Plant bugs (Hemiptera: Miridae) associated with mango flowers in central Benin

We undertook a survey of plant bugs associated with mango flowers in the region of Parakou, Benin during 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 dry seasons, to assess their potential as pests. Twelve plant bug species were collected over the two seasons. In 2015, Miridae represented nearly 60 % of all Heteroptera. In 2014, Campylomma spp. were dominant, representing nearly two thirds of all plant bugs, while in 2015, Taylorilygus (T. cf. vosseleri), was dominant. The two specimens of Orthops sp. Collected in 2014 and 2015 did not belong to the O. palus species, which was thus ruled out as a potential major pest of mango in Benin. Over the two seasons, only eight adults and third insta nymph of Eurystylys oldiPoppius 1912 were collected, along with an adult ofEurystylus rubroscullatus Odhiambo 1958 in 2015. Mango was therefore ruled out as a major alternate host for E. oldi as a pest of sorghum, although this fruit tree could play a role in the pest survival during the dry season. It could also serve as an alternate host to other plant bug pests of cotton, e.g. Taylorilygus vosseleri (Poppius 1912) and Campylomma spp.