Living fossils in Okinawa: The world of the scentless plant bugs

Scentless plant bugs (Rhopalidae) are a fascinating family of true bugs (Hemiptera). Their fossils have been discovered in the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, meaning these insects have been crawling the earth for well over 160 million years. Leptocoris vicinus is a species of soapberry bug found in the Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, and throughout Southeast Asia. The soapberry bug feeds on seeds from the soapberry family and sequesters these toxic plant compounds. They can bleed these toxins to deter hungry birds and toads. I found a large congregation including nymphs (wingless) and adults (winged) clustered on a small tree on the Okinawa island.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest posts of related arthropods

Photo taken on 19-09-2026 in Husby, Sweden, with the Nikon Z6-II camera and Nikon Z MC 105mm f2.8 VR S lens and following settings:  f14, 1/160, ISO 160.
Scent sniffers and crop wanders: The alf...
Photo taken on 19-09-2026 in Husby, Sweden, with the Nikon Z6-II camera and Nikon Z MC 105mm f2.8 VR S lens and following settings:  f14, 1/100, ISO 250.
Seasonal disguises and dotted armor: The...
Photo taken on 05-09-2026 in Barkarby, Sweden, with the Nikon Z6-II camera and Nikon Z MC 105mm f2.8 VR S lens and following settings: f16, 1/100, ISO 125.
Bud camouflage and extreme jumps: Meetin...
Photo taken on 05-09-2026 in Barkarby, Sweden, with the Nikon Z6-II camera and Nikon Z MC 105mm f2.8 VR S lens and following settings: f16, 1/100, ISO 125.
Metallic armor and secret hearts: Meetin...
Photo taken on 30-08-2026 in Barkarby, Sweden, with the Nikon Z6-II camera and Nikon Z MC 105mm f2.8 VR S lens and following settings: f16, 1/50, ISO 125.
Swedish forest dwellers: Spotting a camo...
Photo taken on 06-07-2025 in Serock, Poland, with the Nikon Z6-II camera and Nikon Z MC 105mm f2.8 VR S lens and following settings: f22, 1/200, ISO 320.
Masters of seasonal disguise: The world ...
Scroll to Top

Would you prefer to hide close-up spider photos?
Wolisz ukryć zdjęcia pająków?
¿Ocultar fotos de arañas en primer plano?