UCANR

One Potato...Two Potato...

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Potato capsid walking on stem
The potato capsid has two spots on its prothorax. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Ever seen the potato capsid, Closterotomus norvegicus, feeding on the flowers or buds of such plants as potato, carrot, clover, nettles and cannabis? 

Or, on the buds and flower of fruit?

It's a tiny bug, 6–8 mm long, belonging to the order Hemiptera (true bugs), and family Miridae. Native to Europe, the potato capsid is green as a nymph but changes to a reddish-brown as an adult. 

At first glance, you may think it's a lygus bug, but a lygus has a colored triangle (scutellum) in the middle of the back where the wings attach. The potato capsid's distinguishing marks include two spots on the prothorax.

It's not a major pest, but a curious little bug it is at that.

 Ever spotted it?

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Potato capsid, a nymph, on Coroposis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Potato capsid on Coreopsis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

 


Source URL: https://ucanr.edu/blog/bug-squad/article/one-potatotwo-potato