Species Poecilocapsus lineatus - Four-lined Plant Bug

Poecilocapsus lineatus (Fabricius 1798)

6-8 mm

Adult: forewing bright green or yellow with four black linear stripes, head is always orange, even on nymphs.

Nymph: first and second instars completely orange or red; later instars have reddish-orange abdomen and black wingpads

e NA to Calif. (NS-FL to SK-CA) / to s. Mex. - Map (1)(2)(GBIF)

fields, gardens, around homes

mostly: May-July (BG data)

nymphs and adults feed preferentially on members of the mint family (wild mint, catnip, peppermint, spearmint, hyssop, oregano) but will attack a variety of wild plants (thistle, dandelion, burdock, tansy, loosestrife, sumac) as well as cultivated flowers (carnation, geranium, chrysanthemum, snapdragon, phlox) and crops (alfalfa, ginger, currant, raspberry, cucumber, lettuce, pea, potato, radish, squash)

eggs overwinter inside stems of hostplant and hatch in spring; nymphs pass through five instars in April-May; adults appear in June, mated females insert eggs into stems of hostplant, and adults die by end of August