Lygaeidae

The Lygaeidae are a family in the Hemiptera, with more than 110 genera in four subfamilies. The family is commonly referred to as seed bugs, and less commonly, milkweed bugs, or ground bugs. Many species feed on seeds, some on sap or seed pods, others are omnivores and a few, such as the wekiu bug, are insectivores. Insects in this family are distributed across the world.
The family was vastly larger, but numerous former subfamilies have been removed and given independent family status, including the Artheneidae, Blissidae, Cryptorhamphidae, Cymidae, Geocoridae, Heterogastridae, Ninidae, Oxycarenidae and Rhyparochromidae, which together constituted well over half of the former family.
The bizarre and mysterious beetle-like Psamminae were formerly often placed in the Piesmatidae, but this is almost certainly incorrect. Their true affiliations are not entirely resolved.

Distinguishing characteristics

Lygaeidae are oval or elongate in body shape and have four-segmented antennae. Lygaeidae can be distinguished from Miridae by the presence of ocelli, or simple eyes. They are distinguished from Coreidae by the number of veins in the membrane of the front wings, as Lygaeidae have only four or five veins.

Subfamilies and selected genera

An incomplete list of Lygaeidae genera is subdivided as:
;subfamily Ischnorhynchinae Stål, 1872Crompus Stål, 1874Kleidocerys Stephens, 1829
;subfamily Lygaeinae Schilling, 1829Lygaeus Fabricius, 1794Oncopeltus Stål, 1868Melanocoryphus Stål, 1872Spilostethus Stål, 1868Tropidothorax Bergroth, 1894
;subfamily Orsillinae Stål, 1872Nysius Dallas, 1852Orsillus Dallas, 1852
;subfamily † Lygaenocorinae
;Unplaced generaLygaeites Heer, 1853
The Pachygronthinae Stål, 1865 may be placed here or elevated to the family Pachygronthidae.