Bordered Plant Bug (Largus succinctus)

Order: Hemiptera (he-MIP-ter-a) (Info) Family: Largidae Genus: Largus Species: succinctus Profile: No positives 2 neutrals 4 negatives Regional... This bug has been reportedly found in the following regions: Drexel-alvernon, Arizona Phoenix, Arizona Deer, Arkansas Marion, Arkansas Dublin, California Lake Wildwood, California Loomis, California Redding, California Lula, Georgia Brandon, Mississippi Madison, Mississippi Summerville, South Carolina Member Notes: Rating Author Comment Neutral Magpye On Aug 12, 2006, Magpye from NW Qtr, AR (Zone 6a) wrote: These bugs are about 1/2 inch (14-17 mm) long, steel blue in color, and have reddish-yellowish markings. Largus succinctus (L.), like other true bugs, has sucking mouth parts. Being general feeders, they suck juices from a variety of plants such as oak, wax-myrtle and other woodland foliage and sometimes from weeds. Generally, they cause little damage to the plants upon which they feed. However, in the fall they leave their host plants and seek cracks and crevices in which to spend the winter. They also mate and disperse. Large numbers of these bugs in the landscape can cause some concern. Description: Both families (Largidae and Pyrrhocoridae) of these bugs are similar in appearance and habits. The largus bug, Largus succinctus (Linnaeus) (Largidae), is about 1/2-inch long, elongated oval and flattened, steel blue in color, and have reddish-yellowish markings around margins of the shield behind the head (pronotum) and abdomen. The outer margins of the pronotum are rounded. Habitat, Food Source(s), Damage: Nymphs and adults have sucking mouthparts. Although largus bugs are general feeders, sucking juices from a variety of plants such as oak, wax myrtle and other woodland foliage or, occasionally, weeds, they generally cause little injury to plants upon which they feed. Largus bugs generally cause little injury to plants upon which they feed. However, in the fall nymphs and adults leave their host plants and seek cracks and crevices in which to spend the winter. They can be common around the home during the fall, crawling randomly around the ground. Cotton stainer nymphs (second and third instars) feed together (gregariously) on cotton bolls while that last stage and adults wander freely over the plant. On long-staple cotton varieties, cotton stainers injure developing bolls by puncturing the seeds and causing plant sap to exude from the feeding sites, resulting in yellow-stained lint and poorly developed bolls. Pest Status: Largus bugs are seed feeders, occasionally a nuisance when in high numbers around the home; cotton stainers, or "red bugs", occasionally damage long-staple cotton; both are medically harmless. Neutral mjfulgham On Jun 15, 2007, mjfulgham from Madison, MS wrote: These bugs are everywhere in my yard and my neighborhood. I could not identify them because I was trying to identify the nymph, which was what I was seeing. I also added pictures of the nymph. I emailed an entomologist in my state and he sent me this information: "These are nymphs of the Largus Bug, Largus succinctus. They are also sometimes referred to as 'bordered plant bugs' because of the orange margin that the adults have around the outside of their back. They are common in MS, especially in areas with lots of pine trees. They feed on various weeds, but I have never seen them damage any ornamental or food plants. I am not sure why they are associated with pines; they do not seem to damage them." Blake Layton, Ph.D. Extension Entomology Specialist Negative trockyh On Sep 24, 2008, trockyh from Penn Valley, CA wrote: I have this insect in my garden and it has destroyed much of my garden. They have eaten corn, tomato, squash and just about anything else. I put a couple blue berries in pots that had blueberries and they ate the fruit. There are thousands and I don't know how to get rid of them. The nymphs and adults are sucking everything. I need help. Negative rogerjack34 On May 15, 2009, rogerjack34 from Sonoma, CA wrote: I have bordered plant bugs in my organic vegetable garden. I live in the hills west of the city of Sonoma, CA at 900 foot elevation. They are mating now. I do not see anything unusual as far as plant damage. My pears and pit fruit are just starting to have 1 inch fruit on them. What do I do to control the bug? Negative Katherine_in_CA On Aug 24, 2009, Katherine_in_CA from Redding, CA wrote: This bug is infesting the property that I live on! It has not (that I've seen) damaged my veggie garden, but it does eat the various fruit on the property (apple and plum). They are in large numbers here, they crawl all over everything, I see them on the walls of my hay barn, garage, house, the garden, the trees, shrubs, etc. I just now found out what they are called, and that the little black one is the nymph - and all this time I thought they were two different species! We recently had a large tree fall for reason's unknown - so I was concerned when I saw them starting to appear in large numbers from the beginning of August onward. My knowledge of bugs is quite infinitesimal .... so I am still not sure if this is a "bad" bug, or a "helpful" bug .... is there way to thin their population out? We do have a large bird population, but I don't know if they eat them or not. Negative gardenerjmarie On Sep 20, 2009, gardenerjmarie from Loomis, CA wrote: We are studying this bug in IPM class. Can cause dimpled top of fruit (as pear, from early season sucking), tiny white spots on top of tomatoes. That may be acceptable for home garden but not if you're marketing. Also can suck out, flatten the cells of berries, and I think they make berries taste bad that they've crawled over. I have always had them here but suffcient predators that they don't seem to be a serious problem . Will clean up my veg garden more thoroughly for the winter, however, to help stop overwintering. Yes, the little shiny black bugs running around are juvenile forms. (Also has a red or metallic blue stage for some forms.)

By PiggyPoo By Magpye By Magpye By Magpye By Magpye By Magpye By DebinSC There are a total of 13 photos. Click here to view them all!