The Rhopalidae of Florida

The scentless plant bugs (Heteroptera: Rhopalidae) are small- to medium-sized insects that are heavily punctate and pubescent, and often have tubercles and small spines on the head, pronotum and legs (1). These bugs resemble the Coreid bugs, but are smaller and have a greatly reduced ostiole, or scent gland opening (2). Rhopalids are also similar in appearance to orsilline Lygaeids, but can be distinguished by the presence of numerous veins in the membrane of the hemelytra (2). The scentless plant bugs typically feed on fruit and seeds of herbaceous plants in fields and along roads, however some species are arboreal (1). A few of the scentless plant bugs are considered pest species. The most notable member is the box elder bug (Boisea trivittata (Say)). These insects are found primarily on boxelder trees and occasionally feed on maple, ash, plum, cherry and apple (1). They are pests in the autumn and spring months when they aggregate in large numbers on sides of trees, houses and buildings. Although they do not damage structures directly, they can enter homes and leave stains on fabrics and walls. Another pest species included in the Rhopalidae is the red shoulder bug or soapberry bug, Jadera haematoioma (Herrich and Schaeffer), which resembles the boxelder bug but lacks the central red stripe on the pronotum and the red stripes on the wings (3). This bug can be a nuisance when it accumulates in large numbers in yards and gardens while aggregating on seeds that have dropped to the ground (3). 3Checklist of Rhopalidae occurring in Florida (1