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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #339944
Research Project: Systematics of Hemiptera and Related Groups: Plant Pests, Predators and Disease Vectors

Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Title: First records of the dicyphine plant bug Nesidiocoris tenuis (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Bryocorinae) in Mexico

Author
item PINEDA, SAMUEL - Universidad Michoacana De San Nicolas De Hidalgo
item Henry, Thomas
item CORRALES-MADRID, JOSE - Autonomous University Of Sinaloa
item MARTINEZ, ANA - Universidad Michoacana De San Nicolas De Hidalgo
item FIGUEROA, JOSE - Universidad Michoacana De San Nicolas De Hidalgo

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/10/2017
Publication Date: 5/18/2017
Citation: Pineda, S., Henry, T.J., Corrales-Madrid, J.L., Martinez, A.M., Figueroa, J.I. 2017. First records of the dicyphine plant bug Nesidiocoris tenuis (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Bryocorinae) in Mexico. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 119(2):290-295.

Interpretive Summary: The plant bug treated in this publication is well known for its potential as pests of certain crops, such as tomato, tobacco, eggplant, and other members of the nightshade family. Although it frequently damages plants and is considered a major pest, it also may become an active predator when prey species, such as aphids and whiteflies, are present. In this paper, we give the first report for this plant bug in Mexico, provide observations of it preying on the sweet potato whitefly, and review its host plants (as a pest), prey species (as a predator), and worldwide distribution–which includes the United States. This paper will be of great interest to all researchers working on the biological control of aphids, whiteflies, and other arthropod pests, especially those associated with crops grown in greenhouses.

Technical Abstract: The widespread plant bug Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter) is reported for the first time from Mexico. In this paper we provide a diagnosis and photographs of the adult male and female, discuss its habits as a plant pest and a predator and potential biocontrol agent of soft-bodied arthropods, and review the world distribution.