Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #351677
Research Project: Systematics of Hemiptera and Related Groups: Plant Pests, Predators and Disease Vectors

Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Title: First report of Caulotops distanti Reuter (Hemiptera: Miridae: Bryocorinae) on two species of mezcal maguey (Asparagaceae) in Guerrero, Mexico

Author
item FIGUEROA-CASTRO, PEDRO - Universidad Autonoma Del Estado De Hidalgo
item LOPEZ-MARTINEZ, VICTOR - Universidad Autonoma Del Estado De Hidalgo
item Henry, Thomas
item BRAILOVSKY, H. - University Of Mexico
item HERNANDEZ-RUIZ, ARTEMIO - Colegio De Postgraduados

Submitted to: Florida Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/15/2019
Publication Date: 9/30/2019
Citation: Figueroa-Castro, P., Lopez-Martinez, V., Henry, T.J., Brailovsky, H., Hernandez-Ruiz, A. 2019. First report of Caulotops distanti Reuter (Hemiptera: Miridae: Bryocorinae) on two species of mezcal maguey (Asparagaceae) in Guerrero, Mexico. Florida Entomologist. 102(3):642-644. https://doi.org/10.1653/024.102.0314.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1653/024.102.0314

Interpretive Summary: Plant bugs represent the largest family of true bugs and include numerous agriculturally important species. Many, such as lygus bugs are serious pests of crops and ornamental plantings, causing enormous economic losses in the United States annually. This paper provides the first report of an agave plant bug feeding on two species of Agave used in making mezcal, a popular distilled Mexican drink in Guerrero state, Mexico. A diagnosis and photographs of this plant bug are provided to help distinguish it from related species, and observations on damage and feeding symptoms are presented. This information will be of interest to a wide range of researchers, regulatory personnel, and Federal and state departments of agriculture studying insects associated with Agave.

Technical Abstract: An agave bug Caulotops distanti Reuter (Hemiptera: Miridae: Bryocorinae) is considered a potental pest of agaves in Guerrero, Mexico. Specimens were collected on the leaves of mezcal maguey (Agave vivipara L. =Agave angustifolia Haw., and Agave cupreata Trel & Berger) (Asparagaceae) in plantations in Quetzalapa, Huitzuco de los Figueroa, Guerrero, Mexico. This is the first report C. distanti attacking Agave cupreata Trel. & Berger and Agave angustifolia Haw. in Guerrero state, Mexico. Observations on damage and feeding symptoms of this plant bugs are presented.