Diet

• Adults and nymphs: Primarily seed-feeding, using their piercing-sucking mouthparts to obtain nutrients from seeds and other developing plant material.

• They are associated with grasses, herbaceous plants and other seed-producing vegetation, although host-plant information is limited for several species.

• Feeding is generally concentrated on seeds and fallen plant material rather than foliage.

Range

• Neortholomus is a genus of seed bugs (Family Lygaeidae) in the Subfamily Orsillinae and Tribe Orsillini.

• The genus occurs primarily in the Americas, with species distributed through North America, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and South America.

• Around Zihua, the genus would likely be occasional to locally common, depending on species and the availability of suitable seed-producing vegetation.

Habitat

• Species occur in grasslands, meadows, open woodland, forest margins, scrub and other habitats containing abundant grasses and seed-producing plants.

• They are generally associated with relatively open vegetation, although some species can occur around woodland and forest edges.

• In tropical regions, seasonally dry vegetation and areas with abundant flowering and seed-producing plants can provide suitable habitat.

Size

• Neortholomus species are small seed bugs, generally only a few millimetres long.

• The body is relatively slender and elongate, with the forewings largely parallel-sided.

• Colouration varies among species but commonly includes brown, reddish-brown, black and pale markings.