Bug Identifier
Tarnished plant bug
Community identification

Tarnished plant bug

Lygus lineolaris

Order & Family
Hemiptera, Miridae
Size
5 millimeters in length.
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Found in agricultural fields, meadows, and gardens worldwide, inhabiting diverse herbaceous plants and crops.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivorous, piercing plant tissues with stylets to feed on sap, buds, flowers, and developing fruit.

Behavior Patterns

Active day-fliers that overwinter as adults in plant debris and lay eggs inside plant stems.

Risks & Benefits

Major agricultural pest causing significant crop damage, blossom blast, and deformed fruit growth.