Plant bugs (Miridae, Hemiptera) data across various ecosystems in Albania

Abstract

The Miridae Hahn, 1831 family, commonly known as plant bugs, encompasses a significant number of species within the order Hemiptera, with approximately 9800 species identified. These insects are known to pose threats to agricultural crops, leading to their utilization as integrated biological control agents. This study aims to provide a systematic and ecological analysis of the Miridae family, commonly referred to as "Mirid bugs," across various ecosystems in Albania. Biological material was collected over the period from 2021 to 2023. A total of 124 individuals were analyzed, representing 31 species and 21 genera. Among the collected material, the genus Deraeocoris was found to be the most represented, comprising 4 species with a frequency of 12.09%. This suggests that these ecosystems offer optimal conditions for species within this family. The habitats of the Petrela station exhibited a higher species richness compared to other stations, with 12 species and a frequency of 38.71%, while the Ndroqi station recorded fewer species, with 5 species and a frequency of 19.35%. This indicates that the habitats in Petrela provide favorable conditions for Miridae species, with minimal natural alterations observed in these ecosystems. Using the Jaccard index of similarity coefficient, stations such as Dajti with Farka and Krraba with Farka showed a higher similarity coefficient (21.42%). This suggests a resemblance in ecological factors between these stations, indicating similarity in their habitats. Despite the considerable number of species within the Miridae family, the study area exhibited a limited number of species. This limitation may be attributed to economic development in the western part of the country.