A damsel bug , Nabis sp. Photo by W. Sterling. Nymphal stages are similar but lack fully developed wings.
Legs are relatively long with the front pair enlarged slightly to capture prey.
The beak is held underneath the body when at rest but is capable of being extended to pierce prey. Adult damsel bugs spend the winter in groundcover and winter crops such as winter grain and alfalfa. Eggs are inserted into plant tissue by females. Damsel bugs are abundant in gardens, orchards and field crops such as cotton and soybeans, where they feed on caterpillar eggs, small larvae, aphids, fleahoppers, lygus bugs, leafhoppers, treehoppers and spider mites. They will also prey on other beneficial insects such as minute pirate bugs and big-eyed bugs.