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Leptoglossus
leaf-footed bugs
Leptoglossus is a genus of true bugs in the leaf-footed bug family Coreidae, tribe Anisoscelini. Species are characterized by leaflike dilations of the hind tibia, a diagnostic trait of the genus. The genus is distributed throughout the Americas, with some introduced populations in Europe and Asia. Several species are economically significant agricultural pests, notably L. occidentalis, which has become invasive in multiple continents.
Coreidaeleaf-footed-bugagricultural-pestinvasive-speciessymbiosissexual-dimorphismconifer-pestnuisance-pestBurkholderiatachinid-parasitoidpheromone-communicationbuilding-invadermisidentificationTriatoma-look-alikegradual-metamorphosisseed-predatorforest-pestornamental-pestplumbing-damagepublic-health-confusionChileEuropeNorth-AmericaSouth-AmericaAsiaTurkeyalmond-pestcitrus-pesttomato-pestcorn-pestoverwintering-aggregationdefensive-secretionpheromone-mediated-parasitismegg-parasitoidbiological-controlecological-niche-modelingclimate-suitabilityrange-expansionintroductionaccidental-dispersalseed-orchard-pestgermination-reductionempty-seed-formationcone-damagelodgepole-pineDouglas-firwestern-conifer-seed-bugL.-occidentalisL.-zonatusL.-phyllopusL.-clypealisL.-australisL.-chilensisL.-oppositusmale-combatfemoral-weaponabdominal-glandpheromone-glandtibial-dilationleaf-like-hind-legtrue-bugHemipteraHeteropteraPentatomomorphaAnisosceliniphytophagousplant-feedingstylet-feedingsalivary-sheathoverwinteringdiapausebuilding-entrystructural-pestnuisance-odorflight-sounddroning-flightaggregation-behaviormale-pheromonefemale-choiceparasitoid-hostbiological-control-agentintegrated-pest-managementmonitoringearly-detectionpreventioninvasion-biologyalien-speciesnon-native-pestglobal-spreadclimate-changeniche-modelingsuitable-habitatestablishment-riskquarantinephytosanitaryforest-healthseed-productionreforestationafforestationconifer-forestrypine-seedseed-viabilityeconomic-impactcrop-lossyield-reductionkernel-damagefruit-damagenut-damagevector-of-diseaseChagas-diseasekissing-bugpublic-alarmmisinformationeducationidentification-toolshealth-system-burdenpesticide-overuseurban-ecologydomiciliaryperidomiciliaryAndean-regionPatagoniaMediterraneantemperatesubtropicaltropicalagroecosystemnatural-enemypredatorparasitepathogensymbiontgut-microbiomesoil-ingestionfitness-benefitreproductive-successsperm-morphologytesticular-morphologyaccessory-glandpheromone-blendspecies-specific-odorcherry-scentvanilla-scentcinnamon-scentrose-scentolfactory-communicationmate-locationmate-recognitionsexual-selectionmale-male-competitionweapon-morphologyallometrydevelopmental-plasticitynymphal-instaregg-barrelegg-arrangementlinear-ovipositionleaf-surfaceplant-tissuestylet-penetrationenzymatic-digestionfluid-feedingphloem-feedingxylem-feedingseed-feedingcone-feedingfruit-feedingkernel-feedingnut-feedingcrop-feedinghost-plant-rangepolyphagyoligophagyspecialistgeneralistpest-statusdamage-thresholdeconomic-injury-levelmanagement-strategycultural-controlphysical-controlchemical-controlresistancetolerancehost-plant-resistancemonitoring-traplight-trappopulation-densitydistribution-mapspread-ratecolonizationestablishmentpopulation-dynamicslife-tabledevelopmental-ratethermal-requirementsdegree-daysphenologyvoltinismunivoltinebivoltinemultivoltinegeneration-timeoverwintering-sitehibernaculumshelter-seekingcold-hardinessfreeze-tolerancesupercoolingwater-relationsdesiccation-resistancestarvation-resistancedispersal-abilityflight-capacitywalking-behaviorclimbing-behavioraggregation-pheromonealarm-pheromonestink-glandmetathoracic-glanddorsoabdominal-glandventral-abdominal-glandsexual-glandmorphological-defensechemical-defensemechanical-defenseautotomyleg-losspredation-riskparasitism-riskparasitoid-riskpathogen-riskcompetitionintraspecificinterspecificresource-competitionmating-competitionsperm-competitioncryptic-female-choicereproductive-isolationspeciationphylogenysystematicstaxonomymorphologyanatomyhistologyultrastructurespermatogenesisspermatozoasperm-lengthnuclear-lengthcyst-productionfollicle-numbertestis-structurereproductive-anatomygenitaliamating-behaviorcopulationinseminationovipositionegg-productionfecundityfertilityhatching-successnymphal-survivaladult-longevitysex-ratiooperational-sex-ratiopopulation-sex-ratioeffective-population-sizegenetic-diversitygene-flowpopulation-structurephylogeographybiogeographyhistorical-biogeographyvicariancedispersalrange-shiftrange-contractionaltitudinal-distributionlatitudinal-distributionlongitudinal-distributionisland-distributioncontinental-distributionendemismcosmopolitanismintroduced-rangenative-rangesource-populationfounder-populationinvasion-frontlag-phaseestablishment-phasespread-phaseequilibrium-phaseimpact-assessmentrisk-assessmenthorizon-scanningearly-warningrapid-responseeradicationcontainmentcontrolmanagementadaptationmitigationrestorationconservationbiodiversityecosystem-serviceecosystem-functionfood-webtrophic-levelprimary-consumerherbivorefruit-predatorplant-animal-interactionmutualismantagonismpredationparasitismcommensalismamensalismfacilitationindirect-interactiontrait-mediated-interactiondensity-mediated-interactionbehavioral-ecologyevolutionary-ecologyfunctional-ecologyphysiological-ecologypopulation-ecologycommunity-ecologyecosystem-ecologylandscape-ecologymacroecologyglobal-ecologyapplied-ecologyagricultural-ecologyforest-ecologyconservation-biologyinvasion-ecologyrestoration-ecologypest-managementconserv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nchanmoss-bugarchaeorrhynchanfulgoromorphancicadomorphanmembracoidtreehopperleafhopperplanthopperpsyllidjumping-plant-lousewhiteflyaleyrodidscale-insectcoccoidmealybugaphidadelgidphylloxeransternorrhynchanthysanopteranthripspsocopteranbarklousebooklousephthirapteranlousesucking-lousechewing-lousemallophagananoplurandermapteranearwigblattodeancockroachtermiteisopteranmantodeanmantidphasmidstick-insectleaf-insectorthopterangrasshopperlocustkatydidcricketmole-cricketpygmy-mole-cricketcamel-cricketcave-cricketwetaensiferancaeliferangryllotalpidmyrmecophilidtettigoniidgryllidacrididpamphagidpneumoridlentulidtristirideumastacidproscopiidtridactylidtetrigidgrouse-locustpygmy-grasshopperplecopteranstoneflyembiopteranwebspinnerzorapteranangel-insectdictyopteranLeptoglossus occidentalis
Western Conifer Seed Bug, WCSB
Leptoglossus occidentalis, commonly known as the Western Conifer Seed Bug, is a leaf-footed bug native to western North America that has undergone dramatic range expansion. Originally confined to the Pacific coast region from California to British Columbia, it began spreading eastward in the 1950s, reaching the Atlantic coast by the 1990s. The species has also become invasive in Europe (first detected in Italy in 1999), Asia, South America, and elsewhere. Adults are notable for their loud, droning flight and tendency to seek shelter indoors during autumn, where they become nuisance pests. They feed on conifer seeds and developing cones, particularly of pines, and can cause significant damage in seed orchards.
Megacopta cribraria
kudzu bug, bean plataspid, globular stink bug, lablab bug
Megacopta cribraria is a plataspid shield bug native to South and East Asia that has become a significant invasive pest in the southeastern United States since its discovery in Georgia in 2009. The species exhibits a specialized symbiotic relationship with gut bacteria, particularly Candidatus Ishikawella capsulata, which enables it to feed on leguminous plants. North American populations descend from Japanese lineages and possess microbiomes that facilitate soybean infestation, distinguishing them from some Asian populations. The bug is notable for its strong aggregation behavior, attraction to white surfaces, and defensive secretion that causes odor, skin irritation, and staining.
Pollenia angustigena
Narrow-cheeked Clusterfly
Pollenia angustigena is a medium-sized cluster fly in the family Polleniidae, measuring 4.5–9.5 mm. Formerly classified in Calliphoridae, this species is now placed in Polleniidae based on morphological and molecular evidence. Adults display variable coloration with chequered abdominal dusting and distinctive golden crinkly thoracic hairs. The species is widely distributed in Britain and parts of continental Europe, with records from Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Portugal (Madeira). Adults are active from March to October, though they may be recorded year-round indoors during winter. Like other Pollenia species, adults feed on flower nectar and may contribute to pollination, while larvae are parasitoids or predators of earthworms.
Pollenia griseotomentosa
cluster fly
Pollenia griseotomentosa is a Palaearctic cluster fly and the smallest British species in the genus Pollenia, measuring 4.5–8.0 mm in body length. It is distinguished from congeners by specific morphological characters including lack of pale wing tuft, yellow to pale brown posterior thoracic spiracle lappets, dark palpi and basicosta, and characteristic bristle patterns. Like other cluster flies, adults overwinter in sheltered locations including buildings, where they aggregate in large numbers and may become nuisance pests. The species has been introduced to North America, with records from Canada and the northeastern United States.
Pollenia rudis
common cluster fly, attic fly, loft fly, buckwheat fly
Pollenia rudis, the common cluster fly, is a medium-sized blow fly in the family Polleniidae. Adults are notable nuisance pests of buildings, overwintering in attics and wall voids in large aggregations during cold months. The species is an obligate parasite of earthworms in its larval stages, with well-documented host specificity to certain lumbricid species. Native to Europe, it has been introduced to North America and New Zealand, where it occurs wherever its earthworm hosts are present.