Tropidothorax cruciger is a red-and-black seed bug from East Asia that gathers in groups on milkweed-family vines. It lives in Korea, Japan, and China and is not found in the United States.
Appearance
- Appearance
- About 0.3–0.4 in (8–11 mm) long, reddish with bold black markings that form a cross on the back.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Cultivated Cynanchum wilfordii fields (Korea)
- Range
- Korea, Japan, and China. Not known from North America.
- Preferred conditions
- Found where its host vines grow.
Behavior
- Diet
- Sucks sap from milkweed-family vines (Metaplexis and Cynanchum).
- Social life
- Often seen clustered in groups.
Life cycle
- Breeding season
- In a study in South Korea it had two generations a year; the fall generation spent the winter as adults in soil or under leaf litter.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed
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