About Oxycarenus lavaterae (Fabricius, 1787)
Oxycarenus lavaterae, commonly known as the lavender bug, shows slight sexual dimorphism in adult body size. Adult females reach a length of 4.5–5.4 millimetres (0.18–0.21 inches), while adult males range from 4.2–5 millimetres (0.17–0.20 inches). Adults are primarily colored red, white, and black: their head, entire prothorax, scutellum, and antennae are all black. The upper section of the abdomen is brick-red, and the connexivum is blackish. The front wings are colorless and transparent, and reach or extend slightly past the tip of the abdomen. Nymphs can be easily identified by their black head, red abdomen, and fully black wing pads. Historically, Oxycarenus lavaterae was mainly distributed across the Mediterranean Basin, including North Africa. Starting in the 1970s, the species has been recorded further north, into Benelux countries, Central Europe, and Eastern Europe.
