Heterotoma planicornis

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Heterotoma planicornis
Heterotoma planicornis

Heterotoma planicornis

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Schnabelkerfe (Hemiptera)
Subordination : Bed bugs (heteroptera)
Family : Soft bugs (Miridae)
Genre : Heterotoma
Type : Heterotoma planicornis
Scientific name
Heterotoma planicornis
( Pallas , 1772)
Heterotoma planicornis suckling on a dead fly

Heterotoma planicornis is a species of bug from the family of soft bugs (Miridae).

features

The bugs are 4.6 to 5.5 millimeters long. The broad and flattened second antennae , the dark base color and the strongly contrasting greenish legs make the species unmistakable.

Occurrence and habitat

The species is mainly found in western and central Europe, northern Europe to southern Scandinavia and the south to the northern Mediterranean. Like Heterotoma merioptera , it has also been found in Poland, Austria, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. It was introduced into North America by humans. In Germany it is widespread and quite common. This probably also applies in Austria, but so far there has only been isolated evidence.

The herbaceous and shrub layers are colonized, especially in hedge-like habitats, more rarely they also live on trees.

Way of life

The bugs feed mainly on aphids , leaf fleas , the caterpillars of spider moths and bud moths, as well as curlers and other small invertebrates and their pre-imaginal stages. They often live on the great nettle ( Urtica dioica ), broom broom ( Cytisus scoparius ), Rubus species, blackthorn ( Prunus spinosa ), hawthorn ( Crataegus ) and other woody rose plants (Rosaceae). They are less common on other deciduous trees such as alder ( Alnus ), willow ( Salix ), hazel ( Corylus ), oak ( Quercus ) and others. The species is considered a beneficial insect in fruit growing. When there is a lack of food, the bugs also suckle on the host plants, especially on the buds and unripe fruits. The nymphs hatch from the end of May / beginning of June, the adult animals of the new generation appear from July and can be found until September.

supporting documents

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Ekkehard Wachmann , Albert Melber, Jürgen Deckert: Bugs. Volume 2: Cimicomorpha: Microphysidae (lichen bugs), Miridae (soft bugs) (=  The animal world of Germany and the adjacent parts of the sea according to their characteristics and their way of life . 75th part). Goecke & Evers, Keltern 2006, ISBN 3-931374-57-2 , p. 179 f .
  2. ↑ heterotoma planicornis. British Bugs, accessed January 3, 2015 .

literature

  • Ekkehard Wachmann , Albert Melber, Jürgen Deckert: Bugs. Volume 2: Cimicomorpha: Microphysidae (lichen bugs), Miridae (soft bugs) (=  The animal world of Germany and the adjacent parts of the sea according to their characteristics and their way of life . 75th part). Goecke & Evers, Keltern 2006, ISBN 3-931374-57-2 .

Web links

Commons : Heterotoma planicornis  - collection of images, videos and audio files