Pyrrhocoris apterus, is a common insect of the family Pyrrhocoridae. Easily recognizable due to its striking red and black coloration, it is distributed throughout the Palaearctic from the Atlantic coast of Europe to northwest China. They are frequently observed to form aggregations, especially as immature forms, with from tens to perhaps a hundred individual such as you can see at the Cité International Universitaire in Paris. Their diet consists primarily of seeds from lime trees and mallows. They can often be found in groups near the base of lime tree trunks, on the sunny side.