meadow plant bug

Common and widespread, often abundant; agricultural pest on grass grown for seed

June to September

Prairies, meadows, agricultural fields, and other ungrazed grasslands

This is a 5 ⁄16″ to ⅜″ long, terrestrial, common, widespread plant bug. It is a small bug (order Hemiptera) but a large plant bug (family Miridae). Males and females are distinctly different in appearance.

The head is shorter than the first segment of the thorax (prothorax). There is a single pair of large, compound eyes and no simple eyes (occelli). There is a transverse furrow between the eyes.

The antennae are exposed, conspicuous, and long, much longer than the head. They have 4 principal segments and are covered with long hairs. The second segment is much longer than the third and fourth segments combined. On the female the second segment of the antenna is thinner than the base of the fourth leg segment (tibia).

The mouth parts are optimized for piercing and sucking. They take the form of a long, 4-segmented beak. The beak rises from the front of the head and extends along the underside of the body between the legs. It consists of 4 hair-like blades (stylets) with sharp tips enclosed in a 4-segmented sheath. There are two channels in the beak, one spitting out saliva to keep the food flowing, and one for sucking in liquid food. The two lower jaw-like structures (maxillae) and two lower lips do not have feeler-like structures (palpi) attached.

The body is soft and elongated.

There are two pairs of wings. They are held flat over the body when at rest. On the male the wings are longer than and completely cover the body. The front wings are longer than the hind wings. They are black and yellow at first, darkening to black and orangish-red with age. On most females the wings are much shorter than the body. The front wings have a thickened section at the base and a thin membranous section at the tip with a clear dividing line between the two. The thickened section is comprised of the triangular section (scutellum) at the base, the narrow area (clavus) behind the scutellum, and the broad marginal area (corium). At the end of the corium there is a small but distinct triangular area (cuneus). The hind wing is completely thin and membranous.

The legs are covered with long hairs. The last part of the leg, corresponding to the foot (tarsus) has only 3 segments.

A plant bug (no common name) (Leptopterna ferrugata) male front wings are usually pinkish-brown. On the female the second segment of the antenna is equal in width to the base of the tibia.

Mostly grasses (family Poaceae), but also Vaccinium sp. and vetch

The female cuts into a host plant stem near the base with her ovipositor and deposits eggs in the stem. The eggs overwinter. When nymphs emerge in the spring they are wingless but otherwise similar in size and appearance to adults. They molt five times.

When disturbed adults emit a strong unpleasant odor.

Sources: 24, 27, 29, 30.

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

Location: St. Louis Co.