Tarnished plant bug biology & life cycle
Adults overwinter along fence rows, ditches and in wooded areas. In spring, adults feed on weeds and volunteers, before moving to other crops. Females lay eggs into stems, leaf midribs or petioles. Eggs hatch and nymphs have five stages. In canola, adults will actively feed on the base of the buds and flowers and cause blasting. A bud that has been attacked will look bleached white in color and appear shrunken. Once pods develop, adults will feed on the seeds by puncturing the pods and sucking out the seed's contents. Adults continue feeding until late summer; then move to overwintering sites. Feeding by nymphs and adults may also cause deformation or young fruit, tissue death, or reduced vegetative growth. One or two generations per year.
