by Nanette Londeree, Master Rosarian
SIGNS
- Tiny insect, 1/12 to 1/5 inch long, oval with a triangular head, black to purplish with white markings at the base of the front wings giving a band-like appearance across the body when wings are at rest
- Pear-shaped and yellowish or reddish brown nymphs with red eyes
SYMPTOMS
None
CAUSE
Minute pirate bug, Orius spp. and Anthocoris spp
OPTIMAL CONDITIONS
- Insect predators in many crops including alfalfa, corn, small grains, cotton, soybeans, and tomatoes
- Also found on ornamental plants and in landscapes
- Feed on insect eggs and small insects such as psyllids, thrips, mites, aphids, whiteflies and small caterpillars
- Adults overwinter in protected habitats such as leaf litter
TREATMENT
Prevention:
None – you want to encourage this guy into the garden
Prevent getting bitten by this bug by wearing dark, protective clothes in late summer
Elimination:
None
GOOD GUY / BAD GUY?
This is a very good garden guy – while not very large, they are fierce predators!
Their bite is surprisingly painful and people differ in their response to the bites – some swell up like a mosquito bite, some turn red and for others there is no reaction at all; if you react to their bite, they’re probably a bad guy