About Nysius huttoni White, 1878
Nysius huttoni, commonly known as the wheat bug, is a species of seed bug belonging to the insect family Lygaeidae. It is endemic to New Zealand, and has since been introduced to Europe. In its native range of New Zealand, it is an economically important pest of wheat and crops that belong to the mustard family.
Naturally, N. huttoni is only found in New Zealand, but introduced populations are now established in Europe, specifically in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Within New Zealand, the species is widespread: it occurs on all three of the country’s main islands, as well as smaller islands including the Chatham Islands and Three Kings Islands. In these areas, N. huttoni inhabits open and semi-open environments, ranging from coastal to subalpine altitudes.
