This little bug, Dindymus sp., has tapped into the blood supply of this large Rhinoceros Beetle (Scarabaeidae) by piercing through the tender membrane between the joints of the leg.
Not much sustenance in this small snail.
Hungry Dindymus
The family Pyrrhocoridae is commonly known as Cotton Stainers, Pyrrhocoridae because the crushed bodies of the bugs during cotton harvest stain the cotton and reduce its quality. Many are very serious pests of plants, especially the Malvaceae.
Not all are damaging species, however. At least one rainforest species of Dindymus is a predator. This little bug is a regular visitor to the light sheet where it has been observed feeding on a variety of unsuspecting insects and even a small snail.
Hi, I photographed the same beautiful bug in the same area. I hoped to find more than Dindymus spec, for it differs from the other members of the family. ( https://www.flickr.com/photos/thijsdegraaf/39352560415/ )
ReplyDeleteRegards, Thijs, The Neherlands