Hungry for cotton Q A

ROBERT ERASMUS from Pretoria writes: These insects were very active in my garden for about a week, then they disappeared. What are they?

Entomologist DUNCAN MACFADYEN says: The insect is a cotton stainer – considered a serious pest in the cotton-growing regions of Africa. They prefer to feed on ripe or developing seeds of cotton plants, but will also readily feed on the stems. As they feed, they transmit a fungus onto the cotton balls, causing discoloration – hence their name. All of the South African cotton stainer species seem to be associated with plants in the Malvaceae families, like hibiscus. They often aggregate on the trunks and are clearly visible thanks to their bright coloration. Of course, the red is also a warning to would-be predators that the insect is toxic or at least distasteful, hence they don’t try to conceal themselves.