Diet

• Adults and nymphs: Feed by piercing plant tissues and sucking sap from cacti (Cactaceae).

• They are particularly associated with prickly pears (Opuntia spp.), feeding on pads, flowers and developing fruits.

• Feeding can produce small discoloured spots, scars and localized tissue damage, although healthy, established cactus plants can often tolerate feeding.

Range

• Chelinidea tabulata is a cactus bug (Coreidae) in the subfamily Coreinae.

• It is widely distributed through Mexico, Central America and parts of the Caribbean, with its distribution closely associated with areas where suitable Opuntia hosts occur.

• It is occasionally sighted in Zihua, where native and cultivated cacti provide suitable habitat.

• The species is one of several specialised coreids that have evolved a close association with Cactaceae.

Habitat

• Primarily associated with cacti and other dry, open habitats, including tropical dry forest, thorn scrub, rocky slopes, disturbed areas and gardens.

• Adults and nymphs can be found directly on Opuntia pads and around cactus flowers and fruits.

• Around Zihua, inspect prickly pear and other native or ornamental cacti, particularly in sunny, relatively dry locations.

• They can be surprisingly well camouflaged against the mottled surface of cactus pads.

Size

• Adult length: approximately 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in).

• Body broadly oval and somewhat flattened compared with many other leaf-footed bugs.

• Generally brownish, greyish or greenish-brown, with a mottled pattern that helps conceal the insect against cactus.

• The body has the characteristic angular structure of Coreidae, while the hind legs are moderately expanded.