tarnished plant bug

noun

1. a bug, Lygus lineolaris, of the family Miridae, that is a common and widely distributed pest of alfalfa and other legumes and of peach and other fruit trees.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tarnished plant bug¹

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

For some insects like cutworms, it's the larvae that do the damage, in others, such as the tarnished plant bug, it's the nymphs and adults that severely damage vegetables, berries, fruit trees, and ornamental plants.

From Salon

Kansas cotton is affected by bollworm, cotton fleahopper and the tarnished plant bug.

From Washington Times

Knows of a plantation not mulched at all, that suffered more than any other this year from the tarnished plant bug.

From Project Gutenberg