Brachycarenus tigrinus

Description

Brachycarenus tigrinus is a bug fromthe family Rhopalidae. The bugs are 6.2 to 7.0 millimeters long. They have a straw yellow basic color with a black pattern. This is found on the head, especially around the compound eyes. The pronotum is mottled with black, especially at the rear corners. The shield (scutellum) is basally patterned black. The head of the animals is shorter and less sharply pointed as in the representatives of the genera Rhopalus and Stictopleurus. The species is distributed from North Africa across the Mediterranean region to southern Scandinavia. Eastern, their distribution extends to China. The species was introduced to eastern North America in the second half of the 20th century (earliest record: 1977 in New Jersey). The species is widespread in Germany, but occurs in very different population densities. It can often be local. In Great Britain, the species was first detected in 2003 in Battersea (London). This was followed regularly by further evidence in the area around the Thames Estuary and finds from Surrey and Oxfordshire. Dry and warm habitats are settled, especially with sandy soils, such as on ruderal and fallow areas. The animals live on and under various herbaceous plants. They suck on seeds that have fallen on the ground. The most important food plants come from the cruciferous family (Brassicaceae), such as Alyssus, gray cress (Berteroa), Sisyphium, cress (Lepidium), light herb (Thlaspi), biscutella, shepherd's purse (Capsella) and others. It is documented that the imagines are also attached to the foxtail family (Chenopodiaceae), legumes(Fabaceae) such as clover (Trifolium) and daisy family (Asteraceae) such as Artemisia suck. Adults have also been found under common heather (Calluna), where the animals probably only overwintered. The adult animals are very active in flight, especially at high temperatures. They can be found searching for suitable wintering spots on a variety of plants, including conifers, and may occasionally invade buildings in the process. Hibernation takes place in the ground litter or under plant rosettes, such as mulleins (Verbascum). One generation occurs each year, but it is assumed that in favorable years, at least in southern Germany, a second generation is formed. The adults of the new generation appear from June.