Pale Damsel Bug Nabis capsiformis Germar (Insecta: Hemiptera: Nabidae)

The pale damsel bug, Nabis capsiformis (Germar), one of the most widespread Nabis species, is a generalist predator that can be found in open areas, including coastal habitats (Lattin 1989). It is commonly reported throughout the southeastern United States, in a variety of ecosystems, it is particu...

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Main Authors: Karol L. Krey, Justin M. Renkema
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries 2018-07-01
Series:EDIS
Online Access:https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/view/106301
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author Karol L. Krey
Justin M. Renkema
author_facet Karol L. Krey
Justin M. Renkema
author_sort Karol L. Krey
collection DOAJ
description The pale damsel bug, Nabis capsiformis (Germar), one of the most widespread Nabis species, is a generalist predator that can be found in open areas, including coastal habitats (Lattin 1989). It is commonly reported throughout the southeastern United States, in a variety of ecosystems, it is particularly common in field and row crop agroecosystems. All nympal and adult life stages of Nabis capsiformis are excellent predators and can typically eat one lepidopteran egg or aphid per day when small and as many as two dozen eggs or other prey as later instars and adults. They can survive for up to two weeks without food and become cannibalistic if other prey are unavailable. They use their thickened raptorial front legs that are lined with spines to catch and hold prey, then suck out the body contents with their piercing mouthparts. Damsel bugs, including the pale damsel bug, are so named because of the way they hold their front legs up, as though they were lifting a skirt hem to curtsey. At first glance, they appear like a cross between a mantis and an assassin bug. Includes: Introduction - Distribution - Description - Host Plants - Life Cycle - Importance - Selected References. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1210 Also published at: https://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/VEG/pale_damsel_bug.html
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issn 2576-0009
language English
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publisher The University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries
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spelling doaj-art-4f0da7e382c64b49b40772e35def719a2025-02-08T05:53:48ZengThe University of Florida George A. Smathers LibrariesEDIS2576-00092018-07-0120184Pale Damsel Bug Nabis capsiformis Germar (Insecta: Hemiptera: Nabidae)Karol L. Krey0Justin M. Renkema1University of FloridaUniversity of Florida The pale damsel bug, Nabis capsiformis (Germar), one of the most widespread Nabis species, is a generalist predator that can be found in open areas, including coastal habitats (Lattin 1989). It is commonly reported throughout the southeastern United States, in a variety of ecosystems, it is particularly common in field and row crop agroecosystems. All nympal and adult life stages of Nabis capsiformis are excellent predators and can typically eat one lepidopteran egg or aphid per day when small and as many as two dozen eggs or other prey as later instars and adults. They can survive for up to two weeks without food and become cannibalistic if other prey are unavailable. They use their thickened raptorial front legs that are lined with spines to catch and hold prey, then suck out the body contents with their piercing mouthparts. Damsel bugs, including the pale damsel bug, are so named because of the way they hold their front legs up, as though they were lifting a skirt hem to curtsey. At first glance, they appear like a cross between a mantis and an assassin bug. Includes: Introduction - Distribution - Description - Host Plants - Life Cycle - Importance - Selected References. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1210 Also published at: https://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/VEG/pale_damsel_bug.html https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/view/106301
spellingShingle Karol L. Krey
Justin M. Renkema
Pale Damsel Bug Nabis capsiformis Germar (Insecta: Hemiptera: Nabidae)
EDIS
title Pale Damsel Bug Nabis capsiformis Germar (Insecta: Hemiptera: Nabidae)
title_full Pale Damsel Bug Nabis capsiformis Germar (Insecta: Hemiptera: Nabidae)
title_fullStr Pale Damsel Bug Nabis capsiformis Germar (Insecta: Hemiptera: Nabidae)
title_full_unstemmed Pale Damsel Bug Nabis capsiformis Germar (Insecta: Hemiptera: Nabidae)
title_short Pale Damsel Bug Nabis capsiformis Germar (Insecta: Hemiptera: Nabidae)
title_sort pale damsel bug nabis capsiformis germar insecta hemiptera nabidae
url https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/view/106301
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AT justinmrenkema paledamselbugnabiscapsiformisgermarinsectahemipteranabidae