Neides muticus (Hemiptera: Berytidae): life History and Description of Fifth Instar

Abstract

Life history and description of the 5th instar are presented for a common but previously unstudied North American stilt bug, Neides muticus (Say). Seasonal history was followed at Ithaca, N.Y. during 1969–70 and in central Pennsylvania during 1976–77. Adults overwintered in rosettes of common mullein, Verbascum thapsus L., and became active during warm days in Apr. Mating and oviposition began in late Apr. and continued into June. First instars were found in early May; 4th and 5th instars were the most common nymphal stage collected in late June. Adults began to mature during late June-early July. Collection of 1st and 2nd instars in mid-July and a few late instars into early Oct. suggested that N. muticus is bivoltine in N.Y. and Pa. Additional host plants were moth mullein, V. blattaria L., and blackberry, Rubus sp. Nymphs of all stages and adults were taken on hay-scented fern, Dennstaedtia punctilobula (Michx.) Moore, but the relationship to this plant was not determined. In the laboratory nymphs and adults readily fed on eggs and larvae of mullein thrips, Haplothrips verbasci (Osborn). At 20°C, incubation time for N. muticus eggs averaged 9.1 days and nymphal development required an avg of 48.5 days. Based on 3 observations, fecundity was low (1–10 eggs/female). Longevity averaged 123.7 days for females, 90.7 days for males. Compared with Jalysus spinosus (Say) (Subfamily Metacanthinae), the only other North American berytid which has been studied, N. muticus (subfamily Berytinae) appears to have smaller populations, lower fecundity, longer period of nymphal development and thus is biologically more similar to the Palearctic N. tipularius (L.) and Australian N. tasmaniensis Gross.