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Species Campylomma verbasci - Mullein Bug

Campylomma verbasci Mullein bug - Campylomma verbasci C. verbasci - Campylomma verbasci C. verbasci - Campylomma verbasci C. verbasci - Campylomma verbasci
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 Cimicomorpha
Superfamily Miroidea
Family Miridae (Plant Bugs)
Subfamily Phylinae
Tribe Nasocorini
Genus Campylomma (Mullein Bug)
Species verbasci (Mullein Bug)
Explanation of Names
Campylomma verbasci (Meyer-Dur 1843)
Range
native to Europe, n. & e. Africa, Middle East to China; adventive in our area (Canada, ne. & nw. US: CT-NE-VA, WA)(1) (map)
Habitat
Fruit trees and mullein (Verbascum) from which it gets its name.
Food
Generalist predator of apple and pear orchard pests. Prey includes aphids, mites, thrips, and pear psylla. If prey is scarce they resort to plant food and cause damage to some fruits (mostly cosmetic).
mostly on Verbascum (Scrophulariaceae) later in the season(1)
Life Cycle
Overwinters as an egg in apple and pear bark and perhaps other woody deciduous hosts. Two to four generations per year in the Pacific Northwest.
Remarks
First found in the US in 1886
Used as biocontrol of orchard pests. Its populations, especially early in the season, have to be monitored so that they don't damage fruits in the absence of sufficient prey. In Europe it is not known to damage fruits and it is valued as a biocontrol.