Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Heteroptera
Family: Miridae
Subfamily: Mirinae
Genus: Closterotomus
Species: C. norvegicus
Binomial name: Closterotomus norvegicus
Synonym: Calocoris norvegicus
Common names: Potato capsid, Potato bug, Potato mirid, Strawberry bug
Closterotomus norvegicus is an adventive, polyphagous, species of bugs belonging to the family Miridae, subfamily Mirinae. This cosmopolitan insect is found throughout New Zealand. It attacks a wide range of herbaceous plants and it is also partly predacious. They feed on nettle plants, white clover, alfalfa, poppy, thistle, Asteraceae plants, potatoes and carrots. They prefer to feed on the flowers, buds and unripe fruit.
Adult Closterotomus norvegicus are 6-8 mm in length. They are mostly green above and the hemelytra are sometimes tinged with a reddish brown. Colour can vary by territory. There are usually two small black dots on anterior half of pronotum near midline; while the base of scutellum has dark marks. The two spots on the pronotum can also be absent, as are the dark markings at the top of the scutellum.
Eggs are laid during summer in the cracks of stems. There is usually only one generation per year. The young nymphs are mainly green to a yellowish green and they have black hairs. Both the nymphs and adults produce necrotic spots which develop into holes. Young shoots that are infested become distorted and may die.
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