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HEMIPTERA, Miridae (Hahn 1831). -- <Images>
& <Juveniles> Description & Statistics
This is the largest of the Heteroptera with more than 10,012
species described as of 2011. They
occur worldwide, and have been referred to as "leaf bugs,"
"plant bugs,", "grass bugs," and "capsid
bugs." Diagnostic characters
include the cuneus in their forewing and, in most species, 2 closed cells at
the base of the membrane. The
antennae and rostrum have four segments and there are no ocelli. They are mainly soft bodied, small (rarely
>11mm) and elongated in shape as well as vibrantly colored. All species are small, terrestrial insects, usually oval-shaped or
elongate and measuring less than 14 mm. long. Some are brightly colored,
while others dark. Some genera mimic
ants at some stage of their life. Many species are pests of agriculture. Most Miridae are phytophagous, although many species are
facultatively predaceous on all stages of various insects, mainly Homoptera
and Heteroptera. However, some
researchers regarded the family as a whole subsisting principally on other
insects. Some species are mainly
zoophagous and facultative blood feeders on humans. Myrmecophilous mirids have been known as well as species that
frequent insectivorous plants and feed on newly captured prey. A mirid imported from Australia and Fiji
to Hawaii was responsible for successful biological control of the sugarcane
leafhopper. Other mirids have been
introduced from Australia into Hawaii for control of leafhopper pests of corn
and taro. The genus Deraeocoris
is consistently associated with aphids, being predaceous principally on those
species that have a waxy covering, such as Eriosoma and Phylloxera. D.
flavilinea Costa of Europe as a
wide range of food, being predaceous on eggs and young nymphs of several
species of Pentatomidae and on aphids, syrphid larvae, etc. From 10-15% of eggs of the pentatomid
species found on hazel nuts in Italy are destroyed by this mirid (Boselli
1932). It also feeds on plant juices. Other species are known to attack red
mites and chermids, etc. Cyrtorhinus mundulus Bredd. is well known because
of its role as a predator. It was
introduced into Hawaii from Australia and Fiji in 1920 for biological control
of sugarcane leaf hopper (Swezey 1936).
It feeds only on eggs and was so effective that it rapidly reduced the
infestation to a noneconomic level and much below that attained through an
earlier introduction of the parasitic enemies of this pest. It is very closely associated with cane
and because of this has not been effective against leaf hopper on corn. Its eggs are laid singly or in small
groups in crevices in the cane leaves.
Cyrtorhinus fulvus, was imported from the
Philippines during 1937-1938, and effectively controlled the taro leaf
hopper, Megamelus proserpina Kirk. in Hawaii. Both of these species are obligate egg
predators and do not require plant food (Clausen 1940/1962). References: Please refer to <biology.ref.htm>, [Additional references
may be found at: MELVYL
Library] Blatchley, W. S. 1926. Heteroptera or
True Bugs of Eastern North America, with Special Reference to the fauna of
Indiana and Florida. nature Publ.
Co., Indianapolis, Ind. 1116 p. China, W.
E. & N. C. E. Miller. 1959. Checklist and keys to the families and
subfamilies of the Hemiptera-Heteroptera.
Bull. British Mus. Nat. Hist. Ent. 8(1): 1-45. Knight, H. H.
1941. The plant bugs or
Miridae of Illinois. Ill. Nat. Hist.
Survey Bull. 22(1): 1-234. Miller, N. C.
E. 1971.
The Biology of the Heteroptera.
E. W. Classey Ltd., Hampton Middlesex, England. 206 p. |