The firebug, also known as linden bug, is a common insect of the family Pyrrhocoridae. It is native to Europe and North America and feeds preferentially on seeds of the linden tree and mallows. It has a length of 8-10 mm and is often found in large clusters.
The firebug is a ‘true bug’, distinguished from a beetle by its forewings [membranous with leathery tips], its sucking mouth parts and its development [incomplete metamorphosis, with their young looking much like adults, but without wings]. Firebugs are flightless and generally mate in April and May.