Commonly referred to as the man-faced stink bug, it is a notorious pest known to congregate in large groups and devour fruit, cotton, corn, soybean, and cashew crops.
Native to India as well as Southeast Asia, the insect is easily identifiable by the pattern on its back, which is said to mirror a man’s face.
But now its likeness to a particular man has led to Catacanthus incarnatus being branded the 'Hitler Bug' by some in India.
According to The New Indian Express, it’s part of a trend of naming insects after their human look-alikes. The goal is apparently to “create interest in research students by making study errors easier to spot”.
The comparison between Catacanthus incarnatus and Hitler is easier to understand when you look at the bug upside down.
In this position, the dark tips of the wings resemble the dictator’s hair, two black spots resemble his eyes, and the crest on his back forms his nose. And in some specimens, a black line or other pair of dots closer to the head recreates Hitler’s infamous moustache.
Sorry, if I were the bug, I certainly wouldn’t want to be compared to Hitler!
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