Arizona Naturalists >>> Sonoran Desert Naturalist >>> Field Guide >>> Insects, Spiders, Centepedes and Scorpions >>> Bugs, Aphids and Scales

Sonoran Desert Bugs

Among the distinguishing features of bugs are the mouthparts. These are modified into an elongate proboscis that can be pierced into the food object and through which liquefied food is ingested. Adult of most species have wings although many are wingless and more-or-less sessile. Immatures resemble the adults but do not have wings (late instar immatures may have wing buds). Plant feeders, predators and even blood suckers are included in this order. There are thousands of species inhabiting the Sonoran Desert ecosystem. This guide shows only a select few.

Say's Stinkbug Chlorochroa sayi Emerald green with snowy spots. Outline in orange and an orange spot at tip of scutellum (triangular plate behind thorax). More info	Conchuela Bug Chlorochroa ligata Dark brown to nearly black. Outline in orange. Feeds on developing buds and seeds. More info	Creosote Stink Bug Dendrocoris contaminatus Rusty brown in shades similar to the host plant, Cresosote Bush (Larrea tridentata). Smaller than other stink bugs. More info	Spined Stink Bug Loxa flavicollis Large green stink bug (roughly pentagonal in shape) with lateral spines behind head. More info	Brown Stink Bug Holcostethus sp. Medium-sized bug with a grainy texture to the color. Occurs especially on trees and shrubs with developing seeds. More info
Green Stink Bug Acrosternum hilare All-green, pentagonal bug found on wide variety of trees and plants, usu. those with developing fruit or seeds. More info	Red-shouldered Stink Bug Thyanta Red on the margins of the pronotum can be faint or else expanded all across the anterior margin into reddish bar. Base color green or brown. More info	Harlequin Bug Murgantia histrionica Pentagonal shape intricately marked with bright yellow and/or orange on black. On mustard and capper plants. More info	Painted Stink Bug Bagrata hilaris A non-native bug recently transplanted from Afica or Europe to Southern California. It could spread eastward into the Arizona Sonoran Desert. More info	Rough Stink Bug Brochymena parva These bugs often hide on dark scaly bark of the trees or shrubs that feed them. There are several Brochymena species. More info
Narrow Stink Bug Mecidea sp. Pale brown or tan stink bug that is more slender than pentagonal. May be encountered on grass species. More info	Negro Bug Corimelaena sp. Small black bugs marked with some orange appearing like beetles due to enlarged scutellum. Common on desert tobacco. More info	Seed Bug Nysius sp. Small brown or gray bugs abundant on grasses and weeds with seeds. A number of similar species. More info	Milkweed Bug Lygeaus kalmii Sometimes gregarious red, black and white bugs on milkweeds and other plants in seed. Often in tandem. More info	Charcoal Seedbug Bug Neacoryphus lateralis Sometimes really abundant red & black bugs of late spring to fall. On seeding plants. More info
Redcoat Seed Bug Melanopleurus sp. Dressed like a British Soldier and not at all obscure as it inhabits composite inflorescences. More info	Dirt Colored Seed Bug Pseudopamera sp? Rather small and often hidden under rocks or leaf litter. Enlarged femur on first pair of legs. More info	Bordered Plant Bug Largus sp. Large bug mostly dark marked with bright orange around border and on underside of abdoment. Common on plants with maturing seeds. A couple of similar species. See nymph lower on this page. More info	Bordered Plant Bug (nymph) Largus sp. Metalic blue with orange triangle. Immature stage, and thus wingless, of Largus shown above. More info	Orange Fiddleneck Plant Bug Plagiognathus moerens Small, brightly colored, active bug in flower clusters of orange fiddleneck. Many similar bugs found on wide variety of plants. More info
Creosote Bush Plant Bug Orthotylinae Small, green and golden brown, active bug on new growth of Creosote Bush. Many similar bugs found on other Sonoran Desert plants. More info	Globe Mallow Bug Keltonia Pale green, very small, about 2mm, and quick-moving. Texture is like that of the mallow leaves. More info	Red Plant Bug Lopidea Delicate red and black plant bug found on developing seeds and flower buds of various plants. Several similar species. More info	Wolfberry Plant Bug Miridae sp. Small, about 3mm, mottled green and black designed to hide on buds/stems. This one found on Lycium. More info	Clouded Plant Bug Neurocolpus Small bug with speckled markings and enlarged antennae segments. An inhabitant of mesquite trees. More info
Ant Mimic Bug Coquillettia Even an Entomologist will look twice before realizing that this is not an ant! More info	Mesquite Coreid Mozena sp. Large tan or dark brown bug with sharp, flared points behind head and enlarged hind legs. Young are greenish. More info	Leaf-footed Bug Leptoglossus zonatus Large bugs with conspicuous flags on legs and white zigzag on back. Feeds on developing fruits. More info	Prickly Pear Leaf-footed Bug Narnia sp. Gray-brown bugs often in pairs on prickly pears. Medium-large size. More info	Leaf-footed Bug Acanthocephala granulosus Very large, conspicuous bugs most often on mesquite pods. Bright orange tips to legs and antennae set off by all black body. More info
Cactus Bug Chelinidea vittiger Gray-brown bugs on prickly pears with light-colored, geometric lines across wings. Leave brown circles on cactus pads. More info	Squash Bug Anasa tristis Brownish bugs with gray speckles. Found on vines of squash, melons etc. No "leaf" on hind legs. More info	Leaf-footed Bug Catorhintha sp. This one lacks the leaf-like expansion on the last pair of legs. More info	Leafhopper Assassin Bug Zelus renardii Spindly-legged predators often on flowers and new growth foliage. Prey sticks to glue on legs. More info	Four-spurred Assassin Bug Zelus tetracanthus Four spurs on the thorax and usually a gray color. Hunts for prey on new plant growth. More info
Orange Assassin Pselliopsis sp. Boldly colored predator of caterpillars and other bugs. Legs sharply banded with black rings. More info	Bee Assassin Apiomeris flaviventris Warning colored in black, red and yellow. Beak pierces bees and other insect prey. More info	Ambush Bug Phymata sp. Powerful, predatory bug looks like part of the flower and grabs bees and butterflies when they visit. More info	Kissing Bug Triatoma rubida Emerge from rock crevices at night to take blood from rodents and humans. Mostly black, narrow head with beak and large eyes. More info	Damsel Bug Nabis sp. Slender, gray-brown bugs with a noticeably elongated head and snout. About a cm long. Predators on plant feeding insects. More info
Minute Pirate Bug Orius Very small predators of even smaller insects! Commonly inside blooming flowers with thrips. More info	Toad Bug Gelastocoris oculatus Hops along on damp sand adjacent to riparian streams blending in perfectly. Predaceous. More info	Lace Bug Corythucha sp. Very small bugs feeding esp. on leaf undersides. Wings and prothorax of stiff, lacy chitin. More info	Stilt Bug Jalysus sp. Small, delicate plant feeding bugs with very long, slender legs and a distinct knob at tip of antennae. Pale brown to nearly transparent. More info	Tobacco Stilt Bug Pronotacantha Very slender, delicate plant feeding bugs with very long, slender legs and a distinct knob at tip of antennae. This one has a dark, prickly thorax. More info
Scentless Plant Bug Arhyssus ? Small, non-descript bug. Knobs at ends of antennae. Does not release scent when disturbed unlike many other similar bugs. More info	Bed Bug Cimex lectularius Red to brown bugs in dwellings. When starved very flat and can hide in narrow cracks. No wings. Feeds nocturnally on human blood. More info	Water Strider Aquarius sp. Glides on surface film of calm waters and preys on insects trapped there. Long spidery legs. More info	Small Water Strider Rhagovelia Similar to water striders, but smaller. Common on surfaces with floating algae. More info

Creosote Bush Tree Hopper Multareoides bifurcatus Small hopping bug normally confined to young twigs of Creosote Bush, Larrea tridentata. Double point on pronotum. More info	Creosote Bush Tree Hopper Centrodontus atlas A dippled texture and a tough pronotum. Normally rests concealed within creosote bush twigs. More info	Mesquite Thorn Hopper Platycentrus acuticornis Double-thorned plant hopper hugs stems to appear as a part of the plant. Feeds on mesquite sap. More info	Ambrosia Treehopper Entylia turrita Pale brown or tan with lighter striations. Close associate with Canyon Ragweed or possibly other composite plants. More info	Seep Willow Plant Hopper Oeclidius sp. Small hopping bug with gossamer wings. May be found on Baccharis, plants of the composite family. More info
Spittle-Bug Nymph Clastoptera sp. Immature stage, a nymph, of the adult bug at right is embedded in froth of mucousy sap waste. More info	Spittle-Bug Clastoptera sp. Small plant hopper able to launch into a phenominal jump. Very small, less than 3mm. False eye at posterior. More info	Sooty Planthopper Poblicia fuliginosa Large dusky black and red hopper found on desert broom and other plants. Disappears like a rocket! More info	Smoketree Sharpshooter Homalodisca liturata Brightly colored hopper found on various desert trees and shrubs. Also on wide variety of cultivated shrubs. More info	Chilopsis Sharpshooter Neokolla sp. Small (few mm's) hopping insects found mostly on Desert Willow. Brightly colored; pointed shape. More info
Mesquite Leafhopper Ponana ? Pale brown and speckled with small brownish spots. Small jumping insect can fly also. More info	Bursage Leafhopper Graphocephala cythura Turquoise leafhoppers about 4 mm long on bursage or other composites. More info	Flatid Planthopper Ormenis saucia There are a number of similar looking flatids in the desert looking like little moths that can jump and fly. Snowy white or pastel shades of blue or green. More info	Apache Cicada Diceroprocta apache Often heard, more rarely seen. Emerges from soil during summer months after feeding on roots. More info	Potato Psyllid Bactericera cockerelli ? Minute flying-jumping insect, less than 2mm. Two pairs of clear membrane wings. This one on wolfberry. More info
Oleander Aphid Aphis nerii Rather formless, yellow-orange, blobs with black, spindly legs. Walking infrequently. Found on members of milkweed and dogbane plant families. More info	Brown Ambrosia Aphid Uroleucon ambrosiea Port wine colored blobs appearing in colonies on bursage, brittlebush and other sunflowers. Spring mostly. More info	Wire Lettuce Aphid Uroleucon bonitum Slight smaller and darker with less red. Occurs on new growth of Stephanomeria. More info	Mustard Aphid Lipaphis Usual-looking sac of a bug, greenish-gray, distinguished usually by the host plant. More info	Psyllid on Cottonwood G. sp. Small, largely sessile plant-sucking bugs that can, if threatened, jump. Usually in groups, More info
Hackberry Gall Psyliid Pachpsylla sp. Small, nearly sessile bugs that are normally concealed inside galls. This species specific to hackberries. More info	Cottonwood Petiole Gall Aphid Pemphigus sp. Whitish aphids concealed inside a swelling on the leaf-stem of fremont cottonwood. More info	Whitefly Aleyrodidae The wintering stage of the whitefly appears as a white speck usu. on the underside of an evergreen leaf. More info	Cottony Bugs Coccidae? Sedentary bugs resembling miniature cotton balls on twigs of catclaw. More info	Wax Scale Icerya rileyi Little resemblance to an insect. Immobile, nearly leggless and covered in thick coating of wax. More info
Lac Insect Tachardiella fulgens Hard, armoured bugs in colonies on twigs of Coursetia. No legs or wings visible. Look like globs of dry sap. More info	Cochineal Scale Dactylopius On prickly pears and chollas appears as cottony masses with red blob bug inside. More info	Meally Bug Pseudococcidae Flat, mostly immobile bugs with meally wax coating. Ants almost always in attendence. More info

Sonoran Desert Field Guide
Sonoran Desert Places
Sonoran Desert Naturalist Home Page

		Enter your search terms Submit search form
Copyright Michael J. Plagens, 1999-2020.		Web Sonoran Desert Naturalist