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Species Chelinidea vittiger - Cactus Coreid

Cactus Bug - Chelinidea vittiger Cactus Coreid - Chelinidea vittiger green plant bug with red legs - Chelinidea vittiger Nopal bug - Chelinidea vittiger Female, Chelinidea vittiger? - Chelinidea vittiger - female should be Chelinidea vittiger - Chelinidea vittiger Leaf-footed Bug Genus Chelinidea? - Chelinidea vittiger Cactus coreid - Chelinidea vittiger
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)
Suborder Heteroptera (True Bugs)
Infraorder Pentatomomorpha
Superfamily Coreoidea (Leatherbugs)
Family Coreidae (Leaf-footed Bugs)
Subfamily Coreinae
Tribe Chelinideini
Genus Chelinidea
Species vittiger (Cactus Coreid)
Explanation of Names
Chelinidea vittiger Uhler 1863
vittiger 'stripe-bearing'
Size
Adults 12-15 mm(1)
Range
QC-VA-FL to SK-AB-OR-CA & Mexico(2)(3)
Food
prickly pear cacti, Opuntia spp.
Life Cycle
First eggs are laid in March, longitudinally on the underside of prickly pear spines. The egg laying period in each generation extends over 2-3 months, the rate of nymphal development varies considerably; adults long-lived (9-12 months).
Remarks
represented in se. US by the ssp. C. v. aequoris
introduced to Australia to combat the invasive prickly pear cacti (proven ineffective)
Print References
DeVol JE, Goeden RD. (1973) Biology of Chelinidea vittiger with notes on its host-plant relationships and value in biological weed control. Envir. Entomol. 2: 231-240.
Internet References
Featured Creatures (Mead & Herring 2014)(4)