| Boisea | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Boisea rubrolineata | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hemiptera |
| Suborder: | Heteroptera |
| Family: | Rhopalidae |
| Subfamily: | Serinethinae |
| Genus: | Boisea Kirkaldy, 1910 |
| Species | |
Boisea is the least speciose genus of thesoapberry bug subfamily. Members of this genus are found in North America, India, and Africa.[1] Unlike other serinethine genera, the distribution ofBoisea is very patchy; it is speculated that its highlyvicariant range is relictual of what was previously a much vaster, continuous range.[2] The most well-known species of this genus are the North American boxelder bugs (westernBoisea rubrolineata and easternBoisea trivittata) and AfricanBoisea fulcrata. The US species mainly feed on the seeds ofmaple trees and are occasional nuisance pests around homes.
In North America,Boisea trivittata is native to most of the continental United States, excluding California, and also in center and Eastern regions ofCanada, such as Ontario, Quebec,parts of Manitoba and theAtlantic Provinces.[3]Boisea rubrolineata is native to western continental Canada, found in the distribution area ofboxelder maple, such as the Provinces ofSaskatchewan,Alberta andBritish Columbia, and in some places on the United States.[4]
Exocrine secretions of these bugs have also been extensively studied.[5]
_-_(nymph)%2c_Elst_(Gld)%2c_the_Netherlands.jpg)