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Sticker of Red-bordered stink bug
Bug card No. 3559 of 4,939

Red-bordered stink bug

Edessa rufomarginata
Eats: PlantsTrue bugs and cicadasRainforests and jungles6 legs

The red-bordered stink bug is a shield-shaped bug from the warm parts of the Americas. Its name tells you it has a red edge. Like all stink bugs, it can make a nasty smell when it feels in danger.

Lives in
Central and South America, from Mexico all the way to Argentina
Top speed
about 0.2 km/h (0.12 mph)
On foot, estimate
Can it hurt you?
Harmless
It does not sting. If you bother it, it may make a bad smell, so it is best to leave it be.
What does it eat?
It sucks juice from plants with its pointy beak. It likes plants from the tomato and potato family.
For real!Photo of Red-bordered stink bug
Picture by Soetjipto Verkuijl. CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.

How fast is it?

cool stuff

Fun facts

1

It was first described by the scientist Charles De Geer in 1773, more than 250 years ago.

2

Farmers do not love it, because it can harm crops, especially plants in the tomato and potato family.

3

It lives across a huge area, from Mexico in the north to Argentina in the south.

you asked

Most asked questions about Red-bordered stink bug

?Why is it called a stink bug?

Stink bugs can make a bad smell when they are scared. It keeps hungry animals away.

?Where does the red-bordered stink bug live?

In Central and South America, from Mexico to Argentina.

For bug experts

Scientific name
Edessa rufomarginata
Named by
De Geer, 1773
Group
True bugs and cicadas
Family
Pentatomidae
Classification
Insecta > Hemiptera > Pentatomidae
Lives on
North America, South America

Where the facts come from

  1. Edessa rufomarginata (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0): what it looks like, where it lives, what it eats, sizes and fun facts, retold in simple words.
  2. Picture by Soetjipto Verkuijl. CC0, Wikimedia Commons. The sticker of this bug is drawn from this picture.

If we got something wrong, sorry, we are bug fans, not a science journal. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.

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