Lygus bug

Lygus hesperus

Lygus bugs are a serious pest in Central Coast and Oxnard strawberry-growing areas where strawberries are typically grown past May and through the summer months, but they are rarely pests in southern California and the Central Valley where fresh market berry harvest is generally complete by the end of June. However, lygus is an occasional problem in this area on second-year plantings and berries held through the summer.
Adults are about 0.25 inch (6 mm) long, oval, and rather flattened. They are greenish or brownish and have reddish brown markings on their wings. In the center of their back is a distinct, but small, yellow or pale green triangle that helps distinguish them from other insects. The immature formsare pale green and look similar to an aphid. They can be distinguished from aphids by their more rapid movements.
Nymphs of the third and later instars are green and characterized by five black dots on the back – two on the segment immediately behind the head, two on the next segment, and one in the middle of the abdomen. A similar nonpest species that may be confused with lygus, Calocoris, frequently is found when monitoring weed and legume crop hosts for lygus. Calocoris has two prominent black dots on the back, just behind the head, and dark wing tips. Lygus adults have no black dots on the back. Both nymphs and adults of Calocoris are longer and narrower than lygus.

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