Eurycipitia clara (Distant) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Bryocorinae): New distributions, first host records, description of immatures, and notes on attraction to cantharidin

Authors: ABRIL RAMIREZ, GONZALO - Universidad De Colombia; Henry, Thomas; SMITH-PARDO, A. - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/11/2020
Publication Date: 1/29/2021
Citation: Abril Ramirez, G., Henry, T.J., Smith-Pardo, A.H. 2021. Eurycipitia clara (Distant) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Bryocorinae): New distributions, first host records, description of immatures, and notes on attraction to cantharidin. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 123(1):1-13. https://doi.org/10.4289/0013-8797.123.1.1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4289/0013-8797.123.1.1

Interpretive Summary: Plant bugs represent the largest family of true bugs, which includes numerous agriculturally important species. Many, such as lygus bugs, are serious pests of crops and ornamental planting, causing enormous economic losses in the United States annually. In this paper, we describe the adult and immature stages of a poorly known Neotropical species that attacks several important ornamental trees, causing heavy yellow spotting and curling of foliage and in extreme cases defoliation. This shiny orange and black plant bug was first detected feeding on blister beetles known to produce the chemical cantharidin, a toxic blister-causing defensive agent. An extract using ground-up beetles and ethanol placed in traps in nearby trees was effective in attracting additional plant bugs and determining the host plant. Notes on the biology, host plants, and feeding injury are discussed, the first known host plants are reported, and six new country records are given. This paper will be of interest to a wide range of researchers working on insects of tropical ornamentals and research on why certain insects are attracted to blister beetles to sequester cantharidin.

Technical Abstract: The serendipidous discovery of the plant bug Eurycipitia clara (Distant) (Heteroptera: Miridae: Bryoccorinae: Eccritotarsini) attracted to meloid beetles and a cantharidin extract led an expanded study of this poorly known heteropteran. The production of a cantharidin extract from meloid beetles, which was effective in attracting this plant bug, is discussed and a description of the trap design and the methodology used to collect the mirids are given. Descriptions of the adult male and female, the egg, and the five nymphyal instars are presented and notes on biology, host plants, and feeding injury are discussed. The first host records from Hura crepitans L. (Euphorbiaceae) and Erythrina sp. (Fabaceae) are given, and new country records for Bolivia, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Peru, and Trinidad are reported. Key Words: Insecta, plant bug, new country records, Coleoptera, blister beetle, Epicauta, Meloidae, economic importance, plant injury