Himacerus apterus

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Tree damsel bug
Himacerus apterus 01.JPG
Himacerus apterus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Heteroptera
Family: Nabidae
Genus: Himacerus
Species:
H. apterus
Binomial name
Himacerus apterus
(Fabricius, 1798)
Himacerus apterus in copula

Himacerus apterus, known as the tree damsel bug, [1] is a species of damsel bug belonging to the family Nabidae, subfamily Nabinae.

Contents

Description

The species is 8–10.5 millimetres (0.31–0.41 in) long for males and 9–11.5 millimetres (0.35–0.45 in) for females. [2] It has black connexivum and orange-red spots with reddish-brown wings. [1] It wingspan is 8–10 millimetres (0.31–0.39 in)

Distribution

It is found in most of Europe [3] and southern and central Asia. [4] Between 1943 and 1989 the species was found in eastern Nova Scotia. [5]

Diet

The species feeds on mites, aphids and other small insects. [1]

Ecology

Adults lay eggs in late summer on plant stems which hatch in spring. [4] Larvae are found from May to August. [1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Himacerus apterus". British Bugs. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  2. "Size by gender". Commanster. Retrieved June 23, 2013.
  3. "Himacerus (Himacerus) apterus (Fabricius, 1798)". Fauna Europaea . 2.6.2. August 29, 2013. Archived from the original on October 14, 2013. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
  4. 1 2 "Himacerus apterus" . Retrieved June 23, 2013.
  5. Lartvière, Marie-Claude (August 1992). "HIMACERUS APTERUS (FABRICIUS), A EURASIAN NABIDAE (HEMIPTERA) NEW TO NORTH AMERICA: DIAGNOSIS, GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION, AND BIONOMICS". The Canadian Entomologist. 124 (4): 725–728. doi:10.4039/Ent124725-4. ISSN   1918-3240.