Numbers
3 spp. (one adventive) in our area, 4 spp. in the New World, 19 spp. total
(1)Identification
can be recognized within the Pentatomidae by the presence on the abdominal venter of a longitudinal band of striations on the basal 3 or more segments
(1)
immatures:
Range
Great Plains to CA, FL
M. major IL-KS to TX-AZ; FL (Previously known from a single 1988 record, specimens from a population of Mecidea collected from cultivated Cenchrus setaceus in St. Petersburg was submitted to FSCA and identified as this species. More surveying may reveal the extent of this species' establishment in Florida.) -AWM
M. minor IA-SD to TX-CA;
M. longula FL (native to West Indies)
(1) Food
grass feeders including
sideoats grama + some records on Asteraceae
(2)Remarks
the only New World representative of the tribe Mecideini
(1)Print References
Sailer R.I. (1952) A review of the stink bugs of the genus Mecidea. Proc. USNM 102: 471-505.