Diet

• Adults and nymphs: Primarily feed on plant seeds, using their piercing-sucking mouthparts to extract nutrients from developing or mature seeds.

• Like other seed bugs in the family Lygaeidae, they are commonly associated with plants while the plants are producing seeds.

• The specific host plants of many Dalmochrimnus species are not well documented, so individual species should not be assigned particular food plants without supporting records.

Range

• Dalmochrimnus is a genus of seed bugs (Lygaeidae) in the subfamily Lygaeinae.

• The genus is Neotropical, with species occurring primarily in Mexico, Central America and northern South America.

• They are occasionally sighted in Zihua, particularly in warm, dry habitats with abundant seed-producing vegetation.

Habitat

• Found in tropical dry forest, tropical deciduous forest, scrub, grassland, forest edges and disturbed vegetation.

• Adults are often associated with seed-bearing plants, where they may occur on stems, foliage and developing seed heads.

• Around Zihua, search grasses, herbaceous plants and shrubs that are flowering or producing seeds, especially in open areas and forest margins.

• Their relatively subdued colouration can make them difficult to spot among dry vegetation.

Size

• Adult length: generally approximately 7–12 mm (0.3–0.5 in), depending on species.

• Body typically elongated and somewhat narrow, characteristic of many Lygaeinae.

• Colouration is generally brown, reddish-brown or dark, sometimes with contrasting pale markings.

• The forewings often provide useful identification characters, particularly the pattern and colouration of the corium and membrane.