ejaculate from competing males. In a study conducted in the 1960s, it was discovered that firebugs reared in the United States had developmental abnormalities due to hormones found in American paper towels made from balsam fir trees. Specifically, a hormone called juvabione, which mimics juvenile hormone, affected the firebugs but not other insect species. Firebug images and information can be found in the provided external links.