About Himacerus mirmicoides (O.Costa, 1834)
Himacerus mirmicoides (O.Costa, 1834) reaches a body length of 7–8 millimetres, or 0.28–0.31 inches. These bugs have a brown body, with a black connexivum that bears orange-red spots. They are partly-winged, and their wings are quite reddish in color. This species is fairly similar to Himacerus apterus, but differs by being smaller, having shorter antennae, longer wings, and shorter hairs on the hind tibiae. The nymphs of H. mirmicoides resemble ants. The paler coloration on the back of the thorax contrasts with the rest of the nymph’s mostly black body, creating the look of the distinct narrow waist typical of Hymenoptera. These bugs are distributed across most of Europe. They inhabit open, dry areas, where they live on the ground within low-growing herbage.
