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Golden Egg Bug

uncommon

Golden Egg Bug

Phyllomorpha laciniata

Habitat: Dry scrub and stony grasslands around the Mediterranean Basin
Body length: 10 mm
Order: Hemiptera · Coreidae

Weird but real

Females glue eggs onto other adults—especially males—turning their backs into living nurseries.

Why it's cool

A walking leaf-edge that outsources parenthood by making its neighbours carry a clutch of golden eggs.

Photographs

Image of Phyllomorpha laciniata — Lies Van Rompaey · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Phyllomorpha laciniata (Coreidae) (Golden Egg Bug) - (imago), Río Guadaiza, Spain — This image is created by user B. Schoenmakers at Observation.org, a global biodiversity recording project. · CC BY 3.0 · source