BG1279 C2012 - Rhinocapsus rubricans

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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies (Hemiptera) » True Bugs (Heteroptera) » Cimicomorpha » Miroidea » Plant Bugs (Miridae) » Phylinae » Phylini » Oncotylina » Rhinocapsus » Rhinocapsus rubricans

Photo#163130

Copyright © 2007 Gayle and Jeanell Strickland

BG1279 C2012 - Rhinocapsus rubricans

Gloster, Gloster Arboretum, Amite County, Mississippi, USA
May 13, 2006
Size: body length, < 7 mm.

We have periodically checked BugGuide and other resources for leads about the ID of this bug to no avail. Yesterday Beatriz provided that lead with this fine photo of a strikingly similar creature that she found on Mountain Laurel. Based on the close match of her photo to ours, we are placing it in Miridae.
Features we found to be notable:
Thickened, "hairy" appearence of the second antennal segment.
Very long, slender labrum. I hope I am right about the terminology. I took a short crash course in true bug anatomy today and that's what I came up with. I wonder if it may be used as a tactile sensory organ. Note in one of our images that it is pressed against the surface of the photographic stage.
Incidentally, Mountain Laurel, which is quite rare in this area, was present at the capture site.
More specific placement would be appreciated.
Gayle

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Contributed by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland on 30 December, 2007 - 4:25pm
Last updated 15 October, 2010 - 5:24pm

Moved

Moved from Rhinocapsus.

… John R. Maxwell, 23 November, 2008 - 1:01pm

Moved

Moved from Plant Bugs.

… John R. Maxwell, 23 November, 2008 - 12:46pm

It looks like Rhinocapsus species...

and maybe Rhinocapsus rubricans.

Please refer to

… WonGun Kim, 14 November, 2008 - 2:19am

Mountain laurel in woods near garden where found

If these are associated with mountain laurel, it is plentiful here

… John & Barbara Moerk, 7 June, 2015 - 7:11pm

Azalea Plant Bug.

I found a similar bug on an azalea plant in Louisiana.

http://bugguide.net/node/view/177984

… armpro, 21 April, 2008 - 8:33am

Hazarding a guess--Rhinocapsus

Disclaimer: I know diddly about Mirids. Lack of expertise never having stopped me here, however, I paged through the Mirid section of Slater (1) and one did look close in terms of coloration and antenna structure--p. 203, fig. 413, Rhinocapsus vanduzeii (3.5-4 mm, eastern states, MI south to North Carolina, said to be associated with wild raspberry). This is also shown at Insects of Cedar Creek. I note that ITIS calls it "Azalea Plant Bug"--related to Mountain Laurel, so that is suspicious.

Slater says there are two additional eastern species--if I'm even close on the genus!

… Cotinis, 30 December, 2007 - 8:43pm

Super Sleuthing!!

Thanks Patrick, I think you are right on target. Now if we can find images/descriptions of those other two eastern species ---
Gayle

… Gayle and Jeanell Strickland, 30 December, 2007 - 10:32pm

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