Ecological Observations of NativeGeocoris pallensandG. punctipesPopulations in the Great Basin Desert of Southwestern Utah

Abstract

Big-eyed bugs (Geocorisspp. Fallén, Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) are ubiquitous, omnivorous insect predators whose plant feeding behavior raises the question of whether they benefit or harm plants. However, several studies have investigated both the potential ofGeocorisspp. to serve as biological control agents in agriculture and their importance as agents of plant indirect defense in nature. These studies have demonstrated thatGeocorisspp. effectively reduce herbivore populations and increase plant yield. Previous work has also indicated thatGeocorisspp. respond to visual and olfactory cues when foraging and choosing their prey and that associative learning of prey and plant cues informs their foraging strategies. For these reasons,Geocorisspp. have become models for the study of tritrophic plant-herbivore-predator interactions. Here, we present detailed images and ecological observations ofG. pallensStål andG. punctipes(Say) native to the Great Basin Desert of southwestern Utah, including observations of their life histories and color morphs, dynamics of their predatory feeding behavior and prey choice over space and time, and novel aspects ofGeocorisspp.’s relationships to their host plants. These observations open up new areas to be explored regarding the behavior ofGeocorisspp. and their interactions with plant and herbivore populations.