Tarnished Plant Bug

Common Name: Tarnished Plant Bug

Genus: Lygus

Species: lineolaris

Identification: see lifecycle

Lifecycle: 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.

Geographic 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.

Alfalfa

Apples

Cotton

Fruits Nuts Trees and Vegetables

Potatoes

Alfalfa Caterpillar Colias

Alfalfa Weevil Hypera

Amaranthes Amaranthus palmeri, Amaranthus hybridus, Amaranthus spinosus

Aphids Therioaphis maculata, Dysphis plantaginea, Acyrthosiphon kondoi, Acyrthosiphon kondoi, Acyrthosiphon pisum, Aphis gossypi

Armyworm, Beet Spodoptera

Barnyardgrass Echinochloa

Boll Weevil Anthonomus

Cabbage Looper Trichoplusia

Codling Moth Cydia

Colorado Potato Beetle Leptinotarsa

Common Cocklebur Xanthium

Cutworms Agrotis ipsilon, Agrotis orthogonia, Peridroma saucia

European Corn Borer Ostrinia

Fall Armyworm Spodoptera

Grasshopper Melanoplus sanguinipes, Camnula pellacida

Green Peach Aphid Myzus

Jimsonweed Datura

Kochia Kochia

Lambsquarters Chenopodium

Leafminer Liriomyza trifolii, Liriomyza sativa, Liriomyza huidobrensis

Leafroller Archips rosanus, Archips argyrospila, Argyrotaenia velutinana, Choristorenra rosaceana

Lygus Bug Lygus

Nightshades Solanum americanum, Solanum nigrum, Solanum ptycanthum, Solanum saccachoides

Panicum, Fall Panicum

Pear Psylla Cacopsylla

Pennsylvania Smartweed Polygonum

Pigweed, Redroot Amaranthus

Pink Bollworm Pectinophora

Prickly Sida Sida

Ragweeds Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Ambrosia trifida

Silverleaf Whitefly Bemisia tabaci, Bemisia argentifolii

Southern Corn Rootworm Diabrotica

Spider Mites Tetranychus urticae, Tetranychus turkestani, Tetranychus pacificus, Tetranychus cinnabarinus

Spotted Cucumber Beetle Diabrotica

Stink Bug Nezara viridula, Chlorockroa say, Euschistus consperus

Sweet Potato Silverleaf Whitefly Bemisia tabaci, Bemisia argentifolii

Tobacco Budworm Helicoverpa

Velvetleaf Abutilon

Venice Mallow Hibiscus

Wild Mustard Brassica

Wild Sunflower Helianthus

Wireworms Melanotus fissilis, Limonius spp. Many species in the order Coleoptera, family Elatoridae.

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