Family NABIDAE A. Costa, 1853 ‑ damsel bugs
I. M. Kerzhner
The family includes 20 genera (if the old genus Nabis is splitted moderately) and about 500 species. Distributed worldwide, from about 70E N up to 56E S. All representatives are predators of insects and other small arthropods feeding on their eggs, larvae, and imagines. Most species are polyphagous, but Prostemmatinae are specialized predators of bugs, especially of Lygaeidae. All Prostemmatinae and some Nabinae are ground‑inhabiting (in litter, under stones, etc.), most Nabinae are herbicolous and some arboricolous. Overwinter as imago (most species) or eggs. Eggs are inserted in plant tissues. 5 (in some species 4) larval instars. Mass species of Nabinae (e.g. Nabis ferus, Nabis pseudoferus, Nabis punctatus, Nabis palifer, Nabis capsiformis, Himacerus apterus) are more or less important in control of agricultural and forest pests.
World catalogue (outdated): Lethierry & Severin, 1896. Palaearctic catalogue: Kerzhner, 1996b. Monographs: Palaearctic (except S China) ‑ Kerzhner, 1981a; W Europe and NW Africa ‑ Péricart, 1987a; Hungary ‑ Benedek, 1969a; Poland ‑ Cmoluchowa, 1978; China ‑ Hsiao & Ren, 1981a. Faunal reviews: Italy ‑ Faraci & Rizzotti Vlach, 1986; Switzerland ‑ Dethier & Péricart, 1988; Iran - Kerzhner, 1987a; Afghanistan ‑ Kerzhner, 1987b. Biology: Lattin, 1989.