Photos of the week: pyjama bugs on wild carrot

These really are bugs in the technical sense: they’re insects in the order Hemiptera, which are called “true bugs”, or “Chinche” in Spanish. These particular ones are pyjamas bugs (because of the stripes, I presume) Graphosoma interruptum. They’re about 12mm long.

They’re all on wild carrot, Daucus carota. Most of the plants around here are going to seed now.

I even found one pair mating. at least I think that’s what they’re doing.

Posted by sheila

Sheila came to La Palma with a six month contract and has stayed 24 years so far. She used to work as a software engineer at the observatory, but now she's a writer and Starlight guide.