Minute Pirate Bug or Flower Bug

Natural Habitat

Found in various agricultural crops, gardens, and natural areas, often associated with flowers, weeds, and plant foliage where their prey reside.

Diet & Feeding

Primarily predatory, feeding on small soft-bodied arthropods such as thrips, aphids, spider mites, insect eggs, and small caterpillars. They may also feed on plant sap and pollen when prey is scarce.

Behavior Patterns

Minute pirate bugs are active predators. Adults and nymphs use their piercing-sucking mouthparts to extract fluids from their prey. They are known for their efficiency in controlling pest populations. Females lay eggs inside plant tissues.

Risks & Benefits

Minute pirate bugs are highly beneficial insects, serving as important biological control agents against numerous agricultural pests, thus reducing the need for chemical pesticides. While generally beneficial, they can bite humans if disturbed, which can cause a small, temporary red welt and a sharp, irritating sting, though they are not venomous or disease carriers.

Identified on: 9/19/2025