Lygus Bug

Lygus bugs can be a pest of summer artichokes and artichokes grown in annual plantings. Adults are about 0.25 inch long, oval, and rather flattened. They are greenish or brownish and have reddish-brown markings on their wings. In the center of their back they have a distinct, but small, yellow triangle that helps distinguish them from other insects such as proba bug. The immature forms are pale green and look similar to an aphid. They can easily be distinguished from aphids by their more rapid movements.

Lygus nymphs and adults feed mainly on the very young leaves that are in the frond stage. As they feed with their piercing-sucking mouthparts, they inject a toxin into the plant that is the primary cause of the injury and results in the death of the leaf tissues around feeding wound. As the developing leaves expand, the feeding punctures turn into brown, necrotic spots that fall off, leaving the leaf with a shot hole appearance. In a severely infested artichoke field, affected leaves are abnormally small and light yellow. As the leaves age, they turn brown.

Lygus bug also feeds at the base of the young artichoke bud, causing it to turn partially or completely black and rendering it unmarketable.

Controlling weeds along roadways, ditches, and field borders near artichoke fields to help prevent spring buildup of lygus bugs is fundamental to lygus management in artichokes. Monitor both weeds and crops to detect potential problems with this pest.

Naturally occurring predators that feed on the nymphal stages of lygus bug include bigeyed bugs (Geocoris spp.), damsel bugs (Nabis spp.), minute pirate bugs (Orius tristicolor), and several species of spiders.

In January, overwintered lygus bugs lay eggs in weeds; eggs hatch in March. Carry out weed control measures in March and early April while lygus are still nymphs. Once adults are present on weeds, they will migrate into artichokes when the weeds are removed. To avoid adult migration in spring, mow or disc under cover crops, especially legumes, before they flower and while lygus are still in the nymphal stages.

It is possible to plant flowering plants such as wild radish or mustard in or adjacent to fields to try to attract and control lygus bug adults before they move into artichokes, but this approach requires careful monitoring and management to prevent an even greater problem. Adult lygus will lay eggs on the flowering plants, and nymphs will emerge from late March through April. The nymphs must be controlled at this time before they become adults and move to the artichoke planting. Destroying the plants by discing or mowing is the most effective method of removing the infested flowering plants.

Cut bare stalks at the base and remove them from the field or disc them under at harvest. This practice, called stumping, will kill the immature stages (eggs and nymphs) that would otherwise reinfest plants.

Biological and cultural controls are acceptable for use on organically certified crops.

In March, monitor for the first appearance of lygus nymphs on weed hosts to determine when these weeds should be destroyed. Monitor the crop at weekly intervals and treat if there is an average of three or more lygus bugs per shoot.