Nature emits brushstrokes of beauty everywhere, whether in the landscapes that inspired the greatest artists or in its creatures that seem to come to life from a work of art. The Picasso bug does not bear his name in vain; it proudly carries the surname of one of the greatest painters in history, thanks to the fact that it seems to have escaped from one of his masterpieces. This is probably the most beautiful insect on the planet, whose scientific name is Sphaerocoris annulus.
The Picasso bug and its protective shield
Sphaerocoris annulus is perhaps the most beautiful insect on the planet, and although it is almost unknown, what is known about it has astonished entomologists. Its common name is ‘Picasso bug’ or ‘Zulu hud bug,’ and it is a species characterized by its beautiful shield-shaped back.
It is for this last peculiarity that taxonomists have placed it in the Scutelleridae family, which includes a series of bugs that have a carapace as a shield against the exterior. This peculiar widening on its back is called the thoracic scutellum and often causes them to be confused with beetles. However, the scutellum is part of the insect’s body and extends from the abdomen to the back. Beetles, on the other hand, have only the hardened wing region.
Another important difference between beetles and Scutelleridae is that while the former possess only one pair of wings, the latter have four membranous wings under their protective shield.
The most beautiful insect in the world
The Picasso bug is considered by many to be the most beautiful insect on the planet due to the picturesque colors that cover its shell. Its palette of shades ranges from the beiges that cover the background to more elaborate patterns in green, red, orange, and black. If you look closely, you could almost swear that you are looking at one of Pablo Picasso’s artworks, hence its name.
What is most surprising is that such beauty fits into such a small space, as the Picasso bug measures only 8 millimeters in length. And like everything in nature, the intricate patterns on the tiny insect’s shell are not there by chance, but are a warning to its predators; anyone who ventures to disturb these insects will smell the consequences. When they feel threatened, they emit a noxious odor that helps scare off predators.
The Picasso bug lives mainly in tropical and subtropical Africa, so it can be found in countries such as Nigeria, Sudan, and Ethiopia, to Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful insects in the world, revealing how intricate nature can be, regardless of its small size.
Story originally published in Spanish in Ecoosfera
