The Parasitization of Blister Beetles 
by Species of Miridae 1 
(Coleoptera: Meloidae; Hemiptera: Miridae) 
John D. Pinto 
Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521 
The attraction of certain insects to living adult blister beetles for 
purposes of feeding is well documented. Ceratopogonid flies belong¬ 
ing to Atrichopogon (Meloehelea) have been recorded pursuing meloids 
in swarms, piercing their intersegmental membrane and sucking 
hemolymph (Blair, 1937; Edwards, 1923). Various anthicid beetles in 
Anthicus and Pedilus have also been observed attacking and feeding 
on a variety of blister beetles (Pinto and Selander, 1970). That certain 
Miridae also feed on meloids has apparently not been as widely re¬ 
cognized. Two Canadian records, one by Fox (1943) of Hadronema mili- 
taris Uhler “attacking Lytta nuttalli Say,” and another by Church and 
Gerber (1977) of this same mirid feeding on hemolymph of L. nuttalli 
and L. viridana LeConte, are the only published observations of this 
relationship of which I am aware. 
Field work in southern California and in Arizona has convinced me 
that Hadronema spp., and perhaps other mirids, frequently attempt to 
feed on meloids. Most records involve Hadronema uhleri Van Duzee 2 . 
This species has been associated with the following meloids: Lytta 
moerens (LeConte) (Menifee Valley, Riverside Co., CA), L. crotchi 
(Horn) (Gavilan Hills, Riverside Co., CA; G.R. Ballmer, observer and 
collector), L. stygica (LeConte) (Whitewater Cyn., Riverside Co., CA; L. 
Lacey, observer and collector), Tegrodera erosa LeConte (Menifee 
Valley), and Cordylospasta opaca (Horn) (Summit Valley, San Bernar¬ 
dino Mts. CA). In addition to H. uhleri, I have observed H. bispinosa 
Knight similarly associated with Epicauta andersoni Werner and E. 
ventralis Werner (3 mi. N. Flagstaff, AZ), and Halticotoma nicholi 
Knight, associated with Megetra cancellata (Brandt and Erichson) 
(Portal, AZ). A single H. nicholi was also taken feeding on an individual 
Meloe laevis Leach (Portal, AZ; S. I. Frommer, observer and collector). 
Behavior of the mirids is similar in all cases. The following remarks, 
however, pertain specifically to Hadronema uhleri and Lytta moerens 
observed in Menifee Valley. A small population of 20 meloids, includ¬ 
ing several mated pairs, was found over ca. 50 m 2 , feeding on flowers 
of Astragalus sp. on 14 May 1975. One to seven mirids occurred on the 
vegetation adjacent to almost every individual or mated pair of Lytta. 
The mirids, with rostrum directed forward, periodically advanced 
slowly toward a beetle (Fig. 1) and, upon reaching it, inserted the 
‘This study was supported in part by Grant BMS75-17779 from the National Science Foundation. 
Identifications of all Miridae were verified by Dr. Randall T. Schuh of The American Museum of Natural 
History. 
The Pan-Pacific Entomologist 54:57-60. January 1978 
