Click on photos to enlarge. Names link to more information on identification and management.
| Leaffooted plant bug |
Leaffooted plant bug adult
Identification tip: Adults are relatively large insects, about 1 inch long, and brown with a narrow white band across the back (band is less distinct in L. occidentalis). |
Leaffooted plant bug nymph
Identification tip: Nymphs look similar to assassin bug nymphs. The two can be distinguished under a hand lens by looking at the proboscis (beak). When retracted, the assassin bug's proboscis does not extend much past the front legs; the leaffooted plant bug proboscis is longer, narrower, and extends all the way under the body to the hind legs. |
Leaffooted plant bug eggs
Identification tip: Females deposit strands of about 10 to 15 bronze to dark brown, barrel-shaped eggs. |
Leaffooted plant bug fruit damage
Identification tip: Leaffooted plant bugs (and stink bugs) cause nuts to darken. Note: Cut open darkened nuts to confirm bug damage: a white, netted appearance in the shell tissue. |
| Small plant bugs |
Calcoris bug adult
Identification tip: The adult is about 1/4 inch long and green. Its wings have a reddish brown tint and are black where they overlap. |
California buckeye bug adult
Identification tip: The adult is about 1/3 inch long, straw-colored, and slightly hunched. Nymphs are greenish with brown markings on the back. |
Lygus bug adult
Identification tip: The adult is about 1/4 inch long, ranges from brownish to green, and has a yellowish, triangular-shaped area on the back between the wings. The nymph
resembles the adult, but is uniformly pale green with red-tipped antennae.
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Phytocoris adult
Identification tip: The adult is about 1/4 inch long and predominantly gray with flecks of black and white; it has long antennae and legs and moves rapidly when disturbed. The nymph is also gray with white bands on the legs and antennae. |
Psallus bug adult
Identification tip: The adult is about 1/8 inch long and brownish red. Note: this is the least common of the plant bugs. |
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| Stink bugs |
Red shouldered stink bug adult
Identification tip:
The adult is somewhat triangular, about 1/3 inch long, and predominantly green with a narrow red band across the shoulder; sometimes the band is absent. A brown-colored phase is usually found in overwintering bugs.
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Red shouldered stink bug eggs
Identification tip: The barrel-shaped white eggs are laid in clusters. |
Green soldier bug adult
Identification tip: Adults are bright green with the entire lateral margin lined in yellow or orange. |
Green soldier bug eggs
Identification tip: The barrel-shaped, pale yellow eggs are laid in clusters. |
Photo not available
Green plant bug adult
Identification tip: The adult is dull to bright green and slightly larger than the red shouldered stink bug. |
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| Before shell hardening: epicarp lesion damage |
Leaffooted plant bug, stink bug, or small plant bug damage
Identification tip: When nuts are still small, feeding by true bugs punctures through the outer wall of the nut, resulting in darkened areas of the hull (epicarp lesions). |
Leaffooted plant bug, stink bug, or small plant bug damage
Identification tip: Inside a soft-shelled pistachio fruit damaged by true bugs, the epicarp lesion looks like white netting. |
| After shell hardening: kernel damage |
Leaffooted plant bug or stink bug damage
Identification tip: Inside the nut, the nutmeat is darkened, often develops a sunken necrotic area, and has an off flavor. Note: Small plant bugs do not cause damage after shell hardening. |
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| Abiotic disorder |
Crop load adjustment
Identification tip: Crop load adjustment is characterized by panicles containing filled and non-filled nuts. It is often mistaken for bug damage.
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