The Plagiognathus arbustorum species is common in the Nearctic realm, Europe, Siberia, and Central Asia. They inhabit high-altitude herbaceous areas, ruderal areas, and even salt spots. Adult individuals can reach a length of 3.6–4.5 millimeters and display a variable color range. They are polyphagous, feeding on various herbaceous plants, with a preference for Urticaceae, Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Fabaceae, Rosaceae, and Apiaceae species. They mainly feed on buds, flowers, and immature fruits, but also consume aphids and honeydew occasionally.
Distribution
#This very common species is present in the Nearctic realm, in most of Europe and east to Siberia and Central Asia.
Habitat
#These mirids inhabit high-altitude herbaceous habitat, ruderal areas and even salt spots. In the Alps they can be found up to over 2000 meters above sea level.
Description
#Adults of Plagiognathus arbustorum can reach a length of 3.6–4.5 millimetres (0.14–0.18 in). These small mirids show a rather variable color, ranging from almost black to pale olive-green. Usually the head and the pronotum, the 1st and 2nd antennal segments and the margins of the hind femora are wholly dark. Forewings and pronotum are covered in dark hairs. The nymphs are green, with a black drawing on the legs.
Biology
#Adults of these mirids can be found from July to October. They are polyphagous, usually feeding on many different herbaceous plants, but especially on Urticaceae, Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Fabaceae, Rosaceae and Apiaceae species.Both adults and the nymphs prefer to suck on the buds, on flowers and immature fruits of their host plants. They feed occasionally on aphids and honeydew.
Bibliography
#Schuh, Randall T. (2001) Revision of New World Plagiognathus Fieber, with comments on the Palearctic fauna and the description of a new genus (Heteroptera: Miridae: Phylinae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, no. 266
Henry, Thomas J., and Richard C. Froeschner, eds. (1988), Catalog of the Heteroptera, or True Bugs, of Canada and the Continental United States
Ekkehard Wachmann, Albert Melber, Jürgen Deckert: Wanzen. Band 2: Cimicomorpha: Microphysidae (Flechtenwanzen), Miridae (Weichwanzen) (= Die Tierwelt Deutschlands und der angrenzenden Meeresteile nach ihren Merkmalen und nach ihrer Lebensweise. 75. Teil). Goecke & Evers, Keltern 2006, ISBN 3-931374-57-2.
== References ==
The Plagiognathus arbustorum species is common in the Nearctic realm, Europe, Siberia, and Central Asia. They inhabit high-altitude herbaceous areas, ruderal areas, and even salt spots. Adult individuals can reach a length of 3.6–4.5 millimeters and display a variable color range. They are polyphagous, feeding on various herbaceous plants, with a preference for Urticaceae, Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Fabaceae, Rosaceae, and Apiaceae species. They mainly feed on buds, flowers, and immature fruits, but also consume aphids and honeydew occasionally.
Ancestry Graph
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arthropods-->insects("class: Insects"):::active
insects-->true-bugs("suborder: True Bugs"):::active
true-bugs-->plant-bugs("family: Plant Bugs"):::active
plant-bugs-.->alfalfa-plant-bug(["species: Alfalfa Plant Bug"])
plant-bugs-.->apolygus-lucorum(["species: Apolygus lucorum"])
plant-bugs-.->calocoris-affinis(["species: Calocoris affinis"])
plant-bugs-.->closterotomus-biclavatus(["species: Closterotomus biclavatus"])
plant-bugs-.->common-green-capsid(["species: Common Green Capsid"])
plant-bugs==>common-nettle-flower-bug(["species: Common Nettle Flower Bug"]):::active
plant-bugs-.->deraeocoris-lutescens(["species: Deraeocoris lutescens"])
plant-bugs-.->dicyphus-errans(["species: Dicyphus errans"])
plant-bugs-.->european-tarnished-plant-bug(["species: European Tarnished Plant Bug"])
plant-bugs-.->lygus-pratensis(["species: Lygus pratensis"])
plant-bugs-.->meadow-plant-bug(["species: Meadow Plant Bug"])
plant-bugs-.->orthotylus-nassatus(["species: Orthotylus nassatus"])
plant-bugs-.->psallus-varians(["species: Psallus varians"])
plant-bugs-.->red-spotted-plant-bug(["species: red-spotted plant bug"])
plant-bugs-.->spotted-plant-bug(["species: spotted plant bug"])
plant-bugs-.->three-spotted-nettle-bug(["species: Three Spotted Nettle Bug"])
plant-bugs-.->trigonotylus-ruficornis(["species: Trigonotylus ruficornis"])
plant-bugs-.->two-spotted-grass-bug(["species: Two-spotted Grass Bug"])
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click deraeocoris-lutescens href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/true-bugs/plant-bugs/deraeocoris-lutescens/"
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click european-tarnished-plant-bug href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/true-bugs/plant-bugs/european-tarnished-plant-bug/"
click lygus-pratensis href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/true-bugs/plant-bugs/lygus-pratensis/"
click meadow-plant-bug href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/true-bugs/plant-bugs/meadow-plant-bug/"
click orthotylus-nassatus href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/true-bugs/plant-bugs/orthotylus-nassatus/"
click psallus-varians href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/true-bugs/plant-bugs/psallus-varians/"
click red-spotted-plant-bug href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/true-bugs/plant-bugs/red-spotted-plant-bug/"
click spotted-plant-bug href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/true-bugs/plant-bugs/spotted-plant-bug/"
click three-spotted-nettle-bug href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/true-bugs/plant-bugs/three-spotted-nettle-bug/"
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Further Information
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