Firebug
Most adults cannot fly. Their hind wings are tiny or missing altogether.
| Where | Around lime trees and mallows, sunny walls and tree bases |
|---|---|
| Size | 7 to 12 mm |
| When | February to October |
It lives in groups that bask at the foot of lime trees, often hundreds together on the first warm days of spring.
It feeds mainly on fallen lime and mallow seeds, piercing them with its beak.
Traits
Habitat
Garden
Colour
Red, Black
Active
Day
To people
Harmless
Activity through the year
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Often confused with
Cinnamon bugOpen entry ›
Corizus hyoscyamiHairy, with clear wing membranes it flies on; the firebug is usually wingless.
Questions
Is the Firebug dangerous to people?
The Firebug is harmless to people.
When can you see the Firebug?
The Firebug can be seen from February to October, by day.
Plate retouched from a museum specimen photo by Gunnar Engan, Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre, CC BY 4.0, GBIF Licence
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True bugs›Firebugs›Pyrrhocoris
Last updated 2026-09-26. Every entry is checked against published sources.