The common flowerbug (''Anthocoris nemorum'') is a common minute pirate or flower bug.

Distribution

The common flowerbug is found across Europe and the

Palearctic The Palearctic or Palaearctic is a biogeographic realm of the Earth, the largest of eight. Confined almost entirely to the Eastern Hemisphere, it stretches across Europe and Asia, north of the foothills of the Himalayas, and North Africa. Th ...

to China. It is common in

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

and

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

. In the

Alps The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. ...

it is found to about 2000 meters above sea level.

Habitat

It more commonly inhabits lower moist, shaded vegetation than trees, and especially nettles in the later half of the growing season.

Description

''Anthocoris nemorum'' is typically 3–4 mm in length. These bugs have soft elongated flat bodies, with reflective forewings and black pronotum. The legs are mostly orange-brown, with small dark patches close to the tips of the femora. The antennae are mainly orange, with dark tips. In particular, antennal segments I and IV are usually dark, while II and III are pale with dark apices. The front wing is shiny transparent with a distinctive black dot in the center. The membrane shows an hourglass-shaped characteristic black spot at the wing tip. Nymphs of ''Anthocoris nemorum'' are dark brown or reddish brown.Influential Points
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Biology

Adults can be found all year. They are predatory insects, feeding on small insects including

aphids Aphids are small sap-sucking insects in the Taxonomic rank, family Aphididae. Common names include greenfly and blackfly, although individuals within a species can vary widely in color. The group includes the fluffy white Eriosomatinae, woolly ...

and red spider mites. ''A. nemorum'' lays its eggs inside plant leaves. It has been used as a

biological pest control Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests, whether pest animals such as insects and mites, weeds, or pathogens affecting animals or plants by using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or ot ...

since 1992, primarily to control ''

Cacopsylla pyri ''Cacopsylla pyri'', commonly known as the pear psylla, pear psyllid, or by its synonym ''Psylla pyri'', is an insect in the subfamily Psyllinae. Originating in Europe and Asia, it has spread to North America. It is a pest of pear trees, sucking ...

''. It is capable of biting humans.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Common flowerbug Anthocorini Hemiptera of Europe Insects described in 1761 Articles containing video clips Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus