The cosmopolitan genus Balclutha is one of the most common and abundant deltocephaline groups. It comprises over 100 species of which the greatest number occur in the New World, Africa and the Oriental region. 31 species occur in the Pacific, of which 12 are endemic. It extends throughout the area, from W. Malaysia to the Marianas and Bonin Islands in the north, Australia and New Zealand in the south and the Marquesas and Society Islands in the east.
The New World species were revised by Blocker (1967a), the South African species by Theron (1970b, 1973a), the Pacific species by Knight (1987a), the Indian species by Rao & Ramakrishnan (1990) and the Oriental species by Webb & Vilbaste (1994a).
Balclutha species live principally on grasses (Gramineae) and have been recorded on cultivated members of the family such as rice, sugar-cane, barley, wheat and sorghum. There is no record of any species of the genus transmitting plant pathogens.