Lygus bug and plant bug

You will see small brown or tan bugs with piercing-sucking mouthparts on flower buds, shoots, and young fruit from April through summer. Feeding causes brown pits and deformed fruit; blossoms abort. Nymphs are smaller and pale. Both adults and nymphs inject toxins while feeding that kill plant cells. These generalist pests attack dozens of plant species across the Puget Sound landscape.

Scout bloom-stage plantings for lygus and monitor ground cover. Remove weeds that harbor lygus like mustards and lambsquarters. Reserve spraying for pre-bloom or delayed-dormant stages if prior damage occurred. Promote lacewings, damsel bugs, and parasitic wasps by planting diverse cover crops.