Bug FAQBlack plant bug
Capsus ater · Order: Hemiptera · Family: Miridae
The black plant bug, Capsus ater, belongs to the Miridae family. It lives in dry to moderately moist open or partly shaded places, even up to 2000 m in the Alps. Originally from North America, it is now also found across Europe, the Palearctic, Siberia and North America.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Capsus ater is the scientific name for the black plant bug, a member of the Miridae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It prefers dry to moderately moist habitats that are open or partly shaded. In the Alps it can be found at elevations above 2000 m.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species likely originated in North America. It is now present in Europe, across the Palearctic region, Siberia and continues to occur in North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 15 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Colorado, Iowa, Maine.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: introduced in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Where is the black plant bug originally from?
It likely originated in North America.
Source: Wikipedia
What habitats does Capsus ater prefer?
It lives in dry to moderately moist open or partly shaded areas, and can be found above 2000 m in the Alps.
Source: Wikipedia
Is the black plant bug found in Europe?
Yes, it is now found across Europe and the wider Palearctic region.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Miridae)
North American Tarnished Plant BugLygus lineolarisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Red-spotted Plant BugDeraeocoris ruber
Alfalfa Plant BugAdelphocoris lineolatusDamages trees, gardens or crops
Meadow Plant BugLeptopterna dolabrataDamages trees, gardens or crops
Four-lined Plant BugPoecilocapsus lineatusDamages trees, gardens or crops
Lygus pratensisLygus pratensisDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsus_ater
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.