Sphaerocoris annulus, common names Picasso bug or Zulu hud bug (Zulu: "iCikwa"), is a species of shield-backed bugs of the family Scutelleridae. Organism Names
Description Sphaerocoris annulus can reach a length of about . The basic color is green, with eleven ring-shaped spots on the scutellum. The colors and the design of these bugs represent a warning to predators. They also emit a noxious odour when disturbed. Main host plants are Gossypium species (Malvaceae), Coffea arabica (Rubiaceae), Citrus species (Rutaceae) and Vernonia amygdalina (Asteraceae).Le monde des insectes This species reproduces at the beginning of the dry season (November–December). Eggs are laid on the underside of leaves, and nymphs will spend a majority of their time in flowers feeding. Once they molt into adults, however, their feeding becomes more generalized. The full development lasts 56 days.Mbondji, P. M.; Pluot-Sigwalt, D. Biological data on Sphaerocoris annulus (F.) in Cameroon (Heteroptera, Scutelleridae) Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France 2000 Vol. 105 No. 1 pp. 23-30 Sphaerocoris annulus nymphs are a creamy-white color with black stripes and dots, and gain their colorful spots when they reach maturity.
Distribution This species is present in tropical and subtropical Africa (Benin, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Zambiavan der Heyden, T. (2017): A recent record of Sphaerocoris annulus (FABRICIUS, 1775) in Zambia (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Scutelleridae). - Heteropteron, 49: 23-25. and Zimbabwe).
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