Alice Springs Desert Park

ASDP InsectsASDP Insects Index ASDP Ants ASDP Camponotus denticulatus ASDP Opisthopsis sp ASDP Bees Amegilla chlorocyanea Bee Braunsapis sp Exoneurella eremophila Bee Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) Mating Lasioglossum (Homalictus) ASDP Beetles Blessed Leaf Beetle (Paropsisterna beata) Bush Cockroach (Ellipsidion humarale) Snout Beetle (Lixus) Transverse Ladybird ASDP Butterflies & Moths Banksia Moth – Caterpillar Caper White Butterfly Chequered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus ssp sthenelus) Day Flying Moth / Mistletoe Moth Heliotrope Moth (Utetheisa pulchelloides) Noctuinae (Caterpillar) Processionary Caterpillar Southern Moon Moth (Dasypodia selenophora) ASDP Diptera Bee Fly (Australiphthiria sp) Bee Fly (Ligyra cingulata) ASDP Gyromantis ASDP Hemiptera / Heteroptera Crusader Bug (Mictis profana) Ground Shield Bug Leptocoris Bug Podsucking Bug (Melanacanthus scutellaris) ASDP Orthoptera ASDP Katydid (Taeniomenae) Variable Stropis Grasshopper ASDP Tropidoderus gracilifemur ASDP Wasps Bembicinae and Bembix Chrysididae Cuckoo Wasp Potter Wasp Delta latreillei (Potter Wasp) Delta philantes Radumeris radula (Yellow Hairy Flower Wasp) Torymus Chalcid Wasp

Alice Springs Desert ParkFauna Flora Nature Theatre Nocturnal House

Leptocoris mitellatus is one of the soapberry bugs found in Australia, belonging to the largest genus of the subfamily Serinethinae and are found throughout Africa, South Asia, and Oceania, and are quite common in Australia.

Leptocoris mitellatus has a number of common names including Scentless Plant Bug, Red-eyes Bug and Leptocoris Bug.

Pictured here are the instars of Leptocoris mitellatus, with a few adults. The adults are similar in size to the Harlequin Bug, but with a narrower body and are red/orange and black. Large colonies are often seen under host shrubs/trees, where they feed on the fallen seeds. The adult bugs pierce the seed coat with their long beaks and inject digestive substances into it. They then suck up and consume the digested seed material, leaving behind the seed shell casing.

Leptocoris mitellatus (Leptocoris Bug), Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Leptocoris mitellatus (Leptocoris Bug), Alice Springs Desert Park NT

The host plants appear to be varied including Alectryon species, such as Alectryon oleifolius (also commonly known as Boonaree, Inland Rosewood, Bullock Bush or Cattlebush). As well as various native plants, Leptocoris mitellatus are found feeding on a variety of cultivated plants, such as passion vines, stone fruit trees, saltbush, tomatoes and other vegetables.

Leptocoris mitellatus (Leptocoris Bug), Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Leptocoris mitellatus (Leptocoris Bug), Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Leptocoris mitellatus (Leptocoris Bug), Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Leptocoris mitellatus (Leptocoris Bug), Alice Springs Desert Park NT

More information in Insects | Hemiptera | Hemiptera Index | Heteroptera | Heteroptera Index | Leptocoris | Leptocoris mitellatus


  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Hemiptera
  • Suborder: Heteroptera
  • Infraorder: Pentatomomorpha
  • Superfamily: Coreoidea
  • Family: Rhopalidae
  • Subfamily: Serinethinae
  • Genus: Leptocoris
  • Species: Leptocoris mitellatus

Footnote & References

  1. Leptocoris mitellatus Bergroth, 1916, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Leptocoris mitellatus
  2. Leptocoris mitellatus, iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/970647-Leptocoris-mitellatus

ASDP InsectsASDP Insects Index ASDP Ants ASDP Camponotus denticulatus ASDP Opisthopsis sp ASDP Bees Amegilla chlorocyanea Bee Braunsapis sp Exoneurella eremophila Bee Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) Mating Lasioglossum (Homalictus) ASDP Beetles Blessed Leaf Beetle (Paropsisterna beata) Bush Cockroach (Ellipsidion humarale) Snout Beetle (Lixus) Transverse Ladybird ASDP Butterflies & Moths Banksia Moth – Caterpillar Caper White Butterfly Chequered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus ssp sthenelus) Day Flying Moth / Mistletoe Moth Heliotrope Moth (Utetheisa pulchelloides) Noctuinae (Caterpillar) Processionary Caterpillar Southern Moon Moth (Dasypodia selenophora) ASDP Diptera Bee Fly (Australiphthiria sp) Bee Fly (Ligyra cingulata) ASDP Gyromantis ASDP Hemiptera / Heteroptera Crusader Bug (Mictis profana) Ground Shield Bug Leptocoris Bug Podsucking Bug (Melanacanthus scutellaris) ASDP Orthoptera ASDP Katydid (Taeniomenae) Variable Stropis Grasshopper ASDP Tropidoderus gracilifemur ASDP Wasps Bembicinae and Bembix Chrysididae Cuckoo Wasp Potter Wasp Delta latreillei (Potter Wasp) Delta philantes Radumeris radula (Yellow Hairy Flower Wasp) Torymus Chalcid Wasp

ASDP FaunaASDP Arachnida ASDP Spiders ASDP Birds ASDP Insects ASDP Marsupials ASDP Mammals ASDP Reptiles Monotreme – Short-beaked Echidna

Alice Springs Desert ParkFauna Flora Nature Theatre Nocturnal House