The firebug is native throughout the Palaearctic from the Atlantic coast of Europe to northwest China. Its diet consists primarily of seeds from lime trees and mallows. As with all true bugs, they have a piercing-sucking stylet that is inserted into a food source to feed.
Firebugs go through simple metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult) and typically have one generation per year. Firebugs generally mate in April and May when they can be seen in tandem formation in large clusters. Mating can take from 12 hours up to 7 days.
The firebug is easily recognizable due to its striking red and black coloration. It has a body length of up to 12 mm, and body width up to 5 mm.