Myrmecoris
genus of insects
Myrmecoris gracilis is a species of flightless Hemipteran bug from the family Miridae. The genus Mymecoris is monotypic with one Palaearctic species. It differs in its outward appearance and way of life from other "grass bugs" in the Stenodemini, being predatory and an effective ant mimic.
Description
The bugs are four to six millimeters long. The adult insects resemble ants of the genus Formica, the larvae dark Lasius ant species. The appearance of a typical hymenopteran "waist" is created by the paler coloration of the front of the abdomen and the back of the thorax, contrasting with the rest of the body which is mainly black, effectively camouflaging the bug's thick waist. They are often found together with ants, to which they have a convincing but superficial resemblance. The long rostrum is held inconspicuously beneath the head.
The bugs suck plant juices, but feed mainly on aphids, other small insects and insect eggs, sometimes on honeydew, unlike other "grass bugs" (Stenodemini) which are exclusively herbivorous. The larvae hatch in May.
The public source identifies “Myrmecoris” as genus of insects. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Myrmecoris, genus and insects.
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The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated May 21, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q10592374. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
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This entry incorporates text from “Myrmecoris” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.