stilt bugs

(Family Berytidae)

Overview
stilt bug (Neoneides muticus)
Photo by Babette Kis
 

Berytidae is a family of fairly common, small to medium-sized, extremely slender, true bugs known as stilt bugs or thread bugs. They are found worldwide on all continents except Antarctica. They are common in Europe and North America, but uncommon to absent in northern and central Africa and in northern Asia. There are about 200 species in 13 genera in 3 subfamilies worldwide, about 50 species in 13 genera in the New World, 12 species in 8 genera in North America north of Mexico, and at least 4 species in 3 genera in 2 subfamilies in Minnesota.

Stilt bugs are found in a variety of habitats, including forests, grasslands, and deserts.

 
 

Most stilt bugs feed on the sap of plants. Many species specialize in plants with sticky, glandular hairs, and have developed split or toothed claws to help them deal with that plant defense. Some species feed on mites and small insects that have become trapped on the sticky hairs. Some species feed on the eggs of moths.

 
     
 
Description
 
 

Stilt bugs worldwide are small to medium-sized, 116 to (2 to 16 mm) in length, not including the legs. However, all of the species that occur in North America are small, 316 to (5 to 9 mm) in length. The body is slender, cylindrical, and on most species, brownish.

The head is long and there is a distinct neck. There are two compound eyes and two simple eyes (ocelli). The mouthparts are optimized for piercing and sucking and formed into a beak with four segments. The antennae are long and slender and have four segments. On most species they are elbowed. The first segment is very long. The fourth segment is short and obviously expanded, spindle shaped.

The abdomen is long and slender and has ten segments.

Most species have fully developed wings, some have reduced wings or no wings at all. When present, the wings are held roof-like over the body when at rest. The forewing has five veins.

The legs are long and slender. The hind legs are very long, much longer than the front legs. This is the feature that gives the family its common name. The fourth segment (tibia) on the front legs is unarmed, having no spines. The last part of each leg (tarsus), corresponding to the foot, has three segments.

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

27, 29, 30, 82, 83.

 
  5/16/2023      
         
 
Taxonomy
 
 

Order

Hemiptera (true bugs, hoppers, aphids, and allies)  
 

Suborder

Heteroptera (true bugs)  
 

Infraorder

Pentatomomorpha (pentatomomorph bugs)  
 

Superfamily

Lygaeoidea (seed bugs and allies)  
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

Subfamily Berytinae

Subfamily Gampsocorinae

Subfamily Metacanthinae

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

stilt bugs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Ocellus

Simple eye; an eye with a single lens. Plural: ocelli.

 

Tarsus

On insects, the last two to five subdivisions of the leg, attached to the tibia; the foot. On spiders, the last segment of the leg. Plural: tarsi.

 

Tibia

The fourth segment of an insect leg, after the femur and before the tarsus (foot). The fifth segment of a spider leg or palp.

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
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Stilt Bug (Family Berytidae)
Andree Reno Sanborn
  Stilt Bug (Family Berytidae)  

 

slideshow

       
 
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Other Videos
 
  Berytidae, Bosque Lassen, Estados Unidos 202008
Z Y
 
   
 
About

Sep 8, 2020

 
  Berytidae
mohamed moumaris
 
   
 
About

May 12, 2022

Berytidae bugs Insects

 

 

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Created: 5/16/2023

Last Updated:

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