Figure 1. Plant bugs of potential importance in Massachusetts peach orchards: (A) white oak plant 

 bug (Lygocoris quercalbae); (B) hickory plant bug (L. caryae); (C) L. omnivagus; and (D) tarnished 

 plant bug (Lygus lineolaris). A, B, and C from Kelton, L. A. 1971. Review ofLygocoris species found 

 in Canada and Alaska (Heteroptera: Miridae). Mem. Entomol. Soc. Canada 83. 87 pp. D from 

 Metcalf, R. L. 1962. Destructive and Useful Insects. McGraw-Hill. 



woods composition, and the bugs had no apparent 

 trouble reaching blocks that were well away from 

 the woods. For this reason, it does not appear that 

 manipulating the borders of peach blocks would 

 have much impact on catfacing activity. In addition, 

 only the white oak plant bug is reported to have a 

 strong host preference; the other two, especially L. 

 omnivagus, occur on so many species it would be 

 impossible to eliminate all alternate hosts. 



Some logistic problems were noted that might be 

 of interest to anyone wishing to use the visual traps. 

 The traps consisted of cardboard leafminer traps 

 repainted with a water-based paint and coated with 

 Tangle-trap. Because of the length of time these 

 traps were in the field (mid-May to July or later), the 

 cardboard was not adequate, and the traps weath- 

 ered severely. A sturdier material would be better - 

 wood or plastic (now used for the commercial 



leafminer traps, but do no use those with the pre- 

 stickied surface, however!). The water-based paint 

 did not hold up well under the Tangle-trap, espe- 

 cially if two traps were placed together and then 

 pulled apart. Finally, the trap was often quickly 

 obscured by the canopy of the tree, since both the 

 traps and the leaves have a tendency to droop. A 

 better arrangement would be to hang the trap on a 

 post of some sort, on which it could be slightly above 

 the level of the peach tree foliage. 



One surprising observation was that these plant 

 bugs also frequently were found on the baited red 

 sticky spheres hung in apple orchards to trap apple 

 maggot flies. Whether it was the color, shape, or odor 

 of the trap may be worth investigating. If they can 

 be lured to traps with an odor bait, then perhaps it 

 would be possible to trap them out. 



We have established that all three species of 



Fruit Notes, Winter, 1991 



