Gespikkelde halsbandwants
Deraeocoris punctulatus
Gespikkelde halsbandwants (Deraeocoris punctulatus) is a small predatory true bug in the plant bug family Miridae, characterized by its distinctive speckled pattern and collar-like markings on the pronotum. This beneficial insect serves as an important biological control agent, feeding on aphids, spider mites, and other small arthropods in various plant communities.
21
Countries
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Hemiptera
Family
Miridae
Genus
Deraeocoris
Gespikkelde halsbandwants belongs to the family Miridae, order Hemiptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
Gespikkelde halsbandwants (Deraeocoris punctulatus) is a small predatory true bug in the plant bug family Miridae, characterized by its distinctive speckled pattern and collar-like markings on the pronotum. This beneficial insect serves as an important biological control agent, feeding on aphids, spider mites, and other small arthropods in various plant communities.
Deraeocoris punctulatus faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized coastal and heathland environments. Agricultural intensification, urban development, and changes in land management practices have significantly reduced the availability of suitable host plants and microhabitats required by this specialized predatory bug.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
The species inhabits diverse herbaceous plant communities including meadows, field margins, and gardens where it hunts among flowering plants and shrubs. It shows particular association with areas containing umbelliferous plants and other native wildflower species that support diverse arthropod communities.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Endangered
Deraeocoris punctulatus faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized coastal and heathland environments. Agricultural intensification, urban development, and changes in land management practices have significantly reduced the availability of suitable host plants and microhabitats required by this specialized predatory bug.
Agricultural intensification
Habitat loss and fragmentation
Changes in vegetation management
Climate change impacts on host plant communities
Urban and coastal development
Found in 21 Countries
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Gespikkelde halsbandwants (Deraeocoris punctulatus). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/gespikkelde-halsbandwants