SN-13920-X 



Adult lygus bug. 



HOST PLANTS 



WESTERN AREAS 



In western areas of the United States, 

 lygus bugs may develop on weeds such 

 as wild mustard. They develop large 

 populations on alfalfa, especially when 

 the alfalfa is grown for seed. 



When lygus bugs infest an alfalfa 

 hay crop, they have time to produce one 

 generation between cuttings. The crop 

 is cut several times in a season, and 

 is a constant source of infestation for 

 cotton. 



An alfalfa seed crop requires at least 

 60 days before the seeds are mature and 

 ready to harvest. This allows time for 

 two or more generations of lygus bugs 

 to develop in very large numbers. If 

 not controlled they may destroy the 

 entire seed crop. 



Lygus adults leave alfalfa soon after 

 a seed crop matures or a hay crop is 

 cut. If cotton is growing nearby, the 

 pests may move to it in large numbers 



and gradually disperse over the entire 

 cottonfield. If other alfalfa is growing 

 in the vicinity, they may move into it 

 in preference to remaining in the cotton. 



SOUTHERN AREAS 



In southern areas, alfalfa and other 

 legumes may serve as hosts for lygus 

 bugs. Weed hosts, however, are more 

 often responsible for the lygus popula- 

 tions that move to cotton. 



The more important weed hosts are 

 butterweed, fleabane, goldenrod, aster, 

 and dog fennel. When weed hosts ma- 

 ture or become otherwise unsatisfactory 

 for feeding purposes, lygus bugs usually 

 migrate to cotton if it is growing 

 nearby. 



Weed hosts and alfalfa should be ex- 

 amined in time to detect and control 

 lygus bug infestations before the pests 



DAMAGE 



Lygus bugs feed by inserting their 

 long, needlelike mouthparts into plant 



BN-13916-X 



Lygus nymph in last molting stage. 



