Common Nettle Flower Bug

Plagiognathus arbustorum

This species is zoophytophagous, meaning it happily balances a vegan diet of sap with a predatory diet of crop-damaging pests.

Scientific name: Plagiognathus arbustorum
Taxonomy: Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Hemiptera › Miridae › Plagiognathus
IUCN Red List status: Least Concern
Population trend: stable
Biome: grassland
Habitat: Grasslands, roadside verges, waste grounds, and woodland edges rich in stinging nettles.
Diet: Omnivorous; feeds on plant juices (primarily nettles) and small insects like aphids and mites.
Range: Europe, Northern Asia, North America
Size: 3.6 - 4.5 mm
Lifespan: 1 year
Active: diurnal
Threats: Pesticide application and the widespread clearance of wild nettle patches.
Safe to approach?: Harmless. This tiny bug poses no threat to humans. You can safely observe them on nettle leaves. If handled roughly, they may attempt a tiny, harmless pinch with their microscopic rostrum, which requires no medical attention.

Plagiognathus arbustorum is a species of insects in the family Miridae, the plant bugs....

Photo: portioid, CC-BY, via iNaturalist