damsel bugs

(Family Nabidae)

Overview
damsel bug (Family Nabidae)
Photo by Alfredo Colon
 

Nabidae is the family of damsel bugs. There are more than 500 species worldwide, 40 species in North America north of Mexico, and at least 12 species in Minnesota. They occur on every continent except Greenland and Antarctica. They are usually found on low vegetation in agricultural fields, non-cultivated fields, and gardens. They feed on other soft-bodied insects, including other damsel bugs. They are considered beneficial because they prey on some agricultural pests.

 
           
 
Description
 
 

Damsel bugs are small, soft bodied, and elongated-oval in shape. Most are yellowish-brown and about 516 (8 mm) in length.Most species have antennae with 4 segments, though some in Subfamily Prostemmatinae have antennae with 5 segments. They have 2 large, bulbous, compound eyes and 3 small simple eyes (ocelli). The beak-like extension containg the mouthparts (rostrum) has 4 segments. The third segment (femur) of the front femur is slightly thickened. On most species the forewings are well developed. The membranous portion of these wings have numerous small cells around the margin. The legs are long and stilt-like.

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

24, 27, 29, 30, 82.

 
  11/23/2022      
         
 
Taxonomy
 
 

Order

Hemiptera (true bugs, hoppers, aphids, and allies)  
 

Suborder

Heteroptera (true bugs)  
 

Infraorder

Cimicomorpha  
 

Superfamily

Naboidea  
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

Subfamily Nabinae

Subfamily Prostemmatinae

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

damsel bugs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Femur

On insects and arachnids, the third, largest, most robust segment of the leg, coming immediately before the tibia. On humans, the thigh bone.

 

Ocellus

Simple eye; an eye with a single lens. Plural: ocelli.

 

Rostrum

The stiff, beak-like projection of the carapace or prolongation of the head of an insect, crustacean, or cetacean.

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
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Alfredo Colon

 
    damsel bug (Family Nabidae)   damsel bug (Family Nabidae)  
           
    damsel bug (Family Nabidae)      
           
 
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  Alfredo Colon
8/5/2022

Location: Albany, NY

damsel bug (Family Nabidae)  
  Alfredo Colon
8/10/2019

Location: Woodbury, MN

damsel bug (Family Nabidae)  
           
 
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Created: 11/15/2020

Last Updated:

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