Mirid, first thought probably Dicyphus, turns out to be Engyltatus modestus - Engytatus modestus

Moved

… Ron Hemberger, 16 December, 2009 - 11:06pm

Moved

Moved from Dicyphus. Please let us know if any of the dozen or so images mentioned at the top of the page should also be moved from Dicyphus, although Ron should be able to move those since he is the contributor.

… john and jane balaban, 13 December, 2008 - 2:15pm

Thanks!

Before i ask, you've done it.

… WonGun Kim, 13 December, 2008 - 7:13pm

J&J thanks for the page and the move.

I'll handle the others.

… Ron Hemberger, 13 December, 2008 - 3:53pm

Addition information

Nesidocoris tenuis is listed in Nearctica as Cyrtopeltis tenuis.

I think the plant where the bug is sitting is a species of Compositae. If so, this bug can be considered as E. modestus.

The record shows the hosts of N. tenuis are Nicotiana sp. (Solanaceae) and Gynandropsis sp. (Cleomaceae). But, the hosts of E. modestus include Solanum sp., Jatropha gossypifolia (Euphorbiaceae), Heterotheca grandiflora (Compositae), Merremia aegyptia (Convolvulaceae), Gynadropsis pentaphylla (Cleomaceae), Lagenaria sp. (Cucurbitaceae), and Bougainvillaea sp. (Nyctaginaceae).

… WonGun Kim, 13 December, 2008 - 1:59am

Nice work, as usual, WonGun

Yes, the insect is on composite. So E. modestus it is.

If an editor sees this, we need a species page for Engyltatus modestus.

… Ron Hemberger, 13 December, 2008 - 10:37am

May i ask for a new guide page for this bug?

Of course, i'm not sure if it will be created..

… WonGun Kim, 13 December, 2008 - 10:52am

Sure, go ahead.

You get the page, I'll start to populate it. What a team!

… Ron Hemberger, 13 December, 2008 - 1:25pm

I think it's an Engytatus or Nesidocoris...

The smooth pronotum avoids Dicyphus and then the large eyes located near the calli show it's a species of Engyltatus or Nesidocoris.
North America has only one species (modestus) of Engyltatus that is distributed SW North America, and only one species (tenuis) of Nesidocoris, which is cosmopolitan.
Engyltatus modestus is formerly called Cyrtopeltis modesta.

… WonGun Kim, 31 October, 2008 - 3:25am

Thanks, WonGun, for your help here and elsewhere.

Good, thoughtful material! BugGuide doesn't have genus pages for any of the three genera (two present, one past) you've cited here. I plan to see what I can find elsewhere.

(Written later) Online images of the tomato bug Engyltatus modestus are scarce, but this insect appears darker than mine and holds its antennae differently. Also, its legs appear to be more transparent. Photos here: http://archimede.bibl.ulaval.ca/archimede/files/4ee0acbe-a906-4104-9589-3ee49c48d09b/ch01.html

OTHO, Nesidocoris tenuis looks right: http://blog.naver.com/onegunah/110024610014 and http://www.horticom.com/pd/article.php?sid=63941

Note: Subtribe for both the above is Dicyphina; tribe is Dicyphini.

… Ron Hemberger, 31 October, 2008 - 9:41am

With regard to the names of the Genera,

please refer to http://research.amnh.org/pbi/catalog/index.php This site also provides the records of the Miridae species.

Regarding the identification of the Dicyphini Genus, I referred to "A systematic study of the subfamily Dicyphinae (Heteroptera: Miridae)" (PhD Dissertation. Oregon State University, Corvallis. University Microfilms International, Ann Arbor 1986)

The paper states that Dicyphus is distinguishable from other Genura in Dicyphini by the shape of the pronotum. The pronotum of Dicyphus is trisected as we see the photos in the two Dicyphus species having guide pages in this site. Some of the remaining Genera can be distinguishable by the shapes of head and eyes and the location of the eyes. The two genera I considered as candidates of your photo have transverse heads and large eyes located close to the pronotum. Of course, I'm not sure of my identification since I have no experience classifying actual specimens of Dicyphini.

Unfortunately, I cannot find the photos of Engyltatus modestus, while the photos of Nesidocoris are easily found (as in my blog). The photos you linked is a species of Dicyphus called Dicyphus hesperus, but not Engyltatus modestus.

Anyway, the paper teached me to focus on head and eyes as well as overall body shapes and colors.

Thank you for your concern in this matter!

… WonGun Kim, 31 October, 2008 - 8:28pm

Moved

Moved from Plant Bugs.

… Ron Hemberger, 19 February, 2007 - 11:20am

prob. Dicyphus sp.

:-)

… Boris Büche, 2 January, 2007 - 6:45am

Oh, that meat eater again

There are a lot of them at that place. Posted one just the other day, but a side view, as opposed to the becoming-boring back shot.

… Ron Hemberger, 2 January, 2007 - 12:11pm

Miridae.

This is clearly a plant bug in the family Miridae. The white areas toward the tip of each wing mark the "cuneus," a crease at the top of the white area. The cuneus is peculiar to Miridae and easily separates them from other families (excepting some Anthocoridae).

… Eric R. Eaton, 17 April, 2006 - 5:30pm

Are plant bugs typically found in agricultural areas?

This is the only site where I've seen them. While photographed on flowers, they're in an area that's conceptually between a back-yard garden and a small truck farm. Flowers line some of the planted sections. Cabbage, citrus and strawberries are growing there now.

(Written 1-2-07 - I've seen them at an arboretum since then, and I think one other place.

… Ron Hemberger, 17 April, 2006 - 9:51pm

Re: Are plant bugs typically found in agricultural areas?

Dear Ron,

answer could be short: No!

- or more elaborate: Plant Bugs (Miridae) are found in almost every habitat, and always in numbers. It is the most species-rich of all families of true bugs, and of course SOME species are pests of cultivated plants - or at least their ecological range is sufficiently broad to allow for living in monocultures.
The big lot of species you will find in natural habitats, as in all insect groups.

It should not be forgotten, that several species have predatory habits and may rather be classified as beneficial for agriculture.

regards, Boris

… Boris Büche, 3 January, 2007 - 5:24am

Interesting information

Thanks, Boris. Recently, I was surprised to learn that some fruit flies are beneficial. There's a small green one that lives on thistle, a destructive import to California habitats. (Anywhere, I'd guess.)

… Ron Hemberger, 3 January, 2007 - 11:32am