Heteroptera
Guides
Abedus immaculatus
Abedus immaculatus is a species of giant water bug in the family Belostomatidae. It is the only Abedus species found in the eastern United States, with a range extending throughout Florida north into Georgia and west along the Gulf Coast to Mississippi. Adults measure 13–14 mm in length, making them the smallest species in the genus Abedus and the smallest belostomatid in the United States. The species is the sole member of the subgenus Microabedus. It is locally common in parts of the Everglades, where it occurs in shorter hydroperiod sites.
giant-water-bugaquatic-insectfreshwaterwetlandEvergladesendemiceastern-United-Statessmallest-belostomatid-USAmale-parental-careBelostomatidaeHemipteraMicroabedushydroperiodFloridaGeorgiaMississippiGulf-CoastThomas-Say1832Abedus-cantrallisynonymywater-bugtrue-bugNepomorphaHeteropteraInsectaArthropodaAnimaliaAcanthocerini
Acanthocerini leaf-footed bugs
Acanthocerini is a tribe of leaf-footed bugs (family Coreidae) established by Bergroth in 1913. The tribe comprises at least 20 genera and 50 described species, with taxonomic diversity concentrated in South America. Members belong to the subfamily Coreinae and share the general morphology of coreid bugs, including the characteristic leaf-like expansions on the hind legs that give the family its common name.
Acaricoris ignotus
flat bug
Acaricoris ignotus is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, described by Harris and Drake in 1944. It inhabits forest floor environments in the eastern United States, where it occupies decaying wood and leaf litter. As a member of the Aradidae, it exhibits the family's characteristic flattened body form and cryptic lifestyle in decomposing organic substrates.
Agnocoris
Agnocoris is a genus of plant bugs in the family Miridae, established by Reuter in 1875. The genus contains seven described species distributed across the Holarctic region. Members are small, soft-bodied true bugs with the characteristic hemelytra of mirids. The genus has been documented from Europe and North America based on specimen records.
Alloeorhynchus
damsel bugs
Alloeorhynchus is a genus of predatory damsel bugs in the family Nabidae, subfamily Prostemmatinae. The genus was established by Fieber in 1860 and currently includes at least ten described species distributed across the Palearctic and Nearctic regions. Species have been recorded from Europe, North Africa, and Mexico, with recent taxonomic work significantly expanding known diversity in Central America.
Alydidae
broad-headed bugs, broad headed bugs
Alydidae, commonly known as broad-headed bugs, is a family of true bugs in the order Hemiptera containing at least 60 genera and approximately 300 species worldwide. Members are characterized by their notably broad heads, often similar in length and width to the pronotum and scutellum, and elongated, curved terminal antennal segments. The family is closely related to Coreidae (leaf-footed bugs) and shares many morphological features, though Alydidae generally lack the flattened hind tibiae typical of many coreids. Most species are tropical or subtropical in distribution, with relatively few species occurring in temperate regions. Several species are economically significant agricultural pests, particularly in Asia where they damage rice and legume crops.
Alydinae
broad-headed bugs
Alydinae is a subfamily of true bugs comprising approximately 24 genera and over 140 described species. Members are commonly known as broad-headed bugs due to their distinctive head shape. The subfamily was established by Amyot & Serville in 1843 and is classified within the family Alydidae, superfamily Coreoidea. Alydinae represents one of the primary lineages within the broad-headed bug family.
Alydus conspersus
broad-headed bug
Alydus conspersus is a species of broad-headed bug in the family Alydidae, first described by Montandon in 1893. It is one of three recognized subspecies within the species complex. The species is distributed across North America with documented records from Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana, Massachusetts, and Michigan. Like other members of the Alydidae, it is associated with feeding on seeds and has been observed utilizing extra-phytophagous food sources including animal dung.
Alydus scutellatus
Alydus scutellatus is a species of broad-headed bug in the family Alydidae, first described by Van Duzee in 1903. This small true bug belongs to a group commonly known for their seed-feeding habits, though members of the family have been documented engaging in extra-phytophagous feeding behaviors including carrion and dung consumption. The species has been recorded from western North American localities including British Columbia, Colorado, Montana, and New Mexico.
Amaurochrous brevitylus
Amaurochrous brevitylus is a species of turtle bug (family Pentatomidae) described by Barber & Sailer in 1953. It belongs to the subfamily Podopinae, commonly known as turtle bugs due to their rounded, shield-like body shape. The species is recorded from North America, though specific details about its biology remain poorly documented. Observations are sparse, with limited iNaturalist records suggesting it may be uncommon or underreported.
Amblytylus
Amblytylus is a genus of plant bugs in the family Miridae, established by Fieber in 1858. The genus contains at least two described species: Amblytylus albidus and Amblytylus nasutus. Members of this genus are classified within the suborder Heteroptera (true bugs) and are part of the diverse mirid fauna found in the Palearctic region.
Ambrysus arizonus
Ambrysus arizonus is a creeping water bug (family Naucoridae) in the Ambrysus guttatipennis species complex. It is distributed in both the United States and Mexico, with recent records extending its known range into Mexico. As a member of the Cryphocricinae subfamily, it shares the characteristic saucer-like, flattened body form and aquatic lifestyle typical of this group.
Ambrysus pulchellus
Ambrysus pulchellus is a creeping water bug in the family Naucoridae, part of the A. pulchellus species complex characterized by distinctive male phallosoma morphology and medial lobes of abdominal tergum VIII. The species exhibits the widest distribution within the subgenus Ambrysus, spanning parts of both the Nearctic and Neotropical biogeographic realms. Recent taxonomic revision has synonymized the subspecies A. pulchellus nitidulus and A. pulchellus pallidulus with the nominate form, and documented new country records from Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.
Amnestus pallidus
pallid burrowing bug
Amnestus pallidus is a burrowing bug species in the family Cydnidae, characterized by its subterranean lifestyle and association with soil habitats. The species occurs across Central America and North America, with documented records from the United States including Vermont. As a member of the burrowing bug family, it possesses morphological adaptations for digging and is typically found in contact with soil or ground-level vegetation. The species was described by Zimmer in 1910 and remains relatively poorly known in terms of detailed natural history.
Anthocoris
minute pirate bugs
Anthocoris is a genus of minute pirate bugs in the family Anthocoridae, containing at least 30 described species. These small predatory true bugs are important biological control agents in orchards and natural ecosystems, feeding on aphids, psyllids, mites, and other small arthropods. Several species have been studied extensively for their potential in integrated pest management, particularly in pear orchards and pistachio cultivation. The genus exhibits host-specific associations with particular tree species and prey types, with life cycles often synchronized to exploit seasonal aphid or psyllid populations.
Anthocoris antevolens
minute pirate bug
Anthocoris antevolens is a species of minute pirate bug in the family Anthocoridae, native to North America. Research has documented significant geographic variation in mating behavior among populations from British Columbia, Washington, and California, with asymmetric compatibility patterns in interpopulation crosses. Like other Anthocoris species, it is presumed to be a predatory true bug, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Aoplonema
Aoplonema is a genus of plant bugs in the family Miridae, established by Knight in 1928. The genus contains three described species: A. nigrum, A. princeps, and A. rubrum. Two species were described by Forero in 2008, while A. princeps was originally described as Capsus princeps by Uhler in 1894. As members of Miridae, species in this genus are presumed to be phytophagous, though specific host plant associations remain undocumented.
Aoplonema nigrum
Aoplonema nigrum is a species of plant bug in the family Miridae, described by Forero in 2008. It belongs to the suborder Heteroptera within the order Hemiptera. The species has been documented in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.
Apidaurus
Apidaurus is a genus of broad-headed bugs (Alydidae) established by Stål in 1870. These insects belong to the true bug family Alydidae, commonly known as broad-headed bugs due to their characteristically widened head shape. The genus is part of the subfamily Alydinae and is distributed in the Americas, with records from Paraguay and Texas.
Apiomerus montanus
Mountain Bee Assassin
Apiomerus montanus is a species of assassin bug in the family Reduviidae, commonly known as the Mountain Bee Assassin. It belongs to a genus of exclusively New World predatory insects often called 'bee killers' for their habit of ambushing flower-visiting insects. The species was formally described in 2011 during a revision of the crassipes and pictipes species groups of Apiomerus. Like other members of its genus, it is an ambush predator that captures prey using its raptorial forelegs and subdues them with a venomous proboscis.
Appolonius
Appolonius is a genus of seed bugs in the family Rhyparochromidae, tribe Drymini, described by Distant in 1901. The genus contains approximately 12 described species distributed across the Indomalaya and Oceania biogeographic regions. Members of this genus are true bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) belonging to the seed bug lineage, characterized by their association with seeds as a food source. The genus is part of the diverse lygaeoid complex within the Pentatomomorpha.
Aradus acutus
flat bug
Aradus acutus is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, first described by Thomas Say in 1832. It belongs to a group of insects commonly known as flat bugs due to their strongly dorsoventrally flattened bodies. The species is found in North America, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented in the available literature.
Aradus ampliatus
Aradus ampliatus is a species of flat bug (family Aradidae) described by Uhler in 1876. Like other members of the genus Aradus, it belongs to a group of true bugs commonly known as flat bugs due to their dorsoventrally flattened body form. The genus Aradus includes both extant and fossil species, with 14 species described from Baltic amber inclusions dating to the Eocene. Extant species in this genus are typically associated with dead wood habitats.
Aradus approximatus
flat bug
Aradus approximatus is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, described by Parshley in 1921. It belongs to a group of true bugs characterized by their strongly flattened bodies, an adaptation for living in tight spaces under bark. The species is recorded from North America. Like other members of the genus Aradus, it is presumed to inhabit dead wood environments, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented.
Aradus carolinensis
Aradus carolinensis is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, described by Kormilev in 1964. The species is known from North America. Members of the genus Aradus are commonly known as flat bugs and are typically associated with dead wood habitats.
Aradus cf-snowi
Aradus cf-snowi is a flat bug species in the family Aradidae, a group of true bugs commonly found on and under the bark of dead trees. The 'cf.' designation indicates this specimen resembles A. snowi but requires confirmation. Flat bugs in this genus are typically cryptic and associated with woody substrates.
Aradus cf. acutus-w-tex
Aradus cf-acutus-w-tex is a flat bug in the family Aradidae, a group of true bugs commonly associated with dead wood and bark habitats. The "cf." designation and "w-tex" suffix indicate this is an informal, provisional designation referring to a western Texas population closely resembling Aradus acutus but not formally described as a distinct species. Flat bugs in this genus are typically small, dorsoventrally flattened insects that live cryptically under bark.
Aradus cincticornis
flat bug
Aradus cincticornis is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, first described by Bergroth in 1906. Flat bugs in this genus are characterized by their dorsoventrally flattened bodies and association with dead wood habitats. The species is known from North America. Like other members of Aradidae, it likely inhabits spaces under bark and in decaying wood.
Aradus curticollis
Aradus curticollis is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, described by Bergroth in 1913. Like other members of the genus Aradus, it belongs to a group of true bugs commonly associated with dead wood habitats. The species is recorded from North America, though specific details about its biology and ecology remain poorly documented in available literature.
Aradus duzeei
Aradus duzeei is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, described by Bergroth in 1892. It is found in North America. Flat bugs in this family are characterized by their dorsoventrally flattened bodies and association with dead wood habitats.
Aradus evermanni
Aradus evermanni is a flat bug species described by Van Duzee in 1920. Members of the family Aradidae are characterized by their extremely flattened bodies, an adaptation for living in tight spaces under bark or in decaying wood. The genus Aradus is one of the largest in the family, with species primarily associated with coniferous and deciduous trees. Specific ecological details for A. evermanni remain poorly documented.
Aradus falleni
flat bug
Aradus falleni is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, first described by Carl Stål in 1860. It belongs to a family characterized by dorsoventrally flattened bodies adapted for living in confined spaces under bark. The species has a broad distribution across the Caribbean Sea, Central America, North America, and South America. As with other members of Aradidae, it is likely associated with dead or decaying wood habitats, though specific ecological details for this species remain limited in published literature.
Aradus fuscomaculatus
Aradus fuscomaculatus is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, first described by Stål in 1859. As a member of the flat bug family, it exhibits the characteristic dorsoventrally flattened body form typical of this group. The species is known from North America, where it inhabits forest environments associated with dead wood. Like other aradids, it is likely associated with subcortical habitats, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented.
Aradus intectus
Aradus intectus is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, first described by Parshley in 1921. It belongs to a family of true bugs characterized by their dorsoventrally flattened bodies and association with dead wood habitats. The species is known to occur in North America. As with other members of Aradidae, it likely inhabits subcortical environments, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Aradus intermedius
Aradus intermedius is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, described by Usinger in 1936. The species belongs to a genus of bark-dwelling true bugs characterized by their dorsoventrally flattened bodies. As with other members of Aradidae, it is presumed to inhabit subcortical environments, though specific details of its biology remain poorly documented in the provided sources.
Aradus kormilevi
pine flat bug
Aradus kormilevi is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, commonly known as the pine flat bug. It was described by Heiss in 1980 and is known from North America. The species is part of a family whose members are typically associated with dead wood habitats.
Aradus laeviusculus
Aradus laeviusculus is a near threatened flat bug (Hemiptera: Aradidae) that was considered extinct in Finland until its rediscovery in 1996. The species inhabits post-fire habitats, specifically burnt restoration sites. Recent records from Koli National Park in North Karelia, Eastern Finland, demonstrate its persistence in managed fire-maintained landscapes.
Aradus lugubris
flat bug
Aradus lugubris is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, first described by Fallén in 1807. It is one of the most widely distributed species in its genus, occurring across the Holarctic region in both Europe and North America. The species is known from forest habitats where it lives under the bark of dead trees. Two subspecies are recognized: A. lugubris lugubris and A. lugubris nigricornis.
Aradus medioximus
Aradus medioximus is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, described by Parshley in 1921. The genus Aradus comprises bark-dwelling true bugs commonly associated with dead wood habitats. Species in this genus are characterized by their dorsoventrally flattened bodies, an adaptation for living under bark. As with other members of Aradidae, they are thought to feed on fungal hyphae and decaying organic matter, though specific details for A. medioximus remain poorly documented. The species is recorded from North America.
Aradus nr-behrensi-calif
California near Aradus behrensi
Aradus nr-behrensi-calif is a flat bug species in the family Aradidae, designated with the "nr" (near) prefix indicating it closely resembles but may not be conspecific with Aradus behrensi. The "calif" suffix suggests California origin. Flat bugs in this genus are typically associated with dead wood habitats. This designation is commonly used in entomological collections when precise species identification requires further taxonomic verification.
Aradus opertaneus
Aradus opertaneus is a species of flat bug (family Aradidae) described by Parshley in 1921. As a member of the Aradidae, it belongs to a group of true bugs commonly associated with dead wood habitats. The species is currently accepted and has been recorded from North America. Flat bugs in this genus are typically small, dorsoventrally flattened insects with reduced wings.
Aradus ovatus
Aradus ovatus is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, described by Kormilev in 1966. Flat bugs in this genus are characterized by their dorsoventrally flattened bodies, an adaptation for living under bark and in tight spaces. The species is known from North America, though specific details about its biology and ecology remain limited in available literature.
Aradus paganicus
flat bug
Aradus paganicus is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, described by Parshley in 1929. It is native to North America. As a member of the flat bug family, it belongs to a group of true bugs adapted for life in concealed habitats such as under bark.
Aradus signaticornis
Flat bug
Aradus signaticornis is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, first described by Sahlberg in 1848. As a member of the Aradidae family, it belongs to a group of true bugs commonly associated with dead wood habitats. The species has been recorded from Europe, Northern Asia, and North America. Flat bugs in this genus are typically found under bark and in decaying wood, where they feed on fungal hyphae.
Aradus tuberculifer
flat bug
Aradus tuberculifer is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, described by Kirby in 1837. It is found in North America. Flat bugs in this genus are typically associated with dead wood habitats.
Aradus unnamed-ariz
A flat bug species in the genus Aradus, presumably from Arizona based on the provisional name. The genus Aradus comprises bark-dwelling true bugs characterized by their dorsoventrally flattened bodies adapted for living in narrow spaces under bark. Species in this genus are commonly associated with dead or dying trees where they feed on fungal hyphae.
Aradus vadosus
Aradus vadosus is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, a group of true bugs characterized by their dorsoventrally flattened bodies. The species was described by Van Duzee in 1920. It is known to occur in North America. Members of the genus Aradus are commonly associated with dead wood habitats, though species-specific details for A. vadosus remain limited in available literature.
Arhaphe
bordered plant bugs
Arhaphe is a genus of bordered plant bugs in the family Largidae, comprising 26 described species. The genus is notable among hemipterans for possessing a sound-producing stridulitrum, where the hind femur is rubbed against the costal margin of the forewings. Four species occur in the United States: A. arguta, A. breviata, A. carolina, and A. mimetica. The genus has been proposed as a potential model for ecological evolutionary developmental biology studies of insect-microbe symbiosis.
Arhaphe breviata
Arhaphe breviata is a true bug species in the family Largidae, described by Barber in 1924. It is one of four recognized Arhaphe species occurring in the United States, distinguished from congeners by morphological characteristics detailed in taxonomic keys. The species belongs to the subfamily Larginae and tribe Araphini.
Arhaphe mimetica
Arhaphe mimetica is a largid bug (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Largidae) occurring in the United States. Originally described as Japetus mimeticus in 1911, the species was later transferred to Pararhaphe before being restored to Arhaphe. A lectotype was designated in a 2011 taxonomic revision. It is one of four recognized Arhaphe species in the United States north of Mexico.