Hemiptera

Hemiptera is a diverse order with members that feed on a variety of food sources. This guide cannot hope to be a complete guide to the regulations on various members of Hemiptera due to this diversity but will instead focus on species of interest to hobbyists and deregulated species.

Reduviidae

Species Native/Naturalized in the Continental US

No USDA permits are required to own or transport across state lines species that are native or naturalized within the Continental US. This would include species such as the wheel bug (Arilus cristatus).

Importation or Possession of Exotic Species in the Continental US

All exotic species of assassin bug require USDA permits to own, and obtaining these permits will require a containment facility. Even common hobby species, such as the Platymeris species, technically require a containment facility to be owned legally. The USDA’s reason behind such strict requirements is that accidentally disseminated exotic assassin bugs could have a major effect on pollinators. If you have a containment facility, then importation permits should be easy to obtain, but if you are able to obtain the USDA permits to import, then also check with the FWS as a FWS permit is required to import any animal (exemptions for personal pets may apply). 

Deregulated Species of Hemiptera

Scientific NameCommon Name
Acrosternum hilareGreen Stink Bug
Acyrthosiphon kondoiBluegreen Aphid
Acyrthosiphon pisumPea Aphid
Aphis craccivoraCowpea Aphid
Aphis fabaeBean Aphid
Aphis gossypiiMelon or Cotton Aphid
Aphis maidiradicisCorn Root Aphid
Aphis nasturtiiBuckthorn Aphid
Aphis neriiOleander Aphid
Aulacaspis rosaeRose Scale
Aulacorthum solaniFoxglove Aphid
Bemisia argentifoliiSweetpotato Whitefly
Boisea rubrolineataWestern Boxelder Bug
Boisea trivittataBoxelder Bug
Brevicoryne brassicaeCabbage Aphid
Capitophorus elaegniArtichoke Aphid
Cavariella aegopodiiCarrot Aphid
Eriosoma lanigerumWoolly Apple Aphid
Frankliniella fuscaTobacco Thrips
Frankliniella occidentalisWestern Flower Thrips
Lepidosaphes beckiiPurple Scale
Lepidosaphes gloveriiGlover Scale
Lepidosaphes ulmiOystershell Scale
Lipaphis pseudobrassicaeTurnip Aphid
Lygus hesperusWestern Tarnished Plant Bug
Lygus lineolarisTarnished Plant Bug
Macrosiphum avenaeEnglish Grain Aphid
Macrosiphum euphorbiaePotato Aphid
Macrosiphum rosaeRose Aphid
Murgantia histrionicaHarlequin Bug
Myzus persicaeGreen Peach Aphid
Oncopeltus fasciatusLarge Milkweed Bug
Parthenolecanium corniEuropean Fruit Lecanium
Pseudococcus longispinusLongtailed Mealybug
Quadraspidiotus ostreaeformisEuropean Fruit Scale
Saissetia oleaeBlack Scale
Schizaphis graminumWheat Aphid (aka Greenbug)
Thrips simplexGladiolus Thrips
Thrips tabaciOnion Thrips
Trialeurodes abutiloneaBandedwinged Whitefly
Trialeurodes vaporariorumGreenhouse Whitefly
Unaspis euonymi Euonymus Scale