Distinguishing Immatures of Insect Associates of Southern Pine Bark Beetles

Southern Pine Beetle Handbook

United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Cooperative State Research Service, Southern Pine Beetle Handbook, Agriculture Handbook No. 641. October 1985.

Hemiptera

Anthocoridae

Scoloposcelis mississippensis and Lyctocoris elongatus are the two hemipterans most commonly encountered under pine bark. Both species are reddish in the nymphal stages and possess piercing-sucking mouthparts. Nymphs of L.elongatus are ovate and the body is smooth to roughened in the later instars (fig. 1). S. mississippensis nymphs are elongate with a smooth body surface (fig. 2). L. elongatus is considerably larger than S. mississippensis. The former has pronotal widths averaging 0.33-1.05 mm (instars 1-5), while the latter averages 0.23-0.63 mm (instars 1-5). Late instar S. mississippensis nymphs (and adults) have spines on swollen front femora (fig. 3a), while L. elongatus nymphs (fig. 3b) do not.

Figure 1- Lyctocoris elongatus: fourth instar nymph	Figure 2 - Scoloposcelis mississippensis: third instar nymph
Figure 3a - Scoloposcelis mississippensis: front femur indicating spines	Figure 3b - Lyctocoris elongatus: front femur with no spines

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