Crusader bug

Crusader bug (Mictis profana)
The Crusader Bug
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hemiptera
Suborder:	Heteroptera
Infraorder:	Pentatomomorpha
Superfamily:	Coreoidea
Family:	Coreidae Leach, 1815
Subfamily:	Coreinae
Genus:	Mictis
Species:	M. profana
Binomial name
Mictis profana
Synonyms
Anisoscelis abdominalis Guérin-Méneville Mictis crucifera Leach Mictis crux Dalla Mictis symbolica Dallas

The Crusader bug (or holy cross bug) is an insect located predominantly in Australia but also found in Indonesia and the Indo-Pacific.

They can be seen nearly anywhere from urban areas through to coastal heath, the only exception being the Desert.

Adults are 20–25 mm long, 7–10 mm wide, stout, grey to brown with a clear saltire (Also called St Andrew's Cross) in cream/yellow on its back. Legs are long and shoulders of pronotum project into short spines in adults and mature nymphs. Hind legs are much thicker than other legs, hind femur has inner rows of fine teeth and one preapical spine.

Hind femora shorter and much swollen in male. Hind tibia inwardly lamellate in about middle 1/3, less so in male which also has a distinct spine on lamellate area. Male has 1st visible abdominal sternite with more prominent callosities than in female.

Later instar nymphs have a pair of orange spots in the middle of the upper surface of abdomen, wing pads in later instars are marked with orange.

The species is polyphagous, and has been recorded to feed on a variety of native and introduced plants such as eucalypts, wattles, Orchard Trees (Citrus among others) and cultivated crops including grape, pawpaw, cowpea, tomato, beans, Acacia and green gram.

Although a minor pest of Citrus and Wattles they are considered a helpful biological control of the weed Mimosa pigra.

References

• Malipatil, Mali (2007): Crusader bug (Mictis profana) Pest and Diseases Image Library. Updated on 7/11/2007 2:42:11 PM. Available online: http://www.padil.gov.au
• Australian Museum: The Crusader Bug. Last Updated: 08/05/2009

External links

• Image of the Crusader Bug from Wikimedia Commons
• Crusader Bug Information at the Australian Museum.