Cotton Harlequin Bug (Tectocoris diophthalmus)

No two Cotton Harlequin Bugs (Tectocoris diophthalmus) seem to wear quite the same outfit. This broad, shield-shaped Australian insect comes in vivid combinations of orange, red, blue, and metallic green that vary dramatically between individuals and regions - a walking lesson in natural variation.

Cotton Harlequin Bugs are found across eastern and northern Australia, where they feed on plants in the mallow family (Malvaceae), including native hibiscus, kurrajong, and - to the frustration of farmers - cotton. They are shield bugs (Scutelleridae), with an enlarged scutellum that covers the wings like a rounded dome. Nymphs are often even more colourful than adults, and both stages are frequently found in clusters on their host plants, their bright colours serving as a collective warning to predators.

The extraordinary colour variation in this species has made it a subject of genetic and developmental research. Individuals from the same population can display strikingly different colour patterns - metallic blue and orange, red and green, or predominantly black - a level of polymorphism that is unusual even among shield bugs. The underlying mechanisms are not fully understood, but the result is one of the most visually diverse single species in the insect world - a natural demonstration that pattern and colour need not be fixed to be functional.

Bugs is a collection of natural history illustration prints drawn from the insect world - beetles, flies, bugs, butterflies, and moths selected for the strangeness, beauty, and variety of their forms.

Each illustration is adapted from Simon Tyler's book Bugs, published by Pavilion in 2017 and subsequently published in French and Chinese. The series draws on the tradition of scientific natural history illustration - precise, considered, and attentive to the details that make each species distinctive.

Insects account for the majority of all known animal species on Earth. This collection is a small survey of what that diversity looks like.

All prints are produced to order on 250gsm archival matte paper using pigment-based inks, chosen for colour accuracy and long-term stability.

Each print is rolled in acid-free tissue and shipped in a rigid cardboard tube, sealed for moisture protection, ready for framing on arrival.

Large · 50 × 70 cm · 20 × 28 in

XLarge · 70 × 100 cm · 28 × 40 in

UK: Free · 3-5 working days

Europe: €8.50 · 3-7 working days · No customs charges

USA & Canada: $8.95 / $12.00 CAD · 5-10 working days

Australia: $14.00 AUD · 5-10 working days

Rest of World: £14.95 · 7-14 working days

All prints are produced to order and dispatched within 1-3 working days. Orders placed before 5pm GMT ship the same day. You'll receive tracking information by email once dispatched.

Orders outside Europe may be subject to local customs charges on delivery - these are the responsibility of the recipient.

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Returns accepted within 30 days. Email returns@axisophy.com with your order number and we'll provide return instructions.

Return postage is the customer's responsibility except where the print arrives damaged or there's been an error - in which case we'll arrange a replacement or refund immediately, no return needed.

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