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Home » Forums » General Discussion

There's Something about Miridae (I hope)

Again I submitted photos of a bug that turned out to be a mirid without having a clue that it was. Is there a way to recognize mirids so I can stop clogging ID Request with them and using generic titles like "Flying insect"? Is there one feature that they all have?
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Contributed by R. Berg on 23 December, 2009 - 9:05pm

Cuneus
The cunei are a good thing to look for, once you know where on the bug they're found.

Each forewing of a heteropteran has a leathery anterior part and a membranous posterior part. The cuneus is a transverse crease located sort of near the tip of the leathery part, if that makes sense. Also, because of this crease, or maybe as part of it, the leading edge of the forewing is often slightly indented at that point, as seen in the dorsal view of your most recent bug.
… John Schneider, 24 December, 2009 - 12:22am login or register to post comments

Broken-back appearance
Check out the comments on my post here. This can be a helpful, easily-seen rule of thumb with many mirids. However, I think the deal is that all heteropterans which are "broken-backed" in appearance are likely to be mirids, but not all mirids appear obviously "broken-backed". Your specimen seems to fall into the latter category.
… Harsi S. Parker, 23 December, 2009 - 11:57pm login or register to post comments

You can find out
by going to the Miridae page and click on the info tab: http://bugguide.net/node/view/94.
Scroll down to "Identification".
… Marie L. Schmidt, 23 December, 2009 - 10:39pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks, I had looked there
but the bugs don't always stand around with their femora showing.
… R. Berg, 23 December, 2009 - 11:28pm login or register to post comments

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