Appearance
"Heterotoma planicornis" can reach a length of about 4.6–5.3 millimetres in males, while females are quite longer, reaching 4.9–5.5 millimetres.The species are black or dark red coloured with pale green legs. Adults have some short hairs and strange shaped antennae, with a large flattened second antennal segment. The nymphs are reddish in color and also have said strange antennae.
These species are look almost like its counterpart, "Heterotoma merioptera" and can be difficult to distinguish.
Distribution
The species could be found in the Nearctic ecozone, in Central, Western, and Eastern Europe except for the Baltic states, Faroe Islands, Finland, Malta and Yugoslavia. These quite common bugs occurs in negletted orchards, hedge rows and in many gardens.
Habitat
The eggs are laid into young wood, hatch in May and the nymphs become adults by June. Adults occur from July to September. The eggs overwinter. This plant sucker shows one generation per year.The nymphs and adults are active predators of spiders, aphids and mites. They are polyphagous, feeding on various insects, but also on numerous plants and trees.
They prefer unripe fruits, buds, juices and nectar of various plants, mainly of Crataegus species, common alder, common hazel, oak, nettles and tansy "Tanacetum vulgare".The species could be found in the Nearctic ecozone, in Central, Western, and Eastern Europe except for the Baltic states, Faroe Islands, Finland, Malta and Yugoslavia. These quite common bugs occurs in negletted orchards, hedge rows and in many gardens.
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