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Home > Garden Pests > Beetles, bugs, ants, and other insects without obvious wings - Under 1/4 inch long > Fourlined plant bug START OVER

Fourlined plant bug
Photo Credit: Jeff Hahn, Univ. of MN Fourlined plant bug
Photo Credit: Jeff Hahn, Univ. of MN

Fourlined plant bug
Poecilocapsus lineatus
Size: 1/16 - 3/8 inch long

Where/When: Nymphs and adults feed on herbaceous perennials, such as chrysanthemum, wild mint, catnip, peppermint, spearmint, oregano, Chinese lantern, liatris, basil, and Shasta daisy. They may feed on fruits, especially currant and gooseberry, as well as woody ornamentals like azalea, dogwood, forsythia, viburnum, amur maple, and sumac. Flowering annuals, like marigolds, may also be fed upon. Active from mid to late May until early July.

Significance: Usually only causes cosmetic damage although large numbers may be injurious to herbaceous plants.
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