The Lygaeidae are a family in the Hemiptera, with more than 110 genera in four subfamilies. The family is commonly referred to as seed bugs, and less commonly, milkweed bugs, or ground bugs. However, while many of the species feed on seeds, some feed on sap (mucivory) or seed pods, others are omnivores and a few, such as the wekiu bug, are carnivores that feed exclusively on insects. Insects in this family are distributed across the world, including throughout North America. The family was vastly larger, but numerous former subfamilies have been removed and given independent family status, including the Artheneidae, Blissidae, Cryptorhamphidae, Cymidae, Geocoridae, Heterogastridae, Ninidae, Oxycarenidae and Rhyparochromidae, which together constituted well over half of the former family.
Oncopeltus fasciatus, known as the large milkweed bug, is a medium-sized hemipteran of the family Lygaeidae. It is distributed throughout North America, from Central America through Mexico and the Caribbean to southern areas in Canada. Costa Rica represents this insect's southern limit. It inhabits disturbed areas, roadsides, and open pastures. Due to this widespread geographic distribution, this insect exhibits varying life history trade-offs depending on the population location, including differences in wing length and other traits based on location.
The Blissidae are a family in the Hemiptera, comprising nearly 50 genera and 400 species. The group has often been treated as a subfamily of the Lygaeidae but was resurrected as a full family by Thomas Henry (1997).
Lygaeinae is a subfamily of ground bugs in the insect family Lygaeidae.
Oxycarenidae is a family of true bugs in the order Hemiptera. There are more than 20 genera and 140 described species in Oxycarenidae.
Oncopeltus sanguinolentus, the blood-colored milkweed bug, is a species of seed bug in the family Lygaeidae. It is found in Central America and North America. The species name is sometimes misspelled with an extra "e", as sanguineolentus.
Oncopeltus is a genus of seed bugs in the family Lygaeidae, which has at least 40 described species in Oncopeltus.
Ochrimnus barberi is a species of seed bug in the family Lygaeidae. It is found in Central America and North America.
Lygaeus kalmii, known as the small milkweed bug or common milkweed bug, is a species of seed bug in the family Lygaeidae. It is found in Central America and North America.
Oncopeltus cayensis is a species of seed bug in the family Lygaeidae. It is found in the Caribbean Sea and North America.
Lygaeus turcicus, the false milkweed bug, is a species of seed bug in the family Lygaeidae. It is found in Eastern North America.
Oncopeltus sexmaculatus, the six-spotted milkweed bug, is a species of seed bug in the family Lygaeidae. It is found on islands in the Caribbean Sea, Central America, and North America.
Oncopeltus varicolor is a species of seed bug in the family Lygaeidae, found in North, Central, and South America.
Oncopeltus cingulifer is a species of seed bug in the family Lygaeidae. It is found in North, Central, and South America.
Oncopeltus unifasciatellus is a species of seed bug in the family Lygaeidae, found in the Neotropics.
Oncopeltus famelicus is a species of seed bug in the family Lygaeidae, found in sub-Saharan Africa.
Oncopeltus sordidus is a species of seed bug in the family Lygaeidae, found in Australia.
Oncopeltus sandarachatus is a species of seed bug in the family Lygaeidae, found in North, Central, and South America.
Oncopeltus zonatus is a species of seed bug in the family Lygaeidae, found in the Neotropics in Guiana, Peru, and Chile. Oncopeltus zonatus is a terrestrial species, and its known host plants are Asclepias curassavica, Funastrum clausum, and Nerium oleander.
