Copper Bug - _TNY_1549
Another shot of one of those bugs which sounds like a total brainfart in the naming department until you learn why.
This little guy with the wonderfully shimmering carapace that look like it has been made from copper and then partially oxidized to create verdigris, is a red-legged shieldbug (Pentatoma rufipes), also known as the forest bug.
So why name an insect without red legs "red-legged"? Well, the thing with shield bugs is that they undergo incomplete metamorphosis and thus develop through several instar stages, often varying quite a lot in appearance. This is the final instar stage before changing into the adult form - and as an adult they have red legs. Here is a shot of what it will look like after the last wardrobe change: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/47682551712/
Copper Bug - _TNY_1549
Another shot of one of those bugs which sounds like a total brainfart in the naming department until you learn why.
This little guy with the wonderfully shimmering carapace that look like it has been made from copper and then partially oxidized to create verdigris, is a red-legged shieldbug (Pentatoma rufipes), also known as the forest bug.
So why name an insect without red legs "red-legged"? Well, the thing with shield bugs is that they undergo incomplete metamorphosis and thus develop through several instar stages, often varying quite a lot in appearance. This is the final instar stage before changing into the adult form - and as an adult they have red legs. Here is a shot of what it will look like after the last wardrobe change: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/47682551712/