Tarnished plant bug

It was rather late today when I finally had the time to go bug hunting for this post. It had already started to cool down a little and many insects don’t like that. They actually need heat from the environment to keep their body temperature on they same level. Therefore, it took me some time to find something interesting.

Eventually I was lucky and found a little plant bug.  It was the tarnished plant bug or scientifically Lygus lineolaris. This species comes in many varieties with different colors and markings. It is a typical plant sucking bug with a mouth that is shaped in a way that the insect can both pierce into a leaf and suck the plant sap.

This species has actually become a serious pest on small fruits and vegetables across North America.  Today scientists know of 400 different plant species the plant bug can feed on.  When they feed on a plant they can damage it by slowing down its growth or by transmitting plant diseases.