Southeastern Apple Production
ENTOMOLOGY
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Southeastern Apple ProductionENTOMOLOGY |
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Adult tarnished plant bugs (TPB) are brass-brown and marked with black, white, and yellow (exact colors and markings are variable). They are about 1/4 inch long, broad, flattened, and oval. Nymphs and eggs are seldom seen in orchards.
 Adult |
 Adult |
Adult TPB overwinter under debris and among the leaves of certain plants. As spring weather warms they become active, and around the bloom period they are most abundant. Adults feed on developing fruit. There are several generations per season, but TPB does not usually reproduce on the apple trees themselves.
When feeding, TPB inject a highly injurious salivary toxin that interferes with fruit growth. Damage varies from single small dimples to the severe 'catfacing' associated with multiple injuries.
 Dimples on young fruit |
 Sunken depressions |
 "Catfacing" |
 Heavily damaged apples |
TPB is a sporadic pest but can become serious in some orchards. Since TPB is attracted to early blooming weeds on the orchard floor, it is important to eliminate these weeds before apple bud break. Controlling TPB with chemicals can be difficult since feeding damage often occurs during bloom when pesticides cannot be applied without causing bee kills or poor fruit set. However, if TPB is problematic, insecticides should be sprayed around pre-pink and again at petal fall.
Adult TPB activity can be monitored with sticky-coated 6x8 inch boards painted with non-UV-reflecting white paint. From silver tip to petal fall, place at least three traps per block about 1 1/2 feet above the ground cover. An insecticide may be needed at pink if more than 3 TPB are caught by tight cluster or an average of 4 1/2 by pink.
Insect and Mite Management Overview
Insect and Mite Index
Southeastern Apple Production
Mountain
Horticultural Crops Research & Extension
Center
455 Research Drive
Mills River, NC 28759
Phone: 828.684.3562 ~ Fax: 828.684.8715
Email: jim_walgenbach@ncsu.edu
Web Crafters: Anne S. Napier and
Steve Schoof
Email:
steve_schoof@ncsu.edu
Updated March 12, 2007