Species Dagbertus fasciatus

Banded Dagburned Mirid (joke)

Dagbertus fasciatus (Reuter)

Orig. Comb: Lygus fasciatus Reuter 1876

Four spp. n. of Mex. (1)

See discussion of spp. here

~4.5 mm

A2 uniformly pale, scutellum lacking red or fuscous markings, if weakly marked, inner margin of clavus infuscated or clouded with brown. Paraclypeus with a bright red, transverse band apically. Pronotum with a dark, transverse band posteriorly. (2)

e. US (TX-FL-ME-IN) - Map (1)(3), mostly se US Gulf coast & Mex.

June-July-August in southeast per Snodgrass et al. (1984)

Found on common purslane (Portulaca oleracea) in Mississippi per Snodgrass et al. (1984)

Per USDA, Portulaca oleracea is a non-native species occurring throughout the continental U.S.

Associated with avocado in Florida per Leston (1979)

There has been *considerable* confusion over the identity Dagbertus fasciatus (Reuter, 1876) and the closely related Dagbertus olivaceus (Reuter, 1907).

Henry (1985) examined syntypes and hundreds of specimens of both species from the eastern United States and found that the pale second antennal segment of fasciatus vs. the apically black second antennal segment for olivaceus, first noted by Leston (1979), will consistently distinguish the two species.

Henry, T.J., 1985. Newly recognized synonyms, homonyms, and combinations in the North American Miridae (Heteroptera). Journal of the New York Entomological Society 93(3): 1121-1136.

Leston, D. 1979. The species of Dagbertus (Hemiptera: Miridae) associated with avocado in Florida. Florida Entomologist 62(4): 376-379.

Snodgrass, G.L., T.J. Henry, & W.P. Scott. 1984. An annotated list of the Miridae (Heteroptera) found in the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta and associated areas in Arkansas and Louisiana. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 86(4): 845-860.

Type - Swedish Museum of Natural History