Two-spotted Grass Bug

Appearance

"Stenotus binotatus" is a fairly large plant bug, which is somewhat variable in appearance. The insect's sides are roughly parallel, and the colours depend on both the animal's sex and its age, the markings becoming darker and stronger with increasing age. Males are mostly yellow, with darker markings on the pronotum and forewings, which females are greenish-yellow with paler markings.

Naming

Stenotus binotatus (Fabricius)
Orig. Comb: Lygaeus binotatus Fabricius 1794

Distribution

"S. binotatus" is native to Europe but has been introduced to temperate regions around the world. It is common "throughout the northern and central U.S. and southern Canada", and it has been introduced to New Zealand, where it now found almost throughout the country.

Habitat

Both the nymphs and adults feed on the inflorescences of grasses, especially timothy-grass. In New Zealand, "S. binotatus" has been collected from a large variety of plants, including the grasses brown top, Yorkshire fog, cocksfoot, wheat, barley and maize, and many other plants.

Adults are active from June to September in the United Kingdom, and in December and January in New Zealand.

Evolution

"Stenotus binotatus" was originally described under the name "Lygaeus binotatus" by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1794. The genus "Stenotus" was erected by Wassily Ewgrafowitsch Jakowlew in 1877, and "S. binotatus" was designated its type species.

"S. binotatus" is known by various common names, including "two-spotted plant bug", "timothy plant bug", and "slender crop mirid".