Tarnished Plant Bug—Lygus lineolaris
The tarnished plant bug is a true bug (order Hemiptera), with piercing-sucking mouthparts. It is found throughout North America, but it is primarily a pest in temperate nondesert areas. It feeds on more than fifty economically important plants, including alfalfa, cotton, strawberries, brambles, and most tree fruits grown in the United States. It has two to five generations per year, depending on the location.
Adults are about ¼ inch long, oval and flattened, greenish-brown in color with reddish brown markings on the wings. A distinguishing characteristic is a small but distinct yellow-tipped triangle in the center of the back, behind the head. Adults feed throughout the summer.
Young nymphs are tiny and light green in color. Older nymphs are larger, with noticeable black dots on their back, and well-developed wing pads. Young tarnished plant bug nymphs can easily be confused with aphids.
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Identification and Control Information
- Fact Sheet: Tarnished Plant Bug—Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences
- Tarnished Plant Bug—University of Massachusetts Amherst, Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment
- Strawberry IPM-Tarnished Plant Bug—UMass Extension, Fruit Program
- Tarnished Plant Bug Damage on Vegetable Crops in Ontario—Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food & Rural Affairs
- Berries and Biocontrol Presentation (PDF)—Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry
More Information
- Sucking Insects That Affect Vegetable Plants (PDF)—University of Maine Cooperative Extension
[Photos, left to right: Lacy L. Hyche, Auburn University, Bugwood.org; Russ Ottens, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org; University of Georgia Archive, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org]