harlequin bug
In a study at Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Richmond, researchers found that the harlequin bug (Murgantia histrionica), a pest of cabbage and other cruciferous crops in the southern United States, can adapt its pigmentation based on external environmental conditions—namely, temperature—during its nymphal stages. Such adaptability illustrates the species’ potential to invade new regions and environments. (Photo credit: Jennifer Olson)