Lygaeini

Lygaeini is a tribe of ground bugs in the subfamily Lygaeinae and the family Lygaeidae. This tribe is distributed worldwide and contains numerous genera and species. Ground bugs are true bugs, belonging to the order Hemiptera, and are characterized by their relatively robust bodies and often brightly colored patterns.

The members of the Lygaeini tribe are primarily seed-feeders, with their diet consisting of seeds from various plants, including grasses and other herbaceous species. They possess piercing-sucking mouthparts adapted for extracting the nutrient-rich contents of seeds. Some species may also opportunistically feed on other plant tissues or even dead insects.

Visually, Lygaeini bugs can vary in size and color. Many exhibit warning coloration, featuring bright reds, oranges, or yellows against black or brown backgrounds. This aposematism serves to deter potential predators, as some species are known to sequester toxic compounds from their host plants. The life cycle typically involves incomplete metamorphosis, with eggs hatching into nymphs that resemble smaller, wingless adults and undergo several molts before reaching maturity. The specific host plants and ecological roles of Lygaeini species can differ significantly depending on the genus and geographic location.