You might be encountering this little red bug everywhere recently. It is a pyrrhocore bug and is currently a scourge in much of the country.
The number of these little red insects has increased significantly in recent years. They invade the streets and gardens. The reason you see so many of these bugs right now is because they are coming out of hibernation. They look for their conspecifics and gather in large numbers, which is obviously remarkable. Little fun fact: pyrrhocores copulate for an average of 12 hours straight.
Although they are not harmful, they can be irritating. No one likes having a crowd of little creatures in their garden. This is pyrrhocore, also called gendarme. It is a small beetle-type insect that you can often find in gardens and parks. It is very recognizable thanks to its bright red and black colors. These colors are also the origin of its impressive name. In nature, these colors serve as a warning. The colors basically say: “be careful, I’m toxic” and that’s obviously a deception, because in reality, it’s not toxic at all.
Pyrrhocore is not dangerous to humans. So he won’t bite you if you bother him. In fact, pyrrhocores can even be good news for your garden. They eat aphids and clean up dead insects. They feed on plant debris, but also on dead insects, thus helping with natural decomposition. This is why it is not recommended to kill them.
Although you don’t have to be afraid of them, and they are even useful… these little creatures give off a terrible smell. Plus, they breed like crazy, which can lead to a full-blown infestation in your garden or home. There are therefore enough reasons to want to get rid of pyrrhocores. The best thing to do is to make sure that the pyrrhocore has no shelter. They like to hide in cracks or dense plants. As a result, it is a good idea to weed.
It is also useful to remove plants like hibiscus, acacia or linden. If you really want to go drastic, use some type of poison. Although these little critters won’t harm anyone and are useful for your garden, this is certainly the most effective way to get rid of them.
To coexist with the police, you can also place piles of wood, or make piles of dead leaves far from the areas of your garden that you use. Thus, the little creatures will settle there and move away from your living spaces