Strawberries

Tarnished plant bug (TPB) (Lygus bug) adults are about ¼ inch long, oval, flattened, yellow to greenish brown, and have dark markings on their wings. The immature forms are pale green. There are 3-5 generations of this pest each year. Adults become active in early spring and lay their bow-shaped eggs into stems, and leaf midribs. Egg hatch takes place about a week later, and the green-yellow nymphs develop through 5 instars, reaching the adult stage in approximately 30 days.

The production of strawberry plugs involves multiple stages during which pathogens can infect the plug plants before they are distributed to growers. Despite regular scouting by propagators, and chemical sprays applied to avoid diseases, these infections can sometimes be latent and asymptomatic (i.e., they are present in the plant material, but there are no outward symptoms), making them a challenge to identify and manage.

Sample Collection & Preparation for Perennial Fruit Crops

Pest ID Guide