Tree damsel bug
This damsel bug's wings are so short they barely reach halfway down its body, yet it remains an effective hunter of aphids and mites in trees.
| Where | Open woodland with grass and bushes |
|---|---|
| Size | 8 to 11.5 mm body length |
| When | June to October |
The tree damsel bug is a slender, reddish brown bug with a black connexivum marked by orange red spots. Its wings are unusually short for the group, reaching only the third or fourth segment of the abdomen rather than covering it fully.
It hunts aphids, mites and other small insects on trees and bushes, with young nymphs feeding closer to the ground on grasses and herbs before moving up into shrubs and trees as they mature. It favours open woodland with grass and scattered bushes over farmland.
Traits
Habitat
Woodland
Colour
Brown, Orange
Active
Day
To people
A predatory bug that feeds on aphids and mites in trees and shrubs; rarely encountered or handled by people.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Smaller at about 7 to 8 mm, with longer wings that reach further down the body and shorter antennae than the tree damsel bug.
Questions
Is the Tree damsel bug dangerous to people?
A predatory bug that feeds on aphids and mites in trees and shrubs; rarely encountered or handled by people.
When can you see the Tree damsel bug?
The Tree damsel bug can be seen from June to October, by day.
Plate retouched from a photo by Kulac at de.wikipedia, CC BY‑SA 2.0 de, Wikimedia Commons Licence
The plate on this page is shared under the same licence as its source, CC BY-SA.
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True bugs›Damsel bugs›Himacerus
Last updated 2026-09-26. Every entry is checked against published sources.