Godetia is another ‘good old gardener’s’ annual flower that I grew from seed this year. They are a bit pink for my taste, but very obliging. This particular plant is accompanying the chives and some Persian basil in a pot by the kitchen door and, flower-wise, is taking over blooming duty from the drumhead alliums which are now palely drooping. Yesterday it was also hosting a new bug – new to me that is. You can spot it making an entrance top right.
When I first glimpsed it, I thought it might be a dreaded crimson lily beetle, though I don’t grow lilies. They have very nasty habits (their larvae, very cunningly for larvae, disguise themselves from predators by coating themselves in black excrement while they chomp through the lilies, bud and leaf).
A closer look, however, revealed…
… and after a few quick snaps, sent me searching on the internet, where after googling ‘orange and black bug UK’ its ID was swiftly established. So here it is, a cinnamon or rhopalid bug Corizus hyoscyami. Originally only common in southern Britain, it is now spreading. This one is probably newly emerged, August to September being the time slot for a new generation. It likes dry habitats, and has no unpleasant habits: i.e. it does not emit smelly effusions that some other bugs are wont to do. Nothing I read indicated culpability in the plant damage department. So, until I learn otherwise, I think we may simply admire it for its very snazzy livery.
Later it hopped over to the Persian basil, where I thought it looked particularly fetching.
Tish Farrell 
Love how it makes its entrance. What a fun beetle, why cinnamon though?
That I don’t know. It’s not the right colour is it.
No! Very odd, wondered if it smelt of cinnamon?!
The bug blurb said it was definitely scentless.
Hmmmm……. Intriguing then! Maybe it looks like the bark even if colour not quite right.
That’s a thought. It’s got a sort of textured look, as if it’s embossed. I’m going to have to google cinnamon bark now! 🙂
Hee hee!
Do keep us posted on your investigation.
Ah-ha. You were right. Found an ecology site where it does say it smells of cinnamon – despite being categorised as a scentless bug. AND it eat plants, but have yet to discover which. Maybe godetia!! En passant also found this page of bugs of the Algarve:
http://eol.org/collections/6350
Ooh not sure I’d want to get closer to smell it!!!! I’ll have to look out for them in Portugal when we return.
You verbose creature! 🙂 🙂 This would have been great for In the Pink. Happy Saturday, Tish!
It would have been good for Becky’s pink. Now I’ll have go pink hunting – or should that be ‘hunting pink’. Have a great weekend, Jo.
You’d look rather good in hunting pink, Tish, but not your kind of sport at all. 🙂
Definitely not my thing, hunting – though could indeed go for the jacket 🙂
Well, you could have saved that for Becky’s pink, Tish!!
I really could’ve, couldn’t I. Ah well. The pursuit of pink begins…
😀😀🙄
What a beauty. One for the records!
Nice looking bug! I believe I have seen the cinnamon bug in our garden. Great pictures, Tish!
Thank you, Peter.
Godetia looks lovely. I might look out for some seeds…
Very easy to grow, and good for popping into gaps – should you actually have any 🙂 🙂
For a bug it is anice looking bug and great photos of it.
Interesting. Not seen one of those yet. Looks like a beetle shaped ladybird! I wonder what plants it eats. They always eat something!
I’d better go and track it down, and see if I can find out.
It’s rather a colorful little bugger isn’t it?! Looks like a malnourished ladybug!!
Ha! You’re right, Tina. It does. Or one put together in the wrong order.
How did we ever identify things before google. Sounds a harmless addition to the flora and fauna department and very colourful
Hoping it isn’t a major plant-chomping variety 🙂
… and here I am thinking that all bugs are bad. I clearly need to re-evaluate my opinions!
Well I’m hoping not to discover any bad habits, Joanne 🙂
Very dapper. 😀
Pretty much the color of my begonias out back … and the columbines from the spring.
And Peptol Bismol.
You nailed it!
Since I am not a garden person, I have never heard about Godetia, but its flower looks gorgeous, as does the beetle. Both beautifully captured, Tish.
Many thanks 🙂