Its eyes are red, its antennae are green with a black base and its legs are long, enabling it to move rapidly.

[1] The preferred prey of M. caliginosus is whitefly but it also feeds on aphids, mites and the eggs of moths.

However, regulatory authorities are reluctant to issue import permits for non-native generalist predators because of the possibility of them escaping into the wider environment with unintended consequences.

So a search was undertaken in North America for an indigenous natural enemy for use in greenhouses there, and the mirid Dicyphus hesperus was found suitable to fulfil the role.

[3] In the Mediterranean area, another mirid bug, Dicyphus tamaninii, occurs naturally and often spontaneously takes up residence in greenhouses growing tomatoes.