Bug FAQRed Jewel Bug
Choerocoris paganus · Order: Hemiptera · Family: Scutelleridae
Source: Wikipedia
The Red Jewel Bug is about 1 cm long with a bright crimson scutellum marked by a blue-black blotch and copper-green spots, while its head and legs are dark blue. It lives in Australian woodlands and scrublands, especially near coastal areas, where it stays on or near Dodonaea plants and feeds on their sap, flowers and seeds.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Its large, mostly crimson scutellum has a front blue-black blotch and two rear copper-green spots, with a dark-blue head and legs.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults reach about 1 cm in length.
Source: Wikipedia
Does it bite or sting?
They do not bite or sting, but may release a pungent odor if handled roughly.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Found in woodlands and scrublands across Australia, it is most common in coastal regions. It is closely tied to Dodonaea shrubs, living on their branches or in surrounding debris.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Both adults and nymphs feed on flower sap and seeds of hop bush (Dodonaea viscosa and D. triquetra).
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Females lay tiny, barrel-shaped eggs that turn from pink to red in a week and hatch after 12 to 21 days depending on weather. Adults live about one year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
They are most active in the summer months, with breeding from November to February.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Choerocoris paganus is native to Australia.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
Among Australian jewel bugs, they are easy to spot by the textured areas on and around the pronotum.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
,_Mount_Barker_summit,_South_Australia_(15031145972).jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Questions people ask
Do they bite or sting?
They do not bite or sting; however, they can emit a strong stink fluid when disturbed.
Source: Wikipedia
What plants do they live on?
They are most often found on Dodonaea shrubs, feeding on the plants’ sap, flowers and seeds.
Source: Wikipedia
When are they most active?
Their activity peaks in the summer, and they breed from November through February.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Scutelleridae)
Tortoise BugEurygaster testudinariaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Hibiscus Harlequin BugTectocoris diophthalmusDamages trees, gardens or crops
Ocellated shield bugCantao ocellatusDamages trees, gardens or crops
European Tortoise BugEurygaster mauraDamages trees, gardens or crops
Metallic Shield BugScutiphora pedicellata
Green Jewel BugLampromicra senatorSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choerocoris_paganus
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.