Species Chelinidea vittiger - Cactus Coreid

The adult has a length of 10 to 13.5 mm; width across pronotum 4 to 5 mm.

Conspicuous dorsal, yellow stripe on the head, nearly solid yellow pronotum, and yellow veins of the forewing. General appearance is similar to the better known squash bugs (Anasa spp.) which lack the extensive yellow pronotum and the yellowish veins of the corium and clavus that starkly contrast with the generally dark hemelytra. This contrast is less apparent in other forms and species of Chelinidea. Other notable yellowish areas of specimens from Florida are the entire venter, basal half of costal margin of corium, and exposed margin of the abdomen. Florida specimens have the antennae, most of head, legs, and hemelytra dark brown to blackish. The membrane of the forewing often has a greenish cast and is generally darker than the leathery basal portion. A black transverse bar is nearly always present at the base of the pronotum. The antennae have a slightly dilated appearance which, on close inspection, reveal 3-sided (prism- shaped) 2nd and 3rd segments (also present in older nymphs). An overall feature of Chelinidea is the glabrous (hairless) appearance.

It ranges from California to Virginia, northward to Montana, and southward to northern Mexico. Hamlin (1932) showed Central Florida as the southeastern U.S. limit of C. v. aequoris.

Cactus.

First eggs of the season are deposited in March, longitudinally on the underside of prickly pear spines. The egg laying period in each generation extends over two to three months, the rate of nymphal development varies considerably, and adults are long lived (nine to 12 months

In Australia, over 30,000,000 acres of pasture land were rendered useless because of dense stands of exotic prickly pear cacti. One of the native American cactus insects that showed early promise as a control agent was the coreid bug, Chelinidea vittiger Uhler. DeVol and Goeden (1973) discussed the value of this species in biological weed control and reported that it was ineffective in controlling prickly pears in Australia and Santa Cruz Island, California. In most areas of North America prickly pears are not a problem because a complex of insects keeps them under control. Chelinidea vittiger is considered a minor component of that complex. In Florida and the other southeastern states, the only Chelinidea present is C. vittiger aequoris McAtee.