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Insects of the day

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  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Funky but not very friendly. Think this is the correct ID - Causes Chagas - kissing disease, likely to have spread here from South America on imported plants, probably. Not introduced anything new in the garden, bought nothing from the GC this year, but can’t speak for my neighbours...




    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Worth squishing then?
  • Papi JoPapi Jo Posts: 4,254
    Papi Joe , I just found what I thought was a young grasshopper, but with a yellow stripe down the back and very long antennae. I think it is a Southern Oak bush cricket.
    Sorry, @fidgetbones I can't help you here.
  • Papi JoPapi Jo Posts: 4,254
    @Nollie this lovely but not too friendly bug does not seem to be common in Europe. Maybe it has recently moved to Spain?
  • Papi JoPapi Jo Posts: 4,254
    Insects of the day in my garden is this common little guy, always busy. Was having breakfast on my echinacea.
    The common red soldier beetle aka Rhagonycha fulva.




  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    I went back to the rose I found the Triatoma on and it was still there, so now thoroughly squished! Apparently Chagos disease is pretty serious and known in Spain through infected South Americans arriving with it, but can’t find any reference to the bug making it here yet. As well as being a nasty bloodsucker it’s saliva can cause anaphylactic shock. I will have to be vigilant, where there is one... 
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • floraliesfloralies Posts: 2,718
    @Nollie I think this what you have found:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhynocoris_iracundus. I don't think you need worry too much!
  • floraliesfloralies Posts: 2,718
    @Nollie, just read that this can give a painful bite!
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Phew, thank you so much, @floralies for that - it does look identical to the more lethal variety, although I did think ‘mine’ had slightly more prominent stripy legs. Don’t fancy a ‘painful bite with after effects for months’ though since I am pretty allergic to insect bites at the best of times. The perils of googling!
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • floraliesfloralies Posts: 2,718
    I hope it doesn't fly over the Pyrenees!
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