Feeding Niches1of the Big-Eyed BugsGeocoris bullatus, G. punctipes, andG. uliginosus(Hemiptera: Lygaeidae: Geocorinae)2

Abstract

Under natural conditions, Geocoris bullatus (Say), G. punctipes (Say), and G. uliginosus (Say) fed on 67 species of small (0.25—8.7 mm long) prey from 3 classes of arthropods (Insecta, Arachnida, and Diplopoda). Sessile, ambulatory, saltatory, and winged forms (many representing pest species) were successfully attacked. Most prey were not physically capable of injuring the attacker, and in many cases prey capture was effected without triggering the prey's defensive behaviors. Vegetative structures and occasionally seeds of herbaceous angiosperms (monocots and dicots) of several families constituted a small part of their diet, as did dead insects. As opportunistic polyphagous predators, Geocoris spp. are probably of great importance in the prevention of pest outbreaks in many agricultural, turfgrass, and natural habitats.