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Geocoris sp.

Geocoris sp.

Chinche de Ojos Grandes

Family: Geocoridae
Order: Hemiptera
Class: Insecta
Phylum / Division: Arthropoda
Kingdom: Animalia

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Description


Geocoris is a genus of insects in the family Geocoridae (although in the past the geocorids were subsumed as a subfamily under the family "Lygaeidae"). Commonly known as big-eyed bugs, the species in Geocoris are beneficial predators, but are often confused with the true chinch bug, which is a pest. There are more than 140 described species in Geocoris.

 Big-eyed bugs are true bugs in the order Hemiptera. The two most common North American species are Geocoris pallens and Geocoris punctipes. Both are predators and occur in many habitats, including fields, gardens, and turf grass. Big-eyed bugs are considered an important predator in many agricultural systems and feed on mites, insect eggs, and small insects such as pink bollworm, cabbage loopers, and whiteflies. Adult big-eyed bugs are small (about 3 mm) black, gray, or tan with proportionately large eyes. Eggs are deposited singly or in clusters on leaves near potential prey. They develop with incomplete metamorphosis (there is no pupa) and take approximately 30 days to develop from egg to adult depending on temperature. Both nymphs and adults are predatory, but can survive on nectar and honeydew when prey are scarce. Big-eyed bugs, like other true bugs, have piercing-sucking mouthparts and feed by stabbing their prey and sucking or lapping the juices. Although their effectiveness as predators is not well understood, studies have shown that nymphs can eat as many as 1600 spider mites before reaching adulthood, while adults have been reported consuming as many as 80 mites per day.

Selected species: 
  • Geocoris atricolor Montandon, 1908
  • Geocoris bullatus (Say, 1832) (large big-eyed bug)
  • Geocoris discopterus Stal, 1874
  • Geocoris floridanus Blatchley, 1926 (Florida big-eyed bug)
  • Geocoris frisoni Barber, 1926
  • Geocoris grylloides (Linnaeus, 1761) - type species (as Cimex grylloides L.) - mainland Europe
  • Geocoris howardi Montandon, 1908
  • Geocoris limbatus Stal, 1874
  • Geocoris megacephalus (Rossi, 1790)
  • Geocoris pallens Stal, 1854 (western big-eyed bug)
  • Geocoris punctipes (Say, 1832) (big-eye bug)
  • Geocoris uliginosus (Say, 1832)

Source: Wikipedia, article Geocoris sp.. Content adapted from Wikipedia, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license. Accessed on 17/07/2026.





Geographic distribution


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Species photographs

Count: 7

Foto
Photography ID: 560886
  Nymph

Alunail@nds
La Rioja
Argentina
12/17/2023
Ramón Vera
Foto
Photography ID: 560885
  Nymph

Alunail@nds
La Rioja
Argentina
12/17/2023
Ramón Vera
Foto
Photography ID: 438219
  Adult

Santo Tomé
Santa Fe
Argentina
03/20/2021
Eduardo Beltrocco
Foto
Photography ID: 437064
  Adult

Santo Tomé
Santa Fe
Argentina
03/14/2021
Eduardo Beltrocco
Foto
Photography ID: 432254
  Adult

Paraná
Entre Ríos
Argentina
01/15/2021
Néstor Trossero
Foto
Photography ID: 432253
  Adult

Paraná
Entre Ríos
Argentina
01/15/2021
Néstor Trossero


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Species reports



 Detail of places sorted by number of records






Species records

Count: 5



Page 1 of 1
Record IDDateExact timeCountryProvince / departmentPlaceFilmedPhotographedRecorded vocalObservedHeardWounded or deadNumber of individualsUser or BibliographyDetail
221185320/12/2024ArgentinaCiudad Autónoma de Buenos AiresReserva Ecológica Ciudad Universitaria - Costanera Norte (RECU-CN)Marcos Garberoglio
193307217/12/2023ArgentinaLa RiojaAlunail@ndsRamón Vera
138506020/03/2021ArgentinaSanta FeSarmiento y Centenario, Santo ToméEduardo Beltrocco
137895314/03/2021ArgentinaSanta FeSarmiento y Centenario, Santo ToméEduardo Beltrocco
136475115/01/2021ArgentinaEntre RíosZona urbana, ParanáNéstor Trossero
Page 1 of 1

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Recommended citation
Please use the following reference when citing this species account.
EcoRegistros. 2026. Geocoris sp. – Species account. Accessed from www.ecoregistros.org on 15/09/2026.