Family Lygaeidae
This page contains pictures and information about Milkweed Bugs in subfamily LYGAEINAE
that
we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
 - Milkweed Bug adult feeding on Milkweed seed
-
- Milkweed Bugs in subfamily LYGAEINAE may be confused with the Coreid
Bugs for the look similar in body shape. They can be distinguished with their membrane of forewing with distinct basal
cell and less dense veins. The nymphal abdominal scent glands are between terga IV and V and V and VI.
-
- Lygaeid bugs in other subfamilies are usually small and cryptically colored ground
dwellers. Milkweed Bugs in subfamily LYGAEINAE are of medium to large size, boldly patterned in red or orange and
black warning colours, and are found on or in conspicuously placed plant seed
pods. Nymphs are bright red and black in colours and different species
nymphs look very similar..
-
 
- Different Milkweed Bug species nymphs
-
- Those bugs feed on many different species host plants and seeds of the
"poisonous" plant family Asclepidaceae, Apocyanaceae, and Solanaciae.
This feeding habit earned the subfamily LYGAEINAE the common name of milkweed bugs. Nymphs
are early found on Milkweed seed pods.
-
-
-
 Genus Arocatus - Small Milkweed Bugs
-
We commonly call the bugs in this genus Arocatus as Small Milkweed Bugs.
They are small to medium in size and can be found on Milkweeds Asclepias
sp.. Usually they were found in large number on host plants. Adults and nymphs of
different instars stages were found on the same plant. We often found more
than one species mixed feeding together.
-
-
-
-
 Genus Scopiastes - Stalk-eyed Bugs- The Genus Scopiastes has eyes on stalk so we commonly call those
bugs Stalk-eyed Bugs. They have strongly punctuate pronotum. Their body
is narrow and elongate with parallel sides.
-
-
-
-
-
 Genus Graptostethus and Spilostethus - Large
Milkweed Bugs- Genus Graptostethus and Spilostethus are closely related.
They were always found on Milkweed plants. They are brightly red in colour
with distinguish black patterns.
-
-
-
-
 Genus Oncopeltus - Milk Vine
Bugs- The bug is colourful, with red head, brown thorax, yellow wing-covers and
black wing tips. Its abdomen is bright orange-yellow with red tip. The bug
is eye-catching when sitting on green plants.
-
-
-
-
- Reference:
- 1. Insects
of Australia, CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University
Press, 2nd Edition 1991, pp 499.
- 2. LYGAEIDAE
-
Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts,
2002.
- 3. A taxonomic revision of the Lygaeinae of Australia (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae) - Slater, A., University of Kansas science bulletin, v. 52(8,i.e.9) p. 301-481, 1985.
Back to top
[ Up ] [ ISCHNORHYNCHINAE ] [ LYGAEINAE ]
|
