Pithanus maerkelii

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Pithanus maerkelii
Pithanus maerkelii

Pithanus maerkelii

Systematics
Subordination : Bed bugs (heteroptera)
Family : Soft bugs (Miridae)
Subfamily : Mirinae
Tribe : Pithanini
Genre : Pithanus
Type : Pithanus maerkelii
Scientific name
Pithanus maerkelii
( Herrich-Schäffer , 1838)
Pithanus maerkelii

Pithanus maerkelii is a species of bug from the family of soft bugs (Miridae).

features

The bugs are 3.7 to 5.4 millimeters long. They have a distinctive, ant-like physique. Their wings are almost always shortened (micropter), but there are seldom females with fully developed (macropter) wings. The connexivium, the wing margins and the first part of the antennae are pale in color. The pronotum is thickened in the middle.

Occurrence and habitat

The species is widespread in Europe, but occurs in the Mediterranean area only on the western northern edge. To the east, it spreads over Russia and Ukraine. It was introduced into North America by humans. It is widespread in Germany and common locally. In Austria, too, it occurs everywhere, but only in isolated cases and mainly in the middle altitudes.

Open habitats, clearings and forest edges are populated, whereby both moist and dry soils come into question.

Way of life

One finds Pithanus maerkelii on grasses (Poaceae), sour grass plants (Cyperaceae) and Rushes (Juncaceae). They are found on ostrich grasses ( Agrostis ), fescue ( Festuca ), bristle grass ( Nardus ), Schmielen ( Deschampsia ), sedges ( Carex ), ledges ( Scirpus ) and rushes ( Juncus ). The bugs stay mostly on the ground or on the stalks of their host plants close to the ground. They only climb to the top in sunny weather. They suckle on the stalks (nodes) and also on the ears (ovules). The adults can be observed from the beginning / middle of June, rarely from the end of May to August. However, from mid-July onwards, males only appear sporadically. The females pierce their eggs into the lower parts of the stalks of their host plants, especially in July.

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. 139 ff .
  2. ↑ Pithanus maerkelii. British Bugs, accessed July 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 : Pithanus maerkelii  - collection of images, videos and audio files