Phytocoris varipes is a species of plant bugs belonging to the family Miridae, subfamily Mirinae.

Phytocoris varipes
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Heteroptera
Family: Miridae
Genus: Phytocoris
Species:
P. varipes
Binomial name
Phytocoris varipes
Boheman, 1852

Description

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The species is pinkish-brown to red-brown in colour. and have longitudinal markings on its upper surface.[1]

Distribution

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Europe but it is mainly absent from Andorra, Azores, Canary Islands, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Madeira, Malta, Poland, and central and southern part of Russia.[2] then east to the Caucasus and Iran.It is present in the U.S.A. (Oregon) as an adventive species.

Biology

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Adults and nymphs live on various herbaceous plants and grasses and suck especially on the flowers and immature fruits. They are zoophytophagous, possibly predominantly phytophagous. Potential host plants include various daisy family (Asteraceae) such as Achillea , Centaurea , Matricaria and Artemisia, legumes (Fabaceae) such as Trifolium, Ononis, Lathyrus, Cytisus scoparius and also Rumex from the family Polygonaceae, Galium (Rubiaceae) (Poaceae) including Phleum and Bromus . Oviposition has so far been observed on the stems of Achillea millefolium . The adult bugs occur from the beginning of June. Mating and oviposition occurs in July and August, and the imagines die in the course of October.

References

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  1. ^ "Phytocoris varipes". British Bugs. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  2. ^ "Phytocoris (Ktenocoris) varipes Boheman, 1852". 2.6.2. Fauna Europaea. August 29, 2013. Archived from the original on October 14, 2013. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
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