Common green capsid, a fresh green insect about 5 mm in size that punctures holes in flower stems causing them to dry up.
Common green capsid (Lygocoris pabulinus), a bug from the family Miridae. The common green capsid can be found throughout Europe.
A bright green insect about 5 mm in size that punctures holes in flower stems causing them to dry up. The larvae eat leaves and fruit, causing warty spots on the fruit. As a result, the skin of the fruit is somewhat damaged; however, the flesh is unaffected.
The insect overwinters in the bark of trees, where eggs are also deposited. The common green capsid also overwinters in fallen leaves under hedges.
Where to find
- Potato
- Apple tree
- Blackberry
- Fruit and vegetables
- Gooseberry
- Cherry Tree
- Privet
- Nettle
- Paprika, pepper (greenhouse cultivation)
Control
The common green capsid is not very harmful, useful even, as it controls harmful aphids, mites and caterpillars.
Prevention
Common green capsids often hibernate in fallen leaves under hedges. If the common green capsid becomes a nuisance, clearing leaf litter under hedges prevents rampant reproduction of the insects.
