Turfgrass Entomology (Big-Eyed Bugs)

BIG - EYED BUGS

Big Eyed Bugs are of the family Lygaeidae and are predatory on many types of insects. The Geocoris genus primarily feeds on spider mites and aphids, but as a generalist, they will consume scale insects, whiteflies, lace bugs, caterpillars, chinch bugs, and other small insects as well. There are 25 species in Geocoris in North America. They are between 1 and 3 mm in lenth as nymphs and between 3 and 4 mm as adults. They are useful for agricultural pest control as well as turf grass pest control in areas with low broad spectrum pesticide application in these areas. Geocoris punctipes can be adapted to serving in greenhouses to keep aphids off of plants, but will attack certain other small insect species.