Bug FAQScarlet Mountain Laurel Mirid
Lopidea major · Order: Hemiptera · Family: Miridae
Also called: mountain laurel mirid, mountain laurel scarlet mirid, red mountain laurel mirid
Source: Wikipedia
The scarlet mountain laurel mirid lives in Central and North America. It commonly feeds on Texas Mountain Laurel and is considered a pest, though it causes little real damage.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
It is a frequently-encountered pest of Texas Mountain Laurel, though it does little real damage.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
It frequently feeds on Texas Mountain Laurel.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes Central America and North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 3 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Arizona, New Mexico.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What plant does the scarlet mountain laurel mirid affect?
It commonly feeds on Texas Mountain Laurel and is considered a pest of that plant.
Source: Wikipedia
Is this bug dangerous to people or pets?
It is not reported to bite, sting, or cause harm to people or pets.
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/Lopidea_major
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 2026-10-24.