Lygus bug
The Lygus bug (Lygus spp.) is an important agricultural pest in many parts of the world. It is a plant bug in the insect family Miridae. There are at least eight different species, with the western tarnished plant bug (L. hesperus) and L. lineolaris prevalent in the western and southeastern United States, and L. rugulipennis and L. pratensis common in some areas of Europe.
Lygus feed on over one hundred types of plant, including a multitude of agricultural crop plants. They withdraw juices from the plants using piercing mouthparts, an action that causes damage to fruit, flowers, and leaves. Further damage occurs in the plant tissues as they react to the saliva of Lygus.
Adult Lygus bugs are approximately 5 mm long, oval-shaped, winged, and have a distinct triangle- or heart-shaped marking at the anterior junction of the wings. Males vary from greenish or tan to almost black in color. Adult females are larger and have a bright green, rounded abdomen when they are gravid.