Aradidae
| Flat bugs | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hemiptera |
| Suborder: | Heteroptera |
| Infraorder: | Pentatomomorpha |
| Superfamily: | Aradoidea |
| Family: | Aradidae Spinola, 1837 |
| Subfamilies | |
| |
Aradidae bear the appropriate common name, flat bugs, in reference to their (usually) extremely flattened body. With few exceptions, these often cryptic insects are of no economic importance. Common temperate genera include Aradus, Mezira, Neuroctenus, and Aneurus.
Temperate species commonly live under the bark of dead trees (again, with a few exceptions), while many tropical species are found in leaflitter or on fallen twigs or branches.
Most members of the family are thought to be mycophagous, feeding on fungi, but in truth, little is known of the feeding habits of most species, though they can be attracted to the pheromones of bark beetles. Many of the tropical taxa are apterous (lacking wings as adults). Flat bugs are distant relatives of the more familiar stink bugs.