Beneficial True Bugs: Damsel Bugs

Damsel bugs are predatory “true bugs” in the family Nabidae (Fig. 1). There are about 500 recognized species of damsel bugs worldwide. Being a true bug, damsel bugs have piercing-sucking mouthparts and incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, and adult stages). Nymph and adult damsel bugs are predatory and eat many different insect and mite species. Damsel bugs kill their prey immediately, and suck them dry, eating many prey individuals to complete development. Damsel bugs can be found in large agricultural fields to small backyard gardens. Damsel bugs are one of the most numerous insect predators in Utah alfalfa fields.