Lygus bug eggs are individually inserted into plant tissues or at the base of leaf blades. They are whiteish, slightly curved and develop a flattened top when nymphs emerge.

Lygus bugs attack many field and vegetable crops and often attack tree fruits, particularly where they are near uncultivated land or alfalfa fields. Lygus bugs are found in Europe, Asia, and throughout the United States and southern Canada.

The females insert their eggs directly into the plant tissues using piercing ovipositors, and the newly emerged nymphs are voracious consumers of plant tissue juices.

Lygus bugs are most often a problem in fruit orchards with ground cover comprised of broadleaf weeds, or in orchards near alfalfa fields or other host plants. Lygus bugs primarily injure fruit …

Lygus spp. are plant bugs (family Miridae) that pierce and suck buds and shoot terminals with their needlelike mouthparts. Lygus develop through three life stages as with all true bugs (Heteroptera). After eggs hatch, nymphs develop through five increasingly larger instars before becoming adults.

Overwintered lygus bugs lay eggs in weeds in January that hatch in March. Carry out weed control measures in March and early April while lygus bugs are still nymphs. Once adults are present on weeds, they will migrate into strawberries when the weeds dry or are removed. Spraying adults or weeds to prevent movement is not very effective.

Lygus bugs overwinter as adults in plant debris on the ground, in protected places of woody hosts, and in uncultivated areas outside of gardens and landscapes. In late winter as temperatures rise, the adult females begin laying eggs on a wide range of plants, especially mustards.

They become active in early April, and begin laying eggs at the base of leaf petioles. Nymphs emerge about 10 days later and develop through five stages of maturity; stage 5 nymphs have evident wing pads. The life cycle takes 30-45 days, and there are multiple generations per year.

Adult lygus bugs overwinter in plant litter in fields, woods, timber margins, ditch banks, and rights-of-way. In the spring and early summer, females insert elongate, slightly curved eggs into the stems, leaf petioles, and leaf mid-ribs of a variety of plants.

Egg Stage: Lygus bugs lay eggs inside plant tissues. This hidden nature makes it difficult to detect and control during this stage. Nymph Stages: The nymphs undergo five stages, each characterized by growth and molt. Nymphs are wingless, green, and can often be found on the tips of branches.