Lopidea Bug (Red and Black Plant Bug)

Natural Habitat

Typically found on the foliage of specific host plants, including shrubs, perennials, and trees in gardens, fields, and forest edges.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivorous; they use piercing-sucking mouthparts to feed on plant juices, specifically targeting host plants like honey locust, phlox, or shepherdia.

Behavior Patterns

These are active diurnal insects. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult) and are often seen in large numbers on their preferred host plants during the summer months.

Risks & Benefits

They are considered minor garden pests as their feeding can cause spotting, yellowing, or curling of leaves (stippling). They are generally harmless to humans and have no significant ecological benefit beyond being a food source for predators.

Identified on: 3/28/2026