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  HOME:   WILDLIFE IN THE GARDEN:    BENEFICIAL INSECTS: DAMSEL BUGS
BENEFICIAL INSECTS
Helping Beneficial Insects
Lady beetles
Damsel bug
Green lacewings
Hover(syrphid) flies
Minute pirate bugs
Parasitic wasps
Predacious ground beetles
Spiders
Tachinid flies

BIRDS
Hosting songbirds in your garden
Grow natives
West Nile virus

MAMMALS
Deer
Marmots
Rabbits
Raccoons
Skunks
Voles

SNAKES
Snakes
Garter snakes
Gopher snakes
Western rattlesnakes

Damsel bugs
photo J.K.Clark

Description: Damsel bugs are slender, grayish, or tan insects that reach about 3/8-inch in length. They have elongated heads, long antennae, and long legs. The first pair of legs is noticeably thicker than the other two pairs.

Life cycle: Damsel bugs overwinter as adults and lay their eggs in plant tissue. Nymphs look much like adults. About three or four generations occur each year.

Key benefits: Damsel bug adults and nymphs suck the body contents from aphids, small caterpillars, leafhoppers, plant bugs, thrips, and mites. They also prey on insect eggs.

 

 

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