''Stenodema holsata'' is a species of
bug from the family
Miridae
The Miridae are a large and diverse insect family at one time known by the Synonym (taxonomy), taxonomic synonym Capsidae. Species in the family may be referred to as capsid bugs or "mirid bugs". Common names include plant bugs, leaf bugs, and g ...
.
Description
''Stenodema holsata'' can reach a length of . These bugs have an elongate body and a coarsely pitted pronotum. The head shows a longitudinal small furrow. The first antennal segment has short hairs. The basic coloration before wintering is yellow-brown in females and dark brown in males, with brown longitudinal markings. In spring both sexes turn green, but the males remain darker.
[British Bugs]
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Ecology
This species overwinter as an adult. In spring these bugs mate and larvae can be found from May toJuly. The new generation of adults appears from July onwards. Adult
An adult is an animal that has reached full growth. The biological definition of the word means an animal reaching sexual maturity and thus capable of reproduction. In the human context, the term ''adult'' has meanings associated with social an ...
s feed on Purple Moor-grass (''Molinia caerulea
''Molinia caerulea'', known by the common name purple moor-grass, is a species of grass that is native to Europe, west Asia, and north Africa. It grows in locations from the lowlands up to in the Alps. Like most grasses, it grows best in acid s ...
'').[
]
Distribution
This species is widespread in most of Europe, up to Siberia, Asia Minor, Central Asia and China. It can be found throughout the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
, except for South East England
South East England is one of the nine official regions of England, regions of England that are in the ITL 1 statistical regions of England, top level category for Statistics, statistical purposes. It consists of the nine counties of england, ...
.Fauna europaea
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Bibliography
*Coulianos, C.-C. 1998. Annotated Catalogue of the Hemiptera-Heteroptera of Norway. Fauna Norv. Ser.B 45 (1-2), side 11-39
*Gaun, Sven 1974. Blomsterteger (Miridae). Danmarks Fauna 81, 279
*Frieder Sauer: Sauers Naturführer Wanzen und Zikaden nach Farbfotos erkannt. Fauna, Keltern 1996, .
*Ekkehard Wachmann, Albert Melber, Jürgen Deckert: Wanzen. Band 2: Cimicomorpha: Microphysidae, Miridae. Goecke & Evers, Keltern 2006, .
References
Insects described in 1787
Hemiptera of Europe
Stenodemini
{{Miridae-stub