The Picasso insect does not bear its name in vain, it proudly bears the surname of one of the greatest painters in history, thanks to the fact that it seems to have escaped from one of his works. This is the most beautiful insect on the planet, whose scientific name is Sphaerocoris annulus.
The Picasso insect and its protective shield
Nature emits touches 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. Sphaerocoris annulus is perhaps the most beautiful insect on the planet and although it is almost unknown, what is known about it has amazed entomologists. Its common name is ‘Picasso bug’, ‘Picasso bug’ or ‘Zulu hug bug’ and it is a species that is characterized by its shield-shaped back.
It is because of this last peculiarity that taxonomists have placed it in the Scutelleridae family, which houses a series of bugs that have a shell as a shield from the outside. This peculiar widening on their 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. On the other hand, beetles only have the hardened region of their wings.
Another important difference between beetles and Scutelleridae is that while the former only have one pair of wings, the latter have four membranous wings under their protective shield.
The most beautiful insect in the world
The Picasso insect 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 tones ranges from the beiges that cover the background, to more elaborate patterns in green, red, orange and black. If you look closely, you can almost swear that you are looking at a work of art by Pablo Picasso himself, which is why it was named that way.
The most surprising thing is that such beauty fits in such a small space, since the Picasso insect only measures 8 millimeters in length. And like everything in nature, the intricate patterns on the small 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 away predators.
The Picasso insect lives mainly in tropical and subtropical Africa, so it can be found from countries such as Nigeria, through Sudan and Ethiopia, to Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa. It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful insects in the world, which reveals how intricate nature can be, regardless of its small size.