This insect is considered a "generalist" feeding on over 100 plant species, and is also a major economic pest on several important agricultural crops.

In the summer conditions in the Eastern cropping regions are ideal for mirid growth and development and large populations van build up rapidly.

Anecdotal evidence indicates that mirids will often appear in large numbers in cropping regions associated with storm fronts or weather events that originated in the inland areas.

In its natural environment (the arid interior of Australia) it is found in much higher numbers on two plants in the genus Cullen, Cu.

This pattern of the emergence of sucking pests (heteroptera: true bugs) as the major target of insecticide control following the uptake of Bt cotton has been replicated in other countries but with different mirid species [9][10][11]