- 6 - 



to the striped type, 



---Walter D. Weeks 



I I I I I I I I I I I U I I I 



PEACH INSECTS AND THEIR CONTROL 



This is the first in a series of articles on peach insects which will appear 

 in FRUIT NOTES this winter. 



Plant Bugs 



There are three species of plant bugs that are injurious to peaches in 

 Massachusetts. They are the tarnished plant bug, the oak plant bug, and the 

 hickory plant bug. 



In general, the adult plant bugs are small, brownish bugs about 3/8 inch 

 long. 



Damage 



By puncturing the fruit with their sucking mouth parts, a condition known 

 as "cat-facing" is produced. The damaged fruit is scarred and distorted. 



The injury may be the result of not one, but of several, feeding periods. 

 The greatest damage would appear to be done within six weeks after petal fall. 



In general, the tarnished plant bug is the most destructive of the three 

 species. The oak and hickory plant bugs are most destructive where peach blocks 

 are close to or surrounded by woods. 



The adult tarnished plant bugs puncture the very small fruits as soon as 

 the petals fall, causing them to drop or to bear deep scars or to be badly 

 deformed if they remain on the tree. 



The oak and hickory plant bugs feed on young fruits in June and July. As 

 a result of the feeding, strings of gum exude from the punctures and, as the 

 fruit enlarges, shallow brown scars develop. 



Life History 



The adult tarnished plant bug overwinters in or around the orchard. They 

 appear on the trees about bloom time and remain up until a short time after 

 shuck-split. 



The other species, such as the oak and hickory plant bugs, come into the 

 orchard at a later date, usually mid- June, after reaching maturity on their 

 respective host trees, oak and hickory. 



