Tarnished Plant Bug

Common: Tarnished Plant Bug

Scientific: Lygus lineolaris

Crop Hosts: Stone fruits, vegetables, cotton.

Identification and Life Cycle: Adult bugs, about 1/4 inch long, as well as nymphs hibernate in many protected places. They become active very early in the spring when they attack buds of fruit trees. The female does not lay many eggs on these plants but rather migrates to various herbaceous plants and inserts her eggs into various plant parts. After ten days, small yellowish-green 1/25-inch larvae emerge and begin feeding on the plant sap. They grow rapidly with the life cycle being completed in 3 to 4 weeks. There are 3 to 5 generations each season.

Geographical Distribution: Found throughout the United States.

Damage and Treatment: The bug has piercing-sucking mouth parts with which to take sap. Also, as it feeds, it introduces a toxic saliva which can result in deformed leaves, discolored petioles and pitted fruit, for example, "Catfacing" in peaches.

Treatment should be made when insect populations and/or damage levels reach economic thresholds. Refer to local University Extension Pest Management Guidelines for specific state thresholds.