Families of economic importance of hemiptera

a. Pentatomidae (Stink bugs or shield bugs):

• Medium to large insects, most common and abundant of bugs that produce disagreeable odour.
• Broad shield like.
• Head with lateral margins concealing bases of antennae
• Antennae usually 5 – segmented. Ocelli almost always present
• The pronotum broad and shield shaped. Scutellum large triangular sometimes extends posteriorly to the extent of covering the wings entirely.
• In hemelytron, corium large extending to anal margin. Membrane with many longitudinal veins, arising from a vein which is nearly paralleled to the apical margin of corium.
• Four pairs of odoriferous glands are present on dorsum of abdomen of the nymphs
• The eggs are usually barrel shape with spines on the upper end. Eg: Green (stink) bug – Nezara viridula, Red pumpkin bug -Aspongopus janus Cabbage painted bug – Bagrada cruciferarum

b. Lygaeidae Seed bugs or Chinch bugs Small bugs, hard bodied:

• Antennae 4 segmented inserted down on the sides of the head, apical segment is larger
• Compound eyes and ocelli are well developed
• 4 to 5 unbranched simple veins in the membrane of hemelytra. Cuneus is lacking, clavus is elongate
• Metathoracic gland openings are present.
• In some, the front femora moderately swollen with 2 rows of teeth beneath
• Coxa rotator, tarsi 3 segmented, pulvulli present Eg. Dusky cotton bug Groundnut pod bug

c. Miridae (Capscidae) Mirid bugs

• Medium or small, usually delicate insects
• Ocelli absent
• Rostrum is 4 segmented
• Cuneus is present 5. Empodium is indistinct. Tarsi almost invariably 3 segmented
• Majority live on plant juices, some prey on small arthropods Eg. Tea mosquito bug – Helopeltis antonii Predator on rice BPH – Cyrtorhinos lividipennis

d. Coreidae: Leaf footed bugs:

• Medium to large, long and narrow bugs
• Antennae 4 segmented sitiuated well upon the sides of the head above a line drawn from the eyes to the base of the beak. Ocelli present.
• Head narrower, shorter than pronoutm, scutellum smaller.
• In hemelytra, richly branched veins are present.
• In most of the species, either or both the hind femora and tibiae may have conspicuous enlargements or leaf like dilations and hence the name leaf footed bugs.
• Tarsi – 3 segmented pulvilli present.
• Metathoraccic gland openings present
• Eg Rice gundhi bug- Leptocorisa oratorius Pod bugs: Clavigralla gibbosa on pulses

e. Pyrrhocoreidae (Pyrrhocoreids), red cotton bugs or cotton strainers

• They exhibit red and black colourations
• Ocelli absent
• More branched veins and ceels present in hemelytra
• Coxa is rotatory and tarsi 3 segmented with pulvilli Eg.Dysdercus cingulatus – red cotton bug