True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies

Order Hemiptera

The True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies (Order Hemiptera) includes 7,349 species across 120 families and 1,727 genera in our directory.

About True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies

Hemiptera (true bugs) includes over 80,000 described species across cicadas, aphids, leafhoppers, shield bugs, and bed bugs. Aphids alone cost global agriculture an estimated $2.5 billion annually in crop losses.

Economic Impact

The brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) caused $37 million in apple crop losses in a single year in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region. Bed bug infestations in the U.S. increased by 500% between 2001-2010, costing the hotel industry hundreds of millions annually.

Ecological Role

Many Hemiptera are essential food sources for birds and predatory insects. Cicadas provide massive nutrient pulses during emergence events - a single Brood X emergence can involve trillions of individuals across 15 states.

Families in Hemiptera (120)

Species in Hemiptera (7,349)

Labopidea cepula

Miridae

Identification: General color yellow green; pronotum, scutellum, and hemelytra with erect and semierect dark bristlelike setae, intermixed with recumbent, silvery sericeous setae. (Henry 1982) Females may be brachypterous (Henry 1982) Holotype: Bastr

Labopidea geminata

Miridae

Identification: Small species (3-4 mm), mix of pale and somewhat brownish setae on dorsum, 4th antennal segment much longer than 1st, and male genitalia help distinguish this species.

Labops burmeisteri

Miridae

Identification: Hemelytra entirely black without light coloration along the lateral margin of the corium.

Lachnus roboris

Aphididae

Lachnus roboris apterae are shining blackish brown. The body length of an adult L. roboris aptera is 2.5 to 5.5 mm. L. roboris alates have the forewing membrane pigmented except for four clear patches (hence the common name ‘Variegated’ Oak Aphid). G

Laminate Leafhopper

Gyponana expanda

Cicadellidae

Identification: "Resembling octolineata in form and appearance but with head more produced and distinct male genitalia. Vertex produced and rather broadly rounded, almost two-thirds as long at middle as basal width between the eyes. Margin thin and s

Lamprotettix nitidulus

Cicadellidae

Length 5 to 6 mm. A fairly large and strongly marked brown and yellowish leafhopper, with two dark triangles and two central dots on the scutellum - forming a distinctive "sad frog' pattern. Good quality photographs showing scutellum Local (ref.: UK

Lantana Lace Bug

Teleonemia scrupulosa

Tingidae

Identification: shortly pilose antennas and pubescent discoidal area are the principal characters of the species. (Champion 1898) introduced in many countries where Lantana is considered a noxious weed Feeding damages leaves and prevents development

Lantana Treehopper

Aconophora compressa

Membracidae

Introduced in Australia since 1995 to control Lantana. (Introduced in South Africa?)

Large Knapweed Aphid

Uroleucon jaceae

Aphididae

This is a large blackish aphid that can appear dark metallic green. The abdominal tergites 2-4 often have small marginal tubercles. The femora have the basal half pale and distal half dark, with a rather sharp transition between them. The tibiae are

Large Raspberry Aphid

Amphorophora idaei

Aphididae

The body length of Amphorophora idaei apterae is 2.7 to 4.1 mm. The apterae are usually greenish white or pale yellow. The alate Amphorophora idaei) is of similar size but has a brown head and thorax, and has the distal half of the siphunculi darkene

Large Thistle Aphid

Uroleucon cirsii

Aphididae

The large thistle aphid Uroleucon cirsii is between 4 and 5.2 mm in length and has characteristic two tone legs. Dark-tailed Thistle Aphid (Uroleucon aeneum) is similar and also uses Thistle as a host plant, but Uroleucon aeneum has an all black caud

Large Walnut Aphid

Panaphis juglandis

Aphididae

The fourth-instar nymph has transverse rows of brown patches on the dorsal abdomen. The adult alate is large and stout-bodied. It has a darkened head and thorax, and a yellow abdomen with dark brown transverse bands. The forewing veins are fuscous-bo

Largidea grossa 0

Largidea grossa

Miridae

Identification: Antennal segment II somewhat flattened, broadly lanceolate; length of segment I just equal to width of segment II; length 6.0 mm (last couplet) described from California, where a single female was taken on Jeffrey Pine, alt. 7000 ft,

Largidea nevadensis 0

Largidea nevadensis

Miridae

Identification: Largidea , Key to the Species, couplet 2 : Femora black, without visible dots; length 4.7 mm nevadensis , n. sp. Femora reddish brown, one or two rows of fuscous dots visible through the red color; length 4.2 mm rubida Uhler

Largidea rubida 0

Largidea rubida

Miridae

Largus convivus

Largidae

i have a student-collected male from Houston, TX [D. Swanson det. 2019]

Largus sculptilis

Largidae

NB: i am still not convinced this form is not conspecific with L. cinctus , especially given the striking similarity of the parameres [ , Fig. 6a,c] plus the fact that the Largus from the Pacific Northwest (where only L. cinctus has been recorded) fi

Largus semipletus

Largidae

Identification: discussed and illustrated in likely another variant of L. cinctus but for now it's reasonable to follow the most recent revisionary work of Brailovsky and treat it as a species

Lasiochilus hirtellus

Lasiochilidae

Identification: Oblong-ovate, broadest beyond the middle, clothed with numerous long scattered hairs, brownish testaceous , the head and pronotum shiny, the elytra duller. Head distinctly longer than broad, smooth, clothed with a few long erect hairs

Lasiomerus andabata

Nabidae

Identification: slender-bodied, usually brachypterous

Lasiomerus annulatus

Nabidae

Identification: Blatchley's description: 570. Nabis annulatus Reuter, 1873, 86. Elongate, slender, subparallel. Dull straw-yellow; two narrow stripes on head, some vague irregular lines on front lobe of pronotum, five faint stripes on hind lobe, some

Lasiomerus constrictus

Nabidae

Identification: Blatchley's discussion--an update based on more recent information would certainly be great! 568. Nabis constrictus Champion, 1899, 303. Elongate, slender, strongly constricted at middle. Dull straw-yellow; head, front lobe of pronotu

Latalus personatus

Cicadellidae

Some authors treat this species as a member of the genus (or subgenus) Turrutus . Give the lack of evidence and need for revision in this group, we are not recognising Turrutus as a valid genus here and are sticking with the more common treatment of

Lateral-lined Sharpshooter

Cuerna costalis

Cicadellidae

Identification: Black and red with longitudinal stripes on forewing; a conspicuous white stripe runs from the eye along the side of the abdomen; tip of abdomen with red spot. The only species in the genus with red on legs , per Andy Hamilton . Dets.

Leaf-footed Pine Seed Bug

Leptoglossus corculus

Coreidae

Identification: Outer hind tibial dilation distinctly longer than inner tibial dilation one of the most destructive insects attacking pine seeds in se.US • may invade homes

Leptoglossus ashmeadi

Coreidae

Identification: has an unusually broad, orange crossbar (wider than in L. phyllopus ) and prominent orange-yellow margins on the pronotum; antennae black

Leptoglossus brevirostris

Coreidae

Identification: Reduced irregular yellow-white cross-stripe is mostly confined to veins; otherwise similar to L. phyllopus (which is also larger) Type Locality: Texas

Leptoglossus fulvicornis

Coreidae

Identification: Hemielytra lacking a transverse fascia. Humeral area of pronotum strongly expanded and flared outward and upward, bearing coarse obtuse teeth anterior and posterior to humeral angles. Head nearly uniformly brown, lacking alternating d

Leptopterna ferrugata

Miridae

Length: 7.0 to 8.5 mm. This large, sexually dimorphic grass bug has a transverse furrow between the eyes and the legs and antennae are covered in long dark hairs. It often has reddish or orange-yellow forewings, hence the Latin name, however care mus

Leptoypha costata

Tingidae

Identification: separated from L. mutica (the only other sp. that occurs in ne. US) by a more oval body ( vs parallel-sided) and a flattened wing's costal area with a partial double row of areola ( vs deflexed and replaced by costal margin) --L. Mill

Lepyronia angulifera

Aphrophoridae

Identification: A small spittle bug with the usual "diamond-back" pattern of the genus, but with a shorter and declivous [sloping downward toward the tip] top of the head ("crown") than other related species. Has shorter and more convex front than t

Lepyronia coleoptrata

Aphrophoridae

Identification: More robust than the common L. quadrangularis , particularly in the profile of the head. [Dr Hamilton] earliest N. Amer. record: NY 1940

Lethocerus medius

Belostomatidae

Identification: Legs banded. Eyes closer together than they are wide, and with rear margins roughly straight across as viewed from above (not distinctly slanted). Very similar to L. uhleri (ranges overlap in e. TX), differs in basal segment of hind t

Lidopus heidemanni

Miridae

Identification: easily recognized by extremely convex pronotum and color pattern

Ligyrocoris barberi

Rhyparochromidae

Identification: see Sweet for key. pterygopolymorphic throughout its range Det. V. Belov, 2019 Type Locality: Texas, Brazos Co., College Station, July 25, 1964, M. H. Sweet. While a widespread species, L. barberi is relatively uncommon overall and is

Ligyrocoris sylvestris

Rhyparochromidae

Identification: Differs from L. diffusus by having a significantly longer labium (beak), which extends to the hind coxae, and short wings (does not extend past abdominal tergum 7). Labial segment 1 is shorter than segment 3.

Lime Aphid

Eucallipterus tiliae

Aphididae

All adult viviparae of Eucallipterus tiliae are alates (winged) The body is pale yellow with black markings, including lateral stripes on head and prothorax and two rows of black dorsal abdominal spots. The forewing has a dark front edge and dark spo

Limnocoris lutzi

Naucoridae

Type Locality: Sequin, Guadalupe River, Texas, 8 Sept. 50, Thos. Dolan.

Limnogonus franciscanus

Gerridae

Identification: Males distinguished by smaller size, often divergent pronotal spots, constricted fore tibia, and shape of vesica sclerites

Limnogonus macroconfusus

Gerridae

Identification: males distinguished from L. franciscanus by lack of constriction in fore tibia, larger size, never divergent pronotal spots, and shape of vesica sclerites

Limnoporus canaliculatus

Gerridae

Identification: Best separated from other species by body size

Limnoporus dissortis

Gerridae

Identification: Very similar to L. rufoscutellatus and L. notabilis . Easiest to separate based on range, but overlaps and hybridizes with L. notabilis in Rockies

Limnoporus notabilis

Gerridae

Identification: Can be separated from other spp. by its large size, but very similar to L. rufoscutellatus ; easiest to separate based on range, but the two overlap and hybridize in Rockies

Limnoporus rufoscutellatus

Gerridae

Identification: very similar to L. dissortis and L. notabilis

Limotettix elegans

Cicadellidae

"pretty rare prairie-associated species" ‒Joel Kits' comment

Limotettix striola

Cicadellidae

Length 3.5 to 5.0 mm. A greenish-yellow leafhopper associated with Spike-rush and other sedges. There is a dark band across the vertex between the eyes with a pale stripe in front, and dark markings on the face. Limotettix atricapillus also has a pal

Lineatopsallus biguttulatus

Miridae

Identification: " L. biguttulatus is distinguished from L. slateri by the larger size, more distinct fuscous lines on the antennal segments and legs, and the larger, more distinct, subapical, fuscous spot on the posterior surface of the meso- and met

Linnavuoriana decempunctata

Cicadellidae

Length 3.5 mm. Very variable in colouration and intensity of dark markings - from whitish and pale yellow to pink and a deep salmony-orange. 6 spots on the pronotum (occasionaly fused) and 2 on the vertex. The forewing pattern of dark spots is someti

Linnavuoriana sexmaculata

Cicadellidae

Length 3.5 mm. Greenish/yellow in colour, with four spots on the pronotum and two on the vertex. The dark markings on the forewings vary in intensity. Good quality photographs; note host plant Common (ref: UK Auchenorrhyncha checklist 2021 ) https://

Liocratus moniliferae

Cicadellidae

Moved to Liocratus by Hamilton, who treated the taxon as a subgenus. However, like with Populicerus , the group is treated generically by most authors.

Liorhyssus hyalinus

Rhopalidae

Length 6.5-7.5mm. Similar to Rhopalus and Stictopleurus species but usually has a very long wing membrane, which extends well beyond the body. The colouratios is very variable: individual with body colour yellow, reddish, greyish-yellow to darker bro

Liosomaphis berberidis

Aphididae

The alate Liosomaphis berberidis has the head, thorax, antennae and tips of legs darker than in the apterous viviparous female. Some tergites may have pale marginal and dorsal sclerites, sometimes fused into cross bands. L. berberidis apterae are gre

Little Juniper Cicada

Pacarina shoemakeri

Cicadidae

The pronotum in this species usually exhibits a centralized "hourglass-shaped" dark region in the pronotum. Wings may be less heavily infuscated/patterned than seen in P. puella (?).

Little Mesquite Cicada

Pacarina puella

Cicadidae

Identification: Tiny cicada with a BIG head (Andy Hamilton, 26 August, 2010)

Livia bifasciata

Liviidae

Identification: Forewings with dark spots along veins, a dark apical band and a broad dark medial transverse band; head long, deeply cleft anteriorly, and with antenna segment 2 elongate.

Livia juncorum

Liviidae

Livia juncorum is a small (2.5 mm) brown jumping plant louse that causes galls to form on certain Juncus rush species. The shoots become shortened and thickened and bunch into a mass up to 8 cm long including the flowers whose parts become leafy and

Livia maculipennis

Liviidae

Identification: Forewings rhomboidal with dark spots along veins, a dark apical band and a dark medial transverse band; veins M and Rs strongly arched. Head short, weakly-notched anteriorly, and with antenna segment 2 short.

Livia saltatrix

Liviidae

Identification: Forewings with irregular brown band along the apical and anal wing margins; head with lobes of vertex broadly rounded; antenna segment 2 not particularly swollen; male paramere slender, tapering to a conspicuous anteriorly-directed ho

Livia vernaliforma

Liviidae

Identification: Forewings unpatterned, elongate & narrow, with straight costal margin

Livia vernalis

Liviidae

Identification: Wings unpatterned, oblong-oval; head with vertex lobes broadly rounded; male paramere distinctly hooked anteriorly midway

Locust Treehopper

Thelia bimaculata

Membracidae

Identification: Males sport a bright yellow band along the lower lateral margins of the pronotum Often protected by ants. Damage to the host is practically non-existent. Aphelopus theliae , a wasp in the Dryinidae family, is a parasite on this membra

Longicaudus trirhodus

Aphididae

Apterae of Longicaudus trirhodus on their primary host (Rose) are pale yellowish-green and lightly wax-dusted, with slightly darker green transverse bands across the abdomen. Apterae on the secondary hosts (Columbine) are more yellow-green. The third

Lophoscutus prehensilis

Reduviidae

Identification: The scutellum is supposedly parallel-sided and roughly punctured throughout whole disc in L. prehensilis whereas the scutellum of L. uhleri is supposedly not parallel-sided and roughly punctured on posterior pronotal lobe and base of

Lopidea apache

Miridae

Identification: "Very similar to heidemanni , distinguished by the presence of a well developed sensory lobe, the short medial flange of the right paramere and its southwestern distribution." (Hopefully, someday we'll have entries for L. heidemanni f

Lopidea confluenta

Miridae

Identification: slightly more ovate and robust than robiniae , is frequently very similar in coloration but usually more orange or reddish. It has frequently been labeled robiniae in collections and the only certain way of determining the yellow form

Lopidea instabilis

Miridae

Identification: from the thick and short second antennal segment and the red femora. … WonGun Kim, 23 February, 2009

Lopidea intermedia 0

Lopidea intermedia

Miridae

Identification: Bright red with fuscous and blackish as exhibited in media , shorter and more compact, the antennae shorter also; second antennal segment linear, in length (1.31 mm.) less than the width of the pronotum (1.48 mm.) at the base. Similar

Lopidea media

Miridae

Identification: Det. Brad Barnd, 2013, ID'd from specimen

Lopidea pteleae 0

Lopidea pteleae

Miridae

Type Locality: Inks Lake State Park, Burnet Co., Texas, 17 Apr 1966 (J. C. Schaffner)

Lopidea robiniae

Miridae

Identification: distinguished from the pale forms of confluenta (=confluens) only by the genital claspers Type Locality: MD

Lopidea robusta 0

Lopidea robusta

Miridae

Identification: spmn from Tahoe City has the black spot on the callosities extended back across the disk nearly to the hind margin of the pronotum. Type Locality: Mexico

Lopidea staphyleae

Miridae

Identification: There are a dozen or so species listed for Illinois, but this is the only one reported from that particular plant genus. Male.-Length 6.50, width 2.05. Antennae, first segment, length 0.71, thickness 0.15; second, 2.48, thickness 0.10

Lopidea texana 0

Lopidea texana

Miridae

Identification: Very similar to major in size and general structure, but in color more orange red than carmine; male genital claspers distinctive of the species. Lopidea major (L), Lopidea texana (R) Type Locality: Austin, Texas (C. T. Brues) Allotyp

Lopus decolor

Miridae

Length 4 to 5 mm. A fairly small greyish-yellow bug which is elongate oval in shape. The head has two darker marks bordering the eyes and the tarsi are entirely dark. There are other, very similar species and care is needed with identification. Quite

Loricula bipunctata 0

Loricula bipunctata

Microphysidae

Identification: adult female earliest record in our area: BC 1990

Loricula elegantula

Microphysidae

Length 1.5 to 2.3 mm. A genus of small and inconspicuous bugs, in which the females are very broad-bodied and brachypterous, and the 2nd antennal segment is longer than the 4th. In L. elegantula females the forebody is entirely orange-red and the for

Loxa flavicollis

Pentatomidae

Identification: Antennae variable, usually uniformly lighter than disk of head, occasionally tinged with red or slightly darker than disk of head, basal two segments sometimes possessing fine dark brown to piceus line on inferior surface. Humeri mode

Loxa viridis

Pentatomidae

Identification: Antennae highly variable in color, from almost entirely pale to dark, mostly possessing some red coloration and at least one fine brown to piceus line on two basal segments; apical three segments commonly darker at apex than at base (

Lucerne Bug

Adelphocoris lineolatus

Miridae

Length 8 to10 mm. Although one of several similar pale greenish species. Defining features include its large size and rather elongate body shape. The spines on the hind tibia are equal to or greater than the tibial width. The prominent pale cuneus an

Lupin Aphid

Macrosiphum albifrons

Aphididae

It has a bluish-green body covered with a white wax. Its large size (3.5 to 4.5 mm) makes it easily distinguishable from other aphid species. Lives, as itscommon name suggests, on lupin. Probably fairly frequent and widespread, but little recorded in

Lupine Bug

Megalotomus quinquespinosus

Alydidae

Identification: note pale base to antennal clubs (not strictly diagnostic), tip of scutellum white, base of hind femora pale

Lycioides lycioides

Cicadellidae

Identification: Resembling loculatus in form, but with a broader, shorter head. Head, creamy to orange red, almost unmarked. Pronotum dark. The red head and dark pronotum render this a striking little species. Holotype female, Tucson, Arizona, July 2

Lyctocoris campestris

Lyctocoridae

Identification: ferruginous, shining, legs testaceous; hemelytra slightly shorter and narrower than the abdomen; membranous portion transparent, apex broadly fuscous

Lygaeus analis

Lygaeidae

three specimens in the USNM collection that were intercepted at Hidalgo, Progreso, and Pharr, Texas from Mexico. (T. Henry, pers. comm. to V. Belov, 2019)

Lygaeus truculentus

Lygaeidae

Identification: The only species in our area with apical ¾ of wing membrane whitish-gray

Lygocoris rugicollis

Miridae

Length 5.5 to 7.0 mm. Lygocoris species can be distinguished from similar green bugs by the very fine and inconspicuous pale brown tibial spines and at high magnification, the break in the keel between the eyes. The pronotum is rather straight-sided.

Lygus maritimus

Miridae

5 to 6 mm. Markings variable but colour predominantly green, pronotum often rose-tinged in the posterior half. Pubescence on middle of corium sparse; lateral spacing of the hairs generally greater than hair length. Punctures on middle of corium widel

Lygus pratensis

Miridae

Length 6-7 mm. This genus is one of the most problematic Mirid groups to identify. The five UK species can overlap considerably in colour, markings and size; some specimens cannot be determined. The most reliable identification features concern the f

Macrocephalus dorannae

Reduviidae

Identification: Two species of Macrocephalus with an arrow-shaped scutellar callus are known from the United States: dorannae Evans and barberi Evans. The former is described from Arizona and the latter is described from California. Given that sever

Macrolophus brevicornis

Miridae

Identification: A1 is less than width of head across the eyes; apical ¼ of A2 black; basal ⅔ of corium without fuscous points at bases of hairs except one row bordering claval suture

Macrolophus mimuli

Miridae

Identification: Very similar in appearance to two other species, M. lopezi (known from Baja California) and M. saileri (southern AZ, Mexico). Distinguished from M. lopezi "by the larger size, and length of first antennal segment greater than width of

Macrolophus rubi

Miridae

A small (4 mm) green bug, usually found on bramble. Macrolophus species can be recognised by the dark bar between the rather small eyes and the pronotum. This species can be separated from the scarcer Macrolophus pygmaeus by the relative length of th

Macrolophus separatus

Miridae

Identification: Antennal segment 1 is wholly black.

Macropsis fuscula

Cicadellidae

Greyish-yellow with a paler inner margin to the clavus. Males have dark veins on the forewings; females have veins that are dark at the base and pale at the apex. The extent of the dark markings on the face, scutellum and pronotum is very variable. D

Macropsis infuscata

Cicadellidae

Length 5 mm. This species is quite variable, and males are much darker than females. Identification requires examination of internal male genitalia. Provide detailed photos taken from top, side and front of a specimen. Confirmation of identification

Macropsis notata

Cicadellidae

Identification: The pattern of dark spots is distinctive earliest NA record: NH 1922

Macropsis rufocephalus

Cicadellidae

Identification: Yellowish green. Female with vertex, pronotum, anterior two-thirds of scutellum, and half of face reddish brown, Scutellum with black spots in basal angles, apical angle yellowish green. Elytra pale greenish hyaline, veins green. Epim

Macropsis scotti

Cicadellidae

Length 5mm. Dark brown wing veins and a dark inner margin to the clavus. The facial markings are sparse with the central mark (if present at all) being made up of two close lines rather than a large spot. Detailed photographs of top, side and front.

Macropsis scutellata

Cicadellidae

Length 5mm. Pale yellow with dark brown wing veins and a very dark inner margin to the clavus. The facial markings variable but the two lower dark marks often resemble arrowheads. Markings on the pronotum are also variable. Good quality photographs t

Macrosiphoniella millefolii

Aphididae

The Apterae of Macrosiphoniella millefolii are of moderate size, green and wax powdered except for a spinal stripe on the abdomen and presiphuncular spots Good photographs required, please state the host species when submitting records. Macrosiphonie