Fauna
Insect · GBIF taxon 2078935

Harlequin Bug

Murgantia histrionica

Also known as Harlequin Cabbage Bug, Calico Bug, Fire Bug

Harlequin bugs pierce plant tissues with needle-like mouthparts, sucking sap from cruciferous crops until foliage wilts, browns, and dies. Females deposit striking, miniature barrel-shaped eggs banded in stark black and white, glued upright in neat double rows of twelve on the undersides of host leaves. Their vivid geometric warning colors signal distasteful defensive chemicals sequestered directly from the pungent mustard oils of their brassica diet.

ColorfulHerbivoreDiurnal
Harlequin Bug reference1 / 7
Licensed reference(c) Zack Abbey, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Zack Abbey · cc-by
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Cabbage Sap
  • Mustard Greens Sap
  • Cleome Sap
Predators
  • Ooencyrtus Parasitoid Wasps
  • Spiders
  • Insectivorous Birds
ThreatsPesticide applications, cold winter freezes, and parasitic wasps
HabitatsAgricultural fields, vegetable gardens, meadows, and disturbed edges
Life span50–80 days (adults overwinter several months)
Classification
  1. OrderHemiptera
  2. FamilyPentatomidae
  3. GenusMurgantia
  4. SpeciesMurgantia histrionica
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance; emits a mild foul odor when disturbed.
Responsible observation
  • Leaf Inspection: Turn over bottom leaves of kale, collards, or mustard greens to find egg clutches.
  • Gentle Handling: Expect adults to release a faint musty defensive scent if handled roughly.
Related species
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