Nabidae
Guides
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.
Carthasis
Carthasis is a genus of damsel bugs in the family Nabidae, established by Champion in 1900. The genus contains approximately five described species. Members of this genus are predatory true bugs, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented due to limited research attention.
Carthasis decoratus
Carthasis decoratus is a species of damsel bug in the family Nabidae. It is found in North America. The species was described by Uhler in 1901. As a member of the damsel bug family, it belongs to a group of predatory true bugs.
Hoplistoscelis
damsel bugs
Hoplistoscelis is a genus of damsel bugs in the family Nabidae, first described by Reuter in 1890. The genus contains approximately eight described species distributed in North America. Members of this genus are small predatory true bugs, typically nocturnal hunters that prey on other insects. They are economically significant as natural pest control agents in agricultural systems.
Hoplistoscelis pallescens
damsel bug
Hoplistoscelis pallescens is a small predatory true bug in the family Nabidae, commonly known as damsel bugs. Adults measure less than 12 millimeters in length. Like other nabids, it is a nocturnal predator that subdues prey, including insects larger than itself. The species has been documented in the northeastern United States, including Massachusetts and Vermont.
Lasiomerus annulatus
damsel bug
Lasiomerus annulatus is a species of damsel bug in the family Nabidae, native to North America. The last-instar nymph was first described in 1993, providing important taxonomic clarification for this poorly known species. It ranges across southern Canada and the northern United States, with its northern limit established at 45°37′N latitude in Quebec. The species has been collected from 1979 to 1985 in Quebec, indicating a stable population in that region. As a nabid, it is presumed to be predatory, though specific prey records remain limited.
Lasiomerus constrictus
Lasiomerus constrictus is a species of damsel bug in the family Nabidae, first described by Champion in 1899. It belongs to a genus of predatory true bugs found in the Americas. The species has been documented in both North and Middle America, though detailed biological information remains limited.
Metatropiphorus
Metatropiphorus is a genus of damsel bugs in the family Nabidae, established by Reuter in 1872. The genus contains at least four described species distributed across North America. Members of this genus are predatory true bugs that inhabit vegetation.
Nabis
damsel bugs
Nabis is a genus of damsel bugs in the family Nabidae, comprising predatory true bugs found worldwide. Members are small, slender insects typically under 12 mm in length, recognized by their raptorial front legs adapted for capturing prey. They are primarily nocturnal predators that use a combination of ambush and active hunting strategies to subdue insects larger than themselves. The genus is economically significant as a biological control agent in agricultural systems, particularly in cotton and greenhouse crops.
Nabis
damsel bug
Small predatory true bugs in the family Nabidae. Adults typically under 12 mm. Nocturnal hunters that subdue prey larger than themselves using raptorial front legs. Attracted to artificial lights, possibly to exploit other insects drawn there. Economically significant as natural pest control agents in agricultural systems.
Nabis flavomarginatus
Broad Damsel Bug
Nabis flavomarginatus is a small predatory true bug in the family Nabidae, commonly known as the Broad Damsel Bug. It exhibits a Holarctic distribution spanning northern Europe, Siberia, Central Asia, East Asia, and North America including Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. The species inhabits wet, open grassland habitats with high proportions of grasses, sedges, and rushes, and shows a preference for cooler microclimates compared to other Nabinae. It is an effective predator in agricultural and natural systems, with cicadas documented as frequent prey.
Nabis inscriptus
damsel bug
Nabis inscriptus is a species of damsel bug in the family Nabidae. It occurs across Europe, Northern Asia (excluding China), and North America. As a member of the genus Nabis, it shares the characteristic predatory habits of damsel bugs, though species-specific behavioral details are not well documented. The species was first described by William Kirby in 1837.
Nabis lovettii
Lovett's damsel bug
Nabis lovettii is a species of damsel bug in the family Nabidae, a group of small predatory true bugs. Damsel bugs are nocturnal predators that subdue insects larger than themselves using raptorial forelegs. Members of the genus Nabis are among the most abundant small predators in North American ecosystems and are considered economically important for biological pest control in agricultural systems. Nabis lovettii has been documented in western North America.
Nabis vanduzeei
Nabis vanduzeei is a species of damsel bug in the family Nabidae, a group of small predatory true bugs. Like other members of the genus Nabis, this species is a nocturnal predator that subdues insects often larger than itself using raptorial forelegs. The species is documented from limited observations, with 14 records on iNaturalist. Damsel bugs in this genus are economically significant as biological control agents in agricultural systems.
Pagasa pallipes
Pagasa pallipes is a small predatory true bug in the family Nabidae (damsel bugs), subfamily Prostemmatinae. The species was described by Stål in 1873 and has been recorded from Mexico and parts of North America. Members of the genus Pagasa are ground-dwelling predators with somewhat beetle-like appearance.
Phorticus collaris
collared nabid, yellow-collared nabid
Phorticus collaris is a species of damsel bug in the family Nabidae, commonly known as the collared nabid or yellow-collared nabid. It was first described by Stål in 1873. The species has been documented across Central America and North America, with recent first records from Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Panama extending its known distribution range. Like other nabid bugs, it is a predatory true bug.
Prostemmatinae
damsel bugs
Prostemmatinae is a subfamily of predatory damsel bugs in the family Nabidae. It contains at least 13 described species in the Americas, organized into two tribes: Phorticini (genera Phorticus, Rhamphocoris) and Prostemmatini (genera Alloeorhynchus, Pagasa, Prostemma). Members are found in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions, with documented diversity in Mexico and the southern United States.